Shared Glossary
Summative assessment
| Definition | Assessment designed to establish the extent to which pupils have achieved the learning aims of a programme of work. It can take various forms: a review of a significant body of classwork evidence to establish whether learning aims/criteria of success have been achieved, an end-of-unit test to check whether key points have been understood/key skills have been acquired; a pass/fail criterion-referenced test or examination in which the pupil demonstrates whether he or she can meet the success criteria for a longer period of work (for example, a term or a year); or an examination which samples a representative range of a large programme of work and grades pupils' performance. Feedback is usually in the form of a mark or a pass/fail or achieved/not achieved statement, without comment on strengths and future learning needs or next steps. However, it is often possible to use summative assessments formatively - for example, to identify areas of understanding or skill which need more attention. |
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| Related glossary items | Criterion-referenced assessment Success criteria Learning intentions Feedback Next steps Formative use of summative assessment |