At London Met, we believe assessments should be inclusive, authentic, appropriate, reliable, and provide educational challenges. The University has developed the following principles to give effect to its wide range of policies, procedures and practices. We believe the quality of assessments reflects the quality of our courses and teaching, and the ability of our students to meet the standards expected by employers, the UK quality code for Higher education, and the OfS revised ongoing conditions for registration.
The application of these assessment principles will be an iterative process during key stages of designing and delivering our courses and modules ensuring our students are assessed effectively. These principles will also serve as an important evaluation framework for the university’s quality enhancement and review processes to ensure course and module alignment with the University's strategy 2019/20-2024/25.
Our assessment principles
Assessment is an integral part of programme design. It should directly relate to the overall course aims and learning outcomes. Assessment should provide appropriate breadth and balance for development of knowledge and skills which include, but are not limited to, cognitive, practical, transferable and professional competencies. Assessment should enable students to deepen their understanding of the subject area, whilst inviting reflection on their development and readiness for the world of graduate work.
Students should be involved in consultation and co-creation in the design and review of assessment tasks, criteria and feedback methods.
The purpose, requirements, assessment and grading criteria for each assessment must be clearly set out within the module material. This must be made available to students at the start of the semester, with attention specifically drawn to this information in good time. Students’ should be provided with in-module opportunities to pre-engage with grading criteria and discuss the assessment.
Assessment practice within each course and module should facilitate the development of students’ assessment literacy, including understanding the purpose of assessments, expected standards and how to use feedback to enhance their achievement.
Students should be made aware of the importance of academic integrity and how to practise it.
Assessment tasks and assessment practices must be inclusive and equitable and aligned to the University’s Education for Social Justice Framework. Inclusive assessments are those that are accessible by design, enabling students to demonstrate the required learning outcomes.
Opportunities for flexibility and choice should be maximised at the assessment design stage.
Where adjustments are required for a student, arrangements for these should be made in accordance with Student Services guidelines and put in place in good time.
Assessment briefs and grading criteria should design-out scope for inequity and bias in the marking process.
Assessment tasks should allow students sufficient time to engage, and assessment deadlines should be spread appropriately across modules in a course to avoid over-burdening students and staff as well as supporting effective course delivery. The timing and volume of assessments should be considered to help to facilitate deeper learning.
Learning outcomes should ordinarily be assessed only once. Course teams must refer to the relevant Assessment Equivalencies Policy that governs their school.
A good balance of assessment for learning (formative) and assessment of learning (summative), including assessments which provide a combination of the two, should be provided at each level of a course.
Formative assessment must provide appropriately challenging and motivational activities allowing students to become owners of their own learning.
All summative assessments should have second-marking or moderation processes in place to ensure consistency of standards within modules.
Students should be provided with clear and diverse forms of formative feedback that provide opportunities to improve and promote achievement. Feedback should be timely.