Assessment plays an integral part of the teaching and learning process by providing teachers with information about students' developing mathematical skills (Booker, Bond, Sparrow, & Swan, 2010; Reys et al., 2012). Assessment is an everyday need in the primary school context and, if properly developed and interpreted, can be used positively to encourage students, provide information to direct and modify teaching and learning activities, provide feedback to students on progress and contribute to reporting (Department of Education and Training). Early Childhood Development [DEECD], 2009; Junpeng, 2012; New South Wales Department of Education and Communities, 2011). This essay will examine formative and summative assessment strategies. Teachers use a variety of formative assessment tools and instructional approaches to gather evidence to: monitor and measure student learning; provide feedback to students; and provide feedback to inform instruction and modify instructional strategies to improve student knowledge and performance in mathematics (ACARA, 2015; DEECD, 2009; McMillan, 2011; Taylor-Cox and Oberdorf, 2013). Regular use of formative assessment improves student learning because instruction can be adjusted based on student progress and teachers are able to modify instruction to meet students' individual needs (Black & Wiliam, 2010; Taylor-Cox and Oberdorf, 2013). Various forms of informal and formal formative assessment methods are conducted as learning occurs, continuously through teacher observation, questioning through individual interactions, group discussions, and open-ended tasks (McMillan, Data Acquired from Tests Standardized tests can be used as a test to compare mathematical achievement at the state, school, or classroom level, but could also be used to diagnose student strengths and weaknesses to refine teaching programs (Reys et al., 2012) argues that standardized tests provide teachers with relevant and actionable feedback on student achievement and learning, but the testing timing and reporting schedule does not always meet the teacher's need for timely and current knowledge is that they emphasize recall of facts and teachers instead encourage rote learning and superficial thinking and problem-solving skills (Black & Wiliam, 2010; Woolfolk & Margetts, 2010). Standardized tests do not require students to demonstrate their thinking, the evaluation function is overestimated, while the giving of useful advice and the learning function are underestimated (Black). & William, 2010; Booker et al., 2010). Perso (2009) argues that many Australian students may struggle to read and interpret NAPLAN mathematics test questions because they are not taught literacy skills in their mathematics learning