Mathematics
A broader range of evidence
Assessing Pupils’ Progress materials in mathematics are making a real impact at secondary level
T
HE MATHEMATICS Assessing Pupils’ Mr Huby said: “APP is about raising the game in
Progress (APP) materials provide a key terms of teachers refl ecting on children’s progress,
set of resources to help teachers develop measuring that against national standards, and
all aspects of assessment in mathematics. trusting their professional judgement to assess where
APP is a structured approach to pupil assessment in pupils are in their learning. If you are talking about
mathematics which enables teachers to track pupils’ pupils making sense of mathematics and having the
progress and use diagnostic information about pupils’ ability to use mathematical ideas, make mathematical
strengths and weaknesses. It forms part of three decisions, and communicate mathematical results,
linked levels of assessment – day-to-day, APP, and these are too rich a set of skills to be assessed simply
transitional assessment. by ticking, short tests, or marks out of 10. APP is
“Day-to-day assessment comes under the banner about giving a broader, richer range of assessment
of Assessment for Learning (AfL) and is very much approaches which enable teachers to make sense of
about guiding the teaching and learning in the where pupils are and what the next steps in their
day-to-day,” explained Derek Huby, senior advisor, learning should be.”
mathematics, for the National Strategies. “APP is Its important to remember, however, that
about the next stage, periodic assessment, which introducing APP requires time and eff ort on the part
means taking a step back from the day-to-day of schools. “Th e message for senior leadership teams
and considering pupils’ progress more broadly. So is that it takes mathematics departments time to get
rather than looking at the outcome of individual used to the change of culture that APP represents,”
lessons or activities on a day-to-day basis, APP is Mr Huby added. “It requires slow, thoughtful
about considering pupils’ progress across the piece, development in terms of getting to know the
measured against the national curriculum criteria. materials and approaches, fi nding ways of making
“Th en, to complete the picture, there is transitional it work, and clearing away the legacy of old
assessment, when pupils move from class to class or assessment approaches.”
key stage to key stage.” Revised mathematics APP materials were launched
All secondary schools are aware of APP, but some in 2008 to align both with APP in other subjects and
are further forward in implementing it than others. at primary. Th e materials consist of the assessment
However, the growing number of teachers who guidelines (with assessment grids available in either
are using the APP approach to assess their pupils’ A3 or A4 format), the APP teachers’ handbook
development in mathematics say that it is having a describing how APP works, and the standards fi les,
positive impact on teaching and learning. a set of booklets giving examples of pupils’ work
Instead of relying almost exclusively on testing assessed against national curriculum levels.
or what pupils have written in their exercise books, Associated resources include the Assessing Pupils’
teachers using APP are drawing on a far broader Progress: Secondary Mathematics Guidance – Day-to-
range of evidence to track pupils’ progress, identify day assessment in mathematics, which gives guidance
gaps in learning, and plan for progression. Th ey say on what teachers should be doing day-to-day in order
that APP is helping them to make rigorous, robust to generate a “bank of evidence” for APP.
and reliable judgements, linked to national standards.
APP is intended to be used at regular intervals,
Further information
perhaps twice or three times a year, when Mathematics APP materials: www.standards.dcsf.gov.
mathematics teachers review their pupils’ work using uk/nationalstrategies/sup5/app
APP guidelines to build a profi le of their attainment. Download the Assessing Pupils’ Progress: Secondary
As well as enabling them to analyse pupils’ individual Mathematics Guidance – Day-to-day assessment in
strengths and weaknesses, the process also helps mathematics resource at: www.standards.dcsf.gov.
teachers to refl ect on their teaching. uk/nationalstrategies/sup5/mathsapp
6 SecEd
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