Primary Years Programme
Curriculum framework

Assessed curriculum—How will we know what we have learned?

The principal purposes of assessing what has been learned are to:

• determine what the student knows and understands about the world
• inform and differentiate teaching and learning
• monitor student progress in terms of the IB learner profile
• provide feedback to teachers, students and parents
• monitor the effectiveness of the programme
• inform the professional development of teachers.

Essentially, assessment in this programme is of two types, each of which has a specific function.

• Formative assessment is interwoven with daily learning and helps teachers and students find out what the students already know in order to plan the next stage of learning. Formative assessment and learning activities are directly linked; neither can function effectively or purposefully without the other.
  
• Summative assessment occurs at the end of the teaching and learning process and provides students with opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned. It aims to give teachers and students a clear insight into students' understanding.