Making Formative Use of a National Summative Assessment Regime

Abstract

While the impact of formative assessment practices on learning outcomes is receiving increasing attention, the dominant function of the statutory assessment system in England and Wales is summative. As authors of the statutory end of Key Stage 2 tests between 1995 and 1999, we are aware of a volume of test performance data generated in the course of the summative regime. Summative performance data are available on the cohort of 600,000 pupils, at age 11, assessed annually. We have further illuminated these data by an annual qualitative re-marking of a sub-sample stratified by three overall achievement levels. We suggest that many test items are analogous to concept probes within the constructivist paradigm. When pupils’ assessed understanding can be mapped onto lines of progression, assessment can have a powerful formative capability in informing classroom teaching and learning practices. The characteristics of test items which may combine summative and formative utility are discussed.