Assessment for Learning Without Limits

This book explores assessment practices that offer an enlightening and enabling view of all learners. Following the demise of national curriculum levels, the book embraces a unique opportunity to change how children are assessed. Rather than simply replacing the old structure with a new one, it focuses instead on enabling children to learn in meaningful ways so that assessment becomes a tool for improvement rather than judgment. Building on two influential research studies, Learning without Limits (Hart et al 2004) and Creating Learning without Limits (Swann et al 2012), the book continues the story of an alternative 'learning without limits' pedagogy.

Inspired by a relentless focus on every child's capacity to learn, the book explores what can be achieved when we remove limits on learning. School leaders and teachers, struggling against practices that seeks to define, label and rank, explore the opportunity to view assessment reform as a means of reducing inequity through 'learning without limits' principles of collaboration, professional learning and inquiry. Children share their views and offer powerful insights into what may be achieved when limits are lifted on their learning. Consequently a liberating and alternative view of assessment is presented, achieved through children and adults working in partnership. Throughout the book, practical examples are offered, illustrated by real life stories, often about children who have achieved more than their teachers thought possible.

At a time when schools are in pursuit of new assessment practices and reporting of progress, the insights in this book about what is possible are highly pertinent for individual teachers, school leaders and teacher educators wondering how best to foster children's learning capacity.

"Alison Peacock is a treasure. She has remarkable wisdom about the purposes of education and the processes that make education work. In this book, she shares that wisdom, showing how judicious assessments can awaken students' motivation to learn and create eager, effective learners. Everyone who cares about children's lives and their futures should read this book!"
Carol S. Dweck, Professor of Psychology, Stanford University, US and author of Mindset

"This book tackles the difficult and very important task of bringing together the Learning Without Limits big ideas and the challenging topic of assessment. In it, Alison Peacock shows clearly the damage done by assessment contaminated by ability-labelling and other ability-based practices, and argues the moral and educational necessity of doing assessment in a different way."
Mary Jane Drummond and Susan Hart, Co-authors of Learning without Limits and Creating Learning without Limits, UK

"This book is brimming with practical solutions and high quality strategies to help teachers assess progress in partnership with their pupils. It serves as a timely reminder that children's ability is far from fixed - as all the education evidence demonstrates. By synthesising an array of evidence, this book offers an enlightened approach to assessments that works for children, educators and parents alike."
Lee Elliot Major, Chief Executive of the Sutton Trust and co-author of the Sutton Trust-EEF toolkit for teachers

"This is a great book, and as one of the nine teachers who was part of the original 'Learning without Limits' research project I can vouch for Dame Alison Peacock's unswerving commitment to, and passion for, the principles of Learning without Limits embodied within its pages. Throughout the book, powerful and authentic stories about leading, learning, listening, dialogue and trust bring a bold and transformative approach to assessment within the grasp of all educati

Alison Peacock is Executive Headteacher at The Wroxham School and The Wroxham Transformative Learning Alliance, a National Leader of Education, and a columnist for The Times Educational Supplement (TES).