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Jane Facey was unsatisfied with the way in which her A-level students responded to typical assessment practice. This would normally involve their teacher marking their work and then providing them with written feedback. In looking to move beyond this, Facey drew upon a wide range of research and practice which has sought to develop the way in which the work of students is assessed. Using this, Facey decided to experiment with different methods of assessment for A-Level students. In this article, she reports on her exploration of a number of these methods that she used in her practice and how these helped her students progress through their A-Level course.
What is the problem with A-Level assessment?
The grade A student received another grade A, and while pleased, did not feel challenged to improve; the grade E student still felt disengaged or frustrated; the grade C students resigned themselves to the fact that they would never reach the high grades. How could I better use assessment to motivate and help these students progress? What I wanted was what Black and Wiliam termed a 'culture of success backed by a belief that all can achieve'.1 I began to question whether the traditional practice of the teacher grading and marking an ?-Level essay is as useful to the student, or as illuminating to the teacher, as might previously be assumed.2 Working in a sixth-form college, I wanted to see if 'Assessment for Learning' initiatives lower down the school could be as effectively applied at A- Level.' Ofsted defines effective assessment as when 'Learners receive constructive feedback on their progress and how they might improve', as well as when they themselves 'understand how well they are progressing... and what they need to do to improve'.4 Over the last few years I have tried out a wide range of methods by which to assess and encourage students of all abilities to assess for themselves their A-Level work.
Experimenting with assessment
The Assessment Reform Group identified 'the need for pupils to be able to assess themselves and understand how to improve'.5 To make assessment truly formative, I have tried varied methods of peer-marking and self-assessment of written work, as well as exploring different ways by which to feed back....