DOCUMENT NO: 210
VERSION: (1)
KINGSFIELD CENTRE
MARKING POLICY - SECONDARY
Signed:
Headteacher
Signed:
Chair of Managers
Review Date:
Author:
Mrs J Vorster
Date: 24 November 2016
Date: 24 November 2016
Date:
24 November 2019
Date:
24 November 2016
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Rationale
Feedback/Marking is the process whereby children are informed about what they have achieved in
their learning and what they need to do to improve. Feedback is a positive form of communication
based on learning objectives and success criteria. It can be verbal, written, pictorial or signals and
could be from teacher to pupil, teaching assistant to a pupil, pupil to teacher or pupil to pupil.
Principles
Marking and feedback should:
• If possible be immediate or as soon as possible
• Be manageable for all teaching staff
• Involve all adults in the classroom
• Be seen by pupils as useful and positive
• Inform future planning/targets
• Be accessible and inclusive
• Relate to learning objective and success criteria
• Be responded to by the pupil
Assessment for Learning
1. Explicit Learning Outcomes
Effective learning takes place when learners understand what they are trying to achieve and why it is
important. Staff should always consider the context and share either the context or purpose with
pupils, where appropriate applying it to real life. It is important that pupils know the Learning
Objective (LO) to the lesson as this gives a focus enabling pupils to review their own progress and to
see if they have achieved the objective.
The learning objective should focus upon the learning to be achieved not activities to be completed.
Helpful learning objectives stems include ‘to know’ and ‘to be able to’
2. Success Criteria (Steps to Success)
Clear success criteria for each lesson will provide pupils with a framework against which they can
focus their efforts, evaluate their progress and discuss their learning. Visual success criteria keep
everyone focused. The lesson should be structured around a clear learning objective and linked
success criteria.
It is expected that the LO and success criteria will be stuck into each pupils’ book in every subject at
KS3 and KS4. Pupils will be asked to assess their work against the LO and SC during the plenary of
each lesson and make a response where appropriate.
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LO:
Date:
Success criteria
Pupil
Teacher
o
o
o
o
Pupil Comment
DWT/TA/
I/ G
(DWT – done with teacher, TA – with TA support, I – independent, G – group work)
3. Questioning
We value the importance of questioning and our key purpose is to develop learning and extend
thinking. Key questions including prompting, promoting and probing are used. Wait or think time is
essential to give all children the opportunity to think and respond. Talk partners/peer collaboration
are used to help children rehearse or scaffold their answers and to be inclusive. Teachers use a
variety of ways to ensure 100% engagement of pupils in the lesson and do not solely rely on hands
up e.g. lollipop sticks for random selection, apps or software that select pupils at random.
4. Reflection/Plenary
Time needs to be built in to the lesson for structured reflection; this allows pupils to monitor their
own progress in meeting the learning objectives and allows them an opportunity to check which
success criteria are evident in their work.
For example using comments such as the following:
‘Find one example you are really proud of and circle it. Tell the person next to you why you are
pleased with it.’
‘Decide with your talk partner which of the success criteria you have been most successful with and
which one needs help or could be taken further.’
‘You have five minutes to find one place where you could improve. Write your improvement at the
bottom of your work.’
‘Look at the problems you have solved today. Where were you successful? What approach did you
take?’
5. Feedback
The purpose of AfL is to provide feedback in such a way that learning will improve as a result.
Teaching staff will need to identify next steps in learning as well as responding to mistakes. Feedback
will always be constructive and sensitive. Feedback will comment on the work rather than the pupil.
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A range of AfL strategies should be used such as peer/self-assessment, mid-lesson plenary, traffic
lights, thumbs up/thumbs down and post-it notes.
We recognise the value of self and peer assessment. Teaching staff will employ their own strategies
for self and peer assessment and staff use when appropriate.
6. Marking
Marking is only of value if comments are read and responded to. Teaching staff will usually check
pupils’ work within the classroom environment so that feedback is immediate and direct to the
pupil. When work is distance marked (marked without the pupils being present) teaching staff must
allow time for pupils to read and respond to marking (for example at the beginning of the next
lesson as a re-cap).
At least two pieces of sustained work will be levelled/graded per half term which will be assessed
against curriculum criteria/expectations and will provide evidence of pupil progress in meeting their
individual targets. These levelled pieces of work will require detailed marking.
Pupils and teachers will indicate on the stuck in LO/SC where they have met the criteria using the
traffic lighted-smiley faces.
7.
Marking comments.
The expectation is that each piece of marked work will provide a positive comment (relating to a
green smiley face success criteria) and a next step (relating to an amber or red face from the success
criteria). The next step comment should allow pupils to respond to the marking. Teacher’s
comments should be written in GREEN pen.
e.g.
(WWW) You have successfully used commas in your list.
(Next step) Now please go back to the hi-lighted instruction 3 and re-write it using command
language.
Pupils should then be given the opportunity to respond to the marking at the beginning of the next
lesson. Pupils should write in PURPLE or RED pen for this.
Marking Symbols
√ = Teacher has seen work/work is correct
sp = Spelling error
~~~~~ (wavy underline) = this doesn’t make sense
// = Start a new paragraph here
p = Check your punctuation
DWT = Completed work with teacher
w = Is this the best word choice?
I = Independent pupil work
NS = new sentence
^ = Missing word
TA = Work completed with some support from
teaching assistant/ an adult
c = Capital letter missing or in wrong place
G = Group work.
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