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This paper documents the introduction and development of teacher assessment in England over the past decade, with particular reference to the early years of school. Teachers in England have to assess, record and report pupils' attainment against specified standards and at various key stages during their schooling. As teacher judgement of pupils' learning in authentic contexts plays a key role in this type of assessment, it represents a shift from the measurement model of dependence on paper and pencil tests. The paper describes the features, status and application of teacher assessment in England; it analyses the processes individual teachers and groups of teachers go through as they make judgements about achievement. In doing this, it draws on recent perspectives in the theory of assessment and on empirical data from teacher assessment practice in six different types of schools in six local education authorities in the north of England. A major issue addressed in the paper in relation to the process of teacher assessment is the notion of an assessment community of practice.

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