Feedback is important in guiding any system; in education it is often weak. Classroom assessment can make students' learning quicker and more robust, provided it is focused on performance, not just scores. 'Assessment for Learning' is an approach that develops students' self-diagnosis of their strengths and weaknesses.

Note: This approach is in development in various ways in various places. The specific tools described here are chosen because they have already been extensively developed and successfully used by typical teachers in US classrooms. They should be seen as a good first step, rather than the last word, in introducing "assessment for learning".

The "download extended report" gives a full description of this strategy including planning essentials, budget, benefits and implementation pitfalls, and evaluative evidence.