Salendine Nook

High School

Whole School
Marking Policy

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AIM:

To ensure that all students have their work marked in such a way that it
improves their learning and builds self esteem.

OBJECTIVES:

To enable written feedback to be an effective tool for promoting learning for all
Salendine Nook High School pupils.
To develop an interactive process that confirms when students are on the right
track and lets them know what needs to be done to improve and make
progress.
To prompt all students to respond to the written feedback given by the teacher.

RATIONALE:

Salendine Nook High School recognises that teachers’ marking of students’

progress and attainment and students’ assessment are central functions in the
learning process. The focus of written feedback is on helping students gain a
clear understanding of how well they have gained knowledge, concepts and
skills and then explaining what needs to be done to meet the learning
objectives. It is then essential that the student is prompted to improve their
learning.

Marking is most effective when pupils know:

 The purpose of the task;
 How far they have achieved this
 How to move closer towards the goal of their learning

Marking and the implementation of this policy is the responsibility of all

teachers. Parents, governors, support staff and other agencies will be involved
in the outcomes of written feedback.

EXPECTATIONS:

Teachers are expected to ensure that:

 Pupils’ work is marked on a 1-4 scale for effort, with one being for
outstanding work, 2 being for good work, 3 for satisfactory work and 4 for
unsatisfactory work.

 These grades are linked to the PB system.

1 issued with 2 credits
2 issued with 1 credit
3 no credit
4 no credit

 An ‘improvement’ comment is given linked to knowledge and

understanding, literacy, subject skills or attitude to learning. If it is
appropriate for a level or grade to be given, this should be included in the
comment. If it is appropriate, a comment should be made on how to
progress to a higher level or grade.

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  The criteria are displayed in every classroom – based on the school’s
AtoL 1-4 ensuring consistency between staff and these displays will be in
colour with 4 being in red to show that it is unacceptable to achieve a 4.

1 – Outstanding. You have gone above and beyond the set task.
2 – Good. You have made a pleasing effort with all parts of this task.
3 – Satisfactory. You have completed all the basic parts of the task.
4 – Unsatisfactory. You haven’t put enough effort into completing this
task.

 They mark work & give written feedback to pupils. The number of marked
pieces of homework will depend on how many lessons a pupil has for
that subject. The departmental marking policy will state how regularly
work is marked per half term.

 Spelling corrections should be given where appropriate, especially in

relation to key subject words.

Heads of Department are expected to ensure that:

 the departmental marking policy enables the Whole School Marking

Policy to be effectively implemented;
 the impact of the departmental marking policy is monitored by conducting
termly book reviews
 there are planned opportunities within departmental meeting time each
term to moderate key assessment activities to ensure consistency
 students and teachers have easy access to level and grade descriptors
that are understood by all students.
 the marking within the department motivates students and has a positive
impact on self esteem.

The Leadership Team are expected to ensure that:

 through curriculum focus the implementation of the Whole School

Marking Policy is monitored
 they evaluate the implementation of the policy and provide diagnostic
feedback on how formative marking across the school can be further
developed.

THE REVIEW OF THE ASSESSMENT POLICY

The school’s assessment policy was agreed in . An evaluation of

the policy will be carried out in January 2010 and a full review undertaken in
January 2012.