Sources of evidence

Using a variety of approaches and range of evidence

Teachers need a range of assessment approaches to assess the different types of achievement across the curriculum. This range allows learners to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do. The range and variety of assessment approaches should take account of the relevance of contexts to learners’ prior experiences, interests and aspirations and should link across learning where possible.

It is essential that staff use evidence of learning from a broad range of contexts to check how a learner is progressing and that learning is secure. The evidence will be different depending upon the kind of learning being assessed, the learning activity and learners' preferences about how to show what they have learned. Evidence will come from day-to-day learning as well as from specific assessment tasks, activities, tests and examinations.

Assessment needs to be planned as part of learning and teaching activities. In planning activities and experiences with young people, staff need to:

• consider and share the outcomes towards which children and young people are working
• use examples that illustrate standards and expectations
• agree success criteria through discussion with each other and with learners
• design learning experiences and activities that are likely to challenge and motivate and give
• opportunities to children and young people to provide evidence that demonstrates their
• knowledge and understanding, skills, attributes and capabilities
• plan so that children and young people can show their thinking and provide evidence of what they have learned in response to planned experiences

Staff need to consider the balance across knowledge and understanding, skills, attributes and capabilities as described in the relevant experiences and outcomes and their equivalent in the specifications for qualifications and awards. Staff will also find the four capacities useful in providing a framework for longer-term planning and as a focus for discussions with learners as part of personal learning planning. For example, staff and learners could focus on the four capacities from time to time to discuss and evaluate evidence of the learner’s overall development and plan next steps in learning.