All Insights

As ever, Paul Steer has 'The Last Word' in the latest issue of OCR's Policy Briefing, and this month he comments on the Smith review of post-16 maths, the 'obsession' school performance measures, and what's on the horizon for vocational education.

Simon Lebus asks why we are struggling with providing high-quality maths education and what we need to change to attract the next generation of skilled mathematical minds.

Marie Bessant, OCR's Music and Performing Arts subject advisor, spoke at a Westminster Education Forum Keynote Seminar on 'The Provision, uptake and teaching at primary and secondary level'.

Paul Steer talks birthday party venues, alligator eggs and accommodating a pig when it comes to the context within which exam questions are set.

One of our principal researchers, Jackie, looks at how psychology can be used to make assessment better.

Deep Ghataura, Physics teacher and curriculum designer reflects on his time studying for the Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Examinations and Assessment, and advocates “assessment literacy for all”.

Annabel Charles is a tutor on the Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Assessment and Examinations. She writes here about her varied career in education and assessment, and assessment as a professional route.

Find out more about the PGCA

Stuart Gallagher and Ros Kaijaks from OCR talk about their involvement with the creation of Cambridge Assessment Network's new online course – A101: Introducing the Principles of Assessment.

Find out more about A101: Introducing the Principles of Assessment

Tim Oates asks what makes great assessment? What are the current and foreseeable assessment challenges and uncertainties facing educators? What action can the profession take to address these challenges?

Paul Steer comments on the challenges of reforming functional skills, what a 'good pass' will look like at GCSE following the 9-1 reforms, and the 'heavily criticised' maths and English resit policy.

Paul Steer comments on some of the issues featured in the latest issue of OCR's Policy Briefing, a round-up of education and skills news.

Martin Johnson from our research division writes about the Association for Educational Assessment-Europe (AEA-Europe) annual conference, held recently in Cyprus.

Our publications

Understanding Assessment: A Practical Course for Teachers

CPD accredited online courses

Global assessment community reaches one-year milestone

'Taking out the trash day' - Shortages, obsessions, and attitudes

Are we falling off a mathematical cliff-edge?

Is there a future for music education?

When context is king

Learning about exams from recent psychological research

Why study assessment?

From teaching to testing to training: a career in assessment

Introducing a new online course: A101

What makes great assessment?

Reforms, resits and 'good' passes

5 stumbling blocks faced by skills initiatives

Assessment from a social perspective