Assessment professional learning framework

Underpinning all the learning designed by The Assessment Network is our assessment professional learning framework. The framework is a statement about what we think good professional learning in assessment looks like, and how that professional learning can be achieved.

Using the latest evidence from research into educational and professional learning perspectives, the framework lays out a mechanism for you to develop your assessment expertise with Cambridge. 

Whether you are a teacher, an assessment manager, a qualifications developer, or a lecturer – whatever your background, if you are developing your understanding of assessment, the framework tool provides a useful guide to think about your learning journey. 

The professional learning cycle

The professional learning cycle

Download the PDF version of the framework

As you progress through the professional learning cycle, you’ll be empowered to make decisions you about your day-to-day assessment practice. Our learning provision supports you to achieve this by building your expertise, confidence, status, and trust in yourself.

Each stage of the learning cycle links to our professional standards in assessment: key competency areas that we believe assessment practitioners should be able to understand and implement in their practice. 

Taken together, these things contribute to highly skilled experts who are able to effectively apply knowledge to improve decision making - across their own practice and in their workplace. 

The framework in action

"It made my life so much more straightforward, and less stressful. When somebody asks a tricky question, I don't have to worry about who on earth I can possibly ask that has more experience and would know the answer. Instead, I know I just need to gather information and gather more than one view point and pull it all together and apply it to the context of the exam and the product that I'm dealing with."

 - Kirsty Parkinson, Awarding Assessment Manager at The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply -

Hear from members of our assessment community on their learning journeys

This series of stories, about our assessment practitioner community, explores the key themes of our learning framework and the positive impacts of professional learning in assessment - whether you are a teacher, trainer, examiner or work for an awarding organisation.

Exploring professional learning in assessment

Teacher with group of students looking at an electric circuit

Gemma Escott talks about her learning journey in assessment, finding her academic passions and how taking it back to the principles of assessment has helped her reflect on her practice

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Getting it right for learners and the assessment community

Man smelling wine in front of wine barrels

Tom Cherry discusses how studying the Network's courses have provided him with a framework with which to measure the quality and integrity of his assessments. 

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