Assessment

'Building the Curriculum 5: A framework for assessment' provides an outline of the approaches to assessment to support the purposes of learning 3 to 18.

The role of curriculum planners and managers

Curriculum for Excellence aims to raise standards of achievement for all from 3 to 18. This requires us to have effective quality assurance and moderation processes in place.

Curriculum planners and managers will build on existing practices to ensure that quality assurance activities are fit for purpose, proportionate, manageable and accessible. This will include providing opportunities and support for staff working collaboratively on moderation, verification, CPD activities and contributing to the National Assessment Resource.

They will ensure an appropriate focus on coherent planning, checking, sampling, reviewing and providing feedback for improvement. Managers can also ensure that appropriate target setting and monitoring and tracking of learners’ progress is in place and that self-evaluation is based on a wide range of evidence across all aspects of learning, including benchmarking information to inform improvement planning and raising achievement for all learners.

What support is available to managers?

'Building the Curriculum 5: A framework for assessment' sets out how the principles in the Scottish Government assessment strategy will be put into practice. It is supported by further exemplification and guidance:

• 'Building the Curriculum 5: Reporting' provides guidance on approaches to be followed by schools and education authorities in reporting to parents.
• 'Building the Curriculum 5: Quality assurance and moderation' develops the features of quality assurance and moderation in assessment 3 to 18, provides examples of current practices and proposes how these can be further developed for Curriculum for Excellence.

The National Assessment Resource (which was launched in September 2011) includes examples of practice which illustrate standards and expectations across curriculum areas, stages, experiences and outcomes and qualifications. Teachers will use these materials as part of their moderation and verification practices.