In this commentary, the author discusses some of the issues she finds interesting from a Swedish perspective, and also makes some comparisons between the systems. The English and Swedish education and assessment systems have some fundamental differences, but also similarities. Some are becoming even more evident after learning about the characteristics and consequences of the national curriculum assessment system, and comparing them with current events in education in Sweden. However, from this perspective, England seems to be in a rather good position, and definitely ahead of Sweden, where the national assessment instruments have both formal and informal purposes and there is a very limited debate.