The attained curriculum is generally assessed in summative and systemic type tests. In South Africa grade 9 learners are subject to national external systemic type testing each year. The results of these tests are released in public documents, and while some diagnostic purpose may be achieved, they serve an accountability function. The consequences of external testing, that is by definition not aligned with classroom teaching and learning, is that there is a backwash effect from the test to the implemented curriculum. Matters (2009) states that assessment information plays a powerful role in educational debate, but that this role can be justified only if at least two conditions are met: 1) that the assessment itself is of sufficient strength and quality to support the uses to which it will be put; and 2) that the users of the assessment data (analysts, teachers, administrators, policy makers) have sufficient expertise and imagination to see make reasoned judgments about the system as a whole (p.222). The path from the intended curriculum to the attained curriculum may be conceptualized as a journey mediated through learning experiences designed to develop increasing proficiency. In order to ensure that the learning experiences support the learning of mathematical concepts in sufficient depth, we propose that sets of assessment tasks designed to provide intermittent markers of progress are implemented. Critical and extensive engagement with the tests on the part of the teachers is envisaged. The proposal is that through direct engagement with the assessment tasks, designed to highlight critical mathematics concepts at strategic points in curriculum implementation, together with reflective implementation of such tasks, there will be improvement in the learning of mathematics, and also critical engagement with assessment practices. The primary research questions explore: 1) to what extent strategically designed instruments can support the learning and teaching of mathematics at the grade 9? and 2) to what extent these assessment practices support teacher agency? The conceptual framework describes the curricula elements of algebra and functions, and presents a developmental progression, building on the work of Sfard (1995) and Ronda (2009). The assessment model, including assessment of, for, and as learning (Bennett & Gitomer, 2009), is elaborated for the purposes of this study. The study involves grade 9 teachers at ten government schools. Both the benefits and challenges of the implementation of the assessment cycle aligned with curriculum, and the effects on teacher agency, will be reported in this symposium.

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