This supplementary guidance has been drafted to support inspectors in evaluating formative assessment and pupils’ attitude towards, and understanding of, the feedback that they receive on their learning.
From September 2021, guidance ‘What we inspect’ for maintained schools and PRUs includes reference to pupils’ attitude towards, and understanding of, their role in formative feedback. It identifies in inspection area 2 (2.2 Attitudes to learning) that:
Inspectors should consider:
- how well pupils understand and respond to feedback from adults and their peers
- how effectively pupils use feedback to move their learning forward
This complements the guidance in inspection area 3 (3.2 Teaching and assessment), that sets out a range of classroom-based practices that inspectors must consider, including:
- the quality and effectiveness of feedback that pupils receive
- the extent to which teachers develop pupils’ thinking and understanding through skilful questioning and monitoring of pupils’ learning
- how effectively teachers and other practitioners respond to pupils’ learning during lessons and activities and adapt their approach accordingly
- how successfully teachers provide relevant, purposeful opportunities for pupils to assess their own and their peers’ learning
- When evaluating these areas, inspectors should note that we have no preferred methodology that schools should adopt. Teachers and other adults may use a range of different approaches over time. The key consideration is whether practice is successful in supporting all pupils to make effective progress.
Under inspection area 3 (3.2 Teaching and assessment), inspectors evaluate and report on the quality of the feedback that teachers provide, and how successfully teachers provide relevant, purposeful opportunities for pupils to assess their own and their peers’ learning. However, a significant aspect of any assessment and feedback approach is the quality and strength of pupils’ responses to the feedback. For feedback to beneficial to learning, it is important that pupils understand how to receive and use feedback appropriately, and appreciate their own active role in the feedback process, relevant to their age and ability.
Inspectors should note that feedback can take a range of different forms that should be chosen purposefully, such as written feedback (in the form of marking) and/or verbal feedback. It may come from teachers and support staff or be the result of peer and/or self-assessment. High quality feedback should be an integral part of effective school-wide teaching and assessment practices.