Thornton Dale (VC) CE School

Policy Overview Sheet

Policy name: Feedback and Marking

Term of review: Autumn

Date of next review: Autumn 2017

Feedback and Marking Policy

“an ongoing process conducted both formally and informally, by which information and evidence about a child’s learning is absorbed and

used to plan the next step”

(Ruth Sutton, Assessment a framework for teachers 1991)

At Thornton Dale CE School we want all children to make good or better progress and develop positive attitudes to their learning. ‘Assessment for Learning’ (AfL) is central to this aim. We believe that the best learning takes place when mistakes are made, identified and used to learn from.

Assessment for Learning is concerned with both the children and the adult knowingwherelearners are in their learning, next steps and how to get there.

The following policy outlines the key issues that ensure adults and children at Thornton Dale CE School achieve high standards and have ownership over the learning and teaching that takesplace within the school.

Aims

The intention is for (AfL) to occur throughoutall lessons. AfL improves learningand raises standards. The way teachers mark and give feedback to children is central to the process.

The key characteristics of Assessment for Learning

1. Explicit Learning Intentions

2. Success Criteria

3. Questioning

4. Feedback

5. Marking

6. Adjusting teaching to take account of progress

1. Explicit Learning Intentions

Effective learning takes place when learners understand what they are trying to achieve and why it isimportant – ‘the bigger picture’. This gives a real life purpose to learning. It is therefore important that pupils know the learning intention to thelesson so that they can review their own progress.Teacher input will relate to the learning intention as will the subsequentactivities.

The learning intention must always be shared with the children and displayed at the appropriate point in the lesson, will focus on learning, not activities.

Success Criteria

Success criteria scaffold the learning intention to help provide children with a frameworkagainst which they can focus their efforts, evaluate and discuss their progress.

These can be set by the adult and/or agreed with the children prior to, during or after the lesson, as appropriate. Feedback against the learning intention and criteria frees children from personaldiscouragement, highlights success and identifies next steps in learning.

3. Questioning

Open ended questioning is used by both adults and children to develop learning and extend thinking.

Wait or ‘thinking’ time is an essential element to give all children and adults the opportunity to think and respond.

The use of ‘talk partners’ and other AfL techniques (see appendix) allows children to respond, rehearse and scaffold their questions and answers to actively respond to the prompt.

4. Feedback and Marking

Feedback is given in such a way that learning will improve as a result. Feedback provides pupils with the information they need to achieve next steps in learning andmake progress. Feedback will always be constructive and sensitive because any assessmenthas an emotional impact. Feedback that comments on the learning rather than the child is moreconstructive for both learning and motivation.

Feedback and marking should:

  • relate to the learning intention
  • provide a written assessment record
  • create thinking
  • comment on successes
  • provide guidance on how to improve

We aim to ensure that all children have their work marked in such a way that it will lead to improvedlearning, develop self-confidence, raise self-esteem and provide opportunities for assessment –including self-assessment.Feedback may be given verbally or in written form depending on the age and maturity of the child.

  • children will be encouraged to assess their learning against the LI and success criteria
  • the teacher will mark against the LI and success criteria
  • teachers will comment on presentation, spelling and grammar where appropriate for current spelling patterns, high frequency words, basic grammar and fluent legible presentation and neat layout (sp, gr, pr). Spellings will be practised at the end of the piece of work by writing 3 times. (a maximum of 3 words)
  • adults’written comments should be neat, legible and stand out from the child’s writing (a different coloured pen)
  • the teacher should aim to mark work prior to the next lesson in order to inform planning
  • the teacher will mark work in depth at least weekly for each group/individual

Specific guidelines for marking

  1. a positive comment will be made that refers to the best example of where the learning intention/ success criteria have been met
  2. areas for improvement will be identified and may need to be scaffolded with a reminder prompt or an example. e.g. this could be even better if …, or written examples to extend learning. In Maths use of Pitch and Expectation questions may provide next steps or …which of the above calculations are incorrect - check?
  3. time must be set aside to enable children to respond to marking e.g. first thing in the morning, prior to start of lesson
  4. marking in ‘Long Writing Books’ (from Y2) will be against descriptors, used to inform APP and next steps in learning and teaching
  5. longer pieces of writing will be assessed at least half termly to provide the range of evidence to determine a writing level across the year
  6. a SATs writing prompt will be used annually (in the summer term) and marked against the level descriptors using the exemplars in the Teacher’s Book
  7. writing will be moderated internally (termly) and at least annually with other schools. Portfolios and evidence of moderation will be kept

Self-assessment/Peer assessment

We will encourage pupils where possible to self assess their work. This can be by recordingtraffic lights in their books or through thumbs up and to avoid peer pressure this can be carriedout with eyes closed (see appendix for list of strategies).

Children can assess their own work against success criteria and on occasions can be involved inshared marking. This is not meant to replace teacher marking and feedback but is important forencouraging children to become more independent and responsible for their own learning. Timeneeds to be built in to allow children to reflect in structuredways as follows:

  • Find one word you are really proud of and underline it. Tell the person next to you
  • Decide with your ‘talk partner’ which of the success criteria you have been mostsuccessful with and which one needs help or could be taken further
  • You have 3 minutes to identify two places where you think you have done this well and read them to your partner
  • What have you found out today that would help you with this next time (top tip)
  • You have 5 minutes to note down one thing you could do to improve this piece of work

Conclusion

This policy's principles and practice have been agreed by the staff of Thornton Dale CE School. Monitoring and evaluation will take place at least annually and periodically to ensure that it is applied consistently throughout the school through book scrutinies, staff and pupil voice.