Marking & Feedback Policy
Introduction
Feedback is an essential part of planning, teaching and learning. Responding to pupils work through constructive
comments acknowledges achievement, promotes positive attitudes and behaviour and leads to an improvement in
standards.
At St Dennis Primary Academy teachers follow an agreed system and consistent procedures to respond to pupil’s
work, in order to give clear messages to pupils, parents and other teachers about individual progress. We use our
judgement as professionals in a constructive way when working with all learners to take them forward.
Feedback Rational:
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To show that we value the children's work, and encourage them to value it too;
To give the children a clear general picture of how far they have come in their learning, and how they can
improve their work in the future;
To offer the children specific information on the extent to which they have met the lesson objective, and/or
the individual targets set for them;
To gauge the children's understanding, and identify any misconceptions;
To provide a basis both for summative and for formative assessment;
To provide the on going assessment that should inform our future lesson planning.
Aims of Feedback:
 Read and understood by the child
 Acted upon
 Used as part of the dialogue to improve learning and progress
 Modelled by children when evaluating their own work
 Simple
 Makes an impact on the quality and rate of learning progress
Features of effective written feedback
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Accessible to the age and stage of the pupils
Focused on the objective and success criteria
Confirms that pupils are on the right track
Stimulating the correction of errors or
improvement of a piece of work
Scaffolding or supporting pupils next steps
Providing opportunities for pupils to think things
through for themselves
Commenting on progress over a number of
attempts
Providing pupils with the opportunity to respond
Quick check
Do comments:
 Relate to the learning objective or success
criteria?
 Relate to differentiated learning outcomes or
linked to progression?
 Give specific advice for moving forward?
 Give positive feedback?
 Challenge the pupil to think for themselves?
 Provide a framework to discuss work with the
teacher?
 Expect a response?
What should feedback look like?
St Dennis Primary Academy will be using the tickled pink and green for growth feedback system from January 2015
Marking is to be done in pink and green.
Tickled pink – all positive responses
Green for growth – all corrections and targets
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Marking & Feedback Policy
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Marking should be completed in school.
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English and Maths books must be marked daily.
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Children who are Y2D and above must be given written comments – pupils below Y2D will be supported by
the use of visual supports (this will be provided by the SENDCo)
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If TBAT is met the full TBAT is highlighted in Pink e.g. TBAT – To write a rhyming poem
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If TBAT is partly met just the TBAT is highlighted e.g. TBAT – To write a rhyming poem
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If TBAT is not met none of the TBAT is highlighted and a comment as to why they did not meet it must be
written in green.
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Every teacher guided group must have their books marked in detail. This should include pink highlighted
examples of where the objective has been met and positive commentary made in pink pen as well as green
highlight to show where growth is needed and the use of the next step stamp and a prompt or comment to
give the pupil an action to take as their next step.(In green pen)
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TA guided groups should also have a written comment made by the TA. Using pink and green as appropriate.
Where working with HLTA this marking must also have a next step, as described above.
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In all FS and KS1 classes, as well as where appropriate with KS2 SEND pupils codes must be used to indicate
the support given to the children. The correct code must be put in the top right corner of the pupil’s work:
o S – any additional support with a number to indicate the level of support – 1 to 5 with 1 being light
touch and 5 being higher level of support
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All work in all key Stages will also use the following codes to indicate the use of adults to provide support for
children.
o T- Teacher
o TA -Teaching Assistant
o I Independent
This can be completed by the pupils in KS2.
(TBAT = To be able to)
Self and Peer Assessment in KS2:
Self and peer assessment is crucial but the skills of self-assessment must be developed in pupils from year 3 up. SelfAssessment must be clearly marked as such by SA and Peer Assessment by PA within the pupil books. Marking by
peers and self-assessment marking completed by pupils can be carried out in any colour pen or in pencil.
Improvement Prompts:
Teachers must use either QAC or TEDDI comments to give feedback improvement prompts.
Information to support theses prompts can be found in the staff feedback file. (See Jo Waters)
Staff will use the next step stamp to indicate to the children that this is what we need them to do to improve their
work. It goes without saying that children must be able to read all handwritten comments!
Q.A.C
Question: What is an adjective?
Action: Add an adjective to this sentence...
Challenge: Find three “wow” adjectives in your reading book and write them here:
T.E.D. D.I
Tell: Tell me what an adjective is.
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Marking & Feedback Policy
Explain: Explain why adjectives are used in stories.
Describe: Describe the main character in three adjectives.
Do: List three adjectives here:
Improve: Improve this sentence with an adjective...
A Dialogue:
Using an improvement prompt should stimulate a dialogue between the marker and the pupil. The pupil will need to
respond to the marker by making either a comment, following the instruction or by giving the feedback a tick.
In most cases the marker can then highlight this response to show pink… the target/improvement has been made or
green… something else is needed.
If something else is needed the marker should then give oral feedback or plan to meet this need. This should be
noted as done by the use of VF on the Next step stamp.
Monitoring and Review
We are aware of the need to monitor and update the school's marking and feedback policy on a regular basis, so that
we can take account of improvements made in our practice. We will therefore review this policy every two years.
TBAT = To be able to…
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