Progress in your lesson v Progress over time

We are all aware of the progress that we must demonstrate within lessons when being observed. Catchy starters, mini plenaries, check points, HoQ, group work etc all allow us to demonstrate our skills as a teacher. However in order to demonstrate progress over time we must ensure our marking and feedback is completed effectively to a very high standard. With the Book Scrutiny taking place on Thursday 6^th March this is a good time to start reflecting on how well your notebooks/folders/assessments demonstrate the progress over time your students are making. Please be aware:-

·       Staff should have in school all notebooks/folders/assessments etc. An excuse of starting a new book with nothing else to show will result in an inadequate grading. There is still a week to get all books back in.

·      I am aware a few departments allow for old notebooks and assessments to go home and not return. If OFSTED were to come in, these departments /staff would not be able to evidence progress over time and this would result in a poor grading. Data is not sufficient on its own to evidence progress over time. From this point, please keep all work in a folder with the students name. Practical subjects may evidence work in a different format. Please ask your DOL for further guidance.

·      The pie chart below demonstrates what OFSTED will be looking for when you are observed. As you can see the lesson itself only counts as 25%, with greater importance being placed on the students, data and evidence.

·       If you do not mark and feedback to an appropriate standard, you cannot and do not know your class. Thus your teaching is ineffective and will be graded as such. Data sheets and lesson plans are a tool to help your observer understand your context. It does not demonstrate that you know your class. Only your marking and feedback demonstrates this.

·       Evidence of marking and feedback in books/folders is the limiting factor for Teaching and Learning. Please be mindful of this.

     This comes from ZAL and can be found in the T&L Bulletin.