Part 2: GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSMENT IN SCHOOLS

The structure of the guidelines

These guidelines outline the principles and intentions which should be the basis of assessment in schools. They also contain summary advice on implementation. Each school should develop its own policy which translates these principles and intentions into statements agreed by the staff and into assessment practices to be undertaken in each classroom. More detailed advice and exemplification which will be helpful for implementation can be found in Part 3, From Guidelines to Policy and Practice: A Staff Development Pack.

The guidelines present the assessment process as having five key elements:

The following pages amplify each of these five elements by setting out for each:

The five boxed sections, Key Principles, highlight and summarise the basis of a good policy on assessment, and are followed by a brief commentary and some ideas for building the principles into the school's practice. Again, more ideas can be found in Part 3.

The guidelines conclude with a description of the roles of various people who play a part in assessment.