The Development of 'Project 1': Formative Assessment Strategies in UK Schools

Abstract

In recent years a growing political emphasis has been placed upon the development of transformative assessment-driven reform in schools. There is global consensus on the value of assessment activities that are carefully designed to be consistent with desired learning outcomes, and coherently connect cognitive learning theory, the curriculum, classroom activities and assessment items. The consensus ends when there is debate between those who believe that schools produce more able students when they are faced with summative assessments and those who propose the implementation of formative assessment strategies in classrooms. This article investigates the development of formative assessment strategies in the UK known as Project 1. Of central importance here, are the perceptions of teachers as they work in cooperation to implement new policy into their classrooms and manage the impact of these innovative changes upon their personal and professional lives.