Assessment of physical education
Assessment should be used to support teaching and learning and should not be a burden but a tool to help pupils learn effectively. Formative assessment is seen as the way forward in schools. Primary PE teachers have been using this method for years. We observe children and use our professional judgement to assess their progress.
An effective system of assessment should:
- Provide reliable, continuous information
- Take account of the needs of all pupils
- Make realistic demands on teachers, pupils and administrative staff.
Systems of assessment will only work effectively if all those involved recognise its purposes and operate it well. There is a warning that the system should be manageable by staff and establishments as an integral part of their work.
There are many reasons why assessment is essential. Its essence, however, is the means of obtaining vital information on pupil progress, such as, the level a pupil has reached and locating specific areas of strength or weakness. It also gives us a starting point for future planning.
Whilst assessment is essential to any education encounter, we must be wary of the practical constraints within the Expressive Arts and in particular, to Physical Education. Physical Education must be assessed but that does not mean that we should record every skill a pupil achieves.
We should look for the least time consuming and most manageable method of assessing and recording available.
The HMI Document ‘Improving Physical Education in Primary Schools' says:
'To improve the quality of assessment, teachers need to:
- be clear about what they intend pupils to learn and share these aims with pupils;
- ensure that tasks are chosen to reflect the aims and the expected level of performance;
- observe pupils' responses in relation to these aims;
- provide better feedback to pupils and involve them in self and peer assessment.