3.4 Self-assessment

Self and peer assessment is a key element in enabling students to engage critically with their own work and that of others. Through doing this they can identify their strengths and plan how to move forward in their musical learning. Self and peer assessment encourages young people to actively engage in their own learning and to gain ownership of that learning. However, if self and peer assessment is to work well it needs to be carefully planned. It needs to be seen by the students as of value by complementing and adding to assessments carried out by the teacher or other external authority.

Dialogue between teacher and pupil(s) also forms an important part of self and peer assessment and is linked to the sharing (in the true sense of the word) of criteria discussed in the previous section. Criteria that are negotiated, agreed and founded on a shared understanding of what is to be achieved and how that achievement is to be valued allows for:

• a dialogue about assessment between pupil and teacher based upon a common and agreed understanding
• young people evaluating how well they have achieved against the learning objectives and outcomes. This results in greater learner autonomy and independence, which leads to…
• the knowledge and understanding that allows young people to decide (with the support of teachers) what it is they need to do next to develop their musical learning.