Introducing the Assessment Foundation

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Incerts is changing to become the Assessment Foundation.

The Assessment Foundation will continue to provide the Incerts system to schools but will extend its role in championing effective assessment in classrooms and influencing assessment policy. In addition, the Foundation will develop:

• Professional learning that takes every teacher on their own journey to better assessment practice
• Conferences, roadshows, and round-table policy discussions to inform and inspire
• Consensus and collaboration across the major education organisations of Wales, to get to the heart of what national policy means for schools

Over the next few years there will be significant changes from Welsh Government as they introduce Graham Donaldson's reforms and the new curriculum and assessment arrangements. As the leading Assessment organisation in Wales, working closely with over 1,000 schools, the Assessment Foundation will be at the forefront of making that work in practice.

Chris Padden, Chief Executive at the Assessment Foundation, said:

• “After a decade of working with schools and school leaders, we’re excited to embark on a new era of even greater impact on children’s learning. We believe that assessment is the foundation of learning: great teaching is based on what every child knows, understands and can do. As the Assessment Foundation we’ll be working to make that a reality in every classroom”.
  

​Chris Taylor, Professor of Education Policy at Cardiff University, said:

• “This is an important development for education in Wales. The launch of the Assessment Foundation builds on the valuable support that its predecessor, Incerts, has provided to thousands of teachers and schools across the country. The importance of assessment in education has always been recognised, but the use of effective assessment – the role assessment has on learning – continues to remain elusive in many classrooms. We know that quality feedback is the most cost effective way to improve students’ learning, so any support that teachers and schools can have to improve the quality of assessment and feedback is very welcome. The Assessment Foundation will play a key part in providing that support in Wales.”

Rob Williams, Director of Policy at NAHT Cymru, said:

• “NAHT Cymru are pleased to support the exciting launch of the Assessment Foundation in Wales. We know that children and young people make most progress when they clearly understand what they’ve learnt, where they need to go next in their learning and how to get there. The Assessment Foundation, utilising the vast knowledge they have gathered when working with school leaders and teachers who use the Incerts system, are ideally placed to help shape an assessment policy and practice that supports every pupil. We will continue to support their work and urge all policy makers to recognise the power of effective assessment in maximising pupil progress.”