Marking, self-assessment and target setting policy

King’s Park Primary School
‘Together we support, challenge and achieve’

Marking, self-assessment and target setting policy

Objectives

• To ensure that marking of work and feedback gives all children effective information on how they can improve using AfL strategies where appropriate.
• To ensure that all children learn how to assess their own progress and determine what they need to do to advance their learning.
• To ensure that all children review their own progress and set targets for their own improvement in reading, writing and maths 3 times a year.
• Marking must be manageable and give good guidance for children to improve.

Marking Guidelines

Marking is adapted to suit the age of the pupil. Every piece of work will be responded to following the criteria below.

Foundation Stage

For all written work

I or IW – Independent work
CI – Child initiated
AL – Adult led
Regular positive verbal comment

Key Stage 1

For Literacy written work

I or IW – Independent work
S – Group work/ supported work
V – Verbal feedback to individual or group
SW – Supply work
CI – Child initiated
AL – Adult led
Regular positive written comment on work
Verbal feedback to group or whole class at least once a week indicated on planning
Year 2 – WALT on work , as a sentence
Verbal feedback to group or whole class as least once a week indicated on planning/ evaluation.
For Numeracy written work

Year 2 – WALT on work , as a sentence

KS2 marking can be introduced in year 2 as appropriate however only a tick or full stop is used for Numeracy not the smiley face and arrow system.

Key Stage 2

For Literacy written work

As foundation and KS1
S/ TA – Supported work or worked with a TA
WALT on work (can be as title e.g. ‘Adjectives’)
☺ with a positive comment indicates where the child has achieved the WALT
→ to denote development comment or next step to be made.
One happy face to one arrow is the general rule

For Numeracy written work

WALT on work , as a sentence
A tick or full stop is generally used for Numeracy and on some occasions the smiley face and arrow system is used

In KS2 there will be a weekly focus for marking as above in both Literacy and Numeracy.
Verbal feedback may be given and this will be marked as in KS1.
Time must be given for children to read and act on advice given. We do not expect every piece of worked to be marked in depth.
Peer marking must be in pencil and follow the happy face and arrow rule.

Pupil self evaluation

Early Years, Key stage 1
 

Thumbs up – indicates they understand

Thumbs pointing to the side shows that they are not sure

Thumbs down – indicates that they do not understand

Key stage 1 and beyond

• Encourage children and adults to generally to work on a ratio of two good comments to one suggestion for improvement.
• Use of thumbs up / side / down can be used for instant assessment.

Feedback and Self-evaluation - Guidelines

Foundation stage into KS1

• Feedback to children is usually verbal with practical reinforcements such as stickers and smiley faces. In the Early Years children need immediate verbal feedback which is simple but effective. This feedback should be positive but identify clear areas for improvement.
• Area for improvement could be signified with visual prompts or memory aids e.g. a finger picture to remind a child that they need to use finger spaces.
• During ‘The Big Write’ the comment should be backed up with a simple written comment in the child’s book written in the presence of the child. Explain to the child what has been written and why e.g. ‘I have written ‘use a finger space’ ‘.

• From an early age children should be encourage to discuss and assess their own, and others work. In individual and group discussions children will be encouraged to, for example, ‘say three things that are good about this model car’ and ‘say something that you could make better’.
• Teachers should regularly use good examples of children’s work as a teaching aid.
• Children at this age should also be encouraged to assess their partners’ written work. For example – work with a partner – has your partner remembered to put full stops in his writing? How many full stops can you see?

KS1 into KS2

Teachers will use the strategies outlined above as appropriate to the needs and abilities of the children in addition to the following:

• Feedback is both verbal and written with children encouraged to read and act on written comments (Time must be given for this). Rewards should still often be immediate with an element of long term rewards e.g. progress charts building up to a big reward over a number of weeks.
• Teachers should make time regularly for children to read, reflect and act on the comments made in their books.
• Detailed feedback can be used in individual target setting.
• Children should also be given opportunity to self-assess formally using the school system (see above). This could be done individually or with a partner. This process could be linked with the detailed feedback in a conference situation.

Upper KS2

Teachers will use the strategies outlined above as appropriate to the needs and abilities of the children in addition to the following:
.
• Feedback should generally be written. Children should be encouraged to reflect on marking comments for a few minutes at the beginning of each session.
• Children will be regularly asked to self-assess pieces of work when it is finished and indicate areas for possible improvement. This should be planned for at least once a week. They can use the traffic light system for self assessment or the smiley face and arrow.
• Teachers should use individual child conference to review work and suggest targets for improvement. These sessions should be at least once a term – this must happen if it is to be influential but time must be designated for it.
• Children must be aware of success criteria in order to promote individual and personalised understanding.

Individual target setting

Each child should have their own individual targets for improvement.

Targets should be set each term (i.e. three times a year – Oct / Nov, Jan / Feb and May) in reading, writing and maths. Children should ‘own’ their targets. They should know them and share them with parents so that parents can help them achieve their target. Targets should be published
- on class wall
- in diaries

Success on reaching targets should be celebrated with stickers and other rewards.
Broader class targets can be on board for whole class to work towards.

Manageable target setting process

• ‘Conference’ with children in a group of 5/6 (reading/ ability)

• ‘Conference’ each group over a period of one week in Literacy & Numeracy (replacing guided reading / writing during that week)

• During the ‘conference’ the teacher will: review previous target and whether the child has achieved it or not: Look at work/ levels (for older children) and marking comments together: Discuss appropriate targets and how children can achieve them.

• Children write targets in books and on cards to go on ‘target wall’ in class.

• If child achieves target before the end of the renewal do not reset target but wait for the next target setting session and encourage the child to continue achievement to ensure consolidation.

Discussed and reviewed with staff September 2011

Agreed by governing body December 2011

Review date……October 2014