Who moved my assessment cheese? How should change be handled for England's assessment system?

Change. How to handle it in life, love, and work is possibly our greatest challenge.

The book ‘Who Moved My Cheese’ explained how people and businesses can respond to changing times and situations, by learning how to adapt quickly and successfully.

Although it’s now often dismissed as a patronising, reductive parable to enable conformance, the key message of ‘...everything is constantly changing. It's just that we don't want to see these changes’, still resonates.

It struck me last week, reading reflections on the interim Francis review on England’s school curriculum and assessment, how many are scrambling to deal with their assessment cheese being moved. Many reflections were ingratiating and obsequious. Tieing themselves to the prevailing policy wind. Or next paying gig. Other responses seem to tell my assessment colleagues to ‘shut up and do nothing’. Charming!

“The world is constantly changing and evolving. But we’d rather not see assessment changes on our watch, thank you very much.”

Clearly, there are assessment gatekeepers who don’t want their cheese moved; it’s their worst nightmare. It’s happening in plain sight, but they continue to argue to protect their own status quo, that they’re totally invested in.

Exam fee inflation via Schools Week/ ofqual

The interim report claims that‘Many aspects (are) working well’. But those of us working in assessment live the reality: marking is wild, assessment invigilation/ supervision casualised, SEN learners locked out, exam fees rocketing, malpractice soaring, outcomes weakening, social mobility slumping, exam fee inflation rampant, exam officers constantly in operational pain, and parents compelled to go legal to get assessment justice.

Many aspects of the assessment system are apparently ‘working well’. But those of use who work in assessment have a very different daily reality.

I’m reminded of the current dispute in men’s tennis. The players wanting change, but being resisted by gatekeepers or ‘guardians of the game’. Or the music industry, where people invested in ‘the solid system we already have’ are similar to those who loathed home taping, Napster, iPods, and everything inbetween. They forget that gatekeepers resistant to change are usually forgotten. Those who make changes of substance (and for the greater good) pick up the plaudits, and are remembered more fondly.

“People resistant to change are usually forgotten. Changemakers who improve lives are rightly lauded and applauded.”

Ask yourself: when we have employers bemoaning new work entrants, university entrance based on guesstimates, and countries such as Australia, Finland, and New Zealand already evolving their assessment systems, who or what is this ‘solid system’ that’s being protected?

As with GCSE Maths and English forcing learners to re-take multiple times, too many are struggling with an outdated assessment strippenkarten. Like a Groundhog Day passenger of a dreadful airline, they keep buying tickets, kidded that things might improve one day. All the while learners are being made fools, and gatekeepers dog whistle, ‘It’s not in my interest to help you. The solid system is working well’.’

The interim report will, of course, not wish to upset those invested in the status quo. Naturally, there are plenty of nodding dogs seeking gatekeeper approval and patronage. The reality is that it exposes they are barely au courant with the assessment world. Ask the question: how are learners and educators being blighted by this system. Do learners actually benefit?

Who benefits from system tinkering? The nodding dogs who enjoy gatekeeper patronage. Not Learners.

With a harsh light shining on government departments and hitherto august institutions, gatekeepers need to tune in to reality. Yes, change is difficult. There are many psychological, neurological, and social factors involved in resisting change. Risk-aversion, tightening of attachment to routine, lack of motivation, and (ironically) a fear of failure.

But we’re now in an assessment world that no longer fawns, bows-and-scrapes, deferring to historic norms and isolationist standard setters. If you’re tuned in with learners, and know what industry and enlightened educators want, you can show the way. The proof is in the explosion of English language assessment providers, end point assessment organisations, and the constellation of global sector suppliers.

The assessment sector must do a better job in articulating clear benefits, easing the time and effort required to effect positive change. Make it easy to tune in. Nobody need lose their livelihood through change. But learners must be always be front and centre.