TAPS project researchers have worked with teachers since 2013 to develop approaches that embed assessment within everyday primary science teaching. This work has led to the development of the TAPS Focused Assessment approach and the TAPS Pyramid model.
The TAPS Focused Assessment approach embeds assessment within normal classroom primary science activities. By focusing on one enquiry skill at a time within the context of a whole investigation, teaching and assessing science becomes more manageable.
Assessment indicators within TAPS lesson plans provide suggestions about what children might do or say to demonstrate their science skills or knowledge. Over time, this allows the full range of children’s science enquiry skills and understanding of science to be considered in depth. Focused Assessments can be used formatively to identify specific areas for development and inform subsequent teaching, while also contributing to ongoing summative assessment.
The TAPS Pyramid model supports schools to develop their assessment practice. It recommends that the rich formative assessment data collected by teachers during primary science lessons is summarised for different reporting purposes. The model illustrates this flow of information and provides examples of the different types of assessment data that can be used.
