ABSTRACT
After briefly reviewing the properties that summative assessment in primary science needs in order to serve its purposes, the main sections discuss and illustrate three different approaches to assessing pupils’ achievements at particular times. The first of these involves administering tests or special tasks at the time when a report on performance is required. Echoing some concerns expressed in Chapter 15 we set out some disadvantages of using tests for assessing the goals of primary science. The other two approaches – summarising at a particular time the evidence collected across a range of activities, and building a record over time – depend on teachers’ judgements. We outline a set of procedures which enable the best work to be used in the assessment and includes formative assessment. Procedures for quality assurance of teacherbased assessment are discussed.
