This APU report for teachers gives information about what was assessed in the APU monitoring of students’ performance aged 11 (a short-hand for children between the ages of 10 years 9 months and 11 years 8 months). After a brief summary of the background to the APU...

This APU report for teachers describes the aspect of the science surveys where the science project broke new ground. The reason for including practical tasks was the emphasis placed on practical work in science, requiring a range of skills.

It was considered that science performance could not be adequately...

This APU report for teachers focuses on students’ planning of investigations. Although considered important in several respects, Rep...

Produced in 2009-2010, Assessing Pupils Progress (APP) was produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and is a structured approach to periodic assessment, written to enable teachers to use diagnostic information about students’ strengths and weaknesses and to track students’ progress.

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These activities from the BEST project (age 11 to 14) can be used with primary pupils. The diagnostic questions probe pupils' ability:

• to identify magnets and magnetic materials
• describe rules of attraction and repulsion between magnets
• to identify situations in which a force is...

These activities from the BEST project can be used with primary pupils.  The diagnostic question probes pupils' understanding of how bones, muscles and tissues work together to support, protect and move the human body.The response activity helps to develop pupils' understanding of the function performed by the...

Carried out by University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) this project was instigated to investigate the equivalence of standards set in national tests over a period of several years. The experimental...

This Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) document contains the 2004 revision of the Design and Technology National Curriculum. As with previous documents, there were no substantial revisions, and none at all to the Attainment Target statements. The role of CAD-CAM and new materials continued to be...

These resources from SMILE consist of short questions designed to assess students' progress in mathematics. Each section consists of a statement which describes the mathematics being assessed, an example to help students understand what is required and questions for the students to complete. The answers to the...

This set of subject criteria were produced by the Ofqual, the Welsh Assembly and CEA (Northern Ireland) for Awarding Bodies to produce subject specifications for use in 2011 GCSE Science, GCSE Additional Science, GCSE Additional Applied Science, GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry, and GCSE Physics. GCSE specifications...

Produced in 2007, this is an an International Review of Curriculum and Assessment (INCA) thematic probe to compare compulsory assessment systems which the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) asked National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to undertake. It gathered information via the 20 INCA...

Produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in 2009, this guidance supports the planning, development and implementation of the curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties. It draws on effective practice across a range of schools and can be used in...

Commissioned by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, this Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment review of teacher assessment in 2009 looked at teacher assessment in practice in a number of countries to see what works best and to consider the implications for Assessing Pupils’ Progress (APP...

Produced by the Department for Children Schools and Families and the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency, this 2010 document lays out the size, nature and procedures around the sample of Key Stage Two science tests that was implemented after testing of all students was discontinued in 2009.

This QCA document describes through case studies and activities how the P scales can be used in a range of educational settings to assess the progress of students.

The P scales were designed, like the programmes of...