Formative Assessment: Supporting student progress

Effective formative assessment is one of the most powerful ways to improve learning while it is happening. Rather than waiting until the end of a unit to evaluate understanding, formative assessment helps teachers gather evidence of learning during lessons and use that information to adapt teaching, address misconceptions and support progress in real time. This course provides practical guidance on how to plan and implement formative assessment strategies that strengthen teaching and improve student outcomes.

Drawing on research and classroom practice, the course explores how formative assessment works as an ongoing process rather than a single activity. Teachers will examine how questioning, discussion, retrieval practice and low-stakes tasks can reveal students’ thinking and make learning visible. The course also shows how feedback, peer learning and self-reflection can help students take greater ownership of their learning.
Through practical examples and application activities, teachers will learn how to design meaningful formative assessment opportunities and use the evidence they gather to inform teaching decisions and support adaptive teaching.

Key themes include:
– Understanding the purpose and principles of formative assessment
– Designing effective formative assessment strategies and tasks
– Using retrieval practice to strengthen memory and reveal understanding
– Improving questioning and discussion to gather evidence from all learners
– Using formative assessment to support adaptive teaching and address misconceptions

Course outcome: Teachers will gain practical strategies to plan, implement and respond to formative assessment, enabling them to adapt teaching, support progress and help all learners move forward with confidence.