NEN Summary: Defining Formative, Summative and Diagnostic assessment

Understanding Types of Assessment in Early Years and Education

Assessment plays a key role in supporting and understanding children’s learning and development. Within educational practice, three main types of assessment are commonly used: formative, summative, and diagnostic. Each type serves a different purpose but together they create a full picture of a learner’s progress, achievements, and areas for improvement.

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment focuses on the process of learning rather than the end result. It is often referred to as Assessment for Learning because it supports learning that is still taking place.

This type of assessment is ongoing, informal, and dynamic. It happens naturally during everyday teaching and learning activities, such as through discussions, observations, questioning, or reviewing classwork. The purpose of formative assessment is to give immediate and constructive feedback to both the learner and the educator.

Because formative assessment takes place throughout the learning journey, it allows teachers to identify each child’s strengths, areas for development, and next steps. Educators can then adapt or modify their teaching approaches to meet individual learning needs. This makes formative assessment particularly valuable in early years settings, where children’s progress can change quickly as they develop new skills and understanding.

Feedback from formative assessment is descriptive and motivational, rather than judgemental. It helps learners understand what they have done well and what they can do to improve. This encourages active engagement, independence, and ownership of learning.

Examples of formative assessment include:

Observing a child during play or group work
Asking open-ended questions to check understanding
Giving verbal feedback during a task
Reviewing work together and discussing improvements

For more information on formative assessment, click here: NEN Summary: Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

Summative assessment is used to measure what a learner has achieved at the end of a period of learning. It is often known as Assessment of Learning because it summarises what has been learned rather than guiding future learning.

This assessment type is formal, structured, and outcome-focused. It typically takes place at the end of a unit, term, or course, and evaluates the knowledge, skills, and behaviours developed during that time. The results are often recorded and used to determine grades, levels, or qualifications.

Unlike formative assessment, summative assessment is non-adaptive, once the assessment has been completed, there is no opportunity to modify teaching or improve learning outcomes based on the results.

Examples of summative assessment include:

End-of-term tests or exams
Coursework or final assignments
Portfolios of work assessed at the end of a unit
National assessments such as SATs or GCSEs

Feedback from summative assessment is often evaluative, such as a score, grade, or pass/fail result. While it provides valuable information on achievement, it offers less developmental feedback for improvement.

For more information on summative assessment, click here: NEN Summary Summative Assessment

Diagnostic Assessment

Diagnostic assessment is used before learning begins to identify a learner’s starting point. It helps educators understand what a learner already knows, what misconceptions they might have, and what support they may need to achieve success.

Diagnostic assessment is particularly valuable in early years and education settings, as it allows practitioners to plan appropriate activities that match each child’s stage of development and individual learning needs. It ensures that teaching is inclusive, targeted, and responsive from the outset.

Examples of diagnostic assessment include:

Baseline assessments at the start of a course or academic year
Initial observations of a child’s play, communication, or motor skills
Questionnaires or discussions about prior knowledge
Skills checklists or screening tools

Diagnostic assessments guide planning and help identify any additional learning needs, ensuring every learner receives the right level of challenge and support from the beginning.

Summary Table

Assessment Type	Purpose	Timing	Nature	Feedback Type
Formative	To support learning and guide next steps	Ongoing	Informal and adaptive	Descriptive and developmental
Summative	To measure achievement and outcomes	End of learning period	Formal and structured	Evaluative and graded
Diagnostic	To identify prior knowledge and learning needs	Before learning begins	Baseline and individualised	Informative and planning-focused