Assessment in English
Assessment in English is always a challenge: subjective marking that leads to passionate disagreement despite in interpretation of any mark scheme, the requirement for both knowledge and creativity, the balance between ideas, language and accuracy - the tensions within in English assessment are many and various.
The key principles to bear in mind for English assessment are:
- know where students have come from: understand the expectations of KS2 and pitch teaching appropriately
- assess students' mastery of what has been taught, not what has not yet been covered
- plan for assessment so that all teachers have discussed and explored what high quality work will look like for key tasks
- students' responses to texts do not always have to be in the form of critical writing (essays) - this is particularly important in lower KS3 when students have not yet mastered the essay form
- avoid using GCSE style tasks and mark schemes in Years 7 and 8.