Educator Essentials 1: Assessment design for student success

Article


Killingley Maddick, J. and Parsons, R. 2026. Educator Essentials 1: Assessment design for student success. The Practising Midwife. https://doi.org/10.55975/LBKX4116
TypeArticle
TitleEducator Essentials 1: Assessment design for student success
AuthorsKillingley Maddick, J. and Parsons, R.
Abstract

Assessments are a cornerstone of midwifery education, providing opportunities to evaluate student competence, critical thinking and readiness for professional practice. Assessment design is therefore a critical skill for educators.
Whilst some apprehension about assessment is normal, poorly designed assessments amplify stress, hindering performance and confidence. Creating accessible assessments that minimise student stress whilst maintaining academic standards is essential to support student success and competence.
This article examines evidence-based practices for designing effective assessments that balance rigour with accessibility and explores strategies used by the midwifery team at Middlesex University.

Keywordsassessment; student midwife
Sustainable Development Goals4 Quality education
Middlesex University ThemeCreativity, Culture & Enterprise
PublisherAll4Holdings
JournalThe Practising Midwife
ISSN1461-3123
Electronic2634-7407
Publication dates
PrintJul 2026
Publication process dates
Accepted27 May 2026
Deposited13 Jul 2026
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
License
File Access Level
Open
Copyright Statement

© Copyright All4Maternity
This is the authors Accepted Manuscript made available in this repository with publisher's permission. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.55975/LBKX4116
Permalink -

https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/3687zz

Restricted files

Accepted author manuscript

  • 14
    total views
  • 3
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Students as partners in practice - embedding NMC requirements through co-creation across nursing and midwifery programmes
Polec, A., Anderson, D. and Killingley Maddick, J. 2026. Students as partners in practice - embedding NMC requirements through co-creation across nursing and midwifery programmes. Middlesex University Annual Learning and Teaching Conference 2026: Knowing our students and working in partnership. Middlesex University, London, UK 18 Jun 2026
Sustaining the future midwifery workforce: education, support and compassionate practice
Killingley Maddick, J. 2026. Sustaining the future midwifery workforce: education, support and compassionate practice. Royal College of Midwives Top 10 Maternity Research Priorities Symposium. Virtual 23 Jun 2026
Student midwives’ lived experiences of clinical practice during pre-registration education
Killingley, J., Liu, L.Q. and Thom, B. 2026. Student midwives’ lived experiences of clinical practice during pre-registration education. Nurse Education in Practice. 93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2026.104848
Early pregnancy loss perspectives 2: being present in recurrent miscarriage
Killingley, J. and Corcoran, L. 2025. Early pregnancy loss perspectives 2: being present in recurrent miscarriage. The Practising Midwife. 28 (5), pp. 33-36. https://doi.org/10.55975/kyll5249
Long COVID: the lingering crisis in maternity services
Killingley, J. 2025. Long COVID: the lingering crisis in maternity services. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest. 35 (2), pp. 169-170.
Recurrent miscarriage: breaking the silence and transforming care [Presentation]
Killingley, J. 2025. Recurrent miscarriage: breaking the silence and transforming care [Presentation]. London Maternity & Midwifery Festival 2025. London, UK 11 Feb 2025
Bridging the gap: findings from focus groups on challenges and solutions in the transition from midwifery education to clinical practice
Killingley, J. 2025. Bridging the gap: findings from focus groups on challenges and solutions in the transition from midwifery education to clinical practice. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest. 35 (1), pp. 37-42.
Bridging the gap: challenges and solutions in the transition to practice from midwifery education to clinical practice [Presentation]
Killingley, J. 2025. Bridging the gap: challenges and solutions in the transition to practice from midwifery education to clinical practice [Presentation]. London Maternity & Midwifery Festival 2025. London, UK 11 Feb 2025
Cultivating a culture of supports
Killingley, J. 2025. Cultivating a culture of supports. The Practising Midwife. 28 (1), pp. 35-39. https://doi.org/10.55975/MRKL5079
Revitalise and revolutionise: a student-centred curriculum
Parsons, R. and Killingley, J. 2024. Revitalise and revolutionise: a student-centred curriculum. The Practising Midwife. 27 (5), pp. 39-41. https://doi.org/10.55975/DKGZ1257
We care for everyone, who cares for us? A reflection into helping ourselves
Killingley, J. 2018. We care for everyone, who cares for us? A reflection into helping ourselves.
Sustainable birth: case-loading
Killingley, J. 2016. Sustainable birth: case-loading. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest. 26 (4), pp. 452-453.
Student midwives' perspectives on the efficacy of feedback after objective structured clinical examination
Killingley, J. and Dyson, S. 2016. Student midwives' perspectives on the efficacy of feedback after objective structured clinical examination. British Journal of Midwifery. 24 (5), pp. 362-368. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2016.24.5.362
Training for resilience: why are you leaving, you have just got here? An examination of attrition in pre-registration and preceptorship midwives
Killingley, J. 2016. Training for resilience: why are you leaving, you have just got here? An examination of attrition in pre-registration and preceptorship midwives. Redactive Publishing.
Thinking outside the box
Killingley, J. 2016. Thinking outside the box. Redactive Publishing.
Midwives fear of litigation: justified or not?
Barton-Hanson, R. and Killingley, J. 2014. Midwives fear of litigation: justified or not? Society of Legal Scholars: SLS Annual Conference. Nottingham, UK 09 - 12 Sep 2014
Introducing educational theory: vaginal examination
Killingley, J. 2015. Introducing educational theory: vaginal examination. The Practising Midwife. 18 (8), pp. 27-29.
Book review: breast feeding and contemporary issues in practice and policy
Killingley, J. 2014. Book review: breast feeding and contemporary issues in practice and policy. British Journal of Midwifery. 22 (3), p. 218. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2014.22.3.218
Law and the midwife: collaborative working
Killingley, J. and Barton-Hanson, R. 2014. Law and the midwife: collaborative working. Royal College of Midwives Annual Conference 2014. Telford, United Kingdom 11 - 12 Nov 2014