Assessment Flashcards
(18 cards)
As Principal Teacher of Learning, Teaching and Assessment, what do you recognise?
I recognise that ensuring reliable and consistent assessment is crucial for improving pupil outcomes and building teacher confidence.
What has your focus been on?
My focus has been on supporting structured planning, promoting professional collaboration, and contributing to moderation activities—particularly within my faculty.
Having recently completed QAMSO training, what do you now feel well-prepared to do?
Having recently completed QAMSO training, I now feel well-prepared to take a more active and strategic role in leading consistent assessment practices across the school.
BGE Planning Tool - Past
When I started in my current role, I observed variation in how departments planned for progression across BGE. Within my own faculty, I promoted the use of the BGE planning tool, delivered informal training, and shared practical examples of how it could be used to align planning with CfE benchmarks.
BGE Planning Tool - Present
This work has contributed to clearer expectations within my faculty and more focused conversations during tracking and moderation meetings. Staff now feel more confident in their understanding of progress and how to plan accordingly. I continue to support colleagues in refining their use of the tool and aligning it with updated benchmarks.
BGE Planning Tool - Future
Moving forward, I intend to work more collaboratively with other faculties and senior leaders to ensure the planning tool is consistently embedded across the school. I would like to support cross-faculty sessions where staff can share effective practice and develop a whole-school approach to planning for progression.
Facilitating Moderation Using QAMSO Training - Past
Prior to my QAMSO training, I supported moderation within my faculty and contributed to school moderation trios. I helped structure discussions using the moderation cycle and encouraged colleagues to reflect on standards and pupil evidence collaboratively.
Facilitating Moderation Using QAMSO Training - Present
Now that I’ve completed my QAMSO training, I feel far more confident and knowledgeable in leading moderation. My training has deepened my understanding of national expectations and equipped me with practical tools to facilitate consistent, high-quality dialogue around assessment.
Facilitating Moderation Using QAMSO Training - Future
I plan to use this training to take a more active role in leading and coordinating moderation across the school. I’d like to help establish a more formalised moderation calendar, build capacity in others, and ensure that moderation is regular, purposeful, and fully aligned with national guidance.
Teaching Sprints - Past
This year, I have led the implementation of Teaching Sprints at a whole-school level as part of our improvement plan. I planned and delivered professional learning sessions focused on key themes such as connecting and framing the learning (learning intentions and success criteria), adaptive teaching/differentiation, and effective feedback. I coordinated with expert practitioners to deliver inputs, supported staff in developing their enquiry questions, and encouraged peer observations as part of the Sprint process. I also created resources to guide staff through the full Sprint cycle - from planning to reflection.
Teaching Sprints - Present
The impact has been significant. Staff engagement in reflective practice has increased, and colleagues have implemented a range of small, meaningful changes that have enhanced assessment for learning across departments. Feedback indicates that staff feel more supported and confident in trialling new approaches. The Sprints have also contributed to a more collaborative culture, where professional dialogue is valued and linked directly to classroom impact.
Teaching Sprints - Future
Moving forward, I plan to build on this momentum by aligning future Sprint cycles more directly with assessment and moderation priorities. I want to use the Sprint model to further strengthen staff understanding of benchmarks, holistic assessment, and consistent professional judgement. I also hope to develop cross-faculty enquiry groups to share effective practice and embed consistency across the school.
Coaching and Individual Support - Past
I have used my GTCS-recognised “Coaching for Success” training to provide informal support to colleagues, particularly probationers. I have supported them in interpreting benchmarks, reviewing pupil work, and improving their use of learning intentions and success criteria.
Coaching and Individual Support - Present
This one-to-one support has helped colleagues feel more confident in their assessment judgements and contributed to a more supportive, open professional environment within the faculty. Staff now seek out dialogue and feedback more regularly, which has strengthened our overall approach to professional learning.
Coaching and Individual Support - Future
I would like to extend this coaching support more widely, particularly to staff leading assessment in other departments. I see potential in creating a peer-coaching model focused on assessment literacy, where colleagues can support one another in developing reliable and consistent approaches across the school.
What have you contributed to?
While my work has primarily focused on my faculty, I have contributed meaningfully to whole-school assessment and moderation through collaboration, coaching, and structured planning.
With QAMSO training and professional coaching experience now underpinning my practice,what are you ready to take on?
I am ready to take on greater responsibility in leading reliable, consistent assessment across the school.
What will your future focus be?
My future focus will be on capacity building, collaborative leadership, and embedding sustainable systems that support high-quality professional judgement at all levels.
