We ask teachers: Are exams still the best way to measure your kids’ academic performance?

With many countries’ education systems (including Singapore’s) starting to shift the focus away from exams, we ask teachers if they think exams are still relevant in today’s education landscape.

Ah, exams. One of the things from our school days that we definitely don’t miss. Though we may not like exams, many of us still see it as an integral part of the whole schooling experience.

However, many education systems have started to reduce the number of mandatory exams in recent years. For example, Singapore has scrapped mid-year exams for all local primary and secondary schools; whereas Finland doesn’t do standardised testing and only has one national exam at the end of secondary school.

So here’s the question: are exams still relevant for our children? Are exams the best method to track a student’s performance; or is this an obsolete method that’s also anxiety-inducing? Here’s what XCL World Academy’s (XWA) experienced educators have to say about it.

Missed the webinar? Scroll down for the recording! We’ve put in timestamps on each sub-topic, so you can skip to the parts that’s relevant to you.

Speaker introductions – 0.47
The purpose of exams – 3.21
Do exams still serve this purpose today? – 7.44
Alternatives for academic progress measurement – 18.10
Is grading still relevant? – 27.02
Exams: reduce frequency or maintain status quo? – 33.41
Parental support during exam period – 37.17

What teachers think about exams today

1. Exams are not perfect: it serves a good purpose, but it also has its limitations.

– Justin Kirby

Exams were created to serve many purposes:

• Evaluate whether students have learned the intended learning objectives and the content to which they have learned it
• Identify learning gaps
• Rank and see how students are doing compared to their peers
• Measure the efficacy of an educator’s teaching
• Hold educational institutions (such as schools) accountable by ensuring that every student meets the minimum standards

Having said so, exams can misrepresent a child’s full potential when it’s overused or misapplied. Most exams are often designed around rote memorisation and timed performance. This doesn’t reflect a child’s long-term understanding or their ability to think critically. Moreover, recent educational research has shown that schools should be focused on teaching students essential skills, instead of just acquiring knowledge and mastering a subject.

This is why we don’t use exams to define students at XWA. We view it as a single data point in a broader learning narrative. Exams are used to help our teachers identify learning gaps so we can provide constructive feedback to students; as well as to refine our teaching strategies. This is aligned with what Dylan Wiliam, a renowned educationalist, said about formative assessment: that it should be part of the learning process, not a final judgment.

2. Exams have started to evolve, with schools starting to use other methods to assess students as well.

– Maria Sweeney

Here’s the good news: exams can evolve according to the general shifts in the education landscape. Rather than crafting questions that can be answered through a simple regurgitation of facts, educators have started incorporating questions that test for critical thinking and application skills. Some are even starting to use online exams and adaptive testing to make exams more personalised, allowing schools to understand students better so they can provide more targeted teaching.

The better news? More and more schools, such as XWA, are using methods other than exams to assess students. We believe that there are many ways a child can show us that they know, understand, and are able to do. This can range from writing, putting on a performance, or working on their own projects. For example, to demonstrate their grasp on a subject unit about the needs and characteristics of living things, our five year-olds:

• Built an animal shelter based on what they’ve learned
• Wrote a guide with step-by-step account of how they created this shelter and why it’s designed in such a way

Both activities assess their knowledge of the subject unit, give us a glimpse into their thought process, and see how they have applied this knowledge.

3. The best way to support your kids through exams is to help them keep calm and carry on.

– Mark Petterson

Our kids aren’t the only stressed out ones during exam period – it can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride for the entire family too. Here are the best ways that you can help your kids during this period:

• Motivate instead of pressuring them: rather than emphasising on the outcome, uplift your kids’ confidence by acknowledging their efforts.
• Set up a conducive studying environment: a calm and clutter-free space can really help your kids concentrate.
• Stay calm yourself: don’t underestimate your attitude – it sets a tone. Your sense of calm can help your kids feel more in control and less anxious.
• Keep the positivity going, even after the exams: celebrate your kids’ hard work no matter the results!

Your questions about exams, answered!

1. What subjects should our kids focus on in the current era of AI, when communication skills and creative thinking should be emphasised over ‘drilling’?

Students should be exposed to all subjects with equal focus. This is because every subject offers a new perspective, helping them discover their passions and potential career paths. Limiting their focus to selected subjects too early can close doors before they even know what excites them. Having said so, students should select courses that directly support their aspirations when they’re older and starting to prepare their college applications.

We at XWA agree that communication skills and creative thinking are essential, which is why these are intentionally embedded into our curriculum and assessments. We use a wide variety of assessment methods to capture our students’ strengths, as we recognise that not all exams support the measurement of these skills.

Having said so, we also acknowledge that ‘drills’ – ie practice and repetition – still have their place. Take mastering basic maths facts as an example: students should know their timetables by heart as it’s a lifelong skill that’s more efficient than relying on digital tools. It also allows them more mental space for higher-order thinking and problem-solving. ‘Drills’ also serve an important purpose in helping students achieve language fluency, master art techniques, and even polish their physical education skills.

2. How can we better support the various abilities and needs of children without exams?

There are many assessment methods – projects, discussions, observations, and formative tasks – that can provide educators and parents with insights on a child’s ability and needs. More importantly, it should be a standards-based learning approach, as this will give us clarity on a child’s progress in mastering the required skills and concepts. This then allows educators to personalise instruction and target the right supports. Instead of focusing on what a child gets right, we should be focusing on understanding what they know and need.

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A big thank you to the XWA educators: Justin, Maria, and Mark.

Justin Kirby

Senior Head of Student Achievement & Academic Pathways at XCL World Academy

Justin Kirby is a lifelong international educator who has taught K–12 grades across five continents and eight countries. He is passionate about leading change and inspiring success as an educational leader.

 

Maria Sweeney

Principal, Early & Primary Years at XCL World Academy

Maria Sweeney is an experienced international educator, passionate about inquiry-based learning and student wellbeing. She currently leads early and primary years with a focus on nurturing globally minded learners.

Mark Petterson

Principal, Secondary Years at XCL World Academy

Mark Petterson is an accomplished secondary school principal with a strong track record in fostering academic excellence and student success. He holds a double degree in Education and Public Relations, a Master’s in Education, and a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

See how XWA’s approach to assessment supports every child beyond just test scores. Click here to connect with its admissions team or schedule a personalised tour.

This post is in partnership with XCL World Academy.