ABSTRACT
Assessment is a key feature of the work of teachers and many teaching assistants. However, all too often, external demands and considerations can mean that the focus is on outcomes and measurable achievement - assessment o/’learning rather than assessment f o r learning. Cathy Nutbrown, a distinguished early years academic, argues that we need to reconsider why we assess young children’s learning and to develop assessment practices that begin with and respect the learner, and that will provide us with information to engage with and support children’s learning and understanding. She suggests that observation is an essential tool in achieving this. Although the focus here is on young children, the conclusions have implications for those working with older children as well.
