ASSESSMENT, MARKING & FEEDBACK POLICY

Our school is:

a safe, supportive stimulating learning environment;

a team of respectful, tolerant, open minded citizens;

a community where everyone aspires to be the very best they can be;

a community of resilient lifelong learners;

a centre of excellence where all achieve success.

PURPOSE

This policy outlines how we use assessment to set educational objectives and express and monitor children’s progress against these. 

Approved By:

Head Teacher …………………………………………….……………… Date …………………………….

Chair of Governors …………………………………………….……….. Date …………………………….

Contents

1.     RATIONALE.. - 2 -

2.     AIMS.. - 2 -

3.     PRINCIPLES.. - 2 -

4.     TYPES OF ASSESSMENT. - 3 -

5.     MARKING AND FEEDBACK.. - 4 -

5.1       TYPES OF MARKING AND FEEDBACK.. - 4 -

5.2       PRINCIPLES OF MARKING AND FEEDBACK.. - 5 -

6.     MARKING AND FEEDBACK.. - 6 -

7.     STANDARDISATION/MODERATION.. - 6 -

8.     REPORTING.. - 7 -

9.     REPORTING.. - 7 -

Appendix 1. - 8 -

Appendix 2. - 9 -

Marking Key. - 9 -

1. RATIONALE

Assessment lies at the heart of the process of promoting children’s learning. It provides a framework within which educational objectives may be set and children’s progress expressed and monitored. This should be done in partnership with the children.

Assessment should be incorporated systematically to inform teaching and ensure that misconceptions are identified and addressed, as well as ensuring following lessons are progressive and relevant. It helps the school to strengthen learning across the curriculum and helps teachers enhance their skills and judgements. Formal methods of assessment provide feedback on pupil progress and ensure a rigorous approach to curriculum delivery. Our assessment procedures are free from bias, stereotyping and generalisation in respect of gender, class, race and disability

1. AIMS

Using the principles and processes of assessment, we aim to:

• monitor progress and support learning
• Recognise the achievements of pupils
• guide future planning, teaching and curriculum development
• inform parents and the wider community of pupil achievement
• provide information to ensure continuity when the pupil changes school or year group
• comply with statutory requirements

1. PRINCIPLES

We will ensure that all children are assessed, receive feedback or their work marked in such a way that it will:

• lead to improvements in learning;
• develop self-confidence and self-esteem;
• develop independence and self-improvement;
• provide opportunities for self and peer assessment.

1. TYPES OF ASSESSMENT

Purposeful assessment is at the heart of all highly effective teaching and learning.

We use multiple assessment methods to provide rapid formative interpretations and make adjustments to teaching to improve learning.

Well planned and carefully designed assessments, including practice tests and quizzes, are also used to increase long-term memory as children ‘practice retrieving things from memory (retrieval practice)’

1. 1. Assessment of learning

Summative/evaluative, providing a snapshot of each child’s achievement – these can be reported to parents and allowing the school / teachers to evaluate how effective their teaching is.

Test results and teacher assessments are entered into the school’s assessment target setting and tracking system FFT Aspire. All assessments in FFT are converted to a scaled score which enables teachers to track a child’s results against their targets and to easily compare different assessments types. Test results are used to support and inform the teacher’s own assessment of the child.

From Year 1 we use formal assessment materials to help inform teacher assessment in Reading and Maths.

• Reading, we use PiRA Rising Stars test papers.
• Maths, we use PUMA Rising Stars test papers.

These tests and teacher assessments are completed at the end of the Autumn Term, Spring Term and Summer Term. At the start of Reception (Reception Baseline) and the end Year 1 (Phonics Screening Check), Year 4 (Multiplication Tables Check) and Year 6 (Reading, Maths and Grammar Punctuation and Spelling) children will complete national tests.

Some children who are not following subject specific study may be assessed on small steps of progress as part of the engagement model.

1. 1. Assessment for learning

Formative/diagnostic, providing information for the teacher to plan the next steps in the children’s learning and about individual children’s strengths and weaknesses.

Through a range of strategies a teacher can assess where a child is at in their learning and what they need to do to progress to the next stage. Pupils are involved in this process to ensure that they know what is being taught (learning objectives) and how they know that they have achieved this (success criteria).

Day to day assessment strategies include:

• Questioning
• Observing
• Discussing
• Analysing
• Checking Children’s understanding
• Engaging children in the review process- peer and self-assessment
• Marking

1. 1. Assessment as learning

Informative/retrieval, to inform the children to enable them to develop their learning and to practice retrieving learning to increase long term memory.

1. 1. Assessment in the Foundation Stage

On entry to the Two Year old unit and Foundation Stage 1 children will be assessed. Results are used to inform planning and aid early identification of special needs. Children will be assessed throughout each term to ensure that the next steps in learning are appropriately planned in order to help children make progress. On entry to FS2, baseline assessments will be made through observations and information received from previous settings. During their reception year children will be assessed using the Early Learning Goals which are based on the teacher’s ongoing observations and assessments in the areas of learning. Each child’s development and attainment are recorded on the school tracking system (Pupil Asset) and through Tapestry.

1. MARKING AND FEEDBACK

All marking should be meaningful, manageable and motivating.

Meaningful: marking varies by age group, subject, and what works best for the pupil and teacher in relation to any particular piece of work. Teachers are encouraged to adjust their approach as necessary and trusted to incorporate the outcomes into subsequent planning and teaching.

Manageable: marking practice is proportionate and considers the frequency and complexity of written feedback, as well as the cost and time-effectiveness of marking in relation to the overall workload of teachers.

Motivating: Marking should help to motivate pupils to progress. This does not mean always writing in-depth comments or being universally positive: sometimes short, challenging comments or oral feedback are more effective. If the teacher is doing more work than their pupils, this can become a disincentive for pupils to accept challenges and take responsibility for improving their work.

It is important to provide constructive feedback to children, focusing on success and improvement needs against learning intentions. This enables children to become reflective learners and helps them to close the gap between what they can currently do and their next step in learning. All members of staff are expected to be familiar with the policy and to apply it consistently.

Highly effective feedback should:

• ‘cause thinking’ (Wiliam 2018: 153) by:

• addressing a misunderstanding
• reinforcing a skill or key piece of information
• extending a child’s understanding or ability to do something

• be used by staff to improve planned teaching and learning.

However, after research and a critical review of literature, we also understand:

• ‘feedback typically comes second – after instruction – and thus its effectiveness is limited if it is provided in a vacuum’ (Hattie 2012: 129).
• feedback should be focussed; it should relate to the learning goals that have been shared…; it should be more work for the recipient than the donor (Wiliam 2018: 153)
• the importance of praise, but we should not mix praise with feedback information.

Our staff should provide rapid and effective feedback, appropriate to our understanding of the child’s learning and needs, and then seek evidence that the feedback is received and used.

Continual assessment and effective feedback are integral to highly effective learning.

1. 1. TYPES OF MARKING AND FEEDBACK

These are set out below in order of frequency:

• Verbal: to swiftly address misconceptions or prompt deeper thinking/learning;
• Summative/Light Marking: the answer is either marked right () or marked wrong (•), acknowledging and recognising attainment and/or progress/success and/or completion of children’s work using ticks, highlighting WALTs and comments when applicable. This type of marking provides immediate feedback.
• Formative: this piece of work is marked in detail against the WALT. A positive comment is given to recognise effort or achievement that is closely linked to the WALT.
• Self Assessment (SA): a child marks their work based on clear guidance from teaching staff to help them identify aspects of their work that meet the WALT. This work is then reviewed and acknowledged by teaching staff to inform future planning and assessment.
• Peer-assessment (PA): a child evaluates the work of their peers against the WALT. This work is then reviewed and acknowledged by teaching staff to inform future planning and assessment.
• Next Step: can be whole class or individual children in which tasks to address misconceptions/inaccuracies, consolidate/apply or challenge/deepen children’s learning are given with a response from children to help improve and extend their learning;
• Feedback Grids: in which feedback on attainment and success is given and a self-assessment from children is required in order to evaluate and deepen their learning.

The frequency and type is dependent on:

• The age/stage of the child;
• The context of the task that is being taught and learnt;
• The phase of learning.

• 1.  PRINCIPLES OF MARKING AND FEEDBACK
• The focus of marking should be on the quality of feedback and not the quantity. Quality feedback by the teacher will offer prompts to help close the gap and move learning closer to achieving the lesson objective.
• Feedback can take the form of spoken or written marking, peer marking and self-assessment.
• Feedback can be given in different ways e.g. steps to improve, examples, reminders and challenges.
• Where appropriate, marking should be completed before the next task is set and in time to
  • effectively inform future planning.
• Every lesson/ unit of work should have clearly identified learning objectives and success criteria which are shared with the children.
• Check for the correct spelling of the date and IALT including the use of capital letters and punctuation.
• The main learning objective can be ticked off, highlighted or the LO achieved stamper used to signify that the LO has been met.  W/T is not required.
• At least one comment should be made within a unit and appropriate to age and ability- (specific to learning objectives) and should be used in order to move children forward in their learning.
• When marking writing, highlight the words/phrases that meet the lesson objective or are high quality.
• All marking is to be done in green pen. Consistent with the marking key  Appendix 2
• Dojo points are to be used to motivate and denote recognition of effort, application and achievement.
• Marking may also comment on presentation, if poor, with a specific comment or WAGOLL for improvement.
• In some cases it may be appropriate not to mark work, e.g. final drafts for display.
• It is NOT necessary to stick photographs in books as evidence of practical/group work- this can be collated and stored on IPADs or added to a display in the classroom. There is no need for an IALT in books if no work is going to be recorded in them for that day.
• Keep the use of worksheets to a minimum and where meaningful or purposeful to the learning ensure the sheets are reduced in size, neatly trimmed and stuck in books.

NEXT STEPS

Maths – a minimum of one next step per unit of work.

RWInc:

Ditties – one next step a week per child.

Green to Grey – one next step given linked to the writing composition.

Literacy and Language – a minimum of one next step per unit of work.

Topic – there is no expectation for next steps to be given in Topic, however if there are specific Literacy or Maths skills that need to be addressed then a next step may be given.

• Time must be allocated for children to respond to next steps and complete any actions given.
• Teachers must check actions/corrections.

1. MARKING AND FEEDBACK

Teachers use records to review pupil’s progress, set appropriate targets for the future and to form the basis of reports.

Records are kept in many ways. These include:

• Teacher’s annotated plans
• Children’s work
• Teacher’s mark book
• Records of observations in Foundation Stage
• Assessment Data information on Pupil Asset
• Foundation Stage learning journals/Tapestry
• Two Year Old Progress check

Assessment data information is updated termly on Pupil Asset and used for monitoring purposes and discussion at Pupil Progress Meetings, which take place at half termly intervals led by SMT.

1. STANDARDISATION/MODERATION

The process of moderation is an essential part of the assessment system. Teachers and key workers are involved in the moderation process to ensure agreement on criteria for stage descriptors in the following ways;

• With colleagues in school
• With colleagues from other schools
• By attending LA sessions to ensure our judgements are in line with other schools
• By using the National Standards exemplification materials

Staff take part in regular standardisation sessions to ensure whole school agreement on the specific criteria required for each stage in the prime areas/reading, writing and maths.

1. REPORTING

Reports promote and provide:

• Good home /school relationships
• Information for parents
• An opportunity for discussion with parents
• In some cases, information shared with outside agencies/other schools

A written report for each child is given to parents, once a year, at the end of the Summer term at the Parent Meeting.

Reports outline a child’s progress in the core and foundation subjects of the National Curriculum. The teacher will make a comment on the attainment of the pupil in terms of national age related expectations. Targets for literacy and numeracy are also set.

For children at the end of Key Stages 1 & 2, additional information including details of the SATs testing will also be provided.

Parents are invited to attend Parent meetings with the teacher during the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms. Should the need arise, parents are welcome to discuss the progress of their child with the teacher or Head teacher at other times.

1. REPORTING

Marking, Assessment and Feedback procedures should be monitored annually in order that they remain meaningful and manageable. Policies and procedures may change in response to any changes or new initiatives. This policy should be reviewed in line with the school cycle.

Teachers follow the agreed Assessment Cycle using the procedures outlined in Appendix 1

Appendix 1.

ARBORETUM ASSESSMENT CYCLE

LITERACY

• Termly teacher assessment for writing and reading (PiRA Y1-6)
• Weekly spellings test – linked to HF words and spelling bank
• Phonics assessments - RWI every half term
• SATs - May- writing (TA), reading and spelling, punctuation and grammar
• Reading records, reading folder and guided reading
• Writing – objective led planning  FS

MATHS

• Termly assessments for maths  (PUMA Y1-6)
• Weekly tables test (or number bonds)
• Weekly AM skills check- age appropriate(Y1-6)
• KS1 and KS2 SATs 
• Maths – objective led planning  FS

NON CORE SUBJECTS

• Cumulative  assessment of skills and learning in subjects such as History, Geography, Music, ICT , PE, D and T, Art etc., collated termly where applicable on Pupil Asset
• Observation based or oral questioning.
• Sticky knowledge quizzes
• Linked to learning objectives
• EYFS – ongoing observation and assessment in specific and Prime areas

Appendix 2                                     

Marking Key.

Next Steps

Appendix 3.