It's time.....to measure what you treasure

By Mark House

For too long, education has been shaped by what’s easiest to count—test scores, exam grades, and narrow metrics. This is the essence of the McNamara fallacy: mistaking the measurable for the meaningful, and overlooking the deeper qualities that matter most in life.

It’s time to measure what we treasure

Quantification bias follows close behind, leading schools to prioritise what fits onto spreadsheets and league tables, often at the expense of things are are clearly valuable but hard to measure, for example creativity, oracy, resilience, and character. The more pressure we put on numbers, the more we fall victim to Goodhart’s law: once a measure becomes a target, it loses its value as a measure, distorting teaching and learning in the process.​​

This distortion is not just theoretical, it’s played out year after year through assessment washback. Teachers teach to the test, students learn for the grade, and the curriculum narrows, leaving essential talents and experiences in the shadows.​​

But the tide is turning. The Curriculum and Assessment Review marks a new beginning for English schools, inviting leaders and educators to measure - and value - the full spectrum of achievement: creativity, communication, practical problem-solving, social-emotional growth, and everything that makes each learner unique.​​

RM Compare is built for this moment. Using adaptive comparative judgement, our platform lets teachers assess creative work, oracy, portfolios, and performances fairly and reliably, celebrating what is truly valuable rather than just what is quantifiable. By harnessing teacher expertise and collective judgement, RM Compare helps schools break free from quantification bias, counter the McNamara fallacy, and drive positive assessment washback that expands—not restricts—learning opportunity.​​

It’s time to put the richness of student achievement at the heart of assessment. Measure what you treasure, transform what you value, and let RM Compare help your school unlock the full potential of every learner.

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