This paper considers the fundamental relationship between learning and assessment. It further introduces the key idea of an underlying view of mind as an important concept in understanding assessment practice. The aim of the paper is to (i) illustrate the links that I, and others, have been exploring between views of assessment, learning and mind and (ii) how these links can provide us with a better and more theoretical understanding of emerging assessment perspectives both in policy and in practice. The paper will consider the theoretical underpinnings of, and connections between, these three concepts and show how they are essential building blocks to fully understanding emerging trends and debates in assessment. The ideas presented will be used to step beyond conventional models of seeing the world of assessment and testing to suggest that if we continue to look within the student to understand learning and achievement we are looking in the wrong place. One key debate in the field of assessment that will be considered for critique within a developing framework is that of Assessment for Learning. This movement promotes different forms of assessment practice that tends to focus on the individual student, their learning and how this can be developed through particular assessment practices. This movement has a particular view of learning, the learner and of assessment but the associated view of mind is still one that treats mind as local to the student and thus is no different to historical psychometric assessment practice that AfL purports to have shifted away from, and provide an alternative to. Within the AfL model, the view of mind that prevails is still that which sees it as located within the student and continues to see learners as separately analysable from the teaching and social context after the learning has taken place. 'Assessment for Learning' practice has been positioned within the literature and the field of assessment research as a 'paradigm shift' in how we think about the assessment of students.As part of ongoing work, a continuum has been developd along which one is able to place families of theories of learning and mind. These theories of learning (e.g. constructivism) and mind (e.g. local, innate, 'in the head', etc) have, as will be argued, links to types of assessment practice and also how gender is considered. It is the links which this framework helps to identify that will be used to critique current trends and policy positions in the area of assessment. The framework, which is presented as a contiuum (Elwood, 2006), will be introduced as a way of facilitating the understanding of the arguments put forward. Through considering the relationship between views of assessment, learning and mind, one can argue that the 'paradigm shift' in assessment practice actually occurs elsewhere in theoretical positions that consider socio-cultural views of the learner with associated non-local views of mind. From this position we view students' achievements and performance on assessment items and tasks as entangled and in relationship; a student's ability can only be understood in relation to the teacher, the student, the social context and the measurement instrument. Thus we cannot explain learning or achievement only describe them in cultural, social and historical context. Such a position has major implications not only for the claims made by the Assessment for Learning movement but also for how we view assessment theory and practice more generally. Elwood, J (2006) Gender Issues in Testing and Assessment in Skelton, C, Francis, B and Smulyan, L (20006)(Eds.) The Sage Handbook of Gender and Education, London: SAGESome of the initial ideas have already been published in the above reference