Silvia Semana, Susana Matthews & Sam Inziria

 From Embedding to Sustaining: Building a Culture of Ongoing Formative Assessment

Workshop Information:

Over the past few years, the Secondary School at the International School of The Hague (ISH) has implemented a whole-school formative assessment initiative grounded in Dylan Wiliam and SSAT’s Embedding Formative Assessment (EFA) programme. While the original course materials provided a solid foundation, the Formative Assessment Project Team adapted them to meet the evolving needs of our school. This flexible, context-responsive approach – combined with structured professional learning, strategic alignment, stakeholder feedback, and student and parent engagement – has fostered a common understanding around formative assessment, significant shifts in teacher practice, and increased student engagement and learning.

At ISH, formative assessment is now largely understood as a continuous process in which teachers, students, and peers gather evidence of learning and use it to inform next steps, with the clear purpose of improving learning.

This session will begin with a brief reflection on the journey so far (as of July 2025), highlighting:

• Key implementation strategies and distributed leadership structures used to embed effective formative assessment across departments and year groups.

• Insights from staff, student, and parent feedback (2022–2025), including evidence of growing teacher confidence, student impact, and areas for continued support.

The main focus of the session is our strategic plan to sustain and evolve formative assessment as an integral part of ISH’s educational culture. Participants will explore how:

• Subject teams define and lead their own goals, supported by distributed leadership and protected planning time;

• Practices are embedded in curriculum through shared Minimum Expectations, annual audits, and departmental reflection;

• Inclusive leadership is fostered through co-constructed success criteria and active engagement with students and parents via sessions, surveys, and focus groups;

• Professional learning continues through an induction course for new staff, ongoing support from the Project Team, and the Formative Assessment @ ISH Portal;

• Visibility and celebration are maintained through “Learning in Action” weeks and community-wide sharing of stories and progress.

This session is not only a case study, it is a space for professional exchange. Participants will interact with ISH’s sustainability framework and tools, hear about challenges and successes, and engage in a collaborative task to reflect on their own school’s trajectory and next steps.

This session is designed for leaders who are not only cultivating a culture of formative assessment, but who are now asking: How do we make it last, evolve, and empower all stakeholders beyond the life of a programme?

By the end of this session, participants will:

• Gain access to practical tools and planning resources used at ISH to support the sustainability of formative assessment practices, including departmental action plan templates, curriculum audit guidelines, and examples from the Formative Assessment @ ISH Portal.

• Engage with a sustainability framework that helps school leaders evaluate their current stage of implementation and identify next steps toward embedding formative assessment as a lasting, collaborative, and inclusive practice in their own contexts.

• Leave with adaptable strategies to strengthen both distributed and inclusive leadership, supporting teacher autonomy, student and parent engagement, and curriculum alignment in whole-school assessment efforts.

Silvia Semana

Dr. Silvia Semana is an experienced international educator and leader specialising in formative assessment, concept-based inquiry, and innovative teaching practices. Currently serving as CIS Coordinator, she will transition into the role of Quality Assurance Lead for Teaching and Learning at the International School of The Hague – Secondary Division. In this capacity, she drives strategic initiatives in school improvement, student agency, and professional learning. Holding a PhD in Education, her research focused on teaching practices that support students’ self-regulation of learning. This foundational work continuously informs her approach to embedding formative assessment and concept-based inquiry across the curriculum.

Susana Matthews

Susana Matthews is an MYP/DP Language and Literature teacher and Personal Project Coordinator at the International School of The Hague. With a BA in English Language and Literature and a Master’s in Education, she brings over 25 years of international teaching experience across Spain, Ireland, the USA, and the Netherlands. Passionate about language acquisition, Susana focuses on making learning relevant and meaningful. Her professional interests include curriculum design and formative assessment, and how they enhance teaching and learning. She is also an active IB Educator Network (IBEN) member, supporting schools globally as a consultant, workshop leader, and school visitor.

Sam Inziria

Sam Inziria is an experienced international educator who is currently a DP/CP Year Leader, BTEC Coordinator and Quality Nominee and Reflective Project Coordinator at International School of The Hague. With over two decades as master practitioner and curriculum developer, Sam played a pivotal role in embedding formative assessment practices across the school, earning him the certified mentor status with the Council of International School (CIS) – SSAT EFA project. He has also been the Chair of the IBCP Self-Study Evaluation Committee. He has presented at international education forums  on bridging classroom learning with real-world contexts.