Note of ASF consultation conferences, held in November and December 2004
Instead of the one consultation conference originally planned for November 2004, three separate events were held, catering separately for policy-makers in England (November 9 th ), practitioners (November 17 th ) and policy-makers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (held in Glasgow on December 10th). The programme of the three events were similar in that views of participants were sought on the proposals emerging from the first year of the project's work, but details were tailored to the particular backgrounds of those attending. The programmes of the three conferences and lists of those attending are appended to this note.
In all cases, participants had received Working paper 1 draft 9, Working paper 2 draft 3 and a consultation document in which questions for discussion were set out. These were slightly different for the ‘Celtic Fringe' meeting in Glasgow.
Those project core group members attending all three conferences drew attention to the considerable differences between responses from policy-makers and practitioners from England and from the ‘Celtic Fringe' countries. The Glasgow conference had been the most productive in terms of engaging with the project's proposals. This was probably because policy is those countries was already moving towards more teacher-led assessment than was the case in England.
Across all three conferences, however, there was general acceptance of the project's approach. In relation to the principles (see Working Paper 1), there was a general desire to include explicit reference to educational outcomes relating to ‘life skills'. The need to relieve the pressure of accountability was also recognised. In relation to the framework for describing systems, it appeared that there was a need to exemplify and contextualise the components of the framework. The analysis was an unfamiliar to many people. In relation to the proposals the project was urged to be more ambitious in its longer-term aims and not ‘water down' recommendations in order to make them acceptable. Many of the proposals had been described as ‘bland' rather than radical. There was clearly a tension between basing proposals in current practice but giving a vision of how things could be different. Putting some flesh on the proposals through examples was essential.
Assessment Systems for the Future: the place of assessment by teachers (ASF)
Consultation Conference
Held at the Nuffield Foundation, 28, Bedford Square, London, on November 9 th , 2004, 9.30 – 13.00
Programme
Chaired by Professor David Hopkins
9.00
Coffee
9.30
Welcome from the Nuffield Foundation
Anne Sofer
9.40
Introduction to project: aims, activities, international perspectives
Mary James
10.00
Principles, analysis, interim proposals and questions for discussion
Wynne Harlen
10.25
Chairman's comments, additional questions
10.40
Coffee
11.00
Groups discussions
12.00
Feedback from groups
12.30
Respondent: David Hopkins
12.45
Project team response and general discussion
1.00pm
Lunch
Participant list
Julia Ashford
DfES
Kathy Baker
GTC
Rick Barnes
Enfield LEA
David Bartlett
Birmingham LEA and AIAA
Paul Black
King's College, London
Patricia Broadfoot
University of Bristol
Audrey Brown
DfES
Colin Conner
National College for School Leadership
Richard Daugherty
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Pete Dudley
National College for School Leadership
Janet English
Malvern Way Infant & Nursery School
John Fitz
Cardiff University School of Social Sciences
John Gardner
Queen's University Belfast
Sylvia Green
UCLES
Sue Hackman
DfES
Kathy Hall
Leeds Metropolitan University
Wynne Harlen
University of Cambridge
Louise Hayward
University of Glasgow
David Hopkins
DfES
Caroline Hutchinson
Scottish Executive Education Department
Mary James
University of Cambridge
Michael Johns
Portsmouth LEA
Dorothy Kavanagh
Education Department Oxon
Marilyn Leask
The Teacher Training Agency
Elizabeth Lewin
Northamptonshire County Council
Fiona Longmore
TTA
Caroline Macready
DfES
Bob McCormick
The Open University
Christine Merrell
The CEM Centre
Martin Montgomery
CCEA, Northern Ireland
Roger Murphy
University of Nottingham
Paul Newton
QCA
Sally Pickles
DfES
John Pryor
University of Sussex
Jon Rider
Lord William's School
Catrin Roberts
The Nuffield Foundation
Shanti Rebello
DfES
Colin Seal
DfES
Judy Sebba
University of Sussex
Anne Sofer
Nuffield Foundation
Gordon Stobart
Insitute of Education
Jeremy Tafler
QCA
Harry Torrance
Manchester Metropolitan University
Peter Tymms
University of Durham
Mike Walker
King Edward VI Grammar School
Keith Wheeldon
OfSTED
SECOND CONSULTATION CONFERENCE
WEDNESDAY 17 TH NOVEMBER 2004
12.30 - 5.30 pm
held at
The Nuffield Foundation, 28 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3JS
020 7681 9603
Programme
Chair: Catrin Roberts
12.30 pm
Lunch
1.30 pm
Welcome from the Nuffield Foundation - Anne Sofer
1.40 pm
The project – background, principles and proposals – Wynne Harlen and John Gardner
2.10 pm
The project –implications for practitioners - Jon Ryder and Janet English
2.40 pm
Questions, discussion
2.50 pm
Tea
3.15 pm
Group discussions
4.30 pm
Group feedback and plenary discussion
5.00 pm
Reflections - David Budge
5.20
Response from the project – Gordon Stobart
5.30 pm
Buffet reception
Participant list
Ms Rachel Allard
Greycoat Hospital School, London
Mr David Bartlett
Birmingham LEA and AIAA
Dr Derek Bell
Association for Science Education
Mr Chris Belsom
Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education
Professor Paul Black
King's College London
Mr David Budge
Times Educational Supplement
Mr Robert Cheesman
National Union of Teachers
Ms Llyn Codling
Isambard Brunel Primary School, Portsmouth
Ms Shelia Curtis
Haggerston School, London
Mr Steve Cutting
NAACE
Mrs Sheila Dainton
Association of Teachers and Lecturers
Mr Ken Dunn
Taunton's College, Southampton
Ms Janet English
Malvern Way Infant and Nursery School, Hertfordshire
Professor John Gardner
Queen's University Belfast
Mr Chris Girdler
National Association of Head Teachers
Professor Wynne Harlen
University of Cambridge
Mr Paul Harrison
Teesdale School
Ms Kate Heery
Cheam High School
Mr John Hibbs
Association of Teachers of Mathematics
Mr John Leigh
The Mathematical Association
Ms Margaret Lynn
Our Lady of Compassion RC Primary School,
Mr Barry Matthews
Professional Association of Teachers
Ms Liz Morton
Whitmore High School, London
Mr Garry Neave
The Girls' Day School Trust, London
Dr Paul Newton
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
Ms Cally Oldershaw
Earth Studies Unit
Mr Nick Parry
Magadalen College School, Brackley
Ms Rebecca Poole
Hendon School, London
Dr Catrin Roberts
The Nuffield Foundation
Ms Ann Rollinson
Association for Language Learning
Mr Jon Ryder
Lord William's School, Thame
Ms Jean Salt
National Association for Special Educational Needs
Mrs Anne Sofer
The Nuffield Foundation
Dr Gordon Stobart
Institute of Education
Mr Greg West
The Royal Latin School, Buckingham
Ms Kathy Wicksteed
Specialist Schools Trust
Ms Becky Wildish
Independent Schools Council
Ms Mary Woodcock
Association for the Study of Primary Education
Mr Simon Wrigley
National Association for the Teaching of English
Consultation Seminar/Conference for Policy-makers from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Held at the Jury's Inn , Jamaica Street, Glasgow
Friday, December 10 th , 2004, 10.00-16.00
Programme
Chair: Paul Black
10.00
Coffee
10.15
Welcome from Catrin Roberts, Assistant Director, Nuffield Foundation
10.20
Introduction to project: rationale, aims, activities, international perspectives, introduction of questions for discussion (Wynne Harlen, Project Director)
10.50
Points for clarification
11.00
Coffee
11.15
12.15
20 minute presentations from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – current developments in assessment by teachers: purpose and process. (Martin Montgomery; Carolyn Hutchinson; John Williams)
Discussion
12.30
Lunch
13.15
Group discussions on ASF consultation questions
14.15
Reports of group discussions
15.00
10- minute responses from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales (Paul Morgan; Louise Hayward; David Woods)