What are the highest-impact teaching practices we can implement in our schools? This session brings together Dylan Wiliam, the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA) and an independent school leader to bring clear, digestible research and evidence together with real, classroom-based insights.
In association with AISWA, the webinar looks at how independent schools across Australia can embed evidence-based formative assessment and feedback into everyday teaching and learning. It explores the practical shift from summative to formative practice: how leaders can make high-quality feedback consistent across classrooms, reduce teacher workload, and translate assessment research into routines that work day to day.
The session draws on the implementation of Nurture’s Formative Assessment Innovator Programme across eight independent schools in Western Australia, and how sustained professional learning drives real change in teacher practice.
Who it is for
This session is designed for leaders and educators in independent schools in Australia, including:
- Principals, directors and senior leaders
- Directors of teaching and learning
- Assessment and curriculum leads
- System leaders responsible for feedback and assessment practice
What the webinar covers
Formative assessment is a significant lever for improving student outcomes when it meets four conditions. It needs to be:
- Embedded in daily classroom practice
- Supported by sustained, high-quality professional learning
- Reinforced through clear leadership and system alignment
- Enabled by technology that strengthens, rather than replaces, teacher judgement
Across the session, the speakers discuss:
- Why formative assessment matters and how it differs from summative grading
- What actually changes teacher practice, and what does not
- The non-negotiable elements for embedding formative assessment across schools or systems
- How to make feedback higher quality while reducing the time teachers spend marking
- How Nurture supports schools and school organisations to embed these practices at scale
Speakers
Professor Dylan Wiliam
Emeritus Professor of Educational Assessment at University College London, Dylan Wiliam is one of the world’s leading authorities on formative assessment. His research focuses on supporting teachers to develop their use of assessment in support of learning.
David Neville
CEO and Co-Founder of Nurture, David Neville helps schools and school organisations implement evidence-based assessment and feedback practices at scale using Microsoft and Nurture technology.
Phil Collins
Curriculum and School Improvement Manager at AISWA, Phil Collins is an educational leader with more than 20 years’ experience across the independent and government sectors, and currently serves on the SCSA Curriculum and Assessment Committee.
Jim Shackleton
Assistant Director of Senior School at All Saints’ College, Perth, Jim Shackleton holds a Master of Education in Advanced Pedagogies and leads teaching and learning operations at the school.
Key takeaways
- A clearer understanding of formative assessment and its impact on learning outcomes
- Practical, evidence-based steps for embedding formative feedback across an independent school
- The leadership and professional learning conditions that make change stick
- Strategies to improve consistency between classrooms while easing teacher workload
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