Marking & Feedback FAQ
Where can I find out more detail on the updated marking policy? This is available on the school website, “Teaching and Learning policy” in the Information and Policies section. Where can I find out more about the research behind the policy? The key report is published by Oxford University and the Education Endowment Foundation, called ‘A Marked Improvement’. A link to this report and also the Department for Education report on workload can be found on the Marking & Feedback page. The marking looks different between subjects (e.g. between English and Maths) and my child’s book looks different to others in the same class. The research into marking suggests that it needs to be customised for different subjects, classes and even individual needs. Also bear in mind that subjects see students at different intervals: it would be reasonable to assume relatively more marked pieces of work in core subjects where the students are seen several times per week. The updated policy gives the detail on the type and frequency of marking in each subject. If you feel that this is not what you are seeing in your child’s work, please get in touch with the Director of Learning for the subject or Fergal Moane, Deputy Headteacher There are pieces of work that appear not to have been marked, not even an acknowledgement tick. So-called ‘tick and flick’ marking can be misleading for students, is time consuming and can be ineffective. Having many targets on smaller pieces of work can be confusing for students. The research suggests that schools should mark less in terms of the number of pieces of work marked, but improve the depth and quality of marking feedback. Although notes and smaller pieces of work may not be formally marked by teachers, they will be sampled regularly for accuracy and completeness. My child has made some mistakes which have not been picked up. The research suggests that careless mistakes should be marked differently to errors resulting from misunderstanding. A teacher may only correct the first few occurrences of a spelling or grammar mistake and the onus is then upon the student to put this right before handing in the next piece of work. An error might have a prompt or hint to allow the student to understand where they have gone wrong or research the correct answer. With GCSE and A-level students, the use of mark schemes is a crucial skill in students being able to develop exam technique as well as forming the ‘correct’ answer. How can I best support my child to improve? The research shows that learners make more progress by being reflective on feedback received and having a clear sense of what needs to be improved and how to do this. This is the essence of our ReACT feedback policy. If you speak to your child about their ReACT targets in particular subjects and discuss what has been written in their books and folders, this will support their active engagement with the teacher feedback.