Self‐assessment in the Primary School

Abstract This paper explores the issue of self‐assessment in the primary school and seeks to demonstrate that the principle of assessment as first and foremost the responsibility of the learner is both valid and can be realistically applied in education from the early years. Having reviewed the arguments for self‐assessment in terms of the important part reviewing can play in promoting learning, the paper considers how pupils may be trained in the skills of self‐assessment and illustrates various ways in which young children can assess their own progress. Examples included cover self‐and peer assessment of a given piece of work, curriculum evaluation, recording achievement and pupils’ termly self‐evaluations in relation to a framework of knowledge and skill targets. In conclusion, some of the possible shortcomings and strengths of such approaches are discussed as part of the need for a whole‐school approach to such developments.