Assessment and Feedback

Feedback is information given to the learner and/or the teacher about the learner’s performance relative to learning goals. It should aim towards (and be capable of producing) improvement in pupils’ learning. Feedback redirects or refocuses either the teacher’s or pupil’s actions to achieve a goal, by aligning effort and activity with an outcome. It can be about the learning activity itself. About the process of the activity, about the pupil’s management of their learning or self-regulation or about them as individuals. This feedback can be verbal, written, or can be given through tests. It can come from a teacher or someone taking a teaching role, or from peers.

Education Endowment Foundation 2018

 

At Widcombe Church of England Junior School, and as a member of the Palladian Academy Trust, we ensure assessment and feedback is always about maximising pupils’ learning and, secondly, contributes to PAT-wide efficiency, collaboration and accountability. Assessment is intrinsically linked to the curriculum and pedagogy. 

Principles

  • Assessment and feedback must be meaningful with an evident impact on continuous teaching and learning 
  • Formative and summative assessment will both be used, and be consistent throughout the school
  • Assessment and feedback must be positive and lead to next steps in learning for pupils
  • Assessment and feedback will be proportionate and timely
  • The impact on pupils and staff well-being and workload will be taken into account when planning assessment. Assessment must, therefore, be effective and efficient
  • A range of assessment approaches will be used to inform teacher professional judgement
  • Moderation within and between schools will be prioritised
  • There will be a common language for assessment within the PAT
  • Assessment information will be used to inform key stakeholders including pupils, parents, staff, senior leaders, governors and trustees. Wherever possible, the same information will be used for multiple audiences. 
  • There will be a core of ‘non-negotiable’ assessment information required for accountability to Trustees, the CEO, Director of School Improvement, Governors and School Improvement Partners
  • Outside of this core, individual school leadership will have autonomy to design processes and practices appropriate to individual school needs

Objectives

  • Assessment will be predominantly formative
  • Teachers will be expected to use a range of proven, formative assessment approaches supported by appropriate professional development
  • Pupils will be appropriately and positively prepared for national testing, particularly disadvantaged pupils or those with additional needs
  • Feedback will be overwhelmingly positive and lead to clear next steps in learning
  • Teacher planning will be informed by assessment

Feedback Guidelines

  • Verbal or written feedback will be in a timely manner
  • Children will be given the opportunity to reflect on teachers’ feedback by responding to prompts during ‘Improvement Time’ at the beginning of lessons. Children will use a purple pen to respond to their teacher’s feedback
  • Teachers will mark in green and pink ink. Green indicates ‘growth’ and improvement feedback. Pink marking highlights areas of learning which have been successful -‘tickled pink’
  • Children will be active participants in the marking and feedback process; for example through self-assessment, peer reflection and responding to improvement prompts
  • If the Learning Objective or Key Skill has not been achieved, teachers will provide feedback which will help move the children’s learning on. For example, modelling to address a misconception, key question for the children to reflect and act upon, explanation of where the children’s understanding has gone wrong
  • When marking an extended piece of writing, teachers will identify two successful strengths (stars) and one target for improvement (wish)
  • Children are not to rub out work once it has been marked. Corrections to be made in ‘purple pen’

Editing and Reviewing

The following simple code for marking and/or correcting work should be implemented by all:

  • Work that is correct will be marked with a tick
  • Where a word is repeatedly spelt incorrectly, the child’s attention should be drawn to it by underlining, using ‘sp’ for spelling. In Y3/4 the teacher will correct the spelling for the child to copy 3 times. In Y5/6, the teacher will highlight there is an incorrect spelling, and the children will be expected to self-correct using a dictionary
  • No more than three key word spellings should be highlighted within a piece of work
  • Double vertical lines should be inserted when needed, to indicate where a new paragraph or line should begin
  • ^ is used to show that something is missing
  • Picture1     Is used to indicate a capital letter or to correct punctuation
  • V indicates verbal response and discussion

We will know that feedback is effective if:

  • High quality and meaningful marking is identified through monitoring
  • Children’s responses to marking prompts are evident
  • There is consistency in teachers’ feedback across and between years
  • Pupils are more aware of what is expected of them and the steps they need to take to improve, as evidenced by purple pen responses

 

Formal and Informal Assessment Summary

  Formative Assessment Summative Assessment
Informal
  • Questioning
  • Oral & Written Feedback
  • Self-Assessment
  • Peer Assessment
  • Teacher Assessment
  • Key pieces of work in uncontrolled conditions (e.g. end of topic piece of writing)
Formal
  • Further analysis of test results
  • Target Setting
  • School tests
  • Standardised tests
  • National tests

 

 

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