Inspection Area 3: 3.2 Teaching and assessment
When evaluating the quality of feedback from teachers and other practitioners, inspectors should consider how well verbal and written feedback helps pupils to know how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve. They should evaluate the effectiveness of the feedback that pupils receive about work they have completed online or digitally.
Inspectors will undertake a range of activities to gather evidence for these areas. These may include:
- discussions with teachers and other adults
- scrutiny of school documentation
- learning walks
- conversations with pupils about their work
- observations of learning
- scrutiny of books and of other learning, including online and digital
When evaluating the quality of feedback, inspectors should remember that there are a range of factors that can determine its impact on pupil progress. As such, inspectors should consider:
- is feedback suitable for the age and ability of the pupil?
- is feedback clear, personal and specific?
- does it focus on the elements that are important and relevant?
- is it clear about next steps?
- does it provide helpful guidance on how to improve? (i.e. not just tell pupils when they are wrong)
- is feedback linked helpfully to learning intentions and/or planned outcomes?
- is feedback timely, so as to be useful for future learning?
- do pupils have sufficient opportunity to discuss and/or take action in response to feedback? (NB pupils are unlikely to benefit from feedback unless they have appropriate time to consider and respond)
- is there evidence that pupils have opportunities to address potential improvements at a later stage?
NB. Not all feedback needs to conform to all of the criteria above to be beneficial.
It will also be important for inspectors to consider:
- how well do teachers and other adults teach pupils about how to use feedback, such as through coaching and modelling?
- how well do teachers help pupils develop these skills as they move through the school?
- do pupils receive good quality feedback in all subjects/disciplines and areas of learning?
Inspectors should consider:
- 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
When evaluating the above points, inspectors should consider how well:
- do questions draw pupils towards key understanding and/or increase the level of challenge as lessons proceed?
- does questioning involve all pupils?
- do questions promote thinking, justification and reasoning?
- does questioning reinforce and revisit learning intentions?
- does questioning encourage pupils to speculate and hypothesise?
- does the teacher create an atmosphere of trust where pupils’ answers, opinions and ideas are valued?
- does the classroom environment encourage pupils to listen and respond to each other as well as to the teacher?
- do teachers encourage pupils to ask as well as respond to questions?
- do teachers continually monitor pupils understanding to ensure that they have an accurate understanding of their progress during lessons?
- do teachers adapt learning and teaching in response to questioning and scrutiny of learning as the lesson, or series of lessons, progress? For example, do they use this information to guide the pace of learning and to decide on the most appropriate challenge for pupils?
Inspectors should consider:
- how successfully teachers provide relevant, purposeful opportunities for pupils to assess their own and their peers’ learning
- When considering how successfully teachers provide relevant, purposeful opportunities for pupils to reflect upon their own and their peers learning, inspectors should consider both the opportunities that pupils have and the impact that this has on their learning.
Inspectors should consider:
- whether the purpose for using peer and self-assessment is clear for pupils and staff
- whether the school has well-understood practices for developing pupils’ skills in evaluating their own and other’s learning
- how well teachers and other adults teach pupils about how to assess their own and other’s learning, such as through coaching and modelling
- how well teachers monitor feedback to ensure that pupils benefit from useful advice and are able to make progress as a result
- how well teachers help pupils make choices about how they move their own learning forwards
When evaluating practice, inspectors should consider whether criteria for evaluating learning are clear to enable pupils to have a good understanding of the aims of their work and of what it means to complete it successfully. Teachers may develop and share these criteria, or as pupils develop, they should become increasing involved in developing the criteria themselves.
Inspectors should consider:
- how well the school’s peer and/or self-assessment practices encourage pupils to reflect critically on their own and/or other’s learning and progress
- how effectively pupils identify strengths and areas for development in their own and other’s learning
- how well peer assessment helps pupils to learn from each other
- how well pupils’ understanding and independence in assessing their own learning and that of their peers develop, as they progress
