At St John Vianney we believe that work undertaken by our learners in their lessons should be marked and assessed regularly, providing feedback to pupils that can help them bring about improvements in their learning.
Marking work and giving feedback provides staff with an excellent opportunity to reward and value pupil work and to also signpost what the learner can do to consolidate, improve and extend their learning. Staff will then provide opportunities for feedback to be acted upon by each pupil to support them in further developing their learning (MAD time).
Layer 1
Regular TA and teacher informal assessment of work/books.
Self and Peer Assessment
This helps provide positive reinforcement, the Identification of ‘Independent’ and ‘Assisted’ work and the opportunity to provide rewards to pupils. Staff can use this to additionally support our Assessment of Learning through recording feedback as SOLAR evidence.
Layer 2
Temperature Check
Each half-term a ‘Temperature Check’ of class activity will be undertaken by the class teacher and this will be placed and secured in the pupil books. Pupils will be provided with activities after the ‘Temperature Check’ to consolidate, further develop/extend or challenge them in their learning. Making a Difference (MAD) time will be provided immediately after the ‘Temperature Check’, to allow each child to build upon their learning. This will be undertaken by the learner in ‘Green’ pen.
Layer 3
Deep Marking
Twice during each half term the class teacher / TA selects a ‘substantial’ piece of work and provides annotation and improvements on the work. At the end of the piece of work the Teacher/TA labels the work with 2 ‘Stars’ (2 strengths identified in the work- for positive reinforcement) and a ‘Wish’ (a clear improvement area).
Under the Wish label the Teacher then identifies for the learner a task to consolidate, develop/extend or challenge their prior learning, which is undertaken in ‘Green’ pen by the pupil at the next lesson opportunity. (Make a Difference time)
Layer 4
Formally Assessed Work ( linked to Layer 3)
Twice half termly evidence is loaded for each child against the SOLAR statements to show progress made on the SOLAR platform.
These assessment opportunities are diarised to ensure consistency across the school.
All ‘secure’ Stars are signed and marked as completed by the class teacher, with another piece of evidence attached for that ‘Star’.
Layer 5 *Review
After Layers 2 and 3 the Teacher will have provided Feedback to be actioned by the pupil. This will ensure that the pupil reviews the marking and comments made and then is able to improve their work using the feedback given.
Sufficient time at the next lesson should be given to making these improvements and ‘making a difference’ to learning (MAD Time!)
This review is signed off by a TA or the class teacher.
