Research School Network: Small Tweaks, Big Impact How Formative Assessment is Shaping Learning at ACE Tiverton
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Small Tweaks, Big Impact
How Formative Assessment is Shaping Learning at ACE Tiverton
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by Devon Research School
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Nikki MacLeod
Assistant Headteacher: Teaching, Learning and Curriculum
Nikki is an experienced and inclusive school leader with a teaching background in Business, Economics, and Humanities. Since beginning their career in 2008, they have taught in inner-city London as well as internationally in Portugal and Malaysia, gaining a broad perspective on effective and inclusive education.
As Assistant Headteacher for Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum, Nikki is committed to ensuring high-quality teaching and engaging learning experiences for all students. Warm, approachable, and driven by a commitment to high-quality, inclusive practice, they take pride in working with staff to create a culture where every learner can thrive.
At ACE Tiverton, we are now into our second year of the Embedding Formative Assessment (EFA) programme delivered by SSAT. This two-year professional learning journey, rooted in the work of Professor Dylan Wiliam, includes sixteen workshops. Being just past the halfway point, we are already seeing changes in how we teach, reflect and respond to learning across our school.
What EFA Is and Why It Matters in a Special School
EFA is built on the principle that every minute of teaching should generate useful information about learning, helping teachers decide what to do next. As Wiliam famously states, “Formative assessment is not a thing. It is a collection of practices with a common purpose: to adjust teaching to meet students’ needs.” For us, the focus is on turning formative assessment into a habit rather than an add-on by focusing on its five core practices:
For a special school like ours, these principles resonate deeply. Our pupils have diverse needs and communication profiles and often prefer to be passive learners. Many find feedback or critiquing their own work challenging. EFA supports us to understand not just which strategies exist, but why they work and how to adapt them sensitively for our learners.
Why the EEF Evidence Matters — and What It Shows
EFA is not only grounded in strong theory; it is supported by robust evidence. A large randomised controlled trial involving 140 secondary schools across England found that pupils in EFA schools made, on average, the equivalent of two additional months’ progress in their Attainment 8 scores. The gains were slightly higher for pupils with lower prior attainment, suggesting that EFA may help narrow attainment gaps.
For our context, where pupils often begin from varied starting points, this is highly encouraging. The national evaluation also highlighted the value of regular reflection, peer observation and structured professional dialogue – all elements we now recognise as strengths of the programme within our own staff team.
While the workshops provide the theory and tools, the biggest shift has come from EFA’s Teacher Learning Communities (TLCs). These fortnightly meetings bring staff together to:
- reflect on practice and share small changes they have trialled - observe one another teach and practise new techniques - discuss what is working and what is not for ACE Tiverton pupils
This protected professional time ensures that implementation is steady, supported and sustainable. It keeps momentum going, builds confidence and helps staff embed formative assessment approaches gradually and meaningfully.
Developing Our Own ACE Tiverton Approach to Formative Assessment
One of the most exciting outcomes so far is the emergence of our own ACE Tiverton approach to formative assessment. Through trialling strategies, observing lessons and discussing impact, we have identified practices that genuinely help our pupils show their understanding in low-pressure, accessible ways.
Detective marking has helped learners use clues to correct errors themselves, while live feedback and live marking allow pupils to improve work during the lesson. Mini-review points have supported recall by breaking learning into manageable chunks. Flexible questioning routines now give pupils multiple safe ways to respond, and gentle self-evaluation prompts provide a structured way for learners to reflect without anxiety.
All of this sits alongside our core value of unconditional positive regard. Strong relationships remain central, and the programme has reinforced how vital relational practice is in giving pupils the confidence to engage with feedback and challenge.
Shaping Policy as Well as Practice
As these approaches became embedded, our policies needed to reflect them. We have updated our marking policy to emphasise live feedback, in-lesson marking, ongoing dialogue and reducing written marking that has little impact. This shift supports teacher judgement and places the focus firmly on learning rather than paperwork.
Early Impact and What Comes Next
Although meaningful change takes time, early signs are positive. We are seeing improved recall, greater engagement during feedback and more pupils willing to attempt corrections and improvements. Teachers report increased clarity about what pupils understand and where reteaching is needed.
There is still more to embed, but the direction of travel feels purposeful. Small, carefully chosen tweaks are already making a noticeable difference. In the second half of the programme, we look forward to deepening our shared practice and strengthening a culture of professional curiosity and responsive teaching.
