At BMS we take marking and feedback very seriously and see it as a powerful tool to drive up progress. Research shows that if we get our marking and feedback right we can add up to 3 months additional learning and progress each year – resulting in better qualifications for students over time.

Telling students where they are at, what next steps they need to take next and then providing them with Dedicated Improvement and Reflection Time (DIRT) in lessons and encouraging them to use their Purple Pens of Progress to redraft work is key.

In our second Marking and Feedback Fortnight of the year (starting after the February half term) we will be focussing on Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies in the classroom but also providing time for colleagues to mark work including the Pre Public Examinations that are taking place around that time.

Senior Advanced Lead Teacher Miss Pattni and Advanced Lead Teacher and Sixth Form Leader Mr Harris highlighted the next Marking and Feedback Fortnight in our Staff Briefing earlier this week. They provided two examples of powerful AfL strategies that they use to support their own marking and feedback:

Live Marking (providing instant feedback in lessons and captured through green pen marking or on an orange verbal feedback sticker)

and the use of an

Assessment Crib Sheet which helps to capture trends found in any marking cycle; the trends discovered can then inform the next level of planning to address misconceptions and build on knowledge already gained.