National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Flashcards

24 sample cards from the Teaching, Learning and Curriculum deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. Name the three formative-assessment questions feedback should help answer (Hattie & Timperley).

   'Where am I going?' (the goal/success criteria), 'How am I going?' (current progress against the goal), and 'Where to next?' (the next steps to close the gap).

2. What is the difference between 'formative' and 'summative' assessment?

   Formative (assessment FOR learning) is ongoing, low-stakes, used to adapt teaching and help pupils improve during learning. Summative (assessment OF learning) measures attainment at the end of a period, for grading, reporting or accountability.

3. List four legitimate purposes of assessment in schools.

   (1) Formative — to inform teaching and pupil improvement; (2) Summative — to record/report attainment; (3) Evaluative — to judge curriculum/teaching effectiveness; and (4) Diagnostic — to identify specific gaps, misconceptions or needs. (Also accountability/selection.)

4. Define 'validity' in assessment.

   Validity is the extent to which an assessment measures what it is intended to measure and supports the inferences drawn from it. A valid maths test assesses mathematical understanding, not, for example, reading ability.

5. Define 'reliability' in assessment.

   Reliability is the consistency of an assessment — the degree to which it would give the same result on repetition, across markers, or across equivalent versions. High reliability means the score is not unduly affected by chance, marker, or occasion.

6. Can an assessment be reliable but not valid? Explain.

   Yes. An assessment can yield highly consistent (reliable) scores while still measuring the wrong thing (invalid) — e.g. a consistently marked test that actually measures memorisation rather than the intended reasoning skill. Reliability is necessary but not sufficient for validity.

7. What is 'construct validity' and what threatens it?

   Construct validity is whether the assessment truly captures the underlying ability ('construct') it claims to. It is threatened by construct under-representation (sampling too little of the domain) and construct-irrelevant variance (scores affected by unrelated factors, e.g. reading load in a science test).

8. Why should the curriculum, not the test, drive teaching ('teaching to the test' problem)?

   When a test becomes the target, teaching narrows to what is tested and scores stop reflecting genuine learning of the wider domain — an instance of Goodhart's/Campbell's law. A well-designed assessment samples the curriculum so the curriculum, not test technique, is what improves.

9. What is the difference between 'norm-referenced' and 'criterion-referenced' assessment?

   Norm-referenced compares a pupil's performance against other pupils (rank/percentile, e.g. standardised scores). Criterion-referenced judges performance against fixed standards or criteria, independent of how others did (e.g. 'can do' descriptors).

10. What is a 'standardised score' and what is its usual mean?

    A standardised score adjusts raw scores to a common scale (often age-adjusted) so pupils can be compared to a national sample. The mean (average) is typically set at 100, with most pupils scoring between about 85 and 115 (one standard deviation either side).

11. Why should single data points on pupil progress be treated with caution?

    Any single measure carries measurement error and reflects only one occasion/sample. Intelligent use of data triangulates multiple sources, looks at trends over time, and uses data to ask questions and prompt investigation rather than to make definitive judgements about pupils or teachers.

12. What is the risk of using pupil progress data primarily for high-stakes accountability of teachers?

    It incentivises gaming and 'teaching to the test', distorts the data's meaning, encourages risk-averse or narrow teaching, and can demotivate staff. Data is most useful diagnostically — to identify needs and improve teaching — rather than as a punitive performance lever.

13. What does 'triangulation' mean when using assessment data intelligently?

    Triangulation means combining multiple, independent sources of evidence (e.g. test scores, work scrutiny, lesson observation, pupil voice) so conclusions are corroborated rather than resting on one fallible measure.

14. What does the 'Progress 8' accountability measure capture?

    Progress 8 measures the average progress pupils make across 8 qualifications from end of KS2 (baseline) to end of KS4 (GCSE), compared with pupils nationally who had similar starting points. It is a value-added measure: a score of 0 means average expected progress.

15. What is 'Attainment 8' and how does it differ from Progress 8?

    Attainment 8 is a pupil's average achievement across the same 8 qualifications, regardless of starting point (a raw attainment measure). Progress 8 instead measures how much progress they made relative to similar-starting peers (a value-added measure).

16. What is the 'EBacc' and which subject areas does it cover?

    The English Baccalaureate is a performance measure recognising pupils who achieve GCSEs across a core academic set: English, mathematics, the sciences, a humanity (history or geography), and a language. It is a measure/entitlement target, not a qualification.

17. What is a key limitation of school performance tables (league tables)?

    They can incentivise narrowing and gaming, may not fairly reflect intake/context despite value-added measures, focus on a limited set of outcomes, and can pressure schools toward exam-focused rather than broad, ambitious provision. They are one input, not a full picture of quality.

18. Under the SEND Code of Practice (2015), what are the four broad areas of need?

    (1) Communication and interaction; (2) Cognition and learning; (3) Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH); and (4) Sensory and/or physical needs.

19. What is the 'graduated approach' to SEN support in the SEND Code of Practice?

    A four-part cycle: Assess (the pupil's needs), Plan (the support and outcomes), Do (implement the support, with the class/subject teacher responsible), Review (evaluate impact) — repeated and refined to match support to need over time.

20. What is an EHC plan and who can have one?

    An Education, Health and Care plan is a legal document for children/young people (0–25) whose needs cannot be met through SEN support alone. It sets out the special educational, health and social care provision and outcomes, and is reviewed at least annually.

21. Statistically, what is the largest barrier the 'disadvantage gap' refers to, and name an evidence-based way schools spend Pupil Premium to close it?

    It refers to the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils (e.g. those eligible for free school meals) and their peers. The EEF recommends a tiered approach: (1) high-quality teaching for all, (2) targeted academic support such as tutoring, and (3) wider strategies (attendance, behaviour, family engagement).

22. Under the Equality Act 2010, name the nine 'protected characteristics' and the schools' duties.

    Protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Schools must not discriminate, harass or victimise, must make reasonable adjustments for disability, and must meet the Public Sector Equality Duty.

23. What are the three aims of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) for schools?

    To (1) eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; (2) advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not; and (3) foster good relations between different groups.

24. What is the recommended approach to supporting pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL)?

    Maintain high expectations and full curriculum access; combine explicit teaching of academic vocabulary and language structures with rich subject content; use visuals, modelling, talk and scaffolds; value the pupil's first language; and recognise that EAL is not a learning difficulty — language need and academic ability are distinct.

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