This document provides tips on how to create impactful marking to improve student learning. It discusses the importance of feedback and outlines several focuses or best practices for marking, including using strengths and improvements, allocating response time, providing timely feedback, tailoring the amount and method of feedback to students, communicating to the intended audience, addressing specific contents, allowing for comparison, describing the function of feedback, maintaining positivity, setting high expectations, addressing literacy, and incorporating peer and self-assessment as well as verbal feedback. The overall goal is to provide feedback that empowers students and motivates them to make progress in their learning.

1. S.I.R Marking with Outstanding Impact
Chalfonts Community College
Tips on How to Create an Impact with your Marking!

2. Why is feedback so important?
Feedback is the most powerful, yet, most under used motivation
tool that we have at our disposal.
Effective feedback allows students to independently make
progress and help sign post their next learning steps .
Effective feedback motivates and allows opportunity for 1:1
teacher dialogue with students.
We should be using feedback :
 To identify the strengths and development of learning.
 To create dialogue between the student, teachers and other adults.
 To create an evidence base of learning and progress over time.
 To address misconceptions of learning.
 To praise and acknowledge good work and effort.
 To EMPOWER and MOTIVATE all learners for a successful future!

3.  I have written valuable strengths and improvements in all students’ books using the
SIR guidance.
 I have used the CCC Literacy Marking Codes to correct spelling, punctuation and
grammar.
 I have planned opportunities into lessons for students to respond to marking.
 I have planned opportunities for peer and self assessment into my lessons.

4. FOCUS: Improvements
Purpose:
To create a dialogue between teacher, learners and other adults.
Examples of Improvements
Use positive language that is encouraging… i.e. I really like the way you have……
perhaps you could try……I wonder what would happen if…
Be constructive and concise- one development point might be enough for the
student.
Set your expectations out in the improvements or in response time – how much do
you want them to write? Is one sentence enough to make a difference? Or do students
need to extend their ideas further?
Return to the improvement and offer feedback. Have the students met your
expectation and are ready for a new challenge? Do they need to complete this again
because it hasn’t had an impact?
Strength, Improvement, Response MARKING AND
FEEDBACK
Impact of Improvements:
Improvements inform the students about what is missing from their work. The improvements
should assist students and should impact on the end result in a summative assessment.

5. FOCUS: Response Time
Purpose:
To ensure students have sufficient time to respond to improvements in a focused
environment. ‘Fix it Time’ or ‘DIRT’ (directed improvement and reflection time).
Examples of Response Time
Allocate 15 – 20 minutes at the start of a lesson every 2 – 3 weeks which is dedicated
to responding to improvements. Explain to the task the importance of this task and
what impact it can have on their learning.
Set responses for homework and make the expectation clear – how long should they
spend on this and how much should they do. Homework should then be checked to
ensure the expectations have been fulfilled.
Strength, Improvement, Response
Impact of Response Time:
Students understand the importance of quality responses and edits because specific
time is allocated to this. Students should complete this in silence so they are able to
personally make progress in their learning.
MARKING AND
FEEDBACK

6. FOCUS: Timely Feedback
Purpose:
For feedback to be timely, it must be purposeful. Students should receive feedback whilst their
learning is still clear in their mind and while there is still time for them to act on it.
Examples of Feedback
Return work the next lesson, with structured SIR feedback. This way the learning is still fresh in
their mind and the responses will have more impact.
Immediate verbal feedback to questions of fact or of misunderstanding. (Students could write
this into their books i.e. ‘Mr Bloggs said…’ or ‘VF’ and record your comments)
Pickup on a selection of predetermined errors: to include spelling and grammatical errors , as well
as correct content - so that misconceptions are dealt with promptly but students aren’t
overwhelmed.
Providing post it notes which give immediate feedback during a lesson.
Response time is built into learning for students to comment on marking the day they receive
their feedback .
Strength, Improvement, Response MARKING AND
FEEDBACK
Impact of Good Timing :
Students are able to use feedback effectively to develop their work, at a point that is
relevant to the development of their class or home learning.

7. FOCUS: Amount
Purpose:
To give feedback that is succinct and directs students to improve and progress.
Examples of Feedback
Identify one clear improvement that you want the student to focus on. Be clear on
what the action will look like and how the student will achieve it. Pick things that
will make a difference.
Use questions to get the students to focus on a specific area of learning. Promote
high order thinking by modelling the use of high order questions.
Differentiate the amount of feedback you give, ensuring that it is specific to the
learning needs of the individual i.e. reading age , level of challenge needed.
Label strengths and improvements clearly and use green highlighters to show
student response.
Strength, Improvement, Response
Impact of Sufficient Amounts of Feedback :
Students will receive a manageable amount of feedback that they can easily respond
to and action.
MARKING AND
FEEDBACK

8. FOCUS: Method
Purpose:
To meet individual student needs through differentiated feedback.
Examples of Feedback
Feedback can be given in a variety of different ways and not just from you the teacher. Try out
self and peer assessment methods alongside use of verbal feedback. One idea is to simply place
a colour dot by the work you would like developed or corrected. Students then know to develop
one specific area before moving on. Use success criteria to support students when peer or self
assessing work and label PA or SA clearly.
Model what you want to be done or how something should look so students can clearly see
what is expected of them. Use other students’ work rom a parallel classes or within the same
class. This “grade gallery” will allow students to visualise what the product will look like.
Use verbal feedback to convey lengthy information, ask the students to distil the information
that you give them in written format. This can be first completed on a whiteboard or post it
note. Use the symbol VF in books so this feedback is clear.
Strength, Improvement, Response
Impact of Method:
Feedback is given in manageable chunks to suit the learning needs of the student i.e.
their progress level, reading age etc. This personalising their learning.
MARKING AND
FEEDBACK

9. FOCUS: Audience
Purpose:
To communicate, through feedback, that the student and their learning is valued.
Examples of Good Audience Feedback
Feedback should be specific to individual student and their specific needs. All
students in the class should not have the exact same feedback.
Give group feedback when there is a similarity to the amendments that need
to be made to student work. You can use target sheets / success criteria to
help with this.
Student names should be used in written feedback i.e. ‘Well done Zoe, you
have really focused on ….’
Strength, Improvement, Response
Impact of Audience:
Feedback reassures the learner that the feedback is specific to them and their needs
in order to progress. You have taken time to feedback; they take time to respond.
MARKING AND
FEEDBACK

10. FOCUS: Contents
Purpose:
To address the person, the objectives of the learning, the effort and the solutions to sustain
progress.
Examples of Feedback
Feedback about the task or objective e.g. (S) You have achieved our overall objective
to… (I) To move forwards you now need to complete the challenge to…
Feedback about the processing of the task e.g. (S) You have understood the content
(I) but you have not analysed the evidence.
Feedback about specific actions
Feedback that addresses effort.
Feedback that is solution focused but also offers choice i.e. what would happen if….
Strength, Improvement, Response
Impact of Sufficient Contents:
Students clearly understand why they have completed the task, they know what they personally
have done well and they understand what they need to do as a next step. Students have
sufficient information to enable them to respond to teacher feedback, showing that they
understand what they have been asked to do.
MARKING AND
FEEDBACK

11. FOCUS: Comparison
Purpose:
For students to be able to compare their work with curriculum, exam criteria, past
performance or with the work with peers.
Examples of Feedback
Compare work to curriculum or exam criteria e.g. modelling, demonstrating,
explaining. Students can extend this by peer or self assessing their own work after
seeing a exemplar from an exam board.
Encourage a reluctant student who has improved, but may not have reached target
to take those extra steps. They can use the model provided as a guide to how to
close the gap in their achievement.
Strength, Improvement, Response
Impact of Comparison:
Students will have a benchmark for their learning, this will motivate and encourage
students to have high expectations of themselves and lead to progress.
MARKING AND
FEEDBACK

12. FOCUS: Function
Purpose:
To describe the work of the student i.e. what you see, how close to the learning
target they are and what you think will help them improve.
Examples of Feedback
Identify strengths and weaknesses.
Explain what you see in the work.
Be specific about what will make a difference e.g. to
achieve the learning objective you need to…
Strength, Improvement, Response MARKING AND
FEEDBACK
Impact of Function:
Students feel that you have looked at their work thoroughly, they are aware of what
they have done well and what they need to do to improve. They understand how
much they have learnt during a lesson.

13. FOCUS: Positivity
Purpose:
To use positive comments that inspire and empower the learners, describing what
has been done well and how they might improve.
Examples of Positive Feedback
Use positive language that will encourage… i.e. ‘I really like the
way you have…’, ‘I wonder what would happen if…’
Give helpful insights.
Make suggestions rather than being prescriptive. E.g. To improve
this further, perhaps you might want to try…
Strength, Improvement, Response MARKING AND
FEEDBACK
Impact of Positivity:
Empowers students to try harder next time, to address areas of weakness and to
remain focus on achieving their desired goal. Understanding their strengths should
motivate them on to further success.

14. FOCUS: High Expectations
Purpose:
Have high expectations of students’ first drafts and re-drafts in the SIR process to
ensure that students are always handing in their ‘best’ work.
Examples of High Expectations
Set clear guidelines on how much you want the students to complete in a
response. Will one sentence have an impact on their achievement?
Set high expectations regarding the environment responses are completed in
to ensure students are focused.
Ensure students check and proof read their work before handing it in for
feedback. Careless errors and unfinished work should be picked up upon;
make the students amend this before you give feedback.
Strength, Improvement, Response MARKING AND
FEEDBACK
Impact of High Expectations:
Students complete all tasks to a high standard and rely on themselves to proof read
and check work before waiting for feedback from their teacher.

15. FOCUS: Literacy
Purpose:
To ensure all teachers are teachers of Literacy and the students understand the
importance of good literacy in all subject areas.
Examples of Literacy Marking
Use the Literacy Marking Code to identify errors and then get students to
correct them and highlight changes in green.
Students should correct spelling errors and re-write these three times.
Ensure students check and proof read their work before handing it in for
feedback. Careless literacy errors should be changed by the students; remind
them of previous literacy targets before they hand work in so progress is
evident.
Strength, Improvement, Response MARKING AND
FEEDBACK
Impact of Literacy Marking:
Students make progress with their writing abilities which benefits all examination
subjects and SPG. Students leave school equipped with the skills required for life.

17. Inadequate RI Good Outstanding
Presentation
 Blue/ black ink
 Underlining date &
title
 Graffiti free
 Lines drawn with
rulers
Teachers do not have
sufficiently high or consistent
expectations of pupils resulting
in poor presentation
Teachers do not have sufficiently high
or consistent expectations of pupils
resulting in some students not
presenting their work to an acceptable
standard
Teachers have high expectations of
pupils with regard to presentation.
Work is consistently meeting the
requirements of the CCC presentation
policy.
All adults have consistently high expectations of
all pupils resulting in work being presented to a
very high standard. The presentation of some
work will demonstrate creativity and
individuality whilst still meeting high
expectations.
Marking / Marking code
 Every 2 weeks core,
every 3 weeks non-
core
 CCC literacy marking
code is used
Work is not marked regularly.
Marking has no impact on
progress.
Marking is regular, but an insufficient
range of codes are used therefore
literacy is not being addressed. Marking
has a limited impact on progress.
Regular marking, using a range of codes
and is having an impact on the progress
of most pupils. Literacy errors are
corrected by the students.
Marking is precise and a range of codes are used
effectively. Marking is frequent and has a
significant impact on the progress pupils make.
Students are clearly making progress in literacy.
Improvement Comments
 Relate to LO/ success
criteria / individual
targets
 Precise direction for
next steps
Improvement comments are
not evident or not well matched
to pupils’ level of attainment.
Next steps are unrealistic.
Improvement comments are mainly
related to LOs but lack precision. Next
steps are not clear enough for pupils to
understand and act on.
Improvement comments enable most
pupils to know their exact next steps.
Improvements are well matched to
pupils.
Improvement comments are always precise and
very well matched to pupils needs.
Pupil Responses
 Regular
 Planned
 Relevant
 Highlighted in green
There is no evidence that pupils
have had the opportunity to
respond to marking and so the
progress is slow.
Pupils have some opportunities to
respond to marking. The pupil
responses are not always relevant to
the comments therefore there is
limited progress over time.
Pupils have regular opportunities to
respond to improvement comments.
Their response is relevant and
demonstrates that they have
understood what is required and made
progress as a result.
There is an on-going regular dialogue between
the adults and pupils that is precisely focused on
next steps. This demonstrates that students
have made significant progress over time.
Range and Appropriateness
of Work
 Wide range of work
 Differentiation
 Appropriate quantity
There is limited variety of work
and activities are not well
matched to student’s individual
needs. The quantity of work is
insufficient.
There is a range of work and activities
are matched to pupil’s needs. The
quantity of work for most of the
students is adequate.
There is a good range of work and
activities that are well matched to all
students in the group. The quantity of
work is good for all pupils.
There is a broad range of work and activities are
exceptionally well matched to the needs of all
pupils. The quantity of work is better than
expected for all students.
Peer and Self-Assessment &
Verbal Feedback
 Structured and
supported by the
teacher
 Moderated
There is no evidence of
structured peer or self-
assessment or verbal feedback.
Verbal feedback has been used but
there is no evidence of reflection or
impact. Peer or self-assess is evident
but is not used in conjunction with a
structured success criteria so has little
impact. PA or SA is not moderated by
the teacher.
PA, SA and VF is well supported and
structured by the teachers. Students
record their VF and there is evidence
they are responding to this.
PA, SA and VF is planned for and supported and
moderated by the teacher. Students are
successfully equipped to reflect on their own or
other’s work. There is evidence that this
feedback is having an impact of student
progress.