This report is based on original teacher survey data collected directly from UK teachers through the Only for Teachers platform. All insights and findings are unique to our community.
Published: 22 November 2025 | Source: Only for Teachers original survey data
Assessment lies at the heart of effective teaching, guiding pedagogical decisions, informing curriculum adaptations, and ultimately determining pupil outcomes. In the UK education system, which is intensely driven by accountability measures; clear, functional assessment policy is not a bureaucratic formality but a necessity for professional consistency. However, an exclusive survey by Only for Teachers indicates a systemic disconnect between policy ambition and classroom reality. The data reveals that a majority of teachers lack confidence in the very guidance designed to govern this crucial area of their work. The key finding is a lack of clarity: only 43% of teachers agree or strongly agree that their school’s assessment policy is clearly written, uses accessible language, and effectively guides their day-to-day teaching practice.
Policy clarity, workload, and the CPD deficit
The discovery that over half of the teaching profession does not find their core assessment guidance to be practically useful, creates substantial implications for both teacher workload and institutional compliance. Unclear policy necessitates constant interpretation, informal consultation, and inconsistency across departments, wasting valuable time and contributing to the teacher retention crisis.
The failure of policy to translate effectively into practice is compounded by a persistent deficit in professional development. If policy documents are unclear, the onus falls on high-quality training to bridge the gap and enhance assessment literacy. Yet, our data shows this is frequently not happening: 30% of teachers rated the professional development (CPD) provided by their school to enhance their assessment literacy as ‘Inadequate’ or ‘Very inadequate’. This substantial CPD deficit is critical, as high-quality training is essential for teachers to confidently use complex assessment methods, interpret data, and apply policy effectively.
The combination of unclear policy and inadequate training leads to a reliance on habit rather than best practice, potentially making the system vulnerable to scrutiny under the Ofsted Inspection Framework, where ‘Quality of Education’ judgements rely heavily on effective, consistent assessment practices.
The structural tension between grades and educational gains
The internal confusion surrounding policy and training appears to contribute to an imbalance in how assessment is deployed. While education leaders frequently speak of assessment for learning, the reality for teachers is often dominated by the imperative to produce quantifiable outcomes for accountability.
Our survey found that 31% of teachers believe their school’s assessment practices ‘Leans summative’ (evaluation of learning) over formative (assessment for learning). Furthermore, 27% stated that the assessment practices ‘Primarily focuses on Grades/Outcomes’ rather than measuring broad educational gains, such as critical thinking, knowledge acquisition, or skills mastery.
This suggests that the internal school systems, which are driven perhaps by performance metrics demanded by governing bodies, trusts, or external accountability measures, are prioritising data collection for external reporting over its utility in the classroom. Teachers are being forced to execute an assessment policy that tilts the balance away from the rich, diagnostic feedback that is essential for pupil progress and towards the terminal data required for managerial oversight. This creates a perpetual source of professional tension and compromises the quality of feedback that students receive.
Conclusion and professional takeaway
The findings present a clear and urgent case for a national reassessment of internal school policy and support. The fact that only 43% of teachers feel their assessment policy is clear and useful is a foundational failure that impacts every aspect of the school’s operation.
The primary takeaway for the sector must be an immediate institutional commitment to clarity and capability. School leaders and trusts must not only review and simplify their assessment policy documentation but must also significantly increase investment in high-quality, practical CPD to raise assessment literacy among staff. Failure to do so will ensure that assessment remains a source of frustration, inefficiency, and unnecessary teacher workload, rather than the potent pedagogical tool it is intended to be.We urge all teachers to participate in next week’s survey, ensuring the professional voice remains the authoritative source in the national education debate.
Join the conversation by participating in next week’s survey to ensure your professional voice shapes the UK education debate.
Our Methodology
About This Survey
All insights published on OnlyForTeachers come directly from teachers across the UK. Each week, we run original surveys on topics that matter most to educators — from classroom practice and workload to wellbeing and policy changes.
Who Takes Part
Participants are active UK teachers who have registered with OnlyForTeachers. Every response remains fully anonymous.
How We Collect Data
Our surveys are designed and distributed weekly through the OnlyForTeachers platform. Questions are short, relevant, and built to capture honest opinions efficiently. Each survey typically runs for one week, and responses are gathered using secure, GDPR-compliant forms.
Data Integrity
We ensure one response per teacher, prevent duplicate entries, and apply basic data cleaning before publishing results. No weighting or external adjustments are made — what you see reflects the real voices of UK teachers.
How We Analyse & Publish
Responses are aggregated and summarised by the OnlyForTeachers research team. Results are published exclusively on our website and social channels and are original to this community. When relevant, we also feature selected teacher comments to add qualitative insights.
Use of Insights
You’re welcome to reference or cite our findings in your articles, research, or policy papers — please credit: “Source: OnlyForTeachers – Original UK Teacher Survey Insights”