Good morning,

Formative assessment is one of those phrases that seems to sit permanently in the professional vocabulary of schools. Everyone knows it matters. Everyone knows they are supposed to be doing it. And yet, the more familiar the phrase becomes, the easier it is for the substance to slip away.

Because formative assessment is not really about the technique.

It is not the mini whiteboard.
It is not the exit ticket.
It is not the hinge question.
It is not the carefully marked page in an exercise book.

Those things may help, of course. But they only become formative when they inform what happens next.

That is the central idea in this week’s episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education: formative assessment is not a collection of classroom routines. It is a decision-making process.

In the episode, Stuart Welsh joins me to think through a recent systematic review of formative assessment in mathematics education. The paper is useful because it does not simply repeat the broad claim that formative assessment “works”. Instead, it pushes us to ask a more careful question:

What kind of formative assessment works, under what conditions, and why?

This is a crucial distinction. A teacher can collect plenty of information without that information changing the teaching. A class can complete an exit ticket without the teacher learning anything that affects the next lesson. Students can hold up answers on whiteboards without the teacher using those answers to adjust examples, explanations, representations, practice or grouping.

In those cases, the assessment may be active, visible and well-intentioned, but it is not yet doing the thing we need it to do.

So, in this episode, we explore four ways to get more from formative assessment.

First, we argue for a clearer definition. Formative assessment is not complete until it leads to action. The question is not simply, “Did I check what they know?” It is, “Did what I found out change what I did next?”

Second, we discuss the importance of designing questions and tasks that reveal mathematical thinking, rather than simply producing right and wrong answers. A page of ticks may look reassuring, but it does not necessarily tell us whether students understand the structure beneath the procedure.

Third, we talk about feedback. Not more feedback, necessarily. Not longer feedback. And certainly not feedback that creates more work for the teacher than the student. Instead, we consider feedback as a response to evidence: another example, a better representation, a more focused prompt, a chance to compare methods, or a carefully structured opportunity to improve.

Finally, we look at digital tools. Not in the breathless “AI will save education” sense, but in a much more restrained and useful way. Digital systems can help when they make patterns visible, reduce the burden of collation, and help teachers make better decisions about what students need next.

The episode is particularly useful for anyone thinking about assessment in mathematics, but the argument is broader than maths.

Formative assessment is not about gathering more evidence. Schools already gather plenty. It is about gathering better evidence, at the right moment, and using it to improve the next instructional decision. That is a much harder standard, but also a much more useful one.

You can listen to Four ways to get the most from formative assessment now by searching Thinking Deeply about Primary Education wherever you listen to podcasts or by clicking any of the links below…

And if this episode makes you think of a colleague who is currently reviewing assessment, feedback, marking, maths teaching, or responsive teaching, please do send it their way.

Maskos, K., Schulz, A., Oeksuez, S. S., & Rakoczy, K. (2025). Formative Assessment in Mathematics Education: A Systematic Review. ZDM Mathematics Education, 57, 679–693.

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment. King’s College London School of Education.

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. Routledge.

Hendrick, C., & Macpherson, R. (2017). What Does This Look Like in the Classroom? Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice. John Catt.

Lemov, D. (2021). Teach Like a Champion 3.0: 63 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College. Jossey-Bass.

Richard Selfridge on the effective use of data - TDaPE

Tickets are now available for TDaPE Conference Online, bringing together a brilliant collection of on-demand workshop sessions from across the world of education.

Every ticket gives you access to thoughtful, practical and evidence-informed sessions you can watch in your own time, with all funds donated to Velindre Cancer Centre.

So, if you want meaningful professional development and the chance to support a brilliant cause, this is a lovely way to do both.

TDaPE Online Eventbrite

TDaPE Online Workshops

Huge thanks to everyone who shared last week’s episode. It genuinely helps the podcast reach more thoughtful primary teachers and leaders. If you know someone who values reflecting carefully on teaching, learning or leadership, I’d love it if you passed the link on.

That’s all from me this week. I’d really love to hear what you think about the episode. Leave a comment wherever you listen, or just hit reply and share your thoughts.

Until next time, thanks for listening.