The portfolio is a collection of work recording an individual's achievements over an extended period of time. They can be used at all stages of education and professional development and in a variety of ways, to show mastery of subject knowledge, for example, or to help the students develop reflective practice, assess their own progress, and ultimately find employment.

Val Klenowski provides educators, headteachers, teachers, pre-service teachers and students with an informative and practical guide on how to use portfolios for assessment and learning. She discusses and analyses the impact of portfolios on assessment, curriculum and pedagogy and integrates learning and assessment theories with practice, drawing on her extensive experiences in Hong Kong, Australia and in particular the US, where portfolios are growing in popularity.