policy for marking and assessment

[Type text]

Policy for Marking and

Assessment

Mission statement:

“Enjoy, learn, achieve”

Dawson Road

Handsworth

Birmingham, B21 9HB

Tel: 0121 464 4669

Fax: 0121 464 0508

E-mail:

[email protected]

Headteacher: Mrs P Matty

Policy for Marking and Assessment Autumn 2015 Review Autumn 2016

Grove School

Policy on Presentation, Marking and Assessment.

Contents:

1 Aims of a Presentation, Marking and Assessment Policy

2 Good practice in presentation - specific guidelines for

presentation in children’s books

3. Strategies used for marking children’s work

4. The role of leaders in the moderation of marking and assessment

5. Specific codes for use when marking

6. Guidance for completion of mark books


1 Aims of a Presentation, Marking and Assessment Policy

At Grove School leaders at all levels have a clear vision for and ambition

for learners from all groups. The policy supports leaders and staff in

ensuring the culture of high expectations, aspirations and excellence is

consistently maintained.

Out aims are:

to ensure consistency of presentation and marking for and

by children within each class, year group and key stage;

to ensure high standards of presentation in all children’s

books;

that assessment information is gathered from looking at

what pupils already know, understand and can do;

that assessment information is used to plan appropriate

teaching and learning strategies, including the identification

of pupils who are falling behind in their learning or who need

additional support;

to ensure children and staff take a pride in their recorded

work;

to ensure all staff understand and follow procedures for

marking and assessment;

to ensure all children and parents understand procedures in

marking and presentation and understand how children are


doing in relation to the standards expected and what they

need to do to improve;

to ensure marking informs planning and provides pupils with

constructive feedback on what they have achieved and what

they need to focus on next in learning;

to ensure all staff can set appropriate gap tasks for children

which develop and check understanding and allow children to

deepen their understanding;

to develop positive attitudes to learning and achievement.

2 Good practice in presentation – specific guidelines for

presentation in children’s books

each child should be aware of the standards of presenting

work and this should be on display in the classroom as a

visual reminder and where children do not meet standards, a

comment, verbal or written , should be made to address this;

children’s books and folders should be free of graffiti. If

children do scribe on their books, a meeting to discuss this

should be requested with parents;

children should be rewarded for good presentation both

verbally and in marking. Children can be awarded Star of the

Week for presentation;

a child from each class is selected for good progress in

presentation and handwriting in years 1-6 at the annual

award ceremonies;

in Key Stage Two children should underline the date and

learning objective using a ruler;


the date should be written in full in literacy and foundation

subjects and in numerical form in mathematics.

The use of a pen and pencil

Children should pencil only in maths books.

Pupils in Year 6 who are studying for the GCSE maths foundation

examination may use pen in their GCSE maths books.

Children can use pen if they are producing legible, joined up

handwriting, otherwise they should use pencil in all other books.

If pen is used it should be a black school handwriting pen.

Children should not be underlining in different colours in books or

folders.

Teachers should ensure a high standard of display work and

labelling to set examples for children using the school Nelson

precursive handwriting font and a range of handwritten and IT

generated text types.

3. Strategies used for marking children’s work

Key Stage One

a. Focused feedback – children are only provided with feedback

about the things the teacher has asked them to pay attention to.

The teacher/teaching assistant will highlight in pink where learning

objectives in a piece of work have been met and will highlight in


green a mistake or misconception which then forms a target for

learning in the next session. A target is indicated by a T in a circle.

b. Self marking – children are given the opportunity to self- evaluate.

Children are encouraged to identify their own successes and look

for improvement points. The plenary may be used to focus on this

process as a way of analysing learning. It may be adult supported.

All pupil marking will be done in green pen.

a. Peer marking – children are encouraged to mark the work of a peer

or mark with a partner. This is a skill which will need to be

discretely taught in Key Stage one. Children may be able to suggest

ways in which to improve the work. All pupil marking will be done in

green pen. When peer assessing children should indicate one

positive aspects of a peer’s work and set a target for improvement

indicated by a T in a circle.

Stickers and stamps may be used but should not replace marking of

pupil work.

Staff marking will be done in purple pen.

Key Stage Two.

a. Focused feedback – children are only provided with feedback

about the things the teacher has asked them to pay attention to. A

comment relating to the learning objective or success criteria will

be given on the piece of work. The teacher/teaching assistant will

provide feedback using the following code: WA = well achieved, PA=

partially achieved and MP = more practice is needed.

b. Self- marking – children are given the opportunity to self -

evaluate. Children are encouraged to identify their own successes

and look for improvement points. The plenary may be used to focus


on this process as a way of analysing learning. It may be adult

supported. All pupil marking will be done in green fine pen.

c. Peer- marking – children are encouraged to mark the work of a

peer or mark with a partner. This is a skill which will need to be

discretely taught in year 3 and with SEND pupils. Children may be

able to suggest ways in which to improve the work. All pupil marking

will be done in green pen.

d. Shared marking – this involves using pieces of children’s work

from other classes/sets to mark as a group/class/set. This is

useful as it models the marking and assessment process and

teaches specific points. It can be used as a starting point for peer

marking.

e. Gap tasks – a gap task can be set in any subject. Gap tasks are not

intended to be set at the end of every piece of work but are a way

of deepening knowledge, checking understanding, checking learning,

correcting misconceptions, providing a pupil with opportunities to

try again, repeat a task or part of a task and allows teachers to

assess at a deep level the understanding of a pupil.

Staff marking will be done in purple pen.


4. The role of leaders in the moderation of marking and assessment

The quality of marking, presentation and assessment will be moderated in

the following ways:

Lesson observations

Teachers – observation of teaching each term

share good practice with colleagues

professional discussion about the pedagogy of teaching

professional development of subject leaders

moderation of lesson observation judgements with senior manager/

external consultant

professional development for colleagues in the early stages of their

career

learning walks

Teaching assistants – observation of support each term

observation by year group leader each term

observation by subject leaders each term (one per term on

interventions)

learning walks

Newly qualified teachers – observation each half term as a minimum

Unqualified teachers – observation of teaching each half term


All lesson observations will include information about:

pupil discussions

work scrutiny

progress in year

progress over key stage

NB: where teaching and non teaching staff are on a support package, the

frequency of observations will be set out in their individual plan.

Feedback to staff from lesson observations

Feedback will address the main strengths and weaknesses identified

during the observation, focusing on pupils’ learning and the teacher’s

contribution to it, including the teaching judgement where one has been

made. During feedback the following may be discussed:

the context and content of the whole lesson

how the lesson fits into a sequence or programme of lessons

associated teaching and learning activities used by the teacher

how professional development has improved the quality of

teaching

the extent to which previous leaders’ monitoring of teaching has

identified needs and provided targeted pedagogical guidance and

support for staff, and the impact this has had

Verbal feedback will be provided as soon as possible after the

observation with written feedback with one week. Teachers/ unqualified

teachers and teaching assistants have the opportunity to comment in

writing on the written observation.

Moderation / work scrutiny - evaluating learning over time


The purpose of half termly moderation at Grove is to agree summary

judgements and evaluate learning over time:

feedback from the moderation last half term and actions the

teacher has taken to address areas/ share good practice

feedback from lesson observations this term and follow up from

the teacher to address any areas identified or share good practice

the quality of medium term and short term planning

discussions with pupils about the work they have undertaken and

their experience of teaching and learning over longer periods

the views of pupils, parents/ carers about teaching and learning

scrutiny of pupils’ work, with particular attention on:

how well and frequently marking, assessment and testing are

used to help teachers improve pupils’ learning

the level of challenge provided

pupils’ effort and success in completing their work and the

progress they make over a period of time.

At the end of each moderation session with the deputy headteachers

responsible for English and mathematics, a written account of the

moderation meeting will be shared.

In addition to half termly moderation with the deputy headteachers

responsible for English and mathematics, moderation will include:

* double year group moderation of judgements each half term (focus of

subject on annual diary). Year group leaders keep notes of these meetings

and share the outcomes with the senior leadership team.


* termly moderation of assessment judgements in science and all other

subjects led by directors of the subject and year group leaders. Subject

leaders prepare an overview report for the senior leadership team.

Where individual staff require additional support a personalised

programme of support will be agreed with the assistant headteacher

responsible for the phase.

* annual moderation (at least once a year with local secondary schools) in

writing. Written records kept by the year group leader and deputy

headteacher.

* half termly moderation of EYFS judgements with the assistant

headteacher responsible for EYFS. At the end of each moderation

session a written account of the moderation will be shared with the

member of staff.

* external moderation of EYFS, writing. External moderator reports.

.

5. Specific codes for use when marking

T in a circle = target (KS1)

GT in a circle = gap task (GT)

WA = well achieved against learning objective

PA = partially achieved against learning objective

MP = more practice needed against learning objective

Small tick = correct

Double tick = good evidence ( could be in writing or

mathematics)

Sp = spelling error ( written next to or above the word)

// = new paragraph needed


Circle around a missing or incorrect punctuation and/or capital

letter

X or dot = incorrect

G = grammar error

^ = missing word

U = underline the date and/or objective

?

= this does not make sense

For pupils with Special Educational Needs in Key Stage Two it

may be appropriate to continue to use the strategies used in

marking in Key Stage One ( pink and green). Staff will decide when

a child no longer needs this visual support.

Where appropriate the above coding may be displayed for pupils.

6. Guidance for the completion of mark books

Mark books are used by teaching staff in years 1-6. The class teacher has

overall responsibility for recording in a mark book.

Mark books are used to record test scores, record progress and

attainment in core and foundation subjects and are a valuable source of

information when tracking progress, moderating Best Fit/ARE and making

summative assessment judgments.

General.


For each class a teacher records, in alphabetical order the names of

pupils, surname first.

Mark with a green asterisk pupils who are Pupil Premium pupils ( this

information can be found on O Track).

For each pupil, in each subject record their KS 1 result, the Best Fit

judgment made at the end of the last academic year e.g A5 ( Secure

within Year 5 ARE).

Yellow highlighting is used to indicate those pupils working below ARE eg

Best Fit judgment a B/ or C at the start of the year or working within a

year group lower than the year group they are in.

Mathematics

Maths club badges Record the maths club badge that each child is working towards.

Following a test, record the score gained by the child with the date of

the test at the topof the column. When the maths club badge has been

achieved, record the score and circle.

Wigan mental maths tests Record the year group and block that each child is working on e.g year 3

block 3.

Following a test, record the score for each child with the date of the

test at the top of the column.

Arithmetic tests (3 per half term) Record the test title e.g autumn term test 3 and the score.

Half termly big maths assessment Record the score achieved followed by the best fit judgement using ARE.

English


Subjects in English will be recorded second in the mark book.

Speaking and Listening

At the end of each term record the date, title of the assessment and

ARE achieved as recorded on O Track eg A4, secure within Year 4

Reading

Record the date of each reading assessment, raw score, standardized

score, Best Fit/ARE achieved.

New Group Reading Tests – these are completed in September and June.

Record the title of the test completed, raw score, standardized score,

chronological age and reading age

Writing

For each Big Write assessment the points score and ARE awarded eg

Year 4 D= 4D

At the end of a half term the final Best Fit judgment and the next ARE a

puil is working towards.

Spelling

Record score in weekly spelling tests, these are used to inform homework

reports

SPAG

At the end of each term the Best Fit/ARE and results of any tests

Science

End of term assessment Best Fit/ARE


Homework Record the date. Tick if completed and handed in on time. X if not

completed. This record is particularly useful for awarding prizes.

Record with a tick if a child completes holiday projects. This is useful

when completing end of term reports.

Awards

Record any awards, useful for end of year reports.

policy for marking and assessment

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