Thameside Primary School

Thameside Primary School Marking and Feedback Policy 2013 We are a rights respecting school: Article 28: (Right to education): All children have the right to a primary education. Article 29 (Goals of education): Children s education should develop each child s personality, talents and abilities to the fullest. As recommended March 2010 Reviewed by AfL working party April 2013 Updated January 2014 Review date April 2015 1 Aims and Objectives 1.1 The purpose of marking and feedback at Thameside Primary School is to further the learning of each pupil and to raise standards throughout the school. We do this by ensuring that pupils know what they are able to do and what their next steps are. 1.2 Our policy is informed by research carried out by the Assessment Reform Group into Assessment for Learning (AfL). It is designed to ensure that marking and feedback are consistent across the school, teachers make good use of time spent marking and pupils develop the skills to become self and peermarkers. 1.3 At Thameside Primary School we: help children on their journey of life-long learning provide children with clear learning intentions and we share them empower our pupils so they are involved in the process of their own learning provide our pupils with feedback so they know the next steps and how to take them believe strongly that every child can make improvement in measurable steps 2 The Power of Feedback The most powerful single moderator that enhances achievement is feedback. (Hattie, 1992) 2.1 All children need information and guidance to plan the next steps in their learning. They need to know what their strengths are and how they can be best developed. If children are informed about their areas for development in a constructive and clear way, they are then able to address them but will also feel motivated to do so. It is important to give children the opportunity to improve, or up level, a piece of work. Marking and Feedback Policy page 1 of 14

3 Learning Objectives (LO) 3.1 Learning Objectives must: be clear and precise be written in child friendly language and/or explained when necessary be separated from the lesson context (e.g. To write a recount and not To write a recount about the Titanic ) where possible, be skill rather than knowledge based be shared with the children (at some point during the lesson, not necessarily at the beginning) be referred to in the plenary be referred to in the feedback given (verbal or written) conform to age related expectations, where appropriate 3.2 Learning Objectives enable an effective learning experience by providing a clear focus for the lesson and by motivating the children. 4 The Big Picture 4.1 Pupils are consulted about where their learning is going and are given opportunities to use and apply new skills in a variety of real-life situations. At the start of a new unit or topic, the children are introduced to the small steps which lead to the final product e.g. visual pathways used at the beginning of science units. 4.2 The big picture allows children to understand the relevance of individual lessons and learning intentions. They can make connections and see how the learning today links to what they have learnt and what they are about to learn. 5 The Success Criteria 5.1 The Success Criteria is what the children need to do in order to achieve the learning objective, they must be linked to the learning objective and not the activity. 5.2 Who writes the success criteria? The success criteria should be negotiated with the children but should already have been considered by the teacher (evident in their planning). 5.3 Types of Success Criteria: Ordered a series of small steps. A selection of things to include. Writer s toolkit. 5.4 Why use Success Criteria? The children take ownership of their learning. They know what they have to do in order to achieve success. The children know what you are looking for when you mark or respond to their work If children know the Success Criteria, they will try to meet it. Marking and Feedback Policy page 2 of 14

The children s thoughts are guided before they start working (i.e. a framework is given for their thinking) and having VISIBLE Success Criteria means that children can refer to them as they work too. A writer s toolkit can also be used as a set of effective success criteria and displayed on a washing line. 6 Marking and Feedback 6.1 It is acceptable to give general praise (e.g. great work or I really enjoyed this etc) when it is accompanied by feedback that helps the children know what they have achieved and what they need to do next. 6.2 Next step or closing the gap? Whether the marker uses symbols or words, the vast majority of work in a child s book should have either a next step or closing the gap comment (where appropriate - both). Next step comments enable progress. By doing so, both the child and teacher understand where the child s learning needs to go next i.e. the next step. For example, if a child has been working successfully on one step word problems in mathematics Next step: Two step word problems. Closing the gap comments do just that; they enable the child to improve upon the work they have just completed. They relate directly to the LO or SC. Closing the gap comments may include: Asking an open-ended question. How does your description of the wood make your reader feel? Asking children to use a different word or sentence or by giving children something to choose. Giving a reminder or prompt (related to writing target card in Literacy, for example). Examples of closing the gap questions which could be used to prompt higher levels of thinking in a mathematical investigation: LEVELS OF THINKING Memory: recalls or memorises information Translation: changes information into another form Interpretation: discovers relationships Application: solves a problem - use of appropriate generalisations and skills Analysis: solves a problem - conscious knowledge of the thinking Synthesis: solves a problem that requires original, creative thinking Evaluation: makes a value judgement QUESTIONS What have we been working on that might help with this problem? How could you write/draw what you are doing? Is there a way to record what you've found that might help us see more patterns? What's the same? What's different? Can you group these in some way? Can you see a pattern? How can this pattern help you find an answer? What do think comes next? Why? What have you discovered? How did you find that out? Why do you think that? What made you decide to do it that way? Who has a different solution? Are everybody's results the same? Why/why not? What would happen if...? Have we found all the possibilities? How do we know? Have you thought of another way this could be done? Do you think we have found the best solution? Marking and Feedback Policy page 3 of 14

6.3 Deep or light marking? The marker (keeping the child s learning at the forefront of their decision) will use their professional discretion when it comes to how to mark a piece of work, taking into account (for example) the activity/task undertaken by the child, the ability of the child and the marker themselves (who may be teacher, TA or supply). It is our intention, however, that all work should be at least light marked. As a guide, light marking consists of: highlighting (in yellow) against the success criteria or LO; next step or closing the gap comment (written or symbols); intials of the marker and date. The symbols for aided (a) and unaided (u) work should also be present and CPT in KS2. Peer assessment also counts as work being light marked but still needs to be checked, initialled and dated by the adult marker. As a guide, deep marking consists of: highlighting (in yellow) against the success criteria or LO; next step and more in-depth closing the gap comment (written or symbols); underlining the majority of nonnegotiables and writing corresponding symbol/word in margin e.g. full stop; intials of the marker and date. The symbols for aided (a) and unaided (u) work should also be present and CPT in KS2. It is expected that, in KS2 & 1, teachers (depending on circumstances e.g. class sizes over 30) mark and provide one detailed written feedback (i.e. deep mark) for at least one piece of Literacy and one piece of Maths work for each child in their class each week. In Literacy, the hot task (for example) should always be deep marked. 6.4 FS and KS1 See APPENDIX I for FS and KS1 Thameside marking keys teachers to ensure this is located at the front of every child s book. Verbal feedback is given more regularly. Topic work should be highlighted against success criteria and commented on where applicable. In Year 2, children should begin the year by improving at least one piece of literacy and numeracy per week, moving to improving one piece of literacy, numeracy and topic per week by the summer term. In Year 1, children should begin the year by improving one piece of literacy or numeracy work per week, moving to improving one piece of literacy and numeracy by the summer term. Foundation Stage children are not required to go back and improve work as they will do this during guided group sessions. All pieces of unaided literacy (cold and hot tasks, in particular) and topic work should be leveled according to National Curriculum level descriptors. In mathematics, the child s work is leveled at the end of a unit of work (using assessment grids found in the maths toolkit to inform teacher assessment). 6.5 The teachers and children mark work with an agreed set of symbols and protocols: Symbols for how work is marked in FS and KS1: Marking and Feedback Policy page 4 of 14

v underline Yellow highlight Pink highlight Green highlight Orange highlight Green polishing pen u a CR Verbal feedback was given during the lesson. The improvements should be made immediately using a polishing pen or in pencil and highlighted in pink. This shows where an improvement should be made. This should be used alongside a comment or symbol. For example, when deep marking, an improvement could be underlined and the symbol for full stop (.) put in the corresponding margin. This is used to show teacher marking. Work should be marked against the success criteria and learning objective. This is used to show where children have improved their work and this improvement has been seen by the teacher. The short date should be written next to the pink highlighter or at the bottom of the page to show when the improvement has taken place. This is used to show where children have self-marked their work against the success criteria and learning objective. Peer assessment should be carried out in a coloured pencil (for example). This is only used in Foundation Stage to show which parts of a child s work were completed independently (e.g. initial sounds). These are used, in all subjects, by children in Year 2 to show where they have made improvements or responded to a closing the gap marking comment. (this may not be appropriate for some children and pink highlighting may be more suitable). Unaided work: The child has worked on their own. Aided work: The child has worked with an adult or another child. All work should be initialed by the teacher who marked or worked with the child. This includes supply and teaching assistants. Marking and Feedback Policy page 5 of 14

6.6 KS2 See APPENDIX II for KS2 Thameside marking keys teachers to ensure this is located at the front of every child s book. Children receive feedback about their work in a variety of ways. Written or verbal feedback can be given by a Teacher, Teaching Assistant (TA) or another child. The children are given the opportunity and skills to mark their own work and to identify their next step. All pieces of unaided literacy (cold and hot tasks, in particular) and topic work should be leveled according to National Curriculum level descriptors. In mathematics, the child s work is leveled at the end of a unit of work (by highlighting assessment grids found in the maths toolkit and making a best fit judgment on the level). 6.7 Symbols for how work is marked and assessed in KS2: v underline Yellow highlight Green highlight Green polishing pen u Verbal feedback was given during the lesson. The improvements should be made immediately using a polishing pen. This shows where an improvement should be made. This should be used alongside a comment or symbol. For example, when deep marking, an improvement could be underlined and the symbol for full stop (.) put in the corresponding margin. This is used to show teacher marking. Work should be marked against the success criteria and learning objective. This is used to show where children have self-marked their work against the success criteria and learning objective. Peer assessment should be carried out in a coloured pencil (for example). These are used by children (in all subjects) to show where they have made improvements or responded to a closing the gap marking comment. Unaided work: The child has worked on their own. Marking and Feedback Policy page 6 of 14

a EJ Aided work: The child has worked with an adult or another child. Work should be initialed by the teacher who marked or worked with the child. This includes supply and teaching assistants. 7 Pupil Self and Peer Evaluation Independent learners have the ability to seek out and gain new skills, knowledge and understandings. They are able to engage in self-reflection and to identify the next steps in their learning. Teachers should equip learners with the desire and the capacity to take charge of their learning through developing the skills of self-assessment. (Assessment Reform Group, 2002). 7.1 Children marking their own work and that of their peers are important parts of effective marking practice. Why use Pupil and Peer Evaluation? The greatest impact is an overall rise in self-esteem. Children can feel more able to talk about their learning. Children can say where they need help without a sense of failure. Children are thinking deeply about their own learning. Children are starting to be more in control of their learning. They are deciding on the next step to move forward. 7.2 It takes time to introduce a system of self-marking. Self and peer-marking and the time to take action in response to feedback should be seen as part of the lesson itself. Children will need to have the process modelled to them (e.g. in a plenary) until they feel confident to carry out the process independently. Children should be confident and practised in self marking before beginning to peer assess. 7.3 Using a Visualizer (a camera that projects a child s work onto an Interactive Whiteboard) is an effective way of modeling the marking process. A child s name is drawn randomly and their work displayed. The rest of the class identify where that child has met the success criteria and suggest where improvements can be made. The teacher then models making the improvement using suggestions from the class. The rest of the class are then given time to mark and improve their own work. This could be used at any point during the lesson or built into planning as part of a lesson. 7.4 In addition to the success criteria, children may check their work against their target cards or a series of non-negotiables. If a child has met all the targets on their target card they receive a coloured spot at the bottom of the page to match the corresponding target card. In Foundation Stage, when a child has received three coloured spots they are moved onto the next target card. In Key Stages 1 and 2, colours of target card should be reviewed around each assessment point (half termly). 7.5 A model to develop self-marking: (1) Children highlight their own work in the places they have used each success criteria the best and share with a partner; (2) Children underline one place where an improvement could be made. This is a place where they did not apply the success criteria. The teacher writes a next steps comment and the children make improvements, using a polishing pen in Key Stage 1 and the teacher then acknowledges this improvement using a pink highlight; (3) Children work independently to identify the three successes and area for improvement. They make the improvement as part of the lesson or in a separate session. Marking and Feedback Policy page 7 of 14

7.6 Developing peer-marking: (1) Show a partner the self-marking that has been done; (2) Swap a piece of work with a partner to share something they liked about the person s work; (3) In pairs, read each other s work, say two positive things, and make a suggestion for improvement. (4) Phase in highlighting successes, finding an area for improvement and then making the improvement; (5) Children work independently to identify the three successes and area for improvement in a peer s work. 8 Responding to Feedback 8.1 Children should be given an opportunity to act upon any verbal or written feedback given during a lesson; underlines should be used to show where the improvement should be made, then highlighted in pink by an adult (FS & KS1) or in green polishing pen (KS1, where appropriate, and KS2). 8.2 When marking has been done after a lesson and feedback has been given through written comments, children must be given an opportunity to read and respond. You may ask a child to share their improvement with a peer or to feedback to you, where appropriate. This is a crucial part of children s learning and must be given valued time. 9 Targets Writing target cards are located in every child s literacy book. Reading target cards are located with every child s current reading book. Maths targets (in KS2) are located in every child s maths book and are the targets set for the child in PPM, following Venn diagram analysis by the phase leader and class teacher. 10 Monitoring and Evaluation 10.1 The implementation and effectiveness of this policy will be monitored and evaluated regularly by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), alongside the AfL working party. 10.2 The policy will be monitored through classroom observation, work scrutiny, interviews with children and other methods as appropriate. Book scrutiny evidence forms (see APPENDIX III) will be used by the SLT. This will enable consistency in feedback and marking, in children s books, throughout our school. 10.3 The SLT and working party reports its findings to staff and governors as appropriate. S Greenaway 2014 Marking and Feedback Policy page 8 of 14

APPENDIX I: FS and KS1 Thameside marking keys I The cat slept on the mat Independent work 1+1=2. Marked by the teacher Thameside marking in Foundation Stage Elmer the Elephant Cold task completed before a unit of work starts used to identify teaching needs Elmer the Elephant Hot task written independently at the end of a unit used to show progression and identify further teaching needs 30:50 etc - Development matters bands indicated when making very good progress u unaided a aided v verbal feedback given by an adult s shared marking adult/pupil or pupil/pupil m marked by me! Thameside marking in Key Stage 1 LITERACY Thameside marking in Year 1 Suddenly, Jenna. Marked by the teacher Suddenly, Jenna. Child responded to closing the gap comment Adventure at Sandy Cove Cold task completed before a unit of work starts used to identify teaching needs Adventure at Cambury Park Hot task written independently at the end of a unit used to show progression and identify further teaching needs u unaided a aided v verbal feedback given by an adult Marking and Feedback Policy page 9 of 14

Thameside marking in Year 2 Suddenly, Jenna. Marked by the teacher Afraid, he crept forward Peer or self-marked by a child (Summer term) Adventure at Sandy Cove Cold task completed before a unit of work starts used to identify teaching needs Adventure at Cambury Park Hot task written independently at the end of a unit used to show progression and identify further teaching needs u unaided a aided v verbal feedback given by an adult s shared marking adult/pupil or pupil/pupil m marked by me! Maths Thameside marking in Year 2 7-3= 4. Marked by the teacher 7-4=3 Peer or self-marked by a child (Summer term) u unaided a aided v verbal feedback given by an adult Thameside marking in Year 1 7-3= 4 Marked by the teacher 14-5= 19 14-5 = 9 Closing the gap u unaided a aided v verbal feedback given by an adult Marking and Feedback Policy page 10 of 14

APPENDIX II: KS2 Thameside marking keys Literacy Suddenly, Jenna. Marked by the teacher Excited, Tabitha Peer or self-marked by a child Thameside marking in Key Stage 2 Adventure at Sandy Cove Cold task completed before a unit of work starts used to identify teaching needs Adventure at Cambury Park Hot task written independently at the end of a unit used to show progression and identify further teaching needs Warning! You need to look at this line and check spelling (sp), punctuation (p) or for a missing word ( ) u unaided a aided v verbal feedback given by an adult s shared marking adult/pupil or pupil/pupil m marked by me! c you have completely achieved the learning objective p you have partially achieved the learning objective t you have not yet met the learning objective Marking and Feedback Policy page 11 of 14

Maths Thameside marking in Key Stage 2 22+ 13 = 35. Marked by the teacher ½ of 34 is 17 Peer or self-marked by a child Warning! You need to look at your answer and see if you can identify your mistake. u unaided a aided v verbal feedback given by an adult s shared marking adult/pupil or pupil/pupil m marked by me! c you have completely achieved the learning objective p you have partially achieved the learning objective t you have not yet met the learning objective Marking and Feedback Policy page 12 of 14

APPENDIX III: Marking scrutiny evidence forms LITERACY THAMESIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL BOOK SCRUTINY: EVIDENCE FORM Teacher Date Subject Quantity Evaluation (key questions) Is the marking generally in line with the marking policy? Is there evidence of marking in relation to the learning objective/success criteria? Have next step marking comments been used (where appropriate)? Have closing the gap comments been addressed by the children? Is the quality of presentation/ standards of achievement in line with year group expectations? Is there evidence of a wider range of learning experiences? Is there evidence of progression and differentiation? Is there evidence of self / peer marking? Is there evidence of deep marking? Is unaided work levelled? Are cold writing tasks evident? Are word and sentence level pieces of work on the left hand page? Are writing target cards present? Can book talk questions be identified? Has the learnt oral text been stuck into the book? Does its level reflect high expectations? Is the marking in school hand? Summary Action points Marking and Feedback Policy page 13 of 14

MATHS THAMESIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL BOOK SCRUTINY: EVIDENCE FORM Teacher Date Subject Quantity Evaluation (key questions) Is the marking generally in line with the marking policy? Is there evidence of marking in relation to the learning objective/success criteria? Have next step marking comments been used where appropriate (these are the targets for children in KS1)? Have closing the gap comments been addressed by the children? Is the quality of presentation/ standards of achievement in line with year group expectations? Is there evidence of a hook or context? Is there evidence of progression and differentiation? Does the work reflect high expectations e.g. level 4 child accessing elements of level 5? Is there evidence of self / peer marking? Is there evidence of deep marking? Is work, in a unit, given an overall level using the assessment grids (KS2)? Is investigative work evident? Are workings/jottings on the plain page? Are maths targets present (KS2)? Is the marking in school hand? Summary Action points Marking and Feedback Policy page 14 of 14