Marking and Feedback Procedures

Background

Our marking and feedback policy offers guidelines to all staff on the way we respond to children’s work and give feedback.

Key Principles

Our policy on feedback has at its core a number of principles:

• the sole focus of feedback and marking should be to further children’s learning;
• evidence of feedback and marking is incidental to the process; we do not provide additional evidence for external verification;
• written comments are only used where they are accessible to pupils according to age and ability;
• feedback delivered closest to the point of action is most effective, and as such feedback delivered in lessons is more effective than comments provided at a later date;
• feedback is a part of the school’s wider assessment processes which aim to provide an appropriate level of challenge to pupils in lessons, allowing them to make good progress.

Feedback and marking in practice

It is vital that teachers evaluate the work that children undertake in lessons, and use information obtained from this to allow them to adjust their teaching. Feedback occurs at one of three common stages in the learning process:

1. Immediate feedback – at the point of teaching
2. Summary feedback – at the end of a lesson/task
3. Review feedback – away from the point of teaching (including written comments)

The stages are deliberately numbered in order of priority, noting that feedback closest to the point of teaching and learning is likely to be most effective in driving further improvement and learning. As a school, we place considerable emphasis on the provision of immediate feedback. Where feedback is based on review of work completed, the focus will often be on providing feedback for the teacher to further adapt teaching.

Marking and Feedback in Practice

Marking Approaches

All work will be acknowledged in some form by class teachers which may include praise or a ‘prove it’ activity. This may also be through simple symbols such as ticks or highlighting of learning objectives using a green highlighter.

• We mark all work in black pen and ensure it is in a different colour to the child’s work
• Green and pink highlighters are used for each piece of work. The WALT is highlighted green when achieved or dotted pink if the child is not Following a ‘scoop’ session the WALT may then be annotated as scoop and the WALT then underlined green or left pink if the scoop has still left some issues
• Work completed with an adult may be marked in the same way and when necessary a V for verbal feedback may be used (although this is not always the case)
• If written comments are made we ensure that written comments are legible, brief, accessible for the child and avoid excessive chunks of feedback. Children must be able to understand the comments and know what to do in response to our comments. We will use ‘two stars and a wish’ for work that is deep marked (Big Write sessions)
• The person marking the work will signal this (see annex 1)
• We mark work using the agreed code ( see annex 1)
• We use house points to add more encouragement or motivation. We should ensure that they are not over-used (i.e. the children themselves should feel that they have genuinely been ‘earned’) and should always be accompanied with praise for the particular aspect which has been recognised.
• Children are given time to respond to feedback in their
• Marking is prompt
• We use the school editing key and marking code consistently throughout the school when marking writing (see annex 1)
• Specific marking for writing is within the separate writing document attached at Annex 2

Marking children’s work at different ages and stages

Although we have common principles concerning the marking of children’s work, we accept that the task is different at various stages in each child’s development.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

In EYFS & Key Stage 1, review marking will only lead to written comments for those pupils who

are able to read and respond independently. In some cases, the marking code may be used where this is understood by pupils (see end of policy for marking code & symbols). Where pupils are unable to read/understand such comments, these are shared verbally with children at the next appropriate opportunity.

Other marking and feedback will be in the form of annotated photographs with links to the area of learning.

When marking any written work our approach may vary.

• A very early emergent writer will read their efforts to the teacher who may then write the correct form underneath in
• More advanced emergent writing may be marked in various ways e.g. tick over correct initial sounds for words, or complete phonetic spellings, with the view of encouraging the young writer. We may correct one or two of the spellings, linked to what they should be able to spell from their phonics / spelling program. We underline the word and write the correct version above. This will then be transferred to their word books.
• We may re-draft certain parts of a piece of writing together with the child using an adult/teacher as a scribe. We begin to encourage use of the school editing key / marking code.
• Any grammar or punctuation taught as a class lesson must be carefully corrected so as to reinforce its usage.

Key Stage 2

As far as possible we continue to mark work alongside the child, incorporating their ideas within ours. We believe this dialogue helps the children understand more clearly the written comments made by the teacher about marking improvements and may provide opportunity for feedback about the quality of the piece of work.

In Key Stage 2, written marking and comments should be used where meaningful guidance can be offered which it has not been possible to provide during the classroom session. In the case of groups of pupils having a common need, it may be appropriate for teachers to adjust planning or grouping rather than providing a written comment. Where a child has achieved the intended outcome and is well-prepared for the next stage in learning, this need not be annotated however the WALT will be highlighted in green.

In most cases, written comments will be focussed on extended pieces of written work, or extended tasks.

These will allow children’s achievements to be recognised and provide further guidance for future learning.

If marking alongside is impractical, we will provide prompt feedback by marking work before the next session, whilst it remains fresh in the child’s mind.

When marking any written work our approach may vary but building on from KS1:

• We may correct a maximum of three spellings, linked to what they should be able to spell from their phonics / spelling program. We underline the word and write the correct version above. This will then be transferred to their word books and practised three times at the bottom of the page.
• We use the school editing
• Not all punctuation and grammar errors are marked in every piece of writing but will be noted as a future teaching point.
• Extended pieces of writing for a specific purpose across the curriculum should be marked according to what they were learning to do and the writing toolkit.

In Mathematics

• A dot will be made to indicate any mistakes. Corrections and model examples of how to work it out should be worked at the side of the mistake – no rubbing out and substitution with the correct
• Correct answers should be
• Reversals of numbers should be corrected next to the ‘error’ and discussed with the

When marking mathematics with younger children we point out errors in an appropriate way to show the work needs to be corrected.

Equal Opportunities

The Feedback and Marking Policy and Marking Procedure, encourages the practice of inclusion for all.

Marking Policy Annex 1

Green highlighted WALT means that the child has achieved the lesson objective

Pink dot next to the WALT means that they have not achieved the lesson objective and further feedback maybe provided.

Marking symbols.

• P – Punctuation
• ___ – Spelling, with correction
• ^ – Word missing
• / – New line needed
• // – New paragraph needed
• ? / – I don’t understand/ does this make sense? Are you sure?
• I – Independent work (where necessary or appropriate as identified by the
• class teacher)
• h – help given
• g – guided group work
• sh – shared class work
• CT – Marked by class teacher
• S – Marked by supply teacher / PPA teacher
• TP – Marked by teaching partner

Annex 2

Writing Marking and Feedback

• ‘Have a go’ no marking but targets (x3) identified (changes to model text etc) – Targets can feed into short burst
• Innovation – adult feedback, mark independent groups, edit alongside guided group (you may want to identify green and pink within this). This is the area where most marking happens as we are teaching here and developing ideas in readiness for the independent application. Act on feedback (time needs to be given) ALL children must work with G/I identified within writing/ paragraphs.
• ‘Show what you know’ deep marked against toolkit in line with marking Time given to edit. Praise comment for effort.
• All feedback to have an impact on