Research has shown that raising the standard of a student’s work is most effectively done when developmental comments are given to the student about their work, as the comments help the student to understand the main purpose of their learning and thereby grasp what they need to learn.
At CHS, there is the expectation that marked work will often feature a grade; the grade however should not be the main focus of the work/feedback for the student. The comments that accompany the grade provide the student with guidance on what they have done well and how they can develop further.
Effective feedback and marking therefore must: | Provide a focus on learning objectives/success criteria; | | Provide both oral and written feedback as appropriate; | | Ensure that feedback is task directed; | | Confirm that the student is on the right track and suggest areas for improvement. Suggestions for improvement will act as ‘scaffolding’; | | Provide students with opportunities to assess their own and others’ work and give feedback; | | Ensure that students understand their achievements and know what they need to do next to make progress. Students should not be given the complete solutions as soon as they get stuck; it is important that they are given the opportunity to think things through for themselves; | | Encourage students to comment on their own work before handing it in; | | Provide alternative solutions if a student continues to fail in a given task; | | Give students time to act upon the feedback given by the teacher or another student; | | Help set the next piece of work with other information to adjust future teaching plans; | | Provide a record of a student’s progress in terms of previous areas for development; | | Help set curriculum targets; | | Help parents understand strengths and areas for improvement in their child’s work. |
Types of Feedback and Marking
Feedback and Marking for Learning (formative)
When Feedback and Marking for Learning is used: | A diagnostic or developmental comment is given; | | Feedback is given as an integral part of classroom practice; | | It informs the short term planning cycle; | | It informs teachers about the progress of students; | | Provides information for other adults. |
Feedback and Marking of Learning (summative)
When Feedback and Marking of learning is used:
| Summative pieces are graded or levelled and feedback relates to this. |
Involving Students in Feedback
We use a variety of strategies to ensure that students are part of the assessment process such as: | Verbal feedback – teacher and student; | | Quality/focused written marking with time for follow-up; | | Self-assessment; | | ‘Critical friend’ feedback – student and student; | | Planned opportunities for discussion either as a whole class or in groups. |
Motivating Learners through Feedback and Marking
We use a mix of strategies to motivate and encourage students’ enthusiasm to learn
through: | Suggesting alternative ways in which they can improve their work; | | Positive acknowledgement of correct/good work to confirm that the student is on the right track; | | Encouraging comments on areas needed to develop; | | Avoiding comparisons with other students. |
Guidance for Teaching Staff
Heads of Department are responsible for ensuring adherence to the Marking & Feedback Procedure in their subject areas. Departments are free to build on the Procedure with additional features, such as adding Effort Grades; in such instances, these should be applied commonly and consistently across the Department and any Departmental policy clearly stated in the Departmental Handbook and articulated to students/parents.
Teaching Staff are expected to regularly assess students’ work, in line with the School’s Marking and Feedback Policy. Where appropriate, feedback should include correction of numerical and linguistic inaccuracy.
Developmental comments, in addition to a mark and/or grade (or an understanding of how the mark relates to a grade, e.g. assessment table in exercise book or examination grading levels) should be awarded with each formal assessment.
It is expected that in an exercise of work scrutiny, there would be clear evidence in a student’s work that the teacher has regularly assessed and fed back on work, including work completed in class.
Unsatisfactory work should be repeated, with clear instructions on the timescale and conditions for the second attempt and a Yellow Card issued to the student (triggering an Academic Detention).
Guidance on Mark Book Entries
| Date of deadline for submission of homework; | | Mark and grade for each formally assessed piece of work; | | Record of allocation of Blue/Yellow Card (incl. late/unsatisfactory submissions). |
Guidelines on Frequency of Assessment
A Level/Pre-U: | one formally assessed piece of work per subject each week (in other words, one per fortnight per teacher); |
GCSE:
| one formally assessed piece of work per fortnight (excluding periods during which Controlled Assessment is being undertaken); |
KS3:
| 3 lessons per fortnight: one formally assessed piece of work per fortnight; | | 5 / 6 lessons per fortnight: one formally assessed piece of work per week. |
Work Sampling
The Departmental Review process will undertake a work sampling exercise of each Department in any given year.  Heads of Department should conduct at least one further work sampling exercise during the academic year to ensure standards across and within the Department.
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