Assessment in Primary Schools
Overview
The Primary School Curriculum (1999) provides the educational rationale for assessment and presents initial advice for teachers on assessing children’s learning in the primary school. It notes that assessment in the primary school should concern both the process and product of learning and should provide information on the child’s cognitive, creative, affective, physical and social development. The curriculum describes assessment as an integral part of teaching and learning. It outlines the purposes of assessment for each curriculum area and it recommends a variety of assessment methods which teachers can use in each curriculum subject.
Placing assessment at the heart of teaching and learning helps to ensure learning is an enjoyable, rewarding and motivating experience for both children and their teachers. Building on the experiences of teachers, principals, parents and children of the Primary School Curriculum, the NCCA provides support to schools in using assessment as part of daily classroom practice. This support includes:
- Guidelines to show how assessment might be used in classrooms - Assessment in the Primary School Curriculum: Guidelines for Schools.
- Resources for supporting home-school partnerships for the benefit of children.
- Report Cards and leaflets on standardised testing
- Samples of classroom practice to exemplify how assessment can support children’s learning - using Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies to guide children’s learning in literacy.
The NCCA is currently working with a group of teachers in developing additional support material as part of the Primary School Network.
Related NCCA Publications for viewing/downloading
Primary Curriculum Review, Phase 1 (2005)
Primary School Curriculum (1999)
Primary Assessment Article from info@ncca (January 2006)
Assessment in Primary School Article from info@ncca (January 2008)
Related Links
Primary School Curriculum
Primary Curriculum Review