St Catherines’s Catholic Primary School
Marking Policy
Jesus is at the centre of all that we do
Introduction
Marking of children’s work is a fundamental part of the process of teaching and learning in school and is an important part of the assessment process (AfL). Marking demonstrates a respect for the work produced, gives feedback and indicates the ways in which the individual child can improve. Marking will also encourage the child to look at errors in a positive manner. This is in line with the school’s positive approach to self-assessment.
This policy belongs with the set of policies on Assessment, Record Keeping and Reporting. It also takes into account the school’s poliies on Equality.
Aims and purposes
Marking indicates teacher satisfaction and expectations (positive reinforcement).
Marking indicates strengths and weaknesses and how the child can improve performance.
Marking is an effective way of keeping the child focused on agreed targets and encourages self-assessment and self-correction.
Marking demonstrates the value and respect due to children’s efforts.
Marking provides an indication to parents about their child’s progress.
Implementation
Work will usually be:
Marked in a contrasting coloured pen and whenever possible with the child concerned.
Marked using a tick or cross, (Teachers of younger children will use a cross to show an error at their own discretion.)
Teachers will use their professional judgement as to the amount and type of errors indicated in any single piece of work.
Incentive stamps, stickers etc. can be used for all children where appropriate.
Teachers will use positive comments and other comments to indicate short term targetsbased on the idea of two stars and a wish.
In KS2 in all ‘extended pieces of writing’ the children will mark their work against the success criteria laid out in the marking ladder and propose a target for improving their next piece of work. Another child will then mark the same piece of work and also suggest a target (if appropriate) before the teacher marks the work.
Marking will be handed back quickly to encourage discussion of work and focus on targets.
The teacher’s professional judgement is the key factor in all assessment. Therefore, marking will often be judgmental and selective in order to foster positive attitudes in our children.
Children will be encouraged to mark their own/group work. Self-assessment has an important role in the school’s practices.
Comments should help the child to form a positive image of himself/herself
whenever possible.
Supply teachers should mark all set work and return it to the class teacher.
House points will be awarded to recognise achievement, effort and the completion of targets.
The audience for children’s work will be widened in order to demonstrate our respect and the value we give it. For example, reading and sharing work in the class group, with other classes; displaying work in all parts of the school, photographic recording, sharing work with other schools and the wider community.
In these ways, marking will contribute to the raising of self-confidence and self-esteem.
Monitoring
We will ensure that these guidelines are being used consistently throughout theschool by sampling marked work. This will be carried out by subject coordinatorswhen carrying out monitoring activities. Feedback on the implementation of thepolicy will be given during staff meetings or with individual members of staff.
This policy will be reviewed in line with the school development plan.
January 2013
MARKING GUIDANCE
Overview
Pupils in Key Stages should be encouraged by sensitive and appropriate intervention by staff. Staff should in more immediate face to face marking, identifying areas that are good (at least two, appropriate to the child’s ability level) and one area to be improved upon, with the teacher giving verbal or written prompts to aid the development. Time should then be given for the child to spend 3-4 minutes working on the improvement aspect.
Staff should mark pupils work in an appropriate colour to contrast with the children’s writing. (i.e. green, red).
It is also important that some of the more technical aspects of writing should be included into marking – the following are notes to support this aspect. It should be stressed however, that whilst recognising the importance of these, teachers should always keep in mind what the success criteria for the piece of work is.
The following agreed code will be displayed in every classroom so that all childrenare aware of the meanings of the various markings
Codes to use when marking pupils’ work
Code / Use of code in all classes / Recommended Follow upSP / Underline the incorrect spelling. Write-sp- above the incorrect spelling to further identify the error to the pupil. / Teachers may wish to write the correct spelling in the margin or at the end of the work or ask the pupils to find the correct spelling themselves.
^ / Insert symbol where a word has been omitted.
/ Circle to identify missing or incorrect
punctuation.
/ Great vocabulary
! ?( ) / Write this code in the margin next to a section that does not make sense. / Teachers may wish to direct pupilsto correctly copy the sentence atthe end of the piece of work.
√√( ) / Write this code in the margin next to a word or section that is particularly good. / This work may then be read out to the whole class or marked on the ‘WOW words chart’.
St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School (Academy) Swindon,registered in England and Wales under 08132338 , registered office address, Davenwood, Stratton St Margaret Swindon Wiltshire SN2 7LL