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Framework for teaching mathematics

Short-term assessments

Short-term assessments are an informal part of every lesson. Their purposes are to:

• check that children have grasped the main teaching points in a particular lesson or unit of work, whether they have any misunderstandings that you need to put right, and whether they are ready to move on to the next activity;
• check that children are remembering number facts and can use mental calculation strategies;
• give you information which will help you to adjust day-to-day lesson plans and brief any support staff or adult helpers about which children to assist, and how to assist them.

For these short-term assessments what you assess will be closely matched to your teaching objectives. There are two main ways to make them.

• During every lesson you will absorb and react to children's responses, see whether they are confident or hesitant with new work, decide whether they need extension work or more help, or if groups need to be adjusted, and so on. With four groups in a class you might, for example, aim to keep a special eye on one of them on a different day each week, perhaps questioning the children informally to check specific knowledge, skills and understanding. If you notice any difficulties or misunderstandings, try to adjust your lesson and address them straight away, if necessary continuing in the next lesson or two. Use the plenary part of the lesson to acknowledge individual and collective achievement and effort.
• At intervals you can supplement your daily observations. For example, with older children, an out-of-class or homework exercise or activity at the end of a unit of work can give you useful information on who has learned what and who needs extra support. Or you might occasionally give the class a short, informal test of rapid recall of number facts and mental calculation skills. In a mixed-age class, older pupils could answer written questions, while the younger ones write answers to questions which you give to them orally. Homework and informal tests of this kind should be followed immediately by marking and discussion with the whole class to give pupils feedback on their performance and what they need to do to improve. At the same time you can make sure that any errors are put right and the merits of different methods discussed.

Short-term assessments don't need to be recorded, since they are for your immediate action and attention. But you may decide to keep your own informal jottings when a child surprises you, perhaps with his or her knowledge, or with something that is unexpectedly difficult. These informal, personal recordings can help you to clarify patterns in performance over time or responses to specific teaching or support.