TALKING POINT
BREAKING FREE MOVING ON FROM OUTMODED EXAMINATIONS Durell Barnes believes that the independent education sector can drive innovation and help to provide alternative qualifications better suited to twenty-first century learners.
“N
ever go back”: I’ve generally found the mantra helpful. But I was pleased to breach it when attending April’s Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB) conference. It was exciting to see that the organisation remains vibrant and how, working closely with EdTech, examination boards, ISC association partners and schools in the UK and overseas, it continues to demonstrate the capacity to drive responsive change. Interest in ISEB was shown by the number and variety of delegates from
rethinking assessment
senior and prep schools, and by the calibre of the speakers. Colin Hughes, AQA’s CEO, brought his vast experience to bear on the roadmap to digital examinations, effectively clarifying that the future is already here. Professor Mary Richardson of the Institute of Education referred to AI developments as a ‘tsumani’ which is already upon us, but stressed that, “it need not be a tragedy... (It) is not just related to new technologies but also to how we view and discuss assessment in schools”.
Rethinking assessment
Professor Bill Lucas, Director of the Centre for Real World Learning, still speaks of re-thinking assessment after many years with energy and enthusiasm. He indicated that while England and Wales may be slow to adapt to the 21st century skills identified by the World Economic Forum and the needs of 21st century learners identified by the Centre for Curriculum Redesign, exciting developments as far apart as Scotland, Australia
and Portugal show some countries are brave enough to identify the limitations of current curriculum and assessment systems. There was a palpable sense of agreement as some of those were called out and named, especially in terms of the11-16 curriculum which Lucas regards as urgently in need of change. There was nodding as he described most assessment at this level as “too shallow, too narrow” with “too often blunt” methods, sometimes of dubious validity and actually harmful to some learners. Faces lit up as he highlighted the over focus of assessment in sifting learners for next stages and checking on how schools are doing, rather than helping pupils make better progress in their learning.
Refreshing
It was really refreshing to hear how schools and other organisations are beginning to address these issues. Alongside established – even ‘traditional’ – Common Entrance and Scholarship examinations, ISEB’s leading products are the Pre-Tests and the iPQ project qualification. The Pre-Tests are online, adaptive admissions tests designed to support the senior school application process by providing accurate information about prospective pupils’ attainment and potential. As a shared test, pupils only F Summer 2024 | schooladmissionsplus.com | 45