LEARNING POLICY

Pupils make good progress when good teaching happens. There ought to be no prescription about what teachers should do to bring about pupil progress. However, there is research which tells us what ‘works’ (improves pupil progress) in the classroom. This can be can be simplified as follows:

  • Assessment for Learning: Teachers need to know about their pupils’ progress and difficulties with learning in order to adapt their interventions to meet learners’ needs - needs which are often unpredictable. The term ‘assessment’ refers to all those activities undertaken by teachers, and by their students in assessing themselves, which provide information to be used asfeedback to modify future teaching and learning activities.
  • Dialogue deepens learning: There is an explicit and profound connection between speech (both silent inner speech and oral language) and the development of mental concepts and cognitive awareness. Rich questioning and dialogue also lies at the heart of the feedback loop, which enables the teacher to know where the learner is in order to scaffold the next stages.

Handing Over The Learning: moving towards
 / Move towards a view that: knowledge is co-constructed; curiosity is encouraged; misconceptions are probed; learning is active, imaginative and participatory; there are real opportunities for independence.
 / Move towards departmental medium term plans that: are shared with learners; explain the big picture; pupils are allowed/expected to repeat and re-draft work and feedback is used to inform next steps. Move towards schemes of learning that acknowledge there are a variety of ways to bring about progress for different groups of learners.
 / Move towards assessment that: is engaging and challenging; drives the learning; enables the teacher to give frequent feedback and make appropriate interventions (including tackling misconceptions); is creative and enhances curiosity; is aware of audience and purpose.
 / Move towards multiple forms of feedback that encourages pupils to participate in the process of critically reviewing their own work and the work of other pupils.
 / Move towards learning as a social process where the habits of dialogue and discussion are reinforced and embedded, within a positive climate for learning.
 / Move towards the use of hard and soft data to inform teaching strategies for improving pupil progress.
 / Move towards a classroom of creativity and challenge where pupil resilience is developed through a culture of trust, iterative learning (learning from mistakes) and risk-taking.

Appendix 1Southmoor Academy Assessment, Feedback and Homework Guidelines

Appendix 2 Sandhill View Assessment, Feedback and Homework Guidelines

Appendix 3Trust Professional Development Teacher Support Programme

Appendix 4Trust Lesson Observation Form

Appendix 5Trust Work Scrutiny Form

Last review date:16.10.2017

Person Responsible:Helen Mather (Assistant Principal – Southmoor Academy)

Fiona Nairne-White (Assistant Principal – Sandhill View Academy)

APPENDIX 1

Southmoor Academy Assessment, Feedback and Homework Guidelines

  1. Classwork and homework should receive appropriate written and verbal feedback from teachers, pupils themselves and their peers. Misconceptions must be tackled. The frequency of teacher feedback, both written and verbal, and the frequency of self and peer assessment must be as appropriate for individual pupil needs in their different subjects. It is expected that all forms of feedback will be evident over time. (Sixth Form ‘notes’ are not expected to have teacher feedback).
  1. Teacher written feedbackof milestone assessments should always use the PEN technique (Praise - specific, Evaluation/Error/Explanation, Next Steps), be in a contrasting colour to green, e.g. red/purple/pink and follow the marking for literacy protocol. Pupils must be given the opportunity to act on teacher feedback by improving or extending their work. (Teacher feedback in the Sixth Form doesn’t need to use the letters PEN explicitly, but should be formative).
  1. Marking for literacy should always follow the protocol:

sp=spellingww=wrong word

gr=grammarsl=slang

p =punctuationexpr=expression

np//=new paragraphCL = capital letter

t=tense

When marking pupils’ work for literacy, staff should:

-Clearly identify the error

-Add appropriate symbol close to the error

-Teachers should use professional judgement to identify the most important errors in a piece of work

Pupils should correct literacy errors using green pen, either next to the error or in the margin.

  1. Peer and self-assessed work should be teacher-guided and written in green, with peer assessed work signed or initialled by the marker. Pupils may write advice on improvements as per the PEN technique, but there is no expectation for pupils to respond to peer marking; the aim is for pupils to learn from evaluating another pupil’s work. Self-assessed work should be corrected or have improvements evident in green (any colour in Sixth Form)
  1. Assessments or tests to evaluate pupil performance against exam criteria or expected progress should be undertaken regularly (the frequency should be appropriate for individual pupils’ needs in their different subjects). Authentic exam materials and markschemes should be used where possible. Students must be made aware of how to improve their work to meet the next grade or level up, or to meet/exceed expectant standards at KS3.
  1. High quality, measurable homework should be set approximately every 4-6 lessons, with a minimum of once per half term for KS3 subjects with fortnightly lessons. Where completed, it should be headed ‘Homework’. Homework should support, extend or introduce classwork and it should always be possible to confirm that it has been completed. Show my Homework should be used to assist with the setting and monitoring of homework.

Subject Specific Differences:

Maths:

Teachers highlight down the margin or down the work to show work has been scanned for errors.

Pupils receive highlighted'try me boxes' where support/challenge questions are set and pupils are given time to complete.

MFL Additional Literacy Codes:

T = tenseG = gender AA = adjectival agreement A = accentWO = word order

APPENDIX 2

Sandhill View Academy Feedback Policy

PRINCIPLES

This policy has been radically changed to address current educational research and pedagogy around best practice including the following:

  • new OFSTED framework
  • school evidence based practice (teacher action research into the most effective forms of feedback)
  • an Assisted Review highlighting current policy as area for development (October 2015)
  • staff voice through whole school CPD and evaluation of the current systems
  • feedback from student lesson observations and student voice
  • new research into the most effective forms of feedback

OFSTED –

‘Ofsted does not expect to see a particular frequency or quantity of work in pupils’ books or folders. Ofsted recognises that the amount of work in books and folders will depend on the subject being studied and the age and ability of the pupils

Marking and feedback should be consistent with that policy, which may cater for different subjects and different age groups of pupils in different ways, in order to be effective and efficient in promoting learning’

(Ofsted inspection – clarification for schools – September 2015)

Departments will ensure that their department policy addresses the following principles:

  • The purpose of marking is to enable the students to make further progress and inform future lesson planning
  • Teacher marks in red
  • Pupils respond in green (WWW and EBI comments should be used throughout the work)
  • Yellow box work is used for IMPROVEMENT of a piece of work
  • Work should be reflected on in three ways - by teachers, peers and the pupils themselves and there should be evidence of all 3 in their books/folders.
  • WWW and EBI comments should be used when marking (this may take the form of comments throughout the work or at the end)
  • The feedback is linked to learning outcomes or criteria which are shared with students.
  • Specific pieces of work should be marked in depth with clear advice on how it could be improved to enable greater progress.
  • Students must be allowed reflective time to correct their work.
  • Marking provides a dialogue centred on reflection of and improvement of subject area performance.
  • Attention should be paid to presentation and work should be marked for literacy, using the agreed school literacy marking policy.
  • Spelling corrections of key words should be rewritten 3 times in the margin.

Subject areas may wish to elaborate on this policy to make it more subject specific.

(Identifying specific pieces of work for in-depth marking or peer assessment. It is the purpose and impact of the marking that is crucial. Any elaboration needs to be in the departmental handbook and must align with this policy)

Formative / Summative
Outline / The purpose of formative assessment is to enable the students to make further progress and inform future lesson planning
This should occur in every lesson all of the time
This may take the form of written or verbal feedback
It will include self and peer assessments
It will allow the student to immediately know how to improve their work to make more progress
It has been evidenced that verbal feedback has a major impact on progress(cited research NR) / The purpose of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of a cycle by comparing it against some standard or benchmark
This will be in line with data collection checkpoints (whole school and department)
This assessment should be their best work and may take the form of a milestone assessment
It will evidence progress over time
It will identify strengths and areas for development
This should be consistent within departments
Expectations / Verbal
This should allow all students to make progress
This should allow all students an opportunity to respond to the feedback.
This should be instant and reactive.
This should be driven by high quality questioning
Written
This should allow all students to make progress
This should allow all students an opportunity to respond to the feedbackin green pen.
This should be in line with exam/specification criteria
This should be written in red pen by the teacher
This should include EBI and WWW comments
This should include yellow box work to allow the students to IMPROVE a piece of work
This should address literacy and numeracy where appropriate (e.g spelling should be written out 3 times in the margin)
Self and Peer
This should allow all students to make progress
This should allow all students an opportunity to respond to the feedback
This should be written in green pen
This should include EBI and WWW written or verbal comments / Written
This should allow all students to make progress
This should allow all students an opportunity to respond to the feedbackin green pen.
This should be in line with exam/specification criteria
This should be written in red pen by the teacher
This should include yellow box work to allow the students to IMPROVE a piece of work
This should address literacy and numeracy where appropriate (e.g spelling should be written out 3 times in the margin)
Data
This should show student progress made
This should be tracked centrally
This should be shared with the students and recorded on books/folders
This should be accurate and based on robust assessments
Evidence / Verbal
Improvements in progress
Lesson observations
Learning Walks
Student voice
Book scrutiny (students improving in green pen)
Audio/video evidence
Written
Improvements in progress
Book/work scrutiny (students improving in green pen)
Lesson observations
Learning Walks
Student voice
Self and Peer
Improvements in progress
Lesson observations
Learning Walks
Student voice
Book scrutiny
Audio/video evidence / Written
Improvements in progress
Available summative assessments
Book/work scrutiny
Student voice
Data
Improvements in progress
Data analysis and tracking (SISRA)
Teachers assessment books

APPENDIX 3

Southmoor Multi Academy Trust Professional Development

Teacher Support Programme

All teaching staff within the Trust are encouraged and expected to take part in some form of professional development as part of teachers’ standards requirements, which states: All teachers must take responsibility for improving teaching through appropriate professional development, responding to advice and feedback from colleagues.

The expectations about the contributions teachers make to the development of others should take account of their skills, expertise and experience, their role within the school, and reflect their up-to-date subject knowledge and pedagogy. As a step towards developing such a culture of positive professional relationships, the school has devised the following support programme. All teaching staff keep a record of their professional development activities within a professional development folder.

Core Programme

Whole Trust CPD programme – Professional Enquiry Based Learning

There is a core entitlement for all teaching staff to provide mutual professional critique and support. All classroom based members of staff participate in PEBL Groups where they are supported to carry out individual professional enquiry and action research based on theory and evidence. This is supported and continually evaluated with middle leaders during Curriculum CPD time which takes place during some Monday and Wednesday afternoons.

Collaborative Curriculum Development / Coaching / Personalised CPD workshops

Curriculum Areas across the trust and in individual schools collaborate to create assessment strategies, for standardisation of assessment/coursework and to produce medium term Schemes of Learning. Coaching supports all teacher development and is designed to link to the whole school CPD programme and to address and individual needs stemming from Appraisal, including coaching to improve from Good to Outstanding. All classroom based staff across the Trust attend Personalised CPD workshops based on individual areas of development identified during lesson observations/learning walks or personal pedagogical interest.

Subject or skill specific training

This isdetermined from whole school needs or from individual needs stemming from Appraisal, e.g. attending a course about a new specification or subject, first aid courses, KS3/4/5 specific working groups, Improving Learning Team (Emerging Leaders)literacy/numeracy/PSHCE etc.

Additional Support Programme

6 Week Support Plan

Whilst the universal offer outlined above will remain as the core entitlement for all staff, there may be a need for additional support in some cases. In order to address these additional needs, a support plan provides a further stage of support for those:

  • whose teaching is graded as inadequate or requiring improvement (as identified by termly lesson observations)
  • at risk of not fully meeting appraisal targets (as identified in appraisal review meetings)
  • failing to adequately complete tasks falling within the scope of their job description or the Teachers’ Standards (as identified by line managers from evidence such as work scrutiny and RIP reviews)

Process:

  • Any concerns from lesson observers, appraisers or line managers must be passed to the Principal/ Head of School / Assistant Principal, who then takes the decision to place the teacher in the additional support programme.
  • During a meeting with the Principal/ Head of School / Assistant Principal, the teacher agrees the objectives and anticipated measurable impacts/outcomes of their Support Plan. Support is individualised and teachers are given the opportunity to choose the type of support that they feel would be of most benefit to them.
  • The teacher is allocated a professional support teacher, who meets with them and creates an action plan based on the agreed objectives and outcomes of the support plan.
  • Each support plan will last 6 weeks; during this time, actions taken are logged by the professional support teacher on a tracking sheet. The Principal/Assistant Principal will review progress half-way through, by methods such as a lesson observation, work scrutiny or a performance review meeting, as is appropriate. Learning Walks may also be used to evaluate progress.
  • At the end of the 6 weeks, progress towards the support plan objectives are reviewed by methods such as a lesson observation, work scrutiny or a performance review meeting, as is appropriate. The quality of the outcomes are noted on the Support Plan by the Principal/ Head of School / Assistant Principal, the Principal then decides the next steps.

A failure to respond to this level of support will lead to the introduction of the Teacher Experiencing Difficulty process as per the appraisal policy.

Support Plan Process

Support Plan

Teacher’s name / Curriculum Area
Date / Professional Support Teacher
Concerns/Issues
Failure to meet career stage expectations as highlighted by interim appraisal review lesson observation
Objectives
Anticipated Measurable Impacts/Outcomes
Type of Support
(add any amendments/notes) / Minimum number requested / INTERIM review comment or amendment / FINAL REVIEW
(Tick if provided)
Jointly planning a lesson
Team teaching a lesson
Observing a good/outstanding teacher teach a lesson
Being observed teaching a lesson and receiving coaching based feedback
Having a coaching conversation
Jointly marking a pupil’s work
Work scrutiny of a pupil’s work with coaching based feedback
Visiting another school (where provision is not available/suitable at SouthmoorAcademy)
Other (please state)
I agree to the above support plan
Teacher’s signature / Date
Principal’s signature / Date
INTERIM REVIEW / Date
Quality of Outcomes
I have discussed the quality of outcomes and next step
Teacher’s signature / Date
Principal’s signature / Date
END REVIEW / Date
Quality of Outcomes
Next Step (circle) Return to Core Support Programme / A further 6 week Support Plan / Teacher Experiencing difficulty
I have discussed the quality of outcomes and next step
Teacher’s signature / Date
Principal’s signature / Date
Principal’s comments
Teacher’s comments

APPENDIX 4Southmoor and Sandhill Lesson Observation Form 2017-2018

Subject: / Teacher: / Pay Point:
Date: / Period:
Group (including no. of pupils and any key groups):
Observer: / Joint Observation?
Pre-Observation Discussion
Focus for formative feedback (based on previous feedback, and linked to Professional Enquiry (PEBL) Question if appropriate)
Guidance / Consider areas of strength and areas for development
Subject knowledge and understanding (3) / Deep understanding is evident, the teacher constantly demanding more of pupils
Interest is fostered and misconceptions addressed
,Planning and pace(4) / Planning maximises lesson time
Teacher sets challenging tasks to support and challenge
Inspirational teaching strategies extend learning
Managing behaviour for learning (7) / High expectations throughout, including entry and exit to the classroom
Clear rules consistently enforced via a range of BfL strategies
Decisive action taken when needed
Adapting teaching for support and challenge (5) / Teacher checks understanding systematically
Clear understanding of the needs of all groups
Questioning and discussion are highly effective to support and challenge
Assessment and feedback (6) / Teacher provides incisive feedback, including regular and effective marking
Pupils use feedback effectively and are eager to know how to improve
Homework (4) / Homework is challenging; it deepens the pupils’ understanding and prepares them for the next steps
RWCM (3c,d,e) / Teacher is an excellent role model in the use of language
Pupils have the opportunity to develop literacy and numeracy skills
Expectations and attitudes to learning (1,7) / High expectations of all pupils; determined pupils will achieve
Pupils are curious, interested and love the challenge of learning
Pupils thrive and are resilient to failure
Good progress and outcomes (2) / Rapid and sustained progress (including disadvantaged and more able)
Progress made by most pupils is above expected
An awareness of pupils’ prior knowledge
Spiritual, Moral, Social or Cultural elements
Support for disadvantaged pupils
Disadvantaged pupils identified on a seating plan; support is planned and implemented. They are given at least the same quality of formative feedback as non-disadvantaged pupils of the same ability. Exercise books show they are making similar progress to non-disadvantaged pupils over time.
Summary of MAIN strengths and areas for development (tick up to 3 strengths and 3 areas for developments)
TS / Strengths / Term 1 / Term 2 / Term 3 / Agreed areas for development / Term 1 / Term 2 / Term 3
3 / Subject knowledge and understanding / Subject knowledge and understanding
4 / Planning and pace / Planning and pace
7 / Managing behaviour for learning / Managing behaviour for learning
5 / Adapting teaching for support and challenge / Adapting teaching for support and challenge
5 / Questioning and discussion / Questioning and discussion
6 / Assessment and feedback / Assessment and feedback
4c / Homework / Homework
3c,d,e / Reading, writing, communication, mathematics / Reading, writing, communication, mathematics
1,2e,4b, 7 / High expectations and attitudes to learning / High expectations and attitudes to learning
2 / Good progress and outcomes / Good progress and outcomes
Evaluation
(Including professional development points in order to improve)
Agreed actions following feedback conversation, including professional development opportunities, actions or comments as appropriate, and consideration of the pre-observation discussion
Support plan offered? / Yes / No / Not Applicable
Support plan requested / accepted? / Yes / No / Not Applicable
Observer signature: / Date:

Teacher - Class - Date -