Using formative assessment to prepare for National Qualifications in mathematics

Project summary

The Highland Council covers a large area of Scotland and practitioners have worked for some years with researchers and consultants to embed formative assessment into everyday practice. From this work, it became clear that peer and self-assessment were central to developing the underlying principles of participation, engagement, dialogue and thinking. In 2007 the local authority offered secondary schools an opportunity to work collaboratively on the use of peer and self-assessment in preparing for national qualifications.  

This mathematics project involved seven secondary schools, with ASG members agreeing that peer and self-assessment would involve appropriate feedback and looking forward, and that 'opportunities to rectify difficulties must be provided, in order for pupils to benefit fully from the process of peer and self-assessment'. Each school developed an enquiry specific to its own needs and interests, and all projects involved senior classes or S3 credit classes. 

As the enquiry progressed, teachers’ initial concerns, for example about possible lack of student involvement, and indiscipline, changed to reflective analysis of the value of teachers’ surrendering some power to encourage increased engagement and motivation. Dialogue between students and with staff was improved. Sometimes the increased time spent in dialogue led to better quality feedback; at other times, no additional time was required. Much depended on the topic being studied. This led the group to consider how peer and self-assessment could be embedded in all mathematics topics appropriately. 

In summing up, this group recommended that peer and self-assessment should be developed from S1 to S6, and that one way to support this would be to make it a compulsory agenda item at all departmental meetings.

Case study extract

Dornoch Academy, in the evaluation of its project reported,

'In all, the exercise proved to be very beneficial to pupils and comments on questionnaires bear this out. It is also worth noting that on average students performed almost one full band better on their final prelim, which, although not constituting hard research evidence, nonetheless indicates some positive impact of peer and self-assessment on academic attainment.' 

The whole group noted that various strategies for dialogue helped pupils to become better learners.

'In seeking pupils to take greater responsibility for their own learning, teachers realised the importance of teaching various strategies for dialogue. For pupils, learning to become a teacher, it seems, is just as important as the learning itself. Pupils had to learn how to question themselves and each other as well as how to comment critically on each other's work. This was not something they found easy to do - particularly less able pupils - and where consequently the role of the teacher assumed even greater significance.

This group believes strongly in the value of peer and self-assessment in raising attainment and achievement.'

Contact details

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