This symposium consists of contributions, from the Netherlands, Scotland and South Africa. The three papers together will try to find the linking pins between curriculum development, teacher agency and assessment, in order to help students attain the intended goals of education. A recent analysis shows that the intended curriculum for basic education in the Netherlands could benefit from a well thought through rationale for basic education and clearer goal descriptions that would support teachers in the enactment of the curriculum. Research in Scotland shows that teacher agency is crucial for supporting educational reforms, and that teacher agency is influenced by the depth of reform understanding teachers show or possess, but socially mediated by the cultures and structures of schooling. South African research in the field of assessment shows how assessment could help to enhance teaching and learning. In this symposium, we will try to pinpoint key aspects of improving the transition from what is intended to what is attained from the standpoints of curriculum development, teacher agency and assessment.

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