Generic paper on assessment in PSHE education agreed by PSHE education strategic partners in Jan 2009
Assessment in PSHE education
This paper on assessment in PSHE education was developed by a group comprising representatives of
national organisations concerned with PSHE education including DCSF, Ofsted and QCA. .
What is assessment ?
Assessment involves collecting evidence and making judgements as to how well learners have achieved the
intended learning outcomes. Assessment tasks should be regular and systematic and built into units of work.
There are number of different types of assessment

Baseline assessment

Formative assessment

Summative assessment
The key concept for assessing learning is “fitness for purpose”. i.e. choosing a method which will give you
the information you want.
Why assess?
The purpose of assessment is to check that learning is taking place and to identify what learners can do well,
and where and how they can do better. Effective assessment is fundamental to improving teaching and
learning. It is also central to personalising learning and supporting individual progression. Research and
inspection findings suggest that effective assessment:
 Enables staff to tailor provision and practice to the learners needs
 Tracks the progress that the learners make
 Motivates learners and boosts their self esteem
 Encourages and helps the learners to take increasing responsibility for their learning
 Helps to prepare the learners for a working life in which they will have most of the responsibility for
assessing their performance and identifying and meeting their training and development needs
Who can assess?
Model
Teacher
assessment



Description
Traditionally seen as formal summative
assessment of learning.
Usually structured and linked to session planning
and recording.
Can be informal such as individual feedback as
part of a session.
How
– possible methods
Individual,
Small or large group activity.
Can support self and peer
assessment by identifying
contributions and highlighting
strengths.
Usually in small groups.
Emphasis on a safe learning
environment and mutual trust.
(Pupil) Selfassessment
Peers make ‘judgements’ about
 each others knowledge,
 understanding and skills.
 involves giving and receiving constructive
feedback.

Individual reflects on their own learning in terms of
knowledge, understanding, skills and values.
External
assessment /
accreditation
This can be linked to accreditation of certain courses.
ASDAN, GCSEs, NVQ, GCSEs, work experience
used as coursework for English GCSE
Exam
Portfolio
Third party
assessment
This can take place in a situation other than school,
by another adult / not the teacher e.g. work
experience, Duke of Edinburgh Award
Employer report
Activity report
Peer
assessment
Private reflection,
One to one or group work
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Generic paper on assessment in PSHE education agreed by PSHE education strategic partners in Jan 2009
Explanation of terms
Assessment is an integral part of effective teaching and learning in all subjects including PSHE
education. It checks that learning is taking place and shows what learners can do well, and where
and how they can do better. It allows progress to be recognised and celebrated and it informs the
next steps and priorities of both teachers and learners.
Much assessment takes place in day-to-day teaching where learners receive immediate feedback
on their understanding of the specific aspect or topic being explored and where teachers adjust
their short-term planning in line with learners' needs. At other times, teachers need to stand back
and reflect on the learner's overall performance across a subject or aspect of learning, drawing on
a wide range of evidence. This more holistic, periodic assessment provides a clear profile of
attainment against recognised criteria. It also helps identify the learner's strengths and priorities for
improvement and informs the teacher's medium-term planning. This means the teacher is better
able to personalise the curriculum for pupils.
Formative assessment constitutes a learning experience in its own right. Writing an essay or
undertaking a class presentation, for example, can be valuable formative activities as a means
of enhancing substantive knowledge as well as for developing research, communication,
intellectual and organisational skills. 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).
Summative assessment is usually undertaken at the end of a period of learning in order to
generate a grade that reflects the student's performance. Assessment of learning is the
process of gathering evidence of, and making judgements about, pupils’ progress and
achievement.
Not to be confused with assessment
Monitoring



Reviewing


Evaluation


Accreditation


Check and supervise planned activities
Collect information that will help to answer
questions about provision.
Check what is actually happening against what
was planned.
Generally consider the overall programme to
promote improvement
Check against targets set in the PSHE education
department plan
Ascertain the quality and value of the processes
and outcomes of PSHE education
Judge the effectiveness of events, activities and
lessons
Providing learners with evidence about what they
have achieved in a certain course or subject.
Passing a formal qualification usually produced
by an examination board or awarding body.
Observation
Question and answer
Discussion
Questionnaires
Questionnaires, Q&A
Focus groups
Observation
Self evaluation checklists
Criteria set by an exam board
Examined by test, written exam,
portfolio
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Generic paper on assessment in PSHE education agreed by PSHE education strategic partners in Jan 2009
Assessment
Type
(What)
Baseline
assessment
(or needs
assessment)
Formative
assessment



(Assessment for
learning)
Summative
assessment
(Assessment of
learning)

Purpose
(Why)
Determines need through
gaining an understanding
of prior learning, existing
knowledge and abilities.
Provides a starting point
for planning to ensure
sessions and learning
objectives are
appropriate to meet the
needs of the group.
An on going activity to
provide reflection and
evidence for use by both
learners and providers to
decide where they are in
their development/
learning, against agreed
learning objectives, in
order to determine where
they need to go next and
how to get there.
Possible activities
(How)
Thought-showers,
structured discussions,
quizzes,
draw and write activities,
value continuums,
‘everything we know
about…sheets.
An activity to determine
progress and
achievement at the end
of a piece of work
against a set of criteria.
Display,
Quiz,
Presentation,
Written assignment,
Observed group activity,
Self-assessment
reflection
Test or exam.
Target setting.
Role-play,
self-reflection diaries,
group observation,
one to one discussion,
presentation,
piece of course work.
Concept maps
Traffic lights
Mark sheets for peer
assessment
Target setting
Benefits to teachers and learners
It informs planning and helps to ensure that learning activities are suitable and
relevant to pupils’ needs and abilities.
It helps teachers to plan starting points for learning how the work should be
developed, including selecting appropriate language and resources.
It benefits teachers by enabling them to:
 provide timely and effective feedback to pupils on their progress
 adjust teaching to take account of learners strengths and needs
It benefits pupils by:
 involving them in their own learning and assessment – helps them know
what they are aiming for and to improve against their previous best
 enabling them to generate evidence of their learning outside the classroom
 helping them recognise their next steps and how to take them
 promoting confidence that everyone can improve
It benefits both teacher and pupils by:
 creating a shared view of what we want to achieve (by sharing learning
goals)
 involving them together in reviewing and reflecting on collected information
 Often linked with knowledge-based outcomes and accreditation.
 Progress is judged either in relation to a set of external criteria (e.g. end of
Key Stage indicators or personal education plan (PEP) or in relation to the
achievements of others (relative position in the class)
 May also include action plans developed by the learner with a key worker.
 The results of the assessment may be used to provide quantitative evidence
for reporting to parents, teachers and other professionals and in developing
future learning goals.
 Whilst this has its place, the opportunity to celebrate achievement for
learners and providers should not be overlooked.
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Generic paper on assessment in PSHE education agreed by PSHE education strategic partners in Jan 2009
Recording and reporting
These are straightforward concepts and both should be based on some form of assessment. Recording can be carried out by a range of people including the learners
and provides information that may be reported. Identify activities that lead to effective learning and provide evidence of pupils’ progress and achievement and when
those activities will take place. Identify what feedback is needed by pupils to inform future learning. .Plan how the assessment process will be monitored and
evaluated.
Recording and providing evidence of assessment
Who
Participants
E.g. the learner
Provider
E.g. teacher,
facilitator
Stakeholders
E.g. funding bodies,
partner agencies,
strategic partnerships
Community
E.g. parents/carers,
local community
Why
How
- Evidence
Accreditation purposes
Self-esteem–show development
Celebrating achievement
Portfolios, Reflection diaries, photos of displays, videos, certificates,
mentor/professionals statements or reports, participant produced
information or newsletters.
Track learners’ progress
Demonstrate impact
Ensure consistency / standards
Statutory requirements, Inform future planning
Professional accountability
,
Demonstrate impact. Satisfy funding requirements.
Demonstrate contribution to shared targets.
Inform future partnership planning.
Demonstrate and share good practice.
Test results, work samples, videos, baseline and summative
assessments, case studies, participant produced information or
newsletters, independent observers reports.
Demonstrate contribution of the group.
Celebrate achievement.
Share good practice.
Inform wider audience.
Displays, participant’s presentations, video/DVDs, photographs,
participant produced information or newsletters.
Case studies, test/accreditation results, statistics taken from baseline
and summative assessments, work samples, participant’s
presentations, displays.
Examples of assessment opportunities



demonstrating understanding through planning a
talk or presentation
designing a display or website or making a video


producing a dairy, logbook or portfolio
contributing to discussion or debate



writing articles for school or local
newspaper
producing evidence of planning a visit or
arranging for a visiting speaker
devising a card or board game or quiz
Observation of students


demonstrating skills through role-play or
participation in simulations
routine marking against mark scheme


Question and answer
producing resources for younger pupils
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