Life After Levels

As a headteacher Sam Hunter is committed to providing the best possible education to the children in her care. After nearly 20 years working in education, she is currently the head at Hiltingbury Junior School, a thriving learning community in Hampshire, which fosters forward-thinking and outward-looking practice.In 2014 the school was recognised by the Department for Education through the assessment innovation fund. Since then Sam has been sharing her approach to assessment, while regularly speaking at national conferences and hosting visits to her school. This allows colleagues from across the UK and abroad to experience how Learning Ladders works in the classroom.Sam believes in the power that quality assessment creates for transforming teaching and learning. Life After Levels is her first book and her aim is to ensure that schools feel confident in creating their own ethos of assessment, which has pupils’ learning at its centre rather than a fear of accountability. She believes that pupils’ understanding of their role in learning underpins successful assessment.Sam is passionate about school-to-school support and is also a guest contributor to TES.

As a busy teaching head, I didn’t think I’d have time to read ‘Life After Levels’ by Sam Hunter – how wrong I was! A quick flick through showered me with nuggets of useful information and ideas to share with staff. It’s easy to dip into, easy to navigate and reading it isn’t a chore.   This book, I decided, is a really welcome, ‘on-side’ read for beleaguered professionals trying to achieve their best and create the most effective systems in the current assessment climate.    ‘Life After Levels’ is reassuringly rooted in research - but filled with practical tips ready to lift straight off the page and straight into the classroom! I’m going to share one (or more) of the strategy tips from the end of the book at each staff meeting from now on.

• Part One: Exploring AssessmentAssessment: Where we are now (and how we got here)Principles of Great AssessmentPart Two: The Impact and Opportunity of Life After LevelsThe Impact and Opportunity of Life after Levels for School PractitionersThe Impact and Opportunity of Life after Levels for PupilsThe Impact and Opportunity of Life after Levels for ParentsPart Three: Performance and AccountabilityThe Accountability QuestionAccountability and Teacher PerformancePart Four: Assessment ToolkitIdeas and Strategies for Primary AssessmentGetting evidence from the children in the classroomMaking the most of WALTs and SCPromoting pupil self-assessment in lessons to guide their next stepsQuality questioning and discussionFeedbackPractical tips for using Learning LaddersConclusions: Taking Control of Assessment