• Assessing post-16 citizenship
• Assessment for learning
• Assessment of learning
• Planning assessment
• Tracking progress and achievement
• Using Progress File
• Recognising achievement

Assessing post-16 citizenship

Assessment of citizenship helps young people to recognise and value what they have learnt. It helps to identify the purpose and intended outcomes of citizenship learning and shows that such learning is important and rigorous.

Assessment of citizenship should:

• be planned as part of citizenship activities
• be fit for purpose - valid, reliable and appropriate for the type of citizenship programme taking place
• support learning
• involve young people as partners in the process
• be formative so that young people can set targets and plan how to achieve them, reflect on and feel confident about their progress, and recognise and value their achievements.

Not everything needs to be assessed. Staff and young people will need to agree what to assess, how to assess and who will be involved.

When deciding how much and how often to assess, the length of time young people are involved in post-16 citizenship activities needs to be considered (for example whether they are full or part time, taking a fixed-length programme, or taking part in voluntary activities on an ad hoc basis). This also affects what form of assessment to use. In some situations, a question-and-answer session at the start and end of an activity will be sufficient. In other situations, an activity such as a presentation to peers will be more appropriate.

Assessment for learning

Assessment for learning - or formative assessment - involves staff and young people using evidence of learning to decide where they are, where they need to go next, and how they will get there.

Assessment for learning should happen all the time and should involve:

• staff agreeing and sharing learning objectives with young people (examples of objectives are given in the framework for citizenship learning)
• integrating assessment into citizenship activities and programmes
• giving young people time to reflect on and review their progress towards learning objectives
• giving young people feedback on their progress and achievement, to help them understand and value the progress they are making and feel confident about what they have achieved and where they need to go next.

Feedback can come from other young people (through peer assessment), staff and other adults involved in citizenship activities. High-quality feedback will empower young people to take appropriate action and continue to make progress.

Assessment of learning

Assessment of learning - or summative assessment - takes place when it is helpful to look back to review progress in learning and make a judgement about overall performance. This might be at the end of an activity, course, unit or year. Judgements need to be made in relation to agreed standards or criteria that are understood by young people and staff. Assessment of learning can involve using an assessment task, award or qualification. It may result in a mark or grade being awarded.

Planning assessment

The following five stages - based on the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) work on Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement (RARPA) in non-accredited learning - are designed to help with planning post-16 citizenship assessment. How each stage is used is flexible - the process should reflect the nature of the citizenship activity or programme (for example whether it is part of a formal citizenship course or an informal learning experience or activity).

Tracking progress and achievement

Organisations need to decide whether - and how - to collect information and evidence of young people’s progress and achievement in post-16 citizenship.

However records are kept, it is helpful to involve young people in setting criteria for selecting evidence and in the recording process itself. This helps them to understand and identify what they are aiming for.

Possible mechanisms for recording evidence of post-16 citizenship include:

• citizenship diaries
• online or written records (for example Progress File)
• student planners
• citizenship portfolios.

The process of developing portfolios of evidence is likely to involve discussions between staff and young people, and between young people themselves. It helps if young people are involved in:

• setting the criteria for what they want to achieve and what they might choose to include in their portfolio
• regularly reviewing evidence against the criteria
• reflecting on the nature of the evidence selected and how it demonstrates their progress in citizenship knowledge, skills and understanding
• selecting pieces of evidence to demonstrate achievement and explaining their choices, perhaps at the end of a citizenship programme or activity.

Evidence of progress and achievement in post-16 citizenship might include:

• self-assessment sheets
• presentations
• photographs
• role-play
• written work (for example research findings, reflective writing)
• work on display
• web pages
• newsletters.

Using Progress File

Progress File, developed by the DfES, aims to develop active, reflective and independent learners. It enables learners to record their development of skills and
'know-how', so that they are clear about where they are now and where they want to get to in their learning.

The materials in Progress File help support and manage learning and assessment. They provide a prompt for learners to identify their prior knowledge and skills, clarify their learning objectives, reflect on and review their activities and, where appropriate, record learning and present evidence of their achievements. The Progress File consists of:

• a worker file - a ring-binder (or IT folder) for organising records and evidence of learning and development
• a presenter to support learners in sharing and celebrating their achievements
• a series of guides to support progression in the use of Progress File from key stage 2 to adulthood. One of these - Widening Horizons -is specifically for use with 16- to 19-year-olds.

Progress File works best when materials are used selectively to meet needs and circumstances. More information is available at www.dfes.gov.uk/progressfile

In the context of citizenship education, Progress File can help learners to:

• Do - exercise choice, plan their approach and participate in citizenship activities designed by or with them
• Reflect - stop to think about what is happening, their feelings and what they might do next
• Review -identify what they have learnt from citizenship activities (evidence of knowledge, skills and understanding)
• Apply - plan and take action in the light of their new understanding.

Eggbuckland Community College uses Progress File throughout the school. By the time students reach post-16 learning, they have well-developed skills in using Progress File to plan and support their citizenship learning, as well as to record and present their achievements.

Pre-16, the school works with primary feeder schools to enable pupils to develop Progress File to support their transition to secondary school. Evidence of curriculum subjects (including citizenship) and extra-curricular activities is included. In year 9, pupils use Progress File materials to engage in activities that support and record option choices.

Post-16, students use Progress File to reflect on their prior experiences and provide evidence of achievement. All sixth-form students take part in the student leadership scheme, which involves meeting a range of challenges (including active citizenship such as community action and community placements). These give them a voice, as well as developing their citizenship knowledge, skills and understanding. Accreditation of the work is optional through the ASDAN universities award. Using Progress File enables students to move forward in their citizenship learning through target setting and action planning.

Recognising achievement

Recognising young people's achievements in post-16 citizenship plays a vital role in motivating them and helping them to value what they have learnt. Recognition also helps employers, further and higher education, and society as a whole to feel confident about and value citizenship.

Achievement in post-16 citizenship can be recognised through:

• events - such as open days, parents’ evenings and community events and celebrations
• reports - for example those for young people themselves, parents, prospective employers, further and higher education
• evidence - for example displays, exhibitions and portfolios
• citizenship qualifications, awards and certificates- available locally and nationally.