The document discusses effective marking and feedback strategies in education, emphasizing the importance of providing constructive feedback that positively influences student learning. It highlights research findings on feedback impacts, outlines the role of teachers in marking, and suggests alternatives to traditional marking practices to avoid wasting time. Additionally, it includes educational acronyms and actionable steps for improving feedback mechanisms, specifically focusing on engaging students in the review and response process.

1. EDUCATIONAL ACRONYM: WHAT IT STANDS FOR:
SOW
SIP
DEAR
BTEC
FFT
DFE
SCR
YELLIS
AMUSE-BOUCHE 😐:
How many of
these can you
decipher?!
Answers at the end

2. ‘WHAT HAS THE GREATEST INFLUENCE
ON STUDENT LEARNING?’
Most
effective
(1)
Least
effective
(8)

3. STRATEGY EQUIVALENT GAIN/LOSS IN MONTHS
Feedback + 8 months (very low cost)
Reading comprehension
strategies
+6 months (very low cost)
Homework + 5 months (very low cost)
1:1 Tuition +5 months (high cost)
Behaviour interventions +4 months (moderate cost)
Extending the school day + 2 months (moderate cost)
Setting or streaming -1 (very low cost)
Repeat a school year - 4 months (very high cost)
http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/toolki

4. ‘MEANINGFUL, MANAGEABLE & MOTIVATING’:
Embedding effective marking and feedback
Objectives:
Explore key research
on marking and
feedback (to
determine what
effective and
ineffective practice
looks like)
Introduce ReACT

6. Why do we mark student work? Who are we
marking for?
What is the difference between marking and
feedback?
What does effective look like?
What are the barriers to effective marking &
feedback?
TASK 2: GROUP DISCUSSIONS (5
MINS)

7. WHY DO WE MARK PUPIL WORK?
• To help pupils improve and make progress?
• To build positive relationships?
• To improve standards of work?
• To evaluate our teaching and inform our planning?
• To help pupils to value what they do (they know you’ll read
it…)?
• Because HoDs/school leaders/inspectors/parents expect it
and are holding us to account?
• Because it’s part of the job? Anything

9. MARKING & FEEDBACK:
“Most teacher marking
time is wasted as it does
not lead to rich
learning…”
(Black & William)
Professor Dylan William
Educationalist and Emeritus
Professor of Educational
Assessment, UCL Institute of
Education, FL.
Co-Author of Inside the Black Box

10. MARKING: Research tells us…
“Most teacher marking time is wasted as it
does not lead to rich learning…”
(Black & William):
• The most able students do not receive teacher actions (improvements)
that really stretch them.
• The lowest attaining students often receive that relate to superficial
outcomes such as ‘lovely handwriting’ or ‘you tried really hard…’
• Teacher comments such as ‘well done’ or ‘good work’ are totally
worthless…

11. Professor John Hattie:
What has the
greatest
influence on
student
learning?
TES:
“possibly the world’s most influential
education academic”.

12. An effect-size of
1.0 is typically
associated with:
Improving the rate
of learning by
50%
A two grade leap
in GCSE

13. What does Hattie actually say?
FEEDBACK – one of the most powerful influences on
learning…
BUT this impact can be positive or negative…
Simply providing MORE FEEDBACK is not the answer!
It is necessary to consider:
the nature the timing how pupils’ receive/seek

14. OFSTED & THE ISI
ON
MARKING EXPECTATIONS:

15. OFSTED & THE ISI ON MARKING:
ISI commentary on Part 1, Paragraphs 3
(d, g) and 4 in the Independent School
Standards:
“ISI is minimalist in its approach to this area. In
the quality inspection we would look at outcomes
for pupils, and remark about whether the
marking and feedback is having a positive or
negative contribution to pupils’ progress.
In judging that we would ask pupils. Schools
assess and feedback in many ways… The question
is whether it is helping pupils to make

16. TASK 3: 2 MINUTE READ…
• Read over the summary of the report on marking.
• As you read, think about your own marking of pupil work.
• How does your marking sit against this summary
information?
• Is there anything you want/need to do differently?

17. INEFFECTIVE MARKING:

19. SUCCESS CRITERIA:
• Shape is angular and
accurate, e.g. includes
upper and lower wings,
swallowtails
• Wing pattern is detailed
and lifelike
• Use of colour is accurate
DRAWING A BUTTERFLY!
SIMPLE MARK SCHEME:
L3 All of the above
L2 Most of the above
L1 Some of the above

21. SUCCESS CRITERIA:
• Shape is angular and
accurate, e.g. includes
upper and lower wings,
swallowtails
• Wing pattern is detailed
and lifelike
• Use of colour is accurate
SIMPLE MARK SCHEME:
L3 All of the above
L2 Most of the above
L1 Some of the above

22. “RON BERGER: Austin’s Butterfly”
Ron Berger – Expeditionary Learning – advocate of better
assessment
Think: how might you apply this technique in your subject?
What might be the downsides or disadvantages?

25. MARKING & FEEDBACK
Guiding Principles:
1. Is it manageable, meaningful,
motivating?
2. Is it having a positive impact on
pupil learning, progress,

26. MEANINGFUL, MANAGEABLE, MOTIVATING
Meaningful: marking varies by age group, subject, and what works best for the pupil and
teacher in relation to any particular piece of work. Teachers are encouraged to adjust their
approach as necessary and trusted to incorporate the outcomes into subsequent planning
and teaching.
Manageable: marking practice is proportionate and considers the frequency and complexity
of written feedback, as well as the cost and time-effectiveness of marking in relation to the
overall workload of teachers. This is written into any assessment policy.
Motivating: Marking should help to motivate pupils to progress. This does not mean always
writing in-depth comments or being universally positive: sometimes short, challenging
comments or oral feedback are more effective. If the teacher is doing more work than their
pupils, this can become a disincentive for pupils to accept challenges and take responsibility
for improving their work.

27. “…Change all the language around
marking to feedback. Make it clear that
only specific pieces of work will be
teacher marked.
Keep the marking lean and very
selective. Introduce whole-class
feedback as the default method
replacing teacher (red) pen in books…
Remember, the learning impact of
marking is very, very low. If your main
reason for maintaining an intense
marking culture is parental expectations,
TOM
SHERRINGTON
Former headteacher, educational
consultant, blogger, author: ‘The
Learning Rainforest’

28. …DIRT Time, MAD Time, FIT
Time, Purple Pen of
Progress, Verbal Feedback
Stamps…

29. ReACT Time
YELLOW BOX

30. ReACT Pupil work is collected in for feedback and
specific pieces of work are targeted.
When returned, all pupils are given 10-15
minutes to review and reflect on any feedback
provided – written/verbal/whole class, 1:1…
They must then ACT on this.
A YELLOW BOX indicates where they should do
this.
ReACT Time provides the opportunity for you to
circulate and provide precise instruction…
YELLOW
BOX

31. Class:
Piece of Work:
Date:
Misconceptions:
What do I need to draw attention to with the
whole class:
Student information:
Further praise:
Work reviewed: Missing book:
Missing/incomplete Work:
Not engaged with the last ReACT:
Sp – spelling error
P- missing/incorrect punctuation
G- grammatical error
Syn- use alternative word
//- new paragraph needed
Marking Mat
Misspelled key words:
WHOLE CLASS
FEEDBACK

32. •Not a prescriptive ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach –
find what works best for you and your subject – written
comments, short or challenge questions, oral feedback, whole
class feedback, 1:1 discussion, find-and-correct or dot marking
etc…
•But the pupils must have the opportunity to
review, redraft, reflect, respond etc. as
appropriate.
•The onus must be on the pupils to be working
harder than we are.

34. WHAT NOW?
Focus on YEAR 9:
1. Build in 10-15 minutes of ReACT Time into lessons
when specific/identified pieces of work have been marked.
2. Use yellow highlighter and YELLOW BOX to provide
guidance to pupils – approximate size of response required
– as to how they may improve their work. Ensure this is
followed up as work is returned. ReACT tasks can be given
as Prep.
POINTS 1 & 2 ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE… but do find
opportunities to discuss different ways to provide effective
feedback with department and other colleagues.

37. EDUCATIONAL ACRONYM: WHAT IT STANDS FOR:
SOW Scheme of Work
SIP School Improvement Plan
DEAR Drop Everything and Read
BTEC Business and Technology Education
Council
FFT Fischer Family Trust
DFE Department for Education
SCR Single Central Record
YELLIS Year Eleven Information System