Assessment and achievement

I have always been inspired by this great quote from....

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It has been accused of being wishful thinking in the past, however, times they are a changing....

And so where does this leave us, what options do we have now in schools and what may on the horizon?

​Inclusive education requires moving beyond a narrow focus on high-stakes written exams to a richer, more flexible system of assessing and recognising achievement.

 

While we do not yet have this in our national accreditation framework, this section supports schools in reviewing how they can broaden accreditation methods, from GCSEs, A-Levels, and BTECs to vocational awards, functional skills, and alternative accreditations – so that students with Additional Educational Needs and Disabilities (A/SEND) can demonstrate their learning on an equal footing. It draws on JCQ guidance, detailing the advance preparation for practical exam access arrangements, such as extra time, use of technology, and alternative settings, alongside adaptive classroom assessments that personalise how students show what they know. The guidance also explores a breadth of achievement recognition, from formal qualifications and awards to enrichment, leadership, and community contributions. While we await a national examination system that can capture more diverse human competencies, schools must tenaciously find their own ways to identify and celebrate the diverse successes essential for fostering student motivation, wellbeing, and belonging of all.