Whole School Assessment for Learning INSETPrintEmail

Course Description:

• What is Assessment for Learning?

(The difference between formative and summative assessment)

• How do we make AfL work in our school?

(Without it meaning lots of extra work)

• How can we use AfL to inform our planning and best support our students

Assessment for learning involves using assessment in the classroom to raise pupils’ achievement. It is based on the idea that pupils will improve most if they understand the aim of their learning, where they are in relation to this aim and how they can achieve the aim (or close the gap in their knowledge).The practical application of Assessment for Learning principles has given sensational increases in Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 examinations.

This course will identify how Assessment for Learning can help students take the next step in their learning. The INSET is completely practical and delegates will be engaged in the latest methods to implement Assessment for Learning. These methods have been tried and tested in high schools. They have significantly improved the performances of the most able to the least able students. They can be modified for Year 9, GCSE and ‘A’ level students and are applicable to all areas of the curriculum.

This course is fully linked to the Secondary National Strategy

Target Audience

This course is a must for all teachers, middle & senior leaders and School Principals who wish to raise achievement and establish a school culture in which students are fully engaged in their education.

Price reduction for half day or twilight session.

COURSE OUTLINE
Coffee and registration
Session 1: Setting objectives, self and peer assessment and feedback

• House! – An Introduction to the 4 main components of AfL
• Traffic Lights & Thumbs Up – Simple strategies for showing progress in lesson
• KWL - valuing students prior knowledge & encouraging them to take responsibility for their own learning
• Formative Assessment…..The Video!
• Self/Peer Assessment – A variety of methods
• The ‘Comments’ survey – What do your comments say to your students?
• A Model for Learning – An outline for teacher reflection & lesson observation
• The ‘Post-It’ Wall – Encouraging students to ask questions
Coffee
Session 2: The formative use of summative assessment

• Why Formative Assessment? A summary • Multiple Choice – The Comeback!! A valuable teaching tool
• AfL Wheels – Making the syllabus useful to the student.
• The AfL Tool Chest – The formative use of summative assessment
• The Best Plenary – My current favourite plenary activity
Lunch
Session 3: Promoting questioning

• Guess What? – a strategy for encouraging questioning.
• Questioning…the video!
• MI5 – encouraging questioning in your classroom.
• The Progress Quiz + Quiz, Quiz Trade – A superb, yet simple, activity for showing progression in your classroom
• KWL
• SMART targets

(The theme of ‘Feedback’ will run throughout the 3 sessions)