Formative vs Summative Assessment: A Side-by-Side Guide
Formative and summative assessment compared side by side with classroom examples. Learn when to use each approach, with a free comparison table and strategy checklist.
Black and Wiliam (1998) say formative assessment tracks learner progress and guides teaching. Bloom (1956) notes summative assessment measures learner success after learning. Formative checks; summative tastes. Using both assessment types improves learning.
What is the difference between formative and summative assessment?
Black and Wiliam (1998) showed formative assessment guides teaching practice. Summative assessment measures learner achievement against goals. Formative feedback improves teaching, while summative assessment measures learner progress. Hattie and Timperley (2007) say combining methods produces stronger results.
Formative assessment gives learners ongoing feedback, improving progress. Summative assessment measures learner achievement at the end. Black and Wiliam's research shows formative assessment boosts learning outcomes. This guide offers practical assessment for learning strategies.
Hattie and Timperley (2007) showed that feedback effectiveness depends on its level. Task-level correction produces the smallest gains. Process-level ("Try a different strategy") and self-regulation feedback ("What could you check?") produce significantly stronger learning. Formative assessment works best when it targets how learners think, not just what they got wrong.
Key Differences: Formative vs Summative
| Aspect | Formative Assessment | Summative Assessment | Best Practise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Inform ongoing teaching | Evaluate final achievement | Use both strategically |
| Timing | During learning process | End of unit/course | Balance frequency |
| Feedback | Immediate, actionable | Final grade/score | Make summative feedback formative |
| Stakes | Low or no stakes | Higher stakes | Reduce anxiety where possible |
| Student Role | Active participant | Demonstrating learning | Build self-assessment skills |
Key Takeaways
- Formative and summative assessments serve fundamentally different, yet complementary, educational purposes. Formative assessment monitors learning *during* instruction to guide teaching and learner progress, whilst summative assessment evaluates learning *after* instruction to certify achievement. A clear understanding of these distinct functions is crucial for effective pedagogical design (Black & Wiliam, 1998).
- Embedding formative assessment practices significantly enhances learner attainment and engagement. When teachers regularly use formative assessment to gather evidence of learning and provide timely, actionable feedback, learners become more aware of their learning process and how to improve. This approach, often termed 'assessment for learning', has been shown to yield substantial gains in learner achievement across various educational settings (Black & Wiliam, 1998).
- Effective feedback, integral to formative assessment, is paramount for guiding learner learning and development. High-quality feedback helps learners understand where they are, where they need to go, and how to get there, empowering them to take ownership of their learning. This crucial element bridges the gap between current and desired performance (Hattie & Timperley, 2007).
- A balanced assessment strategy, integrating both formative and summative approaches, optimises teaching and learning outcomes. Whilst formative assessment drives ongoing learning, summative assessment provides essential data for accountability, programme evaluation, and certifying learner achievement. Educators must strategically combine both types to gain a comprehensive view of learner progress and ensure robust educational provision (Wiliam, 2011).
| Aspect | Formative Assessment | Summative Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Ongoing assessment that provides feedback during the learning process, also called assessment for learning | Assessment that measures achievement at the end of a unit or course, also called assessment of learning |
| Key Feature | Provides real-time insights and continuous feedback to adjust instruction and support self-regulated learning | Determines overall academic performance at a specific endpoint |
| Example | Diagnostic questions, exit tickets, quizzes, interactive tasks, modern assessment tools, key questions | End-of-unit tests, final exams, standardised tests, course grades |
| Classroom Use | Taken frequently during regular classes to monitor progress and identify knowledge gaps | Conducted at the end of learning periods to evaluate overall achievement |
| Best For | Supporting individual needs, improving lower-attaining learners' progress, and guiding next steps in learning | Measuring final achievement, grading, and determining if learning objectives have been met |
Formative assessments show learner progress in real time. For more on this topic, see Rethinking learner progress. Teachers can then adapt their lessons. This helps to meet individual learner needs. Black and Wiliam's (1998) research highlights this. Hattie and Timperley (2007) also found its value.
Many people consider ‘assessment’ as a test. But, this term is wider than that. There are two main categories of assessment: formative assessment and summative assessment. These types of assessment are sometimes called A 'for' L and A 'of' L, respectively.
At some level, both types of appraisal are conducted in the classroom but they have two different purposes. To maximise the effectiveness of each type of classroom practise, understand the basic functions of these appraisals and how each of these assessment types contributes to the student motivation and learning process.
Providing comprehensive feedback for students is a fundamental part of lessons. This guide will demonstrate some engaging ways of going beyond the standard multiple-choice questions. Although plenary questions are a good way of gauging what students have understood, there are more interactive strategies that get to the essence of what learner understanding.
Formative Assessment Types and Examples
Teachers use formative activities often in class. They help assess learners' progress (Black & Wiliam, 1998). Diagnostic questions pinpoint knowledge gaps (Dylan & Wiliam, 2009). Knowing this helps teachers and learners plan next steps. Appraisals show if teaching needs changing (Hattie, 2012).
Formative tasks use key questions or quizzes. Exit tickets and tasks are also useful (Black & Wiliam, 1998). Teachers rarely record these formative activities, save for noting next steps in lesson plans (Leahy et al, 2005).
Formative tasks check knowledge and offer feedback to learners and staff. These activities monitor skills (Black & Wiliam, 1998). Good assessment helps learners find strengths and weaknesses. This also helps them self-regulate their learning (Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick, 2006). Checks give teachers insight into areas learners find difficult (Sadler, 1989).
Checks of understanding can be teacher-led, self or peer-assessment. These are usually low stakes assessments and mostly carry no grade, which may discourage the learners from completing or getting each of the individual learners fully engaged with the task.
Summative Assessment Types and Examples
Summative exams formally check learner progress, skills and academic achievement (Bloom, 1956). This happens after a key stage, course, or year of study (Wiliam, 2011). They provide a snapshot of learning (Black & Wiliam, 1998).
External tests check learner knowledge against the national curriculum (Earl, 2003). Tests measure learning at term or year end (Black & Wiliam, 1998). Exam length depends on the assessed learning objectives (Wyatt-Smith & Cumming, 2009).
A summative task can be an observation, a cold written task, or a discussion. It can be recorded in a written format, in the form of photographs, through audio recording or any other visual media. Whichever way it is used, the insights can be used to indicate what has been learnt. Exams perform summative functions by providing a summary of what a student has attained at a specific point in time and may furnish cohort and individual data for informing stakeholders (such as parents or school leaders etc.) and tracking learner progressagainst benchmark data or standardised tests.
These exams frequently have high stakes and learners tend to give priority to external tests over A4L activities. According to key figures in the world of education, feedback from both forms of appraisal should be used by the teachers and children to guide their activities and efforts in the upcoming courses.
Formative Assessment vs Summative Assessment: At a Glance
Good teaching needs knowledge of both formative and summative assessments. Black and Wiliam (1998) showed formative assessment gives learners feedback as they learn. Bloom (1971) stated summative assessment measures learner achievement at the end.
| Aspect | Formative Assessment | Summative Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Ongoing assessment that provides feedback during the learning process (assessment for learning) | Assessment that measures final achievement in the unit or course (assessment of learning) |
| Purpose | Improve learning and guide instruction whilst teaching is happening | Evaluate and grade final learning outcomes after teaching is complete |
| Classroom Examples | Exit tickets, diagnostic questions, mini quizzes, interactive tasks, observation | End-of-unit tests, final exams, standardised tests, course grades |
| Teacher's Role | Adjust instruction immediately, provide feedback, identify knowledge gaps | Evaluate overall achievement, assign grades, measure learning objectives |
| Frequency | Frequent and ongoing throughout lessons and units | Infrequent, typically at the end of units or terms |
| Student Impact | Supports self-regulated learning and immediate improvement, especially for lower-attaining learners | Provides accountability and measures final performance for reporting purposes |
| When to Use | During active learning to monitor progress and adapt teaching strategies | At completion points to determine if learning objectives have been achieved |
Black and Wiliam (1998) found feedback from formative assessment improves learner progress. They add summative assessment measures achievement and gives accountability. Both assessment types have important, different roles in education.
Researchers say too much end-of-term testing gets good grades, but lacks helpful feedback (Black & Wiliam, 1998). Learners need balanced assessment (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). This means using both summative and formative methods for progress.
student assessment methods
Formative Assessment Benefits for Teachers
Formative assessment helps learners and teachers. It gives ongoing feedback, improving understanding (Black & Wiliam, 1998). This supports long-term memory and helps learners build knowledge (Bloom, 1971; Sadler, 1989).
Formative assessment guides curriculum planning. Teachers identify where learners need more support. This lets them tailor teaching to meet individual learner needs (Black & Wiliam, 1998).
Didau and Rose (2016) highlight formative assessment. Vygotsky (1978) showed scaffolding learning improves understanding. Black and Wiliam (1998) found teachers adjust lessons by learner progress.
To really advance school attainment, we need to build upon what a child already knows. When school leaders are engaged in national curriculum planning we are attempting to sequence a form of knowledge acquisition and skills progression. If a child has gaps in their understanding, this may hinder their progression.
Critical questions and varied assessments show current learner understanding. This informs curriculum planning and ensures curriculum coverage (Black & Wiliam, 1998). Formative assessment offers key benefits, say researchers (Hattie & Timperley, 2007).
Summative Assessment Benefits for Learning
Karpicke (2012) and Roediger & Butler (2011) support spaced repetition. Cepeda et al. (2008) found this tool improves long-term learner memory. Use these methods carefully so learners recall information better.
Retrieval practice serves as both a learning strategy and a formative assessment tool. A low-stakes retrieval quiz at the start of a lesson gives the teacher immediate diagnostic data on what has been retained, while the act of retrieval strengthens memory traces (Roediger and Karpicke, 2006). This dual function makes retrieval starters one of the most efficient uses of lesson time. For the evidence base, see our guide to retrieval practice.
Retrieval practice helps learners remember better by building stronger neural links. Regular recall reinforces learner memory and improves knowledge retention (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006). Identifying gaps allows for focused revision, improving learning overall (Brown, Roediger, & McDaniel, 2014).
Retrieval practice builds strong memory for learners (Brown et al., 2014). This helps learners to remember facts over time (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006). Learners gain deeper understanding through regular retrieval (Agarwal et al., 2012).
How to Implement Formative Assessment
It is possible to engage students in formative assessments by:
The process of designing and developing classroom-based checks can be a creative endeavour: what must be assessed, using summative or/ and formative assessment? What are the appropriate measures and functions of the assessment? And, are the assessments aligned with the course outline and learning outcomes?
Black and Wiliam (1998) show assessment design affects learner achievement. These results guide crucial choices. Classroom assessments are key for the national curriculum. Structural Learning uses block building in primary schools to test understanding. Teachers embed reviews in lessons, using Christodoulou's (2017) toolkit.
Creating a Balanced Assessment Approach
Assessments, formal or informal, help learners learn. Classroom assessment shows learners their performance (Black & Wiliam, 1998). Formative and summative methods often focus on individuals. Group work can also track learner progress (Hattie, 2012). Learners articulating ideas show their skills (Sadler, 1989).
Teachers can assess learner progress via simple tests, informing their teaching (Black & Wiliam, 1998). Interactive lessons let us check learner understanding. Questioning or graphic organisers help reveal next steps (Wiliam, 2011). Feedback is a powerful tool, ranked highly by the EEF toolkit for raising attainment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the key difference between formative and summative assessment?
Black and Wiliam (1998) say formative assessment gives feedback to adjust teaching. Summative assessment measures learner achievement at a unit's end. Learners gain insights from formative assessment during their learning. Bloom (1971) notes summative assessment judges overall performance.
How can teachers move beyond standard exit tickets and multiple-choice questions for formative assessment?
Quizzes show what learners understand (Black & Wiliam, 1998). Target learning gaps; this gives quick feedback (Sadler, 1998). Ditch simple plenaries, use diagnostic questions (Christodoulou, 2017). Set essential tasks.
Why do learners tend to prioritise summative tests over formative learning activities?
Summative assessments often carry grades, unlike low stakes formative tasks. This means learners may value external tests over everyday classroom learning. This imbalance could hinder the very understanding that (Black & Wiliam, 1998) and (Hattie & Timperley, 2007) say improves performance.
What specific benefits does formative assessment offer for lower-attaining learners?
Black and Wiliam's research (dates not provided) shows formative assessment boosts outcomes for lower-attaining learners. It helps pinpoint learner strengths and weaknesses. Teachers can then give tailored support through lessons, building self-regulation skills.
How can diagnostic questioning help with curriculum planning and sequencing?
Diagnostic questions show learning gaps. This can affect curriculum order and future learning. They reveal what learners know now and what they need. Teachers can then plan lessons and change teaching methods. Doing this reinforces knowledge (Bloom, 1956; Vygotsky, 1978; Piaget, 1936).
For further reading on this topic, explore our guide to Tapestry EYFS.
For further reading on this topic, explore our guide to Transfer of Learning.
What are some practical examples of formative versus summative assessment tools?
Formative assessment uses questions (Black & Wiliam, 1998) and tasks. Exit tickets and quizzes check learner understanding. Observations inform teaching daily (Sadler, 1989). Summative assessment, like end-of-unit tests or SATs, measures achievement (Bloom, 1956). Grades summarise learning (Yorke, 2003).
How can teachers maintain an effective balance between formative and summative assessment?
Formative assessment helps teachers check learner progress with regular feedback. Summative tests measure achievement at specific times. Wiliam (2011) argues relying on unit tests gives learners few chances to improve beforehand. Black and Wiliam (1998) agree with this point.
Find the Right Formative Assessment Strategy
Share your assessment aim, available time, and class structure for the best strategies. These will help you check learner understanding (Black & Wiliam, 1998). We can suggest methods from research (Hattie, 2012; Petty, 2009).
AI changes formative assessment using class data in real time. Adaptive platforms change question difficulty based on each learner's answers. AI quickly finds misconception patterns across all learners. Teachers now interpret data; (Holmes et al., 2023) covers AI's use. Read (Smith, 2024) for a guide to AI and learner assessment.
Further Reading: Key Research Papers
Formative assessment supports learning, as detailed in reviewed studies. Researchers like Black and Wiliam (1998) highlight its benefits. Explore Sadler (1989) and Brookhart (2007) for practical classroom application. These insights from Hattie and Timperley (2007) guide teaching practice.
Black and Wiliam (1998) show formative assessment aids learner self-regulation. Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2006) state good feedback helps learners. Wiliam (2011) and Hattie & Timperley (2007) found seven principles improved learner results.
Nicol et al. (2006)
Black and Wiliam (1998) showed good feedback helps learners track progress. Teachers should design feedback to build learner independence, Hattie and Timperley (2007) argued.
Assessment and Classroom Learning 7611 citations
Black et al. (1998)
Formative assessment boosts learner achievement, research shows (over 250 studies). Black and Wiliam (1998) suggest teachers gather lesson evidence. This helps learning and proves the value of formative assessment.
Feedback benefits learners, but how it works inside their minds remains unclear. Wiliam and Black's (1998) work highlights formative assessment's power. Research by Hattie and Timperley (2007) shows feedback must focus, be specific, and manageable for each learner. Kluger and DeNisi's (1996) feedback intervention theory suggests attention shifts affect performance.
Lui et al. (2022)
This paper looks at how learners process feedback, shifting from teacher focus. Winstone & Carless (2020) present a model of learner feedback interpretation. Understanding this helps teachers improve learner learning (Hattie & Timperley, 2007; Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick, 2006).
Formative assessment research (Author, Year) shows learning is key. Assessment should support learners, not just measure them. Teachers should change evaluations from judging to helping.
Black et al. (2004)
Black and Wiliam believe assessment should boost learning, not just measure it. They give teachers advice on formative assessment (Black & Wiliam). Use learning evidence to change teaching in the moment. This helps teachers apply research-based methods in classrooms (Black & Wiliam).
Automated assessment supports reasoning (Author, Year). AI gives learners feedback on explanations. Teachers can then better guide science development in schools.
This paper demonstrates how automated assessment tools can provide personalised, immediate feedback to students constructing scientific explanations in biology classrooms. The research shows how technology can support formative assessment by giving teachers and students rapid insights into learning progress without the time burden of manual grading. Teachers will find this relevant as it illustrates effective approaches to scaling formative assessment practices using digital tools while maintaining focus on meaningful learning outcomes.
