St Augustine s Catholic Primary School Reviewed June 2015 MARKING AND FEEDBACK POLICY RATIONALE We believe that the most effective way of giving feedback for all pupils is through effective dialogue between teacher, support staff and learners. Marking, or written developmental feedback, is an important tool and an essential part of planning, assessment, teaching and learning. Responding to children s learning through constructive comments acknowledges achievement, promotes positive attitudes to all aspects of school life, in turn leading to an improvement in standards. All staff will follow an agreed system and consistent procedures in responding to children s learning. Evidence of our response to children s work can be found recorded in books and on display, but some of the curriculum is practical rather than recorded and therefore it is appropriate that the feedback is verbal. 1. AIMS To assist learning; To provide information for assessment; To encourage, motivate, support and promote positive attitudes; To inform planning; To promote higher standards; To correct errors and clear up misunderstandings; To recognise achievement, presentation and effort; To provide constructive feedback; To show pupils that we value their work; To allow pupils to reflect on their past performances and to set new targets together with the teacher. 2. OBJECTIVES Is consistent practice throughout the school; Feedback focuses on improvement and clearly identifies net steps for learning; Is related to specific targets and learning aims which are shared and made clear to the children in advance; Provides children with opportunities to assess their own work and that of others; Is positive and constructive with appropriate praise given; Is related to age, needs, attainment and ability; Ensures pupil motivation and involvement in progress; Encourages dialogue between children, children and teachers and teachers (or TA s); 1

Provides opportunity for parents and carers to have an indication of the progress of their child; 3. EXPECTATIONS FOR VERBAL AND WRITTEN FEEDBACK The criteria for feedback will be based on the core learning and children s targets whether specific to the activity or on going targets All work should be given feedback; Feedback can be verbal and/or written. Positive praise is to be used when appropriate. When written feedback is given, a contrasting pen will be used; care is always taken to preserve the integrity of children s work. Green pen will be used to indicate where a pupil has achieved the learning objective and aspects in their work that is good (green for good). Pink pen (to make you think) are for aspects in the pupil s learning that needs to be developed. R.A.P. Time (Responding to Accelerate Progress) Three coloured dots are to be used to give whole class, group or individual feedback. The three colours are red, orange and blue. The colours indicate three challenges that have been identified for the learners to take their learning forward. R.A.P. time is to be used across all curriculum areas. Pupil responses are to be completed in purple pen or pencil if appropriate. The three tasks are to be recorded for the pupils on the IWB, on the class board or written on sheets. 2

In practical areas of the curriculum like P.E. or Art this approach can be used verbally. Time Allocation for R.A.P Regular opportunities will be offered to children to reflect on and respond to feedback as well as the opportunity to discuss their work with the teacher, teaching assistant and peers. There will be time allocated within lessons to establish opportunities for this response time. There must be ample time allocated for pupils to respond to their marking and several opportunities a week. Pupils will respond in an age and subject appropriate media using a purple colour from the work and teacher s marking (no biros or felt tips). This will include the pupil writing their initials to indicate that they have read and understood the feedback and carrying out any task set by the teacher. Personal marking and response partners children are encouraged to evaluate their own and others achievements against the learning aim, in verbal or written form. All written work across the curriculum must be checked and marked using the agreed codes and colours but not all work will be given detailed feedback. Possibly verbal feedback would be carried out as the teacher or teaching assistant works with groups or individuals in the classroom. (This will be initialled and dated PT (precision teaching) by the adult CT Class teacher or TA Teaching Assistant); All maths work must be checked within 2 days but not all work will be given detailed feedback as the teacher works with groups or individuals in the classroom. This will include green ticks for accurate learning and using the pink pen to identify errors. This will be initialled and dated by the adult TA and checked by the class teacher using their initials. Again the use of R.A.P statements will be used to give more detailed feedback to pupils and the three tasks are to be recorded for the pupils on the IWB, class board or written on sheets by the teaching assistants if necessary. All RE work must be checked within 2 days but not all work will be given detailed feedback as the teacher works with groups or individuals in the classroom. (This will be initialled and dated by the adult CT or TA). Intial, date and TA e.g. JC 9/2/15 CT Every child should have a piece of work deep marked within a five day period for Maths, English and RE There are times when it is appropriate for a teaching assistant to annotate work under the direction of the teacher. Background and contet for learning. Support given and how child responded. A code must be used in written feedback to, for eample, eplain the level of support given or to denote net steps in learning. Teachers will establish their own reward systems appropriate to the age and needs of the children in their classes. These rewards may be in the form of praise, stamps, stickers, certificates, reward points and selecting children to be publicly rewarded in assembly. Feedback which gives corrections supports learning but we remember that too many corrections can overwhelm and demoralise the child. The ability of the individual child and the effort that they have put 3

into a piece of work will always need to be considered when marking. Teachers use their professional judgment when deciding how many verbal or written corrections to give. Teachers may plan to give feedback to groups of children, so that they can focus on developing particular objectives with targeted groups. 4. AGREED CODE The following agreed code will be shared with every KS1 and KS2 child. These symbols will be used across the school in children s books and will be displayed in classrooms. CT (Class Teacher) TA (Teaching Assistant) P (Paired work) You may find yourself giving 1:1 support within a group contet Intial, date and PT e.g. JC 9/2/15 CT I (Independent work by child) G (Group work) S (Supported work) PT (Precision teaching by an adult) SP (spelling error) SM self marked (by child) Rewards Stickers or ticks can be given both in recognition of an outstanding outcome and for attitude or effort (regardless of the outcome). If ticks are awarded out of class (writing or maths groups) please send a postit note to the class teacher PM Peer marked Teachers and Pupils may use an etended Success Criteria to review an etended piece of learning which will be annotated by the teachers or pupils. Two stars and a wish to outline success and improvement. Alternative appropriate symbols may be used depending on the preference of the teacher and the appropriateness to the task. Smiley faces or praise stamps to denote success towards a learning outcome. Alternative appropriate reward symbols may be used depending on the preference of the teacher and the appropriateness to the task. 5. THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER Use the policy to ensure children s learning moves on and that they achieve their targets; Follow the policy in order to ensure consistency in marking and feedback across the school; Ensure that marking is up to date in accordance with the policy; If unsure, to ask for guidance on epectations of the policy. 6. THE ROLE OF THE HEADTEACHER 4

To review the policy annually, consulting with the necessary parties if alterations are required 7. THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNING BODY To monitor and review the implementation of the marking policy Review Date.June 2016 5