Target Setting in the Primary Classroom

Target Setting in the Primary Classroom

This set of guidelines has been compiled using knowledge of existing good practice in the WELB and using recommended good practice as a result of research.

Why Set Targets?

In most primary classrooms targets will be encountered in one form or another.

They appear on walls, on cards, in children’s books, in teachers’ planning …

Primary Schools are required to:

set annual end of key stage targets for pupils’ attainment in Literacy and Numeracy at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2,

produce targets for pupils with special educational needs in their Individual Education Plans.

This culture of target setting is firmly rooted in the DE’s conviction that standards of attainment in schools can be raised by the deliberate concentration of energy and resources on improved outcomes which are identifiable, measurable, challenging and achievable. However ………..

Albert Einstein

A common understanding of good practice indicates that teachers should produce interim targets for children’s learning, and share these targets openly with the children in a variety of ways that will be meaningful for them.

In particular underachieving children should be targeted to close ‘gaps’ of underachievement and to ensure that all children achieve their full potential.

All pupils are entitled to the NI curriculum - a rich, broad, balanced and flexible curriculum which is relevant to their needs and aspirations.

They are also entitled to the opportunity to achieve levels of success at school which are commensurate with their potential and prepare them for adult life.

It may not necessarily be possible to set quantifiable targets for children’s achievement in every part of the curriculum.

Nevertheless, the judicious use of targets for individual pupils, classes and year groups can help to focus energy and resources on raising standards in critical areas of school life.

Targets for improvement which are well informed, realistic and challenging can support children, staff and parents as they work together.

Target setting in the classroom can:

focus the teacher’s attention and effort on clearly defined priorities for children’s learning and progress;

help children to have a clear idea of what they need to do to improve their work and achieve high personal standards;

help parents know what they can do to support their children’s learning;

enable teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching strategies.

What are the benefits of target setting in the classroom?

improved standards – an embedded culture of target setting will improve standards in Literacy and Numeracy in the long term;

effective peer and self-assessment takes place which encourages an independent approach to learning;

highly motivated children who enjoy working towards targets;

liaison with parents with review procedures in place so that further targets can be set;

easier report writing, since teachers feel that through the target setting process they know their children much better.

If target setting is to be effective all these

people will be working together.

What Makes Effective Target Setting?

Target setting in the primary classroom will be effective if:

analysis of children’s performance and achievements is ongoing from the beginning of the Foundation Stage to the end of Key Stage1/2;

teachers are clear about why target setting is effective in raising standards;

target setting is connected to planning for learning;

target setting derives from good formative assessment (AfL) i.e. marking provides clear indication of the next steps for improvement;

marking comments provide an ongoing record of children’s progress and are part of the school’s record keeping system;

targets are displayed in a variety of ways and made accessible to children;

targets are understood by children and are in ‘child-speak’ criteria;

there is support and differentiation to assist children to meet their target(s);

strategies used are a development of existing practice rather than ‘bolted on’;

children are involved in self-assessment and encouraged to review their own achievements;

targets are reviewed after a specific time-scale;

there is recognition that target setting for improvement has cross-curricular implications;

teachers are aware that too much emphasis on target setting can be de-motivating for children and unmanageable for the teacher.

Target setting with the whole class will be effective when:

expectations for the whole class are agreed and shared -

at the start of the year,

at the start of the term,

at the start of a unit of work,

at the start of lessons - targets or learning intentions;

targets are time-related and progress towards an end-point; a reward/goal;

targets that have been achieved are maintained … a target that has been achieved may need an occasional reminder in order to avoid regression;

a reward system is incorporated (stamps, stickers, choice of activity etc.);

for attitudinal and behavioural targets there is a development of children’s awareness of the impact of their actions;

the targets are appropriate for the majority of children;

all staff members/adults within the school support the strategies that are in place (e.g. dinner time supervisors, teachers, teaching assistants, regular visitors to the school).

Target setting with groups of children will be effective when:

teachers differentiate for groups when planning for teaching and learning so that children know and understand the learning intentions and success criteria;

children know and understand the purpose of the learning intentions and success criteriawhen involved in self/peer assessment;

interaction/peer assessmenttakes place, since sharing and discussion can have a very positive impact;

the teacher has modelled the strategies used to develop children’s confidence in their own involvement in the group tasks;

resources are well managed;

learning is shared within the plenary session;

response times to marking and feedback are built into the structure of the sessions;

group targets are shared with children working together to achieve a target;

children are made aware of the steps they need to take to improve their learning;

groups of children working towards a target are guided and supported as appropriate;

teachers are able to save time by setting shared group targets.

Target setting with individual children will be working well if:

individual children are made aware of both the teachers’ expectations and the need to improve their learning that builds on prior attainment;

individual targets are reviewed after a specific time-scale;

marking provides a clear indication of ways forward and feedback about targets achieved;

marking is alongside the child wherever possible and is both verbal and written;

both verbal and written language used is easily understood by children and parents.

Peer and self-assessment, with time allowed for discussion, are highly effective strategies for both the most and the least able children.

STRATEGIES USED

Target cards are one successful method for helping pupils to understand next steps/ways forward.

This example shows a grid that is completed over a period of time (4 occasions in this case) Alternatives to the smiley faces could be used, or the child could simply colour in the squares.

My Target Card
Name:Jenny Simpson
I have to remember my finger spaces.
I need to sit my letters on the lines.
My letters need to be the right size. /

Hitting the target!

02/10/09
31/10/09

Targets may be written in pupils’ books/ diaries. The advantage of this is that the pupil/teacher and parent are involved. These can be very effective but it is important to consider the number of targets and how often they are given.

Targets are often written at the start of lessons - the learning intentions. Children are then expected to assess the outcome of their work/learning at the end of the session. Marking systems should provide feedback that shows the child the next steps (s)he needs to take in order to make improvements.
Blank laminated white cards can be used for table groups in a similar way to a whiteboard on the wall. They can be wiped clean at the end of the session/day etc. and re-used continually.

This is an example of marking that includes both written feedback relating to the learning intention and a target for the next step forward.

This is an example where individual target cards are being used effectively.

Target cards may be introduced that specify e.g.5 targets for the term for each pupil, or there may be several targets identified, to be met over an agreed time-scale with a review built in during the term.

Target Bookmarks - common individual targets are for helping children understand what they need to do to improve their written work. Often ‘target bookmarks’ are kept inside the writing book and children are encouraged to refer to their individual target whilst they are writing (See Appendix 1 - Improving writing)

Stickers. The target setting process can be developed alongside the existing systems. It can provide stickers for achievements in all areas of school life.

Interactive displays. These can be used to demonstrate standards and encourage children in self-assessment. At the start of the academic year, children could write their own individual mission statements which could relate to what they want to, or hope to, achieve… could be reviewed on a termly basis.

Wall displays for younger children have been found to be effective with examples provided for reference.

Behavioural targets Sometimes class, group and individual targets relate to some area of school life e.g. moving from the playground to the classroom as sensibly as possible, working quietly and co-operatively in a group situation. Individual targets are often set for a child whose behaviour is causing concern, and this often has an impact on learning.

Reward systems are used successfully when children have reached targets and individual schools have developed these in accordance with school policy.

The manageability of target setting is obviously an important issue for teachers. What works well in one school won’t necessarily work well in another…

Teachers are full of good ideas and are constantly thinking of ways that make systems more manageable, more effective and less time-consuming.

Assessment for Learning is recognised as central to the target setting process andhas replaced the older term 'formative assessment'. The notion of a 'gap' between the child's current performance and the desired standard is recognised. Effective feedback from teachers enables children to 'close the gap'.

The following views were shared by teachers about the effect target setting in the classroom had on children’s learning:

Standards improve. There are improvements in children’s work, particularly the work of the underachieving above average and average children;

Children are taking more responsibility for their learning;

Children are able to self-assess/evaluate more effectively;

Children are more motivated and can see the next step/target more clearly and are keen to ‘get there’;

Children are more focussed in their learning and there has been a raising of expectations;

Target setting has led to more verbal feedback and discussion with pupils;

When a target or learning intention is shared and discussed, children are more focussed on the purpose of the activities;

Children are more aware of the criteria associated with levels, particularly in literacy. Some have attained higher levels partly as a result of understanding the requirements and through reaching targets.

A LEARNING CULTURE

Valuing children’s individual strengths and weaknesses is embedded in the culture and ethos of all primary schools.

Combining this with the DE’s commitmentto raising standards through the use of end of key stage data and benchmarking will ensure improved standards for all and an achievement of targets from individual class/ pupil targets to NI strategic targets.

There needs to be a variety of approaches to target setting, according to the culture, ethos and needs of each individual school.

Target setting should have a positive impact on children’s learning. As teachers become more focussed about targets within their planning, teaching and learning in the classroom will become increasingly effective and standards will improve.

Appendix 1- sample sheet for target bookmarks/ sticky labels.

Name…………………………………………

Class………………………………………………

Date completed……………………………. / I need to remember
letter strings and spelling
rules.
I should use more interesting words. / Tall letters must be the right
size and some letters need to
‘hang’ below the line.
I must not mix capital letters
with small letters. (Like B when it
should be b) baBy baby / I need to think more
carefully about what I
am going to write.
I want people to enjoy
reading my writing. / I need to put in more
interesting details.
I should be able to have a go
at spelling most words on my own. / My handwriting should be
very neat.
I need to organise my writing
and use my imagination. / I need to join up my
handwriting.
I should think about who might
be reading my work when I write it. / I need to use speech marks
and commas.
I need to write longer sentences
and join them with words like
‘meanwhile’, ‘later’, ‘however’,
‘but suddenly’ / I must check my spellings.
I must read my work through
to make sure it makes sense.