ASSESSMENT & REPORTING

Date of Policy:	For Academic Year 2022-23
Date for Review:	August 2023
Lead for Review:	Assistant Head (Academic)

Contents

Contents	2

Preface	3

Overview	3

Objectives	3

Principles of marking and feedback	3

Main Types of Formative Marking and Feedback at Guildhouse	4

In-Depth Teacher Marking	4

Grading of students’ work	6

Appeal against results	8

Plagiarism	8

Frequency of students’ assessment tests	8

Student reports	9

Related Policies	9

Preface

This policy is intended to be a manageable policy on marking that is implemented by all staff, and which is easily understood by all parents, agents, students and other interested parties.

At Guildhouse we are committed to ensuring that all our students receive regular and frequent detailed feedback, both oral and written, to ensure that they are making effective progress towards their targets.

All of our students can expect the following standards:

Frequent, detailed, and accurate feedback in every subject;

Turnaround time of 1 week between student’s submitting homework and receiving it back fully marked with written feedback comments from the teacher;

Written feedback that is legible and written in language that the student can access;

Feedback that shows the student how he/she has made progress against the assessment criteria, strengths of the work created and targets for further improvement;

Feedback that will improve the student’s literacy skills;

Feedback that creates a climate of stretch and challenge, with teachers encouraging creative; solutions and praising process and effort as well as outcomes.

Overview

At Guildhouse we will ensure that students get the maximum benefit from their education through an entitlement to regular feedback from staff.

This will enable them to understand their progress and achievement and apprise them of what they need to do next to improve.

The methods of marking work will be applied consistently throughout the school.

Objectives

To monitor, evaluate and review students’ current stages of progress, and identify their next steps for progress and improvement.

To give students accurate feedback on their progress and achievement.

To promote a positive self-image and growth mind-set for students, in accordance with school aims, and, through this, encourage them to value and take pride in their work.

To celebrate and reward students’ achievement and progress.

To agree and set challenging targets for improvement.

To standardise the marking procedures throughout the school.

To enable students to self-evaluate their work and take responsibility for setting their own targets.

To provide evidence for assessment, recording and reporting.

Principles of marking and feedback

Marking will be against the learning objectives.

Any learning points / misconceptions will be addressed.

Students will have the opportunity to reflect on their feedback and question comments.

There will be an opportunity for the learner to participate in the process so that there is a shared perspective on feedback, marking and target setting.

Marking should be selective, formative, effective and reflective.

Main Types of Formative Marking and Feedback at Guildhouse

In-Depth Teacher Marking

This should result in good quality written feedback and should use the framework of “a strength and a target”. This should be written at the end of the piece of work.

There should be a positive comment which relates to the learning objectives followed by one area where the success criteria was not met / or a suggestion /question to allow opportunity for further progress.

Time should be built into subsequent lessons to allow students to reflect on feedback, review their strengths and areas of development and respond to the feedback they have been given.

Peer and Self-Assessment

This can be a useful activity if done sparingly and in an environment where students have been taught to do it effectively.

Peer and self-assessment can be verified by the teacher, where appropriate.

Verbal Feedback

Verbal feedback is a valuable form of formative feedback. Some faculties may use this type of feedback more frequently because of the nature of their subject.

The importance of individual and whole class oral feedback is recognised but students themselves should record what feedback they have been given.

Reflection Time

As well as providing students with the feedback on the work they have completed and targets for improvement, it is also vital that teachers build into their lesson opportunities for students to act upon this information and advice.

Reflection time is the process of allowing students to reflect/act upon the comments that have been written as feedback. Therefore, ensuring the feedback is being put to use and is supporting the progress of our students, not for their next piece of work but in their lesson.

Reflection time can take as long as a teacher feels necessary. It can form the starter or for longer pieces of work take the whole lesson.

Examples of Reflection

Reflection and responding to precise feedback.

Students using teacher feedback to analyse their own work, question by question improving methodology and accuracy of answer.

Feedback in the form of questions to extend students understanding.

This scaffolds student understanding, step by step, with the expectation that students.

Drafting and proofreading their work with a clear signal that improving their writing and literacy is a crucial expectation of their learning.

In this case marking is about improving extended writing and ensuring students proofread their work automatically.

Keep it focused.

If you simply hand back work to students and tell them to improve it, then the response will invariably be less successful. Students need specific support and to avoid overloading them we need to focus in upon specific improvements to their work.

Model and scaffold.

Models of work with specific strengths or weaknesses are effective in increasing student understanding. Seeing an outstanding exemplar gives students an example of a high standard to reach for with their work. Equally, reviewing a poor example, picking apart its flaws with the teacher, or improving upon a weak example of work also helps scaffold their understanding about what is required to improve their own work.

Targeted feedback.

If students are receiving regular high-quality feedback that is targeted and precise in each of their subject areas then cumulatively they should learn clear patterns regarding how they need to improve in specific subject areas as well as recognising common patterns. Marking is therefore crucial and it also determines teacher planning.

Utilise verbal feedback to support marking.

If we establish a really clear focus for reflection time, with good quality models, scaffolds and targets for improvement, then students should be sufficiently focused to allow the teacher to undertake good quality ‘one to one feedback’ whilst reflection is taking place.

What Constitutes Effective Marking and Feedback? - A useful reflective tool.

Marking for Language Development

Ensure students receive feedback on use of grammar, spelling, punctuation and appropriateness of language (and subject specific language).

Are errors regularly reviewed?

Frequency of marking/Feedback

Examples of in-depth teacher marking as well as other forms of marking within an appropriate period of time

Monitoring of progress

Enables students to track their progress towards their targets (yearly, termly etc.)

Quality of written feedback

Good quality, constructive written feedback

Praise for positive aspects of their work

Students are given an opportunity to respond to the feedback/targets

Verbal feedback. Is there evidence of verbal feedback?

Evidence that students record/respond to verbal feedback

Peer and self-assessment

Train students in how to accurately assess each other's work and their own work and provide fair and helpful feedback

Presentation

Students should demonstrate that they take pride in what they are learning and recording

Tackle poor presentation and organisation appropriately

Grading of students’ work

Common grading principles are used throughout the Guildhouse.

Formal Assessments will receive a percentage and where appropriate, a grade. Otherwise, it is at the discretion of the teacher to decide which work is graded and which may simply have a comment or be marked in another way (discussion with students, peer marking etc.).

By having a focus on percentage scores and teacher comments instead of indicating the grade, this will assist pupils with their reflection and progress to be made. Where a teacher grades a piece of work, grades will be applied in accordance with this policy.

All students have the right to fair and equal access to accurate assessments in accordance with this policy. The school conforms to all relevant areas of the data protection act.

Generally, staff will use grade schemes that match the ones used in the final evaluation.

Most courses use A*-E grades. Assessment grades should take into account the stage of the course the student has reached. They will become more accurate as the course progresses.

Student Agreed Target Grade

This is what a teacher feels the student would attain if they continue working as well as they are now.

Grades awarded will indicate that if a student continues working at their current pace and effort they would attain that grade, based on assessment evidence to date.

The teacher would meet with the student 1:1 during designated points of the academic year to discuss grades achieved to date and agree on a suitable target grade based on the evidence provided.

Grading for most Subjects (A-level, UFP, Pre-Programme & AEM)

Grade	Quick Description	Student action
A*	Outstanding work	The student is secure on their learning and working constantly at this level
A	Excellent work	The student should try to maintain this standard of work
B	Very good work	The work is of a high quality. Certain minor improvements can be made. Student should read any comments carefully
C	Good work	The work has been done well, but points may have been missed. The student should read any comments carefully
D	Fair work	The work is of pass standard, but there are some serious errors or omissions. The student should check their understanding
E	Satisfactory work	The work has just achieved a pass standard. The student should discuss the work with the teacher, and should consider attempting the piece again
U	Unsatisfactory work	The work has not been done to the required standard. The student must discuss the work with the teacher, and must attempt the piece again

Please note these are overall, generic statements in reference to grades. Students will receive more tailored feedback over gradings in specific subject areas of study.

Grading for CAE courses

Students in the school study towards a Cambridge English exam which is assessed on arrival to the school as being applicable to their level through extensive placement testing. Students are equipped with the necessary skills and language (grammar and vocabulary) to pass either the First Certificate in English (FCE) or the Certificate of Advanced English (CAE).

Those students arriving with a level of English that is acceptable for university entry are also offered the opportunity to prepare for the Cambridge Proficiency English exam (CPE) which demonstrates their near native abilities. This exam is held in high esteem by all UK universities.

The Cambridge exam classes prepare our students for university entry and better equip them to be independent in their studies in English. These examinations demonstrate to potential universities that our students are highly capable in their language skills and will give them an advantage over other applicants.

The FCE exam requires the same skill set as the CAE examination and acts as a foundation to the students’ linguistic skills.

The CAE exam whilst a long-standing qualification is now recently accepted by all UK universities and many overseas universities so will provide our students with an up to date and lifelong qualification.

High achieving students in this examination are also awarded extra UCAS points, which further boost their university applications.

In class, we focus on the five components of the examination: grammar and vocabulary, listening, reading, speaking and writing. Appropriate time is taken familiarising the students with each component, exam practice is extensively carried out and the students are provided with the necessary vocabulary and grammatical awareness to successfully pass the exam.

There are exams regularly throughout the year, so that the students have plenty of opportunities to verify their skills.

In the same as subject classes, both the FCE and CAE examinations are marked on an A-C basis, with any grades below a C, not passing the exam. Students are also given a numerical grade which maps onto the Common European Framework of Reference for languages as can be seen above.

Students in the Academic English Programme are assessed against the IELTS criteria.

Appeal against results

Students may appeal against coursework marks awarded, including UFP marks.

The initial appeal is to the Head Master and then the Complaints Policy can be followed and work can be re-marked, where suitable and appropriate.

There is an external moderator who would adjudicate on UFP grading and appeals will be notified to exam boards as appropriate.

Plagiarism

Students are warned about the dangers of this by subject staff, and instances found will be reported to the examination board when appropriate. Please refer to the Academic Honesty Policy.

Frequency of students’ assessment tests

Students are given written assessment tests in each of their academic subjects every half term. These are typically referred to as “cycle tests”.

An assessment is designed to last at least 45-60 minutes and is designed to reflect past exam style questions.

Student reports

Twice a term, teachers write student reports to the parents to provide information on academic achievement, effort, attendance and achievement grades. Copies of these reports are given to students and form the basis of discussions between Personal Tutors and their students.

Subject teachers are responsible for discussing progress, setting targets and providing individual study plans. Students are also encouraged to reflect on their targets and set actions to support their learning and development.

At half-term, students receive a “short” report which consists of a Teacher Predicted Grade, a Student Agreed Target Grade, an Effort Grade and the attendance figures to each subject.

This also includes a PT report.

At the end of term, students receive a “long” report which, as well as including the above, including more qualitative details and comments relating to syllabus covered thus far, teacher comments and student targets.

By the end of the first half term, with regards to the arrival of a new student, a settling-in report is sent to the student’s agent/parent by the Head Master. This will summarise the student’s induction to the school, expectations and plans moving forwards into the next half term.

Thereafter, students will receive the cycle of thin and long reports.

Related Policies

Academic Honesty Policy.