Embedding Formative Assessment (EFA) aims to create a culture of continuous improvement in schools by embedding formative assessment practices. These practices help teachers understand pupil learning, identify areas for improvement, and adapt teaching strategies to individual needs, thereby enhancing pupil attainment. EFA is delivered through The Schools, Students and Teachers network (SSAT) and focuses on five key strategies:
1. Clarifying and sharing learning intentions and success criteria.
2. Using classroom discussions, questions, and tasks to gather evidence of learning.
3. Encouraging students to support each other’s learning.
4. Empowering students to take ownership of their learning.
5. Providing feedback that promotes progress.
Schools as supported to run cross-department monthly workshops, known as Teacher Learning Communities (TLCs), and teachers conduct structured peer observations focusing on the use of formative assessment strategies.
EFA is available in primary and secondary schools, and post-16 settings. The version tested by the EEF was implemented in secondary schools, with its impact assessed on year 11 pupils after two years of implementation.
EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit shows that feedback interventions can have a very high impact on pupil outcomes, based on extensive evidence.
EEF trialled EFA at effectiveness level. This means EEF has trialled the programme with a larger number of schools in circumstances that are as close as possible to everyday conditions. In the evaluation, pupils in schools implementing EFA made the equivalent of two months’ additional progress, with attainment measured using Attainment 8 GCSE scores, compared to schools delivering business as usual teaching. This is roughly equivalent to an improvement of one GCSE grade in one subject. This result has a very high security rating, meaning we are confident that this difference was due to the intervention and not to other factors. There was an indication the programme could be more effective for lower attaining pupils, and when just looking at pupils eligible for free for meals, there was a slightly smaller estimation of impact. However, these findings were based on a smaller sample of pupils and are less secure than the main result, suggesting overall there is evidence that all pupils benefit from the approach.
EEF also evaluated the scale-up of EFA, to better understand the facilitators and barriers to scaling the programme to more schools. This showed that the programme was implemented well and as intended, staying true to the programme.
The positive results have led EEF to designate this as a ‘Promising Programme’.
- This was an effectiveness trial, that took place in 140 schools located across England.
- 29% of the pupils in the trial schools were eligible for FSM. This is higher than national average.
- 76% of the schools involved were Ofsted-rated Good or Outstanding schools. This is slightly lower than national average.
EFA is a two-year, whole school programme, which involves staff from all subject areas in the school. Each school appoints a lead teacher who co-ordinates an in-school training day for senior leaders and the school ‘Teacher Learning Community’ leaders. Following this initial day, the school lead receives ongoing implementation support from an EFA mentor. This includes a mixture of visits, phone calls, and emails.
Schools receive detailed resource packs to run monthly workshops – the cross departmental Teacher Learning Communities (TLC). Each monthly TLC lasts 75 – 90 minutes. All teaching staff are involved and split into groups comprising eight – 14 people. Teaching staff are required to commit around two hours each month. TLC agendas and materials focus on five key formative assessment strategies. Within each of these high-level concepts, the TLC handouts introduce multiple formative assessment techniques for teachers to consider and try out in-between workshops. Teachers conduct structured peer observations focusing on the use of formative assessment strategies.
Schools receiving the intervention in the evaluation generally achieved the broader aim of increasing the use of formative assessment and facilitating dialogue between teachers, which was thought to feed into improvements in teaching quality. Teachers felt the TLCs improved their practice, by allowing valuable dialogue between teachers and encouraged experimentation with formative assessment strategies. Schools felt the formative assessment content was similar to existing school approaches, but the sustained focus on reinforcing practices and the TLC peer support approach set it apart. Implementation varied significantly as schools adapted the programme to fit their specific context and past experiences.
For the programme as trialled in the evaluation, the average cost of EFA for one secondary school was around £3,895, or £1.20 per pupil per year when averaged over three years. This was an estimate of holistic school costs to implement the programme at the time of the evaluation, schools will need to check the current cost of the programme through SSAT.
The programme is currently available to secondary schools at a subsidised rate through Accelerator Fund.
Due to the evidence of impact for this programme, EEF is supporting the EFA programme to be available to more secondary schools through the Department for Education’s Accelerator Fund. Through this fund, the EFA programme is being made available at a subsidised rate to schools in England. Schools in Education Investment Areas are being prioritised for access, but spaces are available across all England. Secondary schools can find out more and express an interest in taking part here.
The programme is also available in primary schools and post-16 settings, but the impact of the intervention on these phases has not been evaluated by EEF. Schools can find out more on SSAT’s website: Embedding Formative Assessment – SSAT (ssatuk.co.uk) and Embedding Formative Assessment – Primary.
An important component of formative assessment is feedback. The EEF’s guidance report on Teacher Feedback to Improve Pupil Learning provides insights into what kinds of feedback are likely to be helpful in a given situation and covers aspects of the approach used for EFA.