Frant C

							                             Frant C.E. Primary School
                               Policy For Marking
School and Ethos
We believe marking should be developmental, positive, constructive and it should
involve the children whenever possible. We believe marking should be manageable
for the teacher and helpful in the assessment of children's achievements.

Standards to be Achieved
All members of staff should have high expectations of the standards of work that
children produce. They will provide children with clear and constructive comments,
both written and verbal, which help them to think critically about the standard of their
work and improvements they might make.

Implementation
The following marking guidelines have been agreed by teachers at a staff meeting:
1.     Red pen should not be used for marking work as it takes the focus away from
       the children's work;
2.     Children's own comments and opinions will be sought where possible,
       particularly in highlighting success and suggesting improvements;
3.     The focus of marking will change as children move up the school but will
       continually set targets for improvement. As children progress, they will be
       expected to search for and correct more of their own mistakes.
4.     In general, comments including target(s) for improvement will be the
       preferred method of marking. Where grades are used instead, it must be made
       clear whether they refer to effort or attainment. Attainment grades should be
       judged in relation to average expectations for the year group.
5.     Marking should indicate where support has been given in the completion of a
       task.

Subject Specific Marking Guidance
English
Words which are spelt incorrectly will be marked with a wiggly line drawn beneath
them. The teacher may denote all mistakes in this way, but at times, it may be more
appropriate to denote only selected errors. Corrections will be given by the teacher
where this is felt appropriate although as children progress, they will be expected to
find proper spellings and to correct more words for themselves. More able children
should be encouraged to proof-read before submitting work to be marked, using a
dictionary to correct what they can and underlining things they are unsure of.
Mathematics
Correct answers will be ticked. Incorrect answers will be left blank and marked with a
'C' once corrected. Mistakes requiring assistance will be marked "Please see me" or
“Please ask”. Once the teacher has seen the child the comment "Please see me" will
be ticked and dated.
Other Subjects
Comments will concentrate on the subjects’ content and not spellings or other general
issues. The usual wiggly line etc. will highlight spelling mistakes (particularly if they
are of vocabulary specific to the topic being covered) but the focus will be on the
understanding of the subject.
Reviewed by staff;            January 2004
Adopted by governors;         July 2004
Staff Roles and Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of all members of staff to mark work in accordance with this
policy.

Staff Development
Staff development will take place in staff meetings with discussions of issues as they
arise. New staff will have access to the most recent versions of all policies.

Integration and Differentiation
It is essential that we help those pupils with learning difficulties and emotional
problems to experience success and satisfaction in school. A positive approach to
marking will help to ensure this.

See "Special Needs Policy".

Equal Opportunities
See "Equal Opportunities Policy"

Health and Safety
See "Health and Safety Policy"

Resources
Work will be celebrated through display. Stickers, smiley faces and team points may
be used to reward good work. The achievement book will is used in order to celebrate
particular achievements and entries are read out during Friday assemblies.

Assessment and Record Keeping
Marking is an essential element of the assessment and record keeping process. It
helps teachers to make judgements about pupil progress and proves to children and
others that on-going assessment takes place.

See "Policy for Assessment and Record Keeping".

Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed regularly as part of the cycle for policy review
incorporated in the school improvement plan.




Reviewed by staff;            January 2004
Adopted by governors;         July 2004