marking policy
2003
Rational
Improving learning through assessment is aided by the provision of effective feedback to pupils who need to be able to assess themselves and understand how to improve. The marking of pupil’s work is therefore an important part of teacher assessment. This policy sets out how staff at Westbury School intend to ensure that the marking of work is an integral part of our assessment procedures.
Effective marking should:
- Provide clear feedback to pupils about the strengths and weaknesses in their work.
- Recognise, encourage and reward pupil’s efforts and progress.
- Provide a record of pupil’s progress.
- Encourage pupils to strive to improve.
- Direct pupils to what they need to do to improve.
- Encourage a dialogue between teacher and pupil.
Marking Procedures.
- Any colour pen can be used as long as it is in direct contrast to the pupils writing implement.
- As far as possible, marking will be done daily or when a piece of work is completed.
- Teachers will use feedback from marking to inform future targets and planning.
- Wherever possible, marking will be related to a clear learning objective, which has been shared with the pupils. Learning objectives should therefore be written at the beginning of a pupils work, and work marked accordingly.
- Good presentation is expected and may be marked.
- Marking will celebrate success whenever possible in order to raise self esteem and encourage all pupils to work to their full potential.
- Some work will be graded or levelled in a way clearly understood by pupils.
- Bubble and block marking will be used to highlight areas of the teacher is pleased with, (those that match the Learning Objective). These comments should go into a ‘bubble’ whilst future targets and placed within a block.
- Comments should be written in language the pupils understands, with some comments needing to be read to non-readers.
- A particularly successful piece of work may be awarded ‘Bonus Points’ in line with the school system of rewards.
- Before the next piece of work is undertaken, it is sometimes appropriate to revisit the targets from the previous piece of work.
- As pupils become able to self correct their work, written work may be marked with the following codes in the margin to indicate an error in that line.
P - Punctuation
S - Spelling
SP - Spelling to be looked up, corrected and placed in their spelling log.
S - Does not make sense.
M - Word missed out
C - Capital letter needed.
Every effort will be made to allow the pupils time to reflect on marking and edit/improve their work.
This policy will be reviewed annually.
