Data is one of the most powerful tools to accurately measure a child’s progress and learning potential. Data is much more than test scores. It is a whole host of information that creates a holistic, 360° picture of student and school performance. Data can help us make connections that lead to insights and improvements.

Effective baseline assessments provide insights that help teachers identify individual needs and develop detailed learning plans for each child. Assessment data is vital to teachers as it informs the decisions they make about students when teaching and caring for them. 

To begin using assessment data in the classroom, teachers must first assess their students. It seems obvious, but it is important to understand that this first step involves the careful collection, evaluation, and use of information to help teachers make decisions that improve student learning.

Defining the purpose of data

When collecting data, it is important to be clear about the purpose of the analysis and remain focussed on the specific area of concern in order to help maximise its impact. The data gives educators a clear path forward and indicates the teaching points for the next steps in instruction. For example,  if a student gets a low vocabulary score in a baseline assessment, the teacher can introduce a regular reading routine and develop word banks for topics and reference sheets – such as how to connect and close sentences. For students with low non-verbal scores, teachers can try methods that allow them to visualise concepts better, for example, using physical demos such as modelling the solar system with clay. If a student has a low skills score, assessments will help to improve their accuracy – such as developing proofreading techniques. If they have a low maths score, one can focus on helping them break down a maths problem into accessible parts.

Once teachers properly assess students in their classroom, they can begin to make data-driven decisions, that is, decisions made using information from a variety of sources to better plan, teach, and assess their students in the future.

Insights from data

Good educators and teachers use evidence to transform learning for all. They can turn data into knowledge by bridging the gap between research and practice. This can be achieved through a system in place that provides user-friendly assessments, guidance and support for educators like the Cambridge Centre for Evaluation & Monitoring (Cambridge CEM), part of the same group as Cambridge Assessment International Education. This can support teachers to:

• Identify students at risk and analyse the key improvement areas
• Develop teaching and learning plans to get every student off to a flying start 
• Set ambitious but realistic goals for their students and track their progress

Crucially, it also helps to identify students who are at risk of not making expected progress, including students who may need further testing to better understand their learning requirements, as well as highly able students, who may not be sufficiently challenged.

Building on insights

Going forward, schools will be using assessment data to help understand what is and isn’t working. Using evidence-based, valid, reliable, and robust assessments should be at the heart of teaching and learning in schools. Assessment data is a powerful tool in the hands of classroom teachers - something that can be transformational when used as part of whole school self-evaluation.

Good assessment data needs to be brought in right at the beginning of a child’s journey through school. At the end of this journey, it provides information to school leaders about how the school and each department performed. Data is useful in assessing and monitoring progress against established benchmarks. In the absence of established benchmarks, it can even help educators create them. Evidence of improvement in student learning is a powerful motivator for teachers and validates that the changes they have made are working.