From the Principal

Dear BMGS Families,

Exploring Assessment at Blue Mountains Grammar School

In recent months, I have been encouraged by our Senior School staff as they have engaged in a focus on assessment practices at Blue Mountains Grammar School. Assessment is one of the most powerful influences on what happens in classrooms, as it shapes how teachers teach, how students learn, and even how parents interpret their child’s progress. Yet, too often in schools, we lean heavily on assessment of learning; the tests, assignments, and final reports that provide a summative snapshot.

While these assessments have their rightful place, research is clear that assessment for learning and assessment as learning are far more potent in shaping student growth and equipping them for the long term (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Hattie, 2009; Wiliam, 2011).

Understanding the Three Types of Assessment

Assessment of learning is summative. It evaluates what students know after instruction, through exams, essays, or projects. These are important for reporting, certifying achievement, and meeting curriculum requirements. However, they tend to focus on the past, specifically on what has already been learned (or missed). In the most valid form, they are a lag measure.
Assessment for learning is formative. It happens during the learning process. Teachers gather evidence of student understanding, identify misconceptions, and adjust their teaching in real-time. This makes learning more responsive and personalised. This is a lead measure.
Assessment as learning is student-centred. Here, learners themselves become assessors. They reflect, set goals, and monitor progress, developing the skills of self-regulation and metacognition. This is also a lead measure.

All three are important and have their place, but if we focus solely on the assessment of learning, we risk missing the deeper growth that comes through these other approaches.

Why for and as Learning Matter

The evidence is compelling. In their review of 250 studies, Black and Wiliam concluded that formative assessment significantly raised achievement, often more than almost any other educational intervention. John Hattie’s (2009) meta-analysis ranked formative assessment among the highest-impact influences on student outcomes, with an effect size of 0.90.

Dylan Wiliam (2011) explains why. He stated that assessment, when done well, is the “bridge between teaching and learning.” If students only ever receive grades, many stop engaging the moment the mark is known. But when students receive descriptive feedback or are asked to reflect, learning continues and deepens.

What It Looks Like in Practice

At BMGS, our Senior School teachers are already weaving all three types of assessment into their practice. This approach is clearly articulated in our assessment guidelines. Here are some concrete examples:

Assessment of learning (summative): A Year 12 student sits the Trial HSC. These rigorous tasks provide grades aligned to NESA standards and prepare students for final certification. They are essential for credentials, university entry, and reporting.
Assessment for learning (formative): In a Year 8 Science class, the teacher checks student predictions with mini whiteboards before an experiment. Misconceptions appear instantly, allowing her to reteach key concepts on the spot. Later, a low-stakes quiz highlights where students need extra practice.
Assessment as learning (student-driven): In Year 10 English, students use rubrics to self-assess their essays before conferencing with their teacher. In Year 7, students lead parent-teacher conferences, explaining their progress and identifying next steps. These moments build ownership and confidence.

These practices ensure that summative assessments never come as a surprise. Students have already had multiple cycles of feedback and reflection before final judgments are made.

Alignment with Syllabus and Curriculum

This balanced approach is not just good practice; it is what our curriculum requires. NESA (2017) makes clear that effective programs should include assessment of, for, and as learning. Syllabuses expect teachers to collect a variety of evidence, not only end-point exams. School-based tasks often include projects, logbooks, oral presentations, and performances—each offering opportunities for feedback, reflection, and self-assessment.

By aligning with both research and curriculum expectations, we are providing our students with the best of both worlds: the structure and accountability of rigorous summative assessments, and the growth and agency that come from formative approaches.

How Parents Can Support

Parents and caregivers play a vital role in reinforcing these practices at home. Some simple ways to support include:

Ask about feedback, not just grades. When your child talks about an assignment, ask, “What feedback did you get?” or “What will you do differently next time?” This shifts the focus from marks to learning.
Encourage reflection. Help your child reflect on the strategies that worked well for them and identify any areas for improvement. Small conversations in the car ride home can build powerful habits of reflection.
Value progress. Celebrate improvement, persistence, and effort as much as final scores. Let your child know that learning is about growth over time.
Normalise mistakes. Mistakes are not failures; they are information. Remind your child that every mistake is an opportunity to learn.

Playing the Long Game

The journey of education is a long one. Exams and grades are important milestones, but they are not the whole story. The greater prize is a young person who knows how to learn, who can respond to feedback, who can reflect honestly, and who is resilient when faced with challenges.

Our reimagining of assessment is about playing that long game. It is about balance: maintaining the rigour of assessment while elevating assessment for and as learning. In this way, we equip our students not just to succeed in school, but to flourish in life.

Assessment and Mental Wellbeing

One of the reasons we are rebalancing assessment is the impact of high-stakes testing on student wellbeing. Research consistently shows that when exams are the sole measure of learning, students often experience heightened stress and anxiety. For some, this can narrow their focus to short-term performance rather than long-term growth. While a degree of challenge and pressure is part of building resilience, an overemphasis on final scores can undermine confidence, fuel unhealthy competition, and even mask actual ability.

By strengthening assessment for and as learning, we aim to reduce the weight placed on a single exam or test. Instead, students experience multiple, lower-stakes opportunities to demonstrate understanding, receive feedback, and build competence over time. This approach not only improves learning outcomes but also fosters a healthier relationship with assessment—one where students can see progress, celebrate growth, and feel supported rather than judged. In turn, this balance supports both academic success and emotional wellbeing.

I am grateful for the dedication of our staff in embracing this shift, and I am sure you share my encouragement. Together, as teachers, students, and families, we can ensure that assessment is not just a judgment of learning but a driver of growth, confidence, and flourishing.

References

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2), 139–148.

Earl, L. M. (2013). Assessment as learning: Using classroom assessment to maximize student learning (2nd ed.). Corwin Press.

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge.

New South Wales Education Standards Authority. (2017). Assessment for, as and of learning. NESA. Retrieved from https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au

Wiliam, D. (2011). Embedded formative assessment. Solution Tree Press.

Warm regards

Steven Coote

Principal

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