Compulsory national testing for children at ages 7, 11, 14, and 16 years is part of the British National Curriculum. This development contributes to the fact that the issue of assessment is of increasing interest to parents, teachers, administrators, and employers. This book attempts to explain how assessment systems work and the uses that can be made of assessment results. Chapter 1, "The Purposes of Assessment," describes the different sorts of decisions that can be made using educational assessment methods. In Chapter 2, "The Basic Tools of Assessment," the basic techniques of assessment are described, including essays, objective tests, and oral work. Chapter 3, "Using the Tools," explains how test designers decide what to test and how their decisions influence teachers and students. In Chapter 4, "Standardized Tests," the design and use of standardized tests are described as large-scale tests are explained. Chapter 5, "External Examinations," explains how major public examinations in the United Kingdom are designed, how papers are marked, and how grades are awarded. Chapter 6, "Reforms in Educational Assessment," deals with reforms in the public assessment system, including the national assessment system. The last chapter, "Making the Most of Testing," suggests how students can be helped to make the most of an assessment system and how parents and employers can make the best use of assessment results. (Contains 18 figures and 3 tables.) (SLD)