Assessment for learning (AfL) is different from other forms of assessment because it has the specific purpose of promoting children's learning, rather than summarising or measuring what has been learnt. A key aspect of this is recognising that it is only "formative" when the information gleaned is actually used to move learning forward. It is not…

"Summative assessment" is a means of summing up where a learner, class, school or country has got to in their learning at a particular point in time. Data from this can be used to recognise attainment and gauge progress. It is therefore useful for reporting purposes. This is distinct from assessment for learning (or "formative assessment"), an…

Assessment issues often get a bad press and yet assessment is at the heart of teaching and learning. Without assessment, teachers' decisions about what pupils need next to make progress would be pure guesswork. They would not know which activities to select and so their attempts to help their pupils would be trial and error. Without assessment,…