ABSTRACT
Assessment serves several related but different purposes. Primarily it is concerned with the evaluation of pupils' progress and achievement as a formative, diagnostic measure of particular strengths and weaknesses so that appropriate activities can be provided. It should also enable teachers to evaluate their own performance and to assess the effectiveness of the content and approach adopted by the school. In addition, more formal summative assessment is required to identify levels of achievement so that parents, governors and outside bodies can be better informed, hopefully in order to provide suitable support, assistance and resources for teachers and pupils. It is important that assessment does not control the teaching approach and type of experiences offered to the children, which should be chosen primarily in respect to their interests rather than to satisfy the requirements of an external agency, although in many cases a method can be adopted to satisfy most needs. Assessment 'should be the servant and not the master of the curriculum. Yet it should not be a bolt-on addition at the end. Rather it should be an integral part of the education process, continually providing both "feedback and feedforward".' 1
