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Assessment Policy Spring Lane School Assessment Policy 2017-2018 1 | Page Version 3, September 2017: Prepared by Angela Ball
School Policy for PSHE and Citizenship
Assessment Policy
Spring Lane School
Assessment Policy
2017-2018
Spring Lane School Mission Statement
@ Spring Lane School
We support young people to:
Grow, aspire and achieve
We do this through a system of shared values and beliefs where we:
· Provide a nurturing environment where young people feel safe, respected and valued.
· Place young people and their families and carers at the centre of their learning journeys.
· Provide a broad range of opportunities, allowing pupils to progress academically, socially and emotionally.
· Allow young people to meet challenges and develop emotional resilience.
· Enable young people to take responsibility for their choices through an open, fair and consistent approach, which all share.
· Advise and guide young people, supporting their transition to young adulthood.
· Recognise everyone as individuals, celebrating difference and diversity.
· Promote a positive self-image amongst our pupils, developing self-confidence and independence.
· Provide positive role-models, demonstrating respect, tolerance, empathy and high standards of professional practice and behaviour.
· Support and valuing each other, respecting each other’s contributions as important members of the team.
· Promote robust safeguarding policies and procedures and work
with other agencies to ensure the welfare and well-being of all.
Contents
Assessment PolicyPage 3
Appendix 1- Marking and feedback PolicyPage 10
Appendix 2- Pupil Data ReportPage 27
Appendix 3 – KS4 Accredited courses and qualificationsPage 29
SPRING LANE SCHOOL
Assessment Policy 2017-2018
At Spring Lane School, we are committed to providing a robust assessment strategy that will establish a consistent approach across the whole school, so that students and staff know and have a clear understanding of how work is marked, assessed and reported on.
1. Rationale
Assessment lies at the heart of the process of promoting pupils learning. It provides a framework within which educational objectives are set and pupils’ progress expressed and monitored. This should be done in partnership with pupils and their parents or guardians.
Assessment should be incorporated systematically into teaching strategies in order to diagnose any problems and chart progress. In turn assessment will strengthen learning across the curriculum and enhance teachers’ skills and judgements.
This policy outlines the purpose, nature and management of assessment at Spring Lane School.
2. Assessment Definition
Our definition of assessment is that it is a process which provides information on the experience and achievement of the individual student. It identifies what the student knows, understands and can do, as well as providing information to guide future learning.
This assessment policy will assist the school by guiding classroom practice to ensure that:
· The learning experience of all of the students is appropriate for their individual needs and abilities;
· All students are activity engaged in their learning and being challenged;
· Staff are provided with the opportunity to share good practice and to plan, deliver and evaluate the learning experience in the classroom;
· All students know what is required of them so that they are able to move onto the next stage of their learning and reach challenging targets.
3. The Principles of Assessment (taken from ‘Report of the National Association of Headteachers commission on Assessment’- February 2014)
1. Assessment is at the heart of teaching and learning.
a. Assessment provides evidence to guide teaching and learning.
b. Assessment provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate and review their progress.
2. Assessment is fair.
a. Assessment is inclusive of all abilities.
b. Assessment is free from bias towards factors that are not relevant to what the assessment intends to address.
3. Assessment is honest.
a. Assessment outcomes are used in ways that minimise undesirable effects.
b. Assessment outcomes are conveyed in an open, honest and transparent way to assist pupils with their learning.
c. Assessment judgements are moderated by experienced professionals to ensure their accuracy.
4. Assessment is ambitious.
a. Assessment places achievement in context against nationally standardised criteria and expected standards.
b. Assessment embodies, through objective criteria, a pathway of progress and development for every child.
c. Assessment objectives set high expectations for learners.
5. Assessment is appropriate.
a. The purpose of any assessment process should be clearly stated.
b. Conclusions regarding pupil achievement are valid when the assessment method is appropriate (to age, to the task and to the desired feedback information).
c. Assessment should draw on a wide range of evidence to provide a complete picture of student achievement.
d. Assessment should demand no more procedures or records than are practically required to allow pupils, their parents and teachers to plan future learning.
5. Assessment is consistent.
a. Judgements are formed according to common principles.
b. The results are readily understandable by third parties.
c. A school’s results are capable of comparison with other schools, both locally and nationally.
6. Assessment outcomes provide meaningful and understandable information for:
a. Pupils in developing their learning;
b. Parents in supporting children with their learning;
c. Teachers in planning teaching and learning.
Assessment must provide information that justifies the time spent;
d. School leaders and governors in planning and allocating resources; and
e. Government and agents of government.
7. Assessment feedback should inspire greater effort and a belief that, through hard work and practice, more can be achieved.
4. Assessment Objectives
Assessment should:
· Enable an informed judgement to be made about a student’s knowledge, understanding, skills and attitude;
· Be a continuous process which is integral to the teaching and learning programme and which is built into the curriculum and used to inform future planning;
· Incorporate a wide range of assessment techniques used in different contexts and for different purposes;
· Seek to raise standards by allowing staff to review and improve their teaching and learning schemes of work;
· Provide opportunities for effective differentiation to take place;
· Be a process in which students are involved so that they are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and in evaluating their own progress;
· Provide feedback that recognises achievement and not just attainment, so as to increase a student’s confidence and motivation
· Support students in identifying strengths and weaknesses, enabling them to set future learning goals and assist them in decision-making;
Assessment practice should be monitored regularly and assessment procedures modified if necessary as a result.
Teachers must:
· Provide regular feedback to students about their work, giving indications of how they can make improvements to allow progress to be made. (Appendix 1 –Spring Lane School Marking and Feedback Policy)
· Allow students the opportunity to reflect on the advice given and plan appropriate time into their medium term lesson plans that allow students to revisit topics that have been identified as a weakness.
Moderation
Moderation within subjects (both within SLS and with other Bury Schools) is intended to:
· Raise performance;
· Monitor learner and staff performance;
· Ensure quality of treatment of all learners;
· Clarify expectations;
· Ensure the highest possible quality of practice with regards to and assessing.
· Ensuring that there are consistent standards
· Setting these standards against fixed criteria.
It is suggested that departments should keep portfolios of exemplar work for reference purposes.
Subject Leaders should make sure that checks are in place to ensure that work of a similar standard is graded equally and fairly across the whole school.
Reporting
All staff need to familiarise themselves with the school calendar which gives the dates of the various data entry points for the year for all three sites. Parents of pupils at Park House and Spring Lane Radcliffe will receive three reports per year at the end of each term, although staff will submit data six times a year. Reports aim to inform students, parents and other interested parties of the progress, attainment and attitude of the learner. Parents will be invited to discuss these reports in detail at one of three review days held following the issue of the reports. (Appendix 2- Pupil Data Report). Data for MTH students will be collected three times a year.
It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that all necessary information has been considered and reflected upon, so that an accurate and robust prediction can be made as to the current level that the student is working at, and the likely final predicted level the student will achieve at the end of the year or at the end of a Key Stage.
Action needs to be taken rapidly to provide additional support should circumstances mean that a pupil appears to be falling behind. This support or intervention needs to be recorded and monitored.
Analysis of individual and group progress of each of the six data cycles (three at MTH) will enable effective tracking of students’ progress against the targets set.
5. Rights, Responsibilities and Roles
Spring Lane School:
We will assess all pupils regularly, in a valid and reliable way against consistent standards in order to inform teaching, help pupils to make progress and to celebrate their achievements.
When students come to us we will look at their KS2 prior attainment. There is a very strong correlation between this data and how students perform at GCSE level. Pupils will also be assessed on entry to Spring Lane School using either the GL Assessment suite of tests, BKSB or baseline tests. Targets will then be set using all these measures of progress available to us- KS2/ CATS/ BKSB/FFT Estimates and the Teachers’ Professional judgement. We will aim to set these targets and share them with the student and their parents or guardians within 4 weeks of their arrival.
Information collected on each pupil will be available to staff on the school Google drive.
As part of reforms to the National Curriculum the system of ‘levels’ used to report attainment and progress has been removed. We however will be continuing to report using levels in KS3 for the next year until the Bury Schools have reached a consensus about how to assess and report without levels at KS3.
From September 2017 a new grading scale of 9 to 1 will be used for GCSEs, with 9 being the top grade. This will allow greater differentiation between students and will help distinguish the new GCSEs from previous versions.
We will involve pupils actively in their own learning by teaching them how to understand and use assessment criteria, including those for external examinations, and how to assess their own and others’ work. We will provide pupils with meaningful feedback so they know how much progress they have made and what should they do in order to improve further. We will inform parents and pupils of progress in a way that enables them to support their child’s learning.
We will help to prepare pupils for any external examinations or qualifications and ensure that they are carried out within the guidelines laid down by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).
Pupils:
We will aim to engage Pupils fully in the assessment process, by trying their best in both informal and formal assessments. They will also carry out self-assessment and peer-assessment. During formal assessments, including external examinations, pupils will follow the exam regulations as specified by examination boards, including those regarding plagiarism.
Students will sit mock examinations in years 10 and 11 to help prepare them for their GCSE exam, this will also give the teachers the opportunity to see how students perform under exam conditions and familiarise the students with the requirements of the exam setting. (Appendix- 3, KS4 Accredited courses and Qualifications at SLS)
Parents & Carers:
The school will encourage parents and guardians to support their children by encouraging them to do their best in assessments, and to make constructive use of the feedback they get. They will help their children prepare for assessments and aid their children to follow all exam regulations, including those regarding plagiarism.
3. Conditions for Effective Assessment
All the activities of a school are geared, directly or indirectly, to effective learning.
Assessment policy and practice are a key element in this, together with an appropriate curriculum and good teaching.
Assessment
Teaching & LearningCurriculum
Effective learning will only come from an approach that recognises the importance of this interaction. Assessment informs both teaching practice and curriculum design with information about each pupil’s abilities, needs, and aspirations and how these change as they progress.
6. Assessing Pupil Progress (APP)
Research suggests that pupils make the best progress when:
· They know the assessment objectives (we tell them what they are going to learn).
· They know how they will be assessed (we tell them what they will have to do to meet the assessment criteria).
· They know how they are going to learn (i.e. we tell them what they are going to do for the lesson or series of lessons).
· They know how to meet the assessment criteria (i.e. we provide task sheets with assessment criteria, model answers, exemplars of work at different levels etc.)
· They know how their work has been assessed (i.e. we write comments and marks/levels which tell them how they have performed in relation to the assessment criteria, and what they need to do to improve further).
APP is a structured approach to personalised assessment, enabling teachers to make secure judgements about the standard of pupils’ work, refine teachers’ understanding of progression and help pupils understand what they need to do to improve. This also enables teachers to track pupils’ progress over time, provide diagnostic information for planning and interventions, support the transfer between classes and key stages and schools, and inform curriculum planning. As such APP at Spring Lane School both provides a framework for assessment practice in lessons and also informs wider school planning.
7. Assessment for Learning (AfL)
AfL, sometimes referred to as formative assessment, is the process for identifying what the learner has achieved in order to plan the next steps in teaching and learning. Feedback is provided to the learner in such a way that either the teacher adjusts the teaching to help the learner learn more effectively, or the learner changes her/his approach to the task, or both. Unlike assessment of learning (see below), AfL can be a joint activity between pupils and teacher which moves both forward.
AfL is not only part of our everyday classroom practice, but also an area of continuing development. AfL strategies are planned for daily and are in regular use in lessons, where they are directly linked to the learning objectives.
Targets are set with individual pupils in the core subjects. A range of AfL strategies are used to monitor progress towards these targets.
8. Assessment of Learning (summative assessment)
Assessment of Learning describes retrospective assessment of learning that has taken place. It includes both internal school tests and assessments and external exams and controlled assessment tasks.
Use of summative assessment data
Grades derived from assessments are used to monitor the progress of individuals and groups of pupils. This identifies areas that need improvement or specific development needs that require intervention. Teachers also use summative data in a formative way with pupils by giving feedback for each assessment exercise to include an explanation of the standard achieved with respect to the relevant criteria and targets for further improvement towards the next level or grade. Pupils should then be given opportunities to improve.
In this way summative assessments also serve as an invaluable formative teaching and learning tool.
9. Monitoring and Evaluation
Assessment procedures within subject areas will be carried out in the first instance by the Subject leaders and should be done on a regular basis.
Monitoring procedures will include Lesson observation, work scrutiny, learning walks and data analysis scheduled each term. Monitoring will allow the teacher (and the department) to reflect upon their work and as a basis for improvement and development.
Evaluation of these procedures will be carried out by the Leadership Team.
Reviewed by Angela Ball
Date Reviewed September 2017
Agreed and Ratified by the Board of Governors
Signed: Mr N. Parnell Chair of Governors
Date: 13th October 2016
Appendix 1Spring Lane Marking and Feedback Policy
Spring Lane School
Marking and Feedback Policy
2017-2018
Spring Lane School Mission Statement
@ Spring Lane School
We support young people to:
Grow, aspire and achieve
We do this through a system of shared values and beliefs where we:
· Provide a nurturing environment where young people feel safe, respected and valued.
· Place young people and their families and carers at the centre of their learning journeys.
· Provide a broad range of opportunities, allowing pupils to progress academically, socially and emotionally.
· Allow young people to meet challenges and develop emotional resilience.
· Enable young people to take responsibility for their choices through an open, fair and consistent approach, which all share.
· Advise and guide young people, supporting their transition to young adulthood.
· Recognise everyone as individuals, celebrating difference and diversity.
· Promote a positive self-image amongst our pupils, developing self-confidence and independence.
· Provide positive role-models, demonstrating respect, tolerance, empathy and high standards of professional practice and behaviour.
· Support and valuing each other, respecting each other’s contributions as important members of the team.
Assessment Policy
· Promote robust safeguarding policies and procedures and work with other agencies to ensure the welfare and well-being of all.
8 | Page
Version 3, September 2017: Prepared by Angela Ball
Overview
In Spring Lane School we will ensure that learners get the maximum benefit from their education through an entitlement to regular feedback from staff. This will enable them to understand their progress and achievement and apprise them of what they need to do next to improve. The methods of marking work will be applied consistently throughout the school.
Objectives
1. To monitor, evaluate and review learners’ cu progress and improvement.
2. To give learners accurate feedback on their progress and achievement.
3. To enable learners to self-evaluate their work and take responsibility for setting their own targets.
4. To promote a positive self-image and growth mind-set for learners, in accordance with school aims, and, through this, encourage them to value and take pride in their work.
5. To celebrate and reward learners’ achievement and progress.
6 To agree and set challenging targets for improvement.
7 To standardise the marking procedures throughout the school.
8 To provide evidence for assessment, recording and reporting.
9. To allow quality assurance of lesson preparation and planning, quality of resources and adherence to
schemes of work.
Principles of marking and feedback
1. Marking will be against the learning intention and individual targets
2. Any learning points / misconceptions will be addressed.
3. Learners will have the opportunity to reflect on their feedback and question comments.
4. There will, whenever possible, be an opportunity for the learner to participate in the process so that there is a shared perspective on feedback, marking and target setting.
5. The following pens will be used as follows:
Stationery used:
Task undertaken:
Black pen1
Learners work
Green pen
Teacher feedback
The Five Main Types of Formative Marking and Feedback at Spring Lane School
i. In-Depth Teacher Marking
This should result in good quality written feedback and should use the “two WWW and a one EBI” This consistency will provide familiarity to learners.
This should be written at the end of the piece of work in green pen as follows:
WWW -“Strength”-positive comment which relates to the learning objectives;
WWW –“Strength”-second positive comment which relates to the learning objectives;
EBI–“Target”-One area where the success criteria was not met / or a suggestion /question to allow opportunity for further progress
.
Time should be built into subsequent lessons to allow learners to review their strengths and target
s and respond to the feedback they have been given.
ii. Peer and Self-Assessment
This can be a useful activity if done sparingly and in an environment where learners have been taught to do it effectively. All peer and self-assessment should be verified by staff whilst acknowledgement/light touch marking is being undertaken.
iii. Verbal Feedback
Verbal feedback is a valuable form of formative feedback. Some subjects may use this type of feedback more frequently because of the nature of their subject. For example in design and technology, art, music and physical education the most effective feedback is often verbal.
VF code denotes that feedback has been given
iv. Marking for Literacy Using Whole School Codes
It is not necessarily expected that staff correct every punctuation and grammatical error in every piece of writing. Neither will every spelling mistake need to be corrected. In KS3, or for less able learners, it will be necessary to write the correct version for the learner. As learners gain confidence and knowledge, they should be able to identify and correct their own mistakes.
All staff should use the whole-school marking code. The code forms an integral part of the Literacy Policy.. The Marking Code is displayed here:
Code:
Explanation
Sp
Try this spelling again
(with word underlined)
//
Begin a new paragraph
WO
Show your working out
v
Vocabulary choice is inappropriate or could be improved
^
word missing/insert word or letter
v. Light Touch/Acknowledgement Marking
Teachers will acknowledge all work variously through the use of ticks, teacher initials, simple literacy corrections and/or brief attainment based comments.
MAD (Make a difference Time) Marking MAD
As well as providing students with the feedback on the work they have completed and targets for improvements it is also vital that teachers build into their lesson, opportunities for students to act upon this information and advice.
MAD time is the process of allowing students to reflect/act upon the comments that have been written as feedback. Therefore ensuring the feedback is being put to use and is supporting the progress of our students, not for their next piece of work but NOW –in their lesson.
‘MAD lessons’ can take as long as you feel necessary, they can form the starter or for longer pieces of work.
Essentiality MADmarking is that time honored good practice of getting students working really hard to ensure that the standard of their work is the best it can be.
Examples of MAD marking:
· Reflection and responding to precise feedback. Students using teacher feedback to analyse their own work, question by question improving methodology and accuracy of answer.
· Feedback in the form of questions to extend students understanding. This scaffolds student understanding, step by step, with the expectation that students act upon their feedback using MAD –writing an appropriate detailed response to teacher feedback.
· Drafting and proof reading, their books with a clear signal that improving their writing and literacy is a basic, but crucial expectation of their learning. In this case MAD marking is about improving extended writing and ensuring students proof read their work automatically.
Teacher Guidance for effective MAD marking:
1. Keep it focused.
If you simply hand back work to students and tell them to improve it all then the response will invariably be less than successful! They need specific support and to avoid overloading students we need to focus in upon specific improvements to their work.
2. Model and scaffold.
Models of work, with specific strengths or weaknesses, are crucially effective toward increasing student understanding. Seeing an outstanding exemplar helps lessen the load and gives students a high standard to reach for with their work. Reviewing a poor example, picking apart its flaws with the teacher, or improving upon a weak example of work also helps scaffold their understanding about what is required to improve their own work. MAD time may seem to be about independent work, but in actuality there is still a need for guidance from teacher expertise.
3. Targeted feedback.
If students are receiving regular high quality feedback that is targeted and precise in each of their subject areas then cumulatively they should learn clear patterns regarding how they need to improve in specific subject areas as well as recognising common patterns. Marking is therefore crucial –it determines teacher planning and it can be a defining factor for successful MAD.
4. Utilise verbal feedback to support MAD marking.
If we establish a really clear focus for MAD, with good quality models, scaffolds and targets for improvement, then students should be sufficiently focused to allow the teacher to undertake good quality ‘one to one feedback whilst
MAD is taking place
Level of support indicators
It is important to note the level of support a learner has had with a piece of work. The following codes will be used to identify this.
Code:
Explanation
1:1
One to one work
S
Supported work by teaching assistant / classroom assistant
Outcomes
Marking and feedback will be carried out professionally and learners will benefit from its high quality.
Policy Summary and Frequency Guidelines
Type of marking
Frequency
In depth teacher marking
Every 4/5 lessons
WWW EBI and in green pen
Peer/self assessment
At teacher’s discretion
Verbal feedback
As appropriate on a lesson by lesson basis
Marking for literacy
In all extended written work
Light touch
All lessons
Scrutiny
· Every HALF TERM , subject leads will do a random sample check on the quality of marking within their department. Termly report to Curriculum manager and Head Teacher on the standard and quality of marking and feedback within their departments to be completed.
· Further book scrutiny will occur during teaching and learning cycles.
What Constitutes Effective Marking and Feedback?
Focus 1: Marking for Literacy
· Do learners receive feedback on use of grammar, spelling, punctuation and appropriateness of language (and subject specific language)? Are errors regularly reviewed?
Focus 2: Frequency of marking/Feedback
· Are there examples of in-depth teacher marking as well as other forms of marking within an appropriate period of time?
Focus 3: Monitoring of progress
· Are learners are able to track their progress towards their targets (yearly, termly etc)?
Focus 4; Quality of written feedback
· Do learners receive good quality, constructive written feedback?
· Are learners praised for positive aspects of their work?
· Do learners have an opportunity to respond to the feedback/targets?
Focus 5: Verbal feedback
· Is there evidence of verbal feedback?
· Is there evidence that learners record/respond to verbal feedback?
Focus 6: Peer and self-assessment
· Are learners trained in how to accurately assess each other's work and their own work and provide fair and helpful feedback?
Focus 7: Presentation
· Do learners take pride in what they are learning and recording?
· Is poor presentation and organisation tackled appropriately?
Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed October 2017. Changes will be made to ensure that this policy reflects best practice and is up to date.
Reviewed by Francine Ledsham-Mills
Date Reviewed: October 2017
Signed:……………………………. Chair of Governor
Date: .............................
Appendix 1: Exemplars of Good Practice
Version No. 1 – Nov 2015
Secondary English
Spring Lane School Marking and Feedback:
Teacher Guide
Secondary Mathematics
Spring Lane School Marking and Feedback:
Teacher Guide
Secondary ICT
Spring Lane School Marking and Feedback:
Teacher Guide
Secondary PSCHEE
vi | P a g e
Spring Lane School Marking and Feedback:
Teacher Guide
Teacher feedback
Teacher and student feedback
Teacher feedback
Two strengths and one target.
Spring Lane School Marking and Feedback:
Teacher Guide
Teacher and student feedback
Teacher and student feedback
Spring Lane School Marking and Feedback:
Teacher Guide
Strengths and targets
Teacher feedback
Spring Lane School Marking and Feedback:
Teacher Guide
Targets
Teacher and student feedback
Appendix 2- Example of Pupil Data Report
Pupil Data Report –
Pupil Name- Form
Subject
Teacher
A O W B
Current Level
EOY Target
Behaviour (1-4)
Effort (1-4)
English
O
Mathematics
O
Science
O
ICT
O
Geography
O
History
O
Art
O
Music
O
PE
O
RE
O
Food Tech
O
Form Tutors comments
Signed Date
Overall % Attendance
Please see the information overleaf for an explanation of your child’s progress.
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Please find enclosed a copy of the termly progress report for ___________.
The report contains information on the progress __________ is making towards the end of year target for each subject studied. Alongside this you will find levels that refer to effort and behaviour in class.
Effort levels reflect commitment to work in that lesson and the ability to work both independently and for sustained periods. These are important skills that the most successful learners need to develop.
Behaviour levels enable you and the school to see how your child is conducting them self in each subject and whether their attitude and behaviour is helping to make good or better progress as well as the effect they may be having on other pupils in the class.
Pupil achievement in all subjects is measured against targets. Our targets are primarily based on prior attainment from KS2 and are in line with new school expectations.
We use a traffic light coding in the column headed “Progress Towards Target” to compare students’ current performance to their end of year target.
KEY FOR PARENTS/CARERS
Progress Towards Target
Green
Green- Meeting or exceeding the target level.
Amber
Amber- Working towards their target level.
Red
Red- Underachieving in relation to their target level
Behaviour
This is measured on a scale of 1 to 4.
Effort
This is measured on a scale of 1 to 4.
1
Excellent
2
Good
3
Improvement required
4
Poor
Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s form tutor should you wish to discuss the content of this report further.
Email address: [email protected]
Appendix 3 KS4 Accredited courses and qualifications
Subject
Board
GCSE
Art & Design
AQA
English
Edexcel
English Literature
Edexcel
Geography
AQA
History
AQA
Information and Communication Technology
ECDL
Mathematics
AQA
Religious Studies
Edexcel
Science
AQA
Functional Skills
Level 1 English
Edexcel
Level 1 Maths
Edexcel
Entry Level English
Edexcel
Entry Level Maths
Edexcel
KS4 Accredited Courses and Qualifications
studied at Spring Lane School
This list is not exhaustive and where possible we will aim to continue courses that students have studied at their previous schools, in many cases working collaboratively with the previous school.
Marking & Feedback Policy 2017-18
Spring Lane School
Marking and Feedback Policy
2017-2018
Spring Lane School
Marking and Feedback Policy
2017-2018
Spring Lane School Mission Statement
@ Spring Lane School
We support young people to:
Grow, aspire and achieve
We do this through a system of shared values and beliefs where we:
· Provide a nurturing environment where young people feel safe, respected and valued.
· Place young people and their families and carers at the centre of their learning journeys.
· Provide a broad range of opportunities, allowing pupils to progress academically, socially and emotionally.
· Allow young people to meet challenges and develop emotional resilience.
· Enable young people to take responsibility for their choices through an open, fair and consistent approach, which all share.
· Advise and guide young people, supporting their transition to young adulthood.
· Recognise everyone as individuals, celebrating difference and diversity.
· Promote a positive self-image amongst our pupils, developing self-confidence and independence.
· Provide positive role-models, demonstrating respect, tolerance, empathy and high standards of professional practice and behaviour.
· Support and valuing each other, respecting each other’s contributions as important members of the team.
· Promote robust safeguarding policies and procedures and work
with other agencies to ensure the welfare and well-being of all.
Overview
In Spring Lane School we will ensure that learners get the maximum benefit from their education through an entitlement to regular feedback from staff. This will enable them to understand their progress and achievement and apprise them of what they need to do next to improve. The methods of marking work will be applied consistently throughout the school.
Objectives
1. To monitor, evaluate and review learners’ cu progress and improvement.
2. To give learners accurate feedback on their progress and achievement.
3. To enable learners to self-evaluate their work and take responsibility for setting their own targets.
4. To promote a positive self-image and growth mind-set for learners, in accordance with school aims, and, through this, encourage them to value and take pride in their work.
5. To celebrate and reward learners’ achievement and progress.
6 To agree and set challenging targets for improvement.
7 To standardise the marking procedures throughout the school.
8 To provide evidence for assessment, recording and reporting.
9. To allow quality assurance of lesson preparation and planning, quality of resources and adherence to
schemes of work.
Principles of marking and feedback
1. Marking will be against the learning intention and individual targets
2. Any learning points / misconceptions will be addressed.
3. Learners will have the opportunity to reflect on their feedback and question comments.
4. There will, whenever possible, be an opportunity for the learner to participate in the process so that there is a shared perspective on feedback, marking and target setting.
5. The following pens will be used as follows:
Stationery used:
Task undertaken:
Black pen1
Learners work
Green pen
Teacher feedback
The Five Main Types of Formative Marking and Feedback at Spring Lane School
i. In-Depth Teacher Marking
This should result in good quality written feedback and should use the “two WWW and a one EBI” This consistency will provide familiarity to learners.
This should be written at the end of the piece of work in green pen as follows:
WWW -“Strength”-positive comment which relates to the learning objectives;
WWW –“Strength”-second positive comment which relates to the learning objectives;
EBI–“Target”-One area where the success criteria was not met / or a suggestion /question to allow opportunity for further progress
.
Time should be built into subsequent lessons to allow learners to review their strengths and target
s and respond to the feedback they have been given.
ii. Peer and Self-Assessment
This can be a useful activity if done sparingly and in an environment where learners have been taught to do it effectively. All peer and self-assessment should be verified by staff whilst acknowledgement/light touch marking is being undertaken.
iii. Verbal Feedback
Verbal feedback is a valuable form of formative feedback. Some subjects may use this type of feedback more frequently because of the nature of their subject. For example in design and technology, art, music and physical education the most effective feedback is often verbal.
VF code denotes that feedback has been given
iv. Marking for Literacy Using Whole School Codes
It is not necessarily expected that staff correct every punctuation and grammatical error in every piece of writing. Neither will every spelling mistake need to be corrected. In KS3, or for less able learners, it will be necessary to write the correct version for the learner. As learners gain confidence and knowledge, they should be able to identify and correct their own mistakes.
All staff should use the whole-school marking code. The code forms an integral part of the Literacy Policy.. The Marking Code is displayed here:
Code:
Explanation
Sp
Try this spelling again
(with word underlined)
//
Begin a new paragraph
WO
Show your working out
v
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v. Light Touch/Acknowledgement Marking
Teachers will acknowledge all work variously through the use of ticks, teacher initials, simple literacy corrections and/or brief attainment based comments.
MAD (Make a difference Time) Marking MAD
As well as providing students with the feedback on the work they have completed and targets for improvements it is also vital that teachers build into their lesson, opportunities for students to act upon this information and advice.
MAD time is the process of allowing students to reflect/act upon the comments that have been written as feedback. Therefore ensuring the feedback is being put to use and is supporting the progress of our students, not for their next piece of work but NOW –in their lesson.
‘MAD lessons’ can take as long as you feel necessary, they can form the starter or for longer pieces of work.
Essentiality MADmarking is that time honored good practice of getting students working really hard to ensure that the standard of their work is the best it can be.
Examples of MAD marking:
· Reflection and responding to precise feedback. Students using teacher feedback to analyse their own work, question by question improving methodology and accuracy of answer.
· Feedback in the form of questions to extend students understanding. This scaffolds student understanding, step by step, with the expectation that students act upon their feedback using MAD –writing an appropriate detailed response to teacher feedback.
· Drafting and proof reading, their books with a clear signal that improving their writing and literacy is a basic, but crucial expectation of their learning. In this case MAD marking is about improving extended writing and ensuring students proof read their work automatically.
Teacher Guidance for effective MAD marking:
1. Keep it focused.
If you simply hand back work to students and tell them to improve it all then the response will invariably be less than successful! They need specific support and to avoid overloading students we need to focus in upon specific improvements to their work.
2. Model and scaffold.
Models of work, with specific strengths or weaknesses, are crucially effective toward increasing student understanding. Seeing an outstanding exemplar helps lessen the load and gives students a high standard to reach for with their work. Reviewing a poor example, picking apart its flaws with the teacher, or improving upon a weak example of work also helps scaffold their understanding about what is required to improve their own work. MAD time may seem to be about independent work, but in actuality there is still a need for guidance from teacher expertise.
3. Targeted feedback.
If students are receiving regular high quality feedback that is targeted and precise in each of their subject areas then cumulatively they should learn clear patterns regarding how they need to improve in specific subject areas as well as recognising common patterns. Marking is therefore crucial –it determines teacher planning and it can be a defining factor for successful MAD.
4. Utilise verbal feedback to support MAD marking.
If we establish a really clear focus for MAD, with good quality models, scaffolds and targets for improvement, then students should be sufficiently focused to allow the teacher to undertake good quality ‘one to one feedback whilst
MAD is taking place
Level of support indicators
It is important to note the level of support a learner has had with a piece of work. The following codes will be used to identify this.
Code:
Explanation
1:1
One to one work
S
Supported work by teaching assistant / classroom assistant
Outcomes
Marking and feedback will be carried out professionally and learners will benefit from its high quality.
Policy Summary and Frequency Guidelines
Type of marking
Frequency
In depth teacher marking
Every 4/5 lessons
WWW EBI and in green pen
Peer/self assessment
At teacher’s discretion
Verbal feedback
As appropriate on a lesson by lesson basis
Marking for literacy
In all extended written work
Light touch
All lessons
Scrutiny
· Every HALF TERM , subject leads will do a random sample check on the quality of marking within their department. Termly report to Curriculum manager and Head Teacher on the standard and quality of marking and feedback within their departments to be completed.
· Further book scrutiny will occur during teaching and learning cycles.
What Constitutes Effective Marking and Feedback?
Focus 1: Marking for Literacy
· Do learners receive feedback on use of grammar, spelling, punctuation and appropriateness of language (and subject specific language)? Are errors regularly reviewed?
Focus 2: Frequency of marking/Feedback
· Are there examples of in-depth teacher marking as well as other forms of marking within an appropriate period of time?
Focus 3: Monitoring of progress
· Are learners are able to track their progress towards their targets (yearly, termly etc)?
Focus 4; Quality of written feedback
· Do learners receive good quality, constructive written feedback?
· Are learners praised for positive aspects of their work?
· Do learners have an opportunity to respond to the feedback/targets?
Focus 5: Verbal feedback
· Is there evidence of verbal feedback?
· Is there evidence that learners record/respond to verbal feedback?
Focus 6: Peer and self-assessment
· Are learners trained in how to accurately assess each other's work and their own work and provide fair and helpful feedback?
Focus 7: Presentation
· Do learners take pride in what they are learning and recording?
· Is poor presentation and organisation tackled appropriately?
Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed October 2017. Changes will be made to ensure that this policy reflects best practice and is up to date.
Reviewed by Francine Ledsham-Mills
Date Reviewed: October 2017
Signed:……………………………. Chair of Governor
Date: .............................
Marking & Feedback Policy 2017-18
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Appendix 1: Exemplars of Good Practice
Secondary English
Secondary Mathematics
Secondary ICT
Secondary PSCHEE
