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It's time for an overhaul of assessment and accountability

Performance tables
The link between assessment and accountability can too easily become dysfunctional, says Ian Toone, who argues that it’s time for an overhaul.

Questions about the purpose, design and measurement of assessment processes lie at the heart of a number of current debates – the year 6 phonics check, the new key stage 2 grammar, punctuation and spelling test, the debacle over the English GCSE results, proposals for reducing teacher assessment at key stage 4, and plans to reconfigure A levels.

These are live issues in England, but Scottish, Welsh and Irish colleagues have similar concerns. Scottish teachers are coming to terms with the new assessment regime under Curriculum for Excellence, Welsh teachers are getting to grips with a review of qualifications for 14 to 19-year-olds, and Northern Ireland is gearing itself up for a fundamental review of GCSEs and A levels.

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