The Feedback Edition Volume 4

The Journal of the Hatton Teaching School Alliance

RPS AND RESEARCH –

Working together, researching together; creating and sustaining excellence together

Journal of the Hatton Teaching School Alliance Message from the editors:

Feedback is one of the most time consuming, but important aspects of a teacher’s professional life. Feedback is also the aspect of teaching that research can have a substantial impact on. Earlier in my career, I followed marking policies without questions, having endless conversations with pupils in books and writing comments as long as the assessments themselves! Now, it appears that the tide is turning and it feels as though there is a change in the air away from large amounts of teacher writing that looks effective and moving towards strategies that support teacher workload and pupil progress, which are effective. Dylan William tells us that good feedback causes thinking and that helps learners to understand their mistakes and improve next time. In some ways, schools have forgotten this basic principal of feedback and I passionately hope that a more research focused approach in schools will bring us back to this central purpose. This edition of the journal explores different aspects of feedback, our guest writings are Nikki Kai- ser and Mark Enser, who have kindly allowed us to publish their blogs about feedback, our interview is with the brilliant Professor Toby Greany from the Institute of Education, UCL. Our very own Ke- ren Gunn has written a piece about feedback based on a piece of Action Research she has undertaken using one of her classes and Gavin Stanger has written a review of Daisy Christodoulou’s well- known Making Good Progress? As well as this, I have conducted a small scale survey about the use of blogs in teacher’s professional lives. How have they helped us progress as teachers and what should we be wary of using them?

If you are interested in writing a piece for the journal in future please contact me [email protected]. We are always looking for writers to review books, share their research or write reflective pieces about their practice.

Claire Bishop Keren Gunn Vicki Cook Assistant Principal, Director Senior Assistant Principal, Research Co-Ordinator of Research and Humanities Teaching School Lead

Lily Hawkins Nick Salisbury Assistant Teaching School Leader Vice Principal; Teaching and Learning

Gill Howland—BELMAS

Gill has extensive experience across a wide range of educational leadership roles. After beginning her career in industry, she moved on teaching and leadership positions in schools and in further and higher education, focusing particularly on post 14 education and co directing a three year project on 14-19 progression. She was a member of the Government's Advisory Board on 14-19 education, and led the conception and development of the first 14-19 collegiate in the country. Her senior leadership positions have included Local Authority Chief Education Adviser, Executive Director of Learning and Skills Councils in Stoke and Staffordshire, and Birmingham and Solihull, and Executive Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) at Staffordshire University. Gill is currently the Chair of the British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society. She is Chair of Governors of one of the most improved academies nationally, and governor of a Derbyshire primary school. Gill was previously Deputy Chair of CILT, the National Centre for Languages, Deputy Chair of YMCA Training and Board Member of North Staffordshire YMCA. She has chaired a number of regional and sub regional collaborations focusing on regeneration through education. Throughout her career, Gill has championed education as the key means of opening opportunities to people. She has always chosen to work in disadvantaged areas and has a track record in educational improvement and widening opportunities.

Sam Strickland—Principal of The Duston School

Sam Strickland began his teaching career as a history teacher at Wootton Upper School in Bedfordshire having completed his PGCE in Secondary History at the University of Cambridge. Sam’s career quickly accelerated, becoming a Head of History and Classics. With an aptitude for Teaching and Learning and Assessment for Learning, Sam then moved on to become a Lead Professional in these fields and worked for the North Beds SCITT Consortium. Sam has also had educational resources and research published, most notably for History Today and Classroom Resources. He has also delivered courses nationally for Philip Allan. In 2008 Sam became an Assistant Head at Hitchin Girls’ School in Hertfordshire where he had responsibility for the Sixth Form and led a Post 16 consortium arrangement within Hitchin. In 2011, Sam became Vice Principal at Brooke Weston Academy in Corby. He directly oversaw student care, the Sixth Form, the curriculum and served as the safeguarding lead for the entire Brooke Weston Trust. Whilst working for the Brooke Weston Trust, Sam also served as the lead facilitator for NPQSL, working for Inspiring Leaders. In 2015, Sam was the Acting Associate Principal of Brooke Weston Academy and oversaw GCSE and A Level results which have received commendation from the DFE, Nick Gibb and the SSAT. In 2016 Sam was seconded to Corby Technical School to help guide the school in its first year of GCSE examination results and to establish a Sixth Form. He is now the Principal of The Duston School.

Interview with In addition to undertaking research, I do a lot of work with schools and other stakeholders here Professor Toby and abroad which is broadly aimed at trying to Greany from the ensure that our research makes a difference to Institute of policy and practice. The nature of that work can vary quite widely, but one example is the Education, UCL work I have led over the past couple of years to develop and run leadership programmes for Professor Toby Greany is based the UCL Institute of CEOs and senior leaders in MATs, including the Education as Professor of Leadership and Innovation. Trust:ED MAT Team Leadership Programme that He has previously worked as Director of Research we run with Deloitte. and Policy and the National College for School Leadership and has worked for the Design Council as well as Special Advisor to the Education and Skills Select Committee between 2005-6. He has written numerous renowned publications exploring curriculum innovation, collaboration and partnerships across schools and leading innovation and evidence- informed leadership.

What first sparked your passion for educational research? Your research looks into the way in which After university I taught abroad for 4 years and networks and collaboration can influence then did a Masters in adult literacy. My plan at leadership and professional development in the time was to work in international schools. As a MAT and Teaching School development, but I took a job in London for a Alliance, what might this look like for us? year working for a charity called the Campaign Networks have become a lot more significant for for Learning. I ended up working there for 9 schools in England in recent years, because they years! I stayed because I loved it, in particular a can offer access to the information, skills and 5-year action research project that I ran with expertise that can help them to respond schools across the country looking at the impact effectively to policy change and to develop the of teaching pupils how to learn. I worked with capacity of their staff. I’ve seen some really Professor Steve Higgins, who was then at powerful examples of how school to school Newcastle but is now at Durham University, and networks and support can move knowledge it really sparked my interest in research and the around and help staff to grow – and in the links between evidence, policy and practice. process that collaborative work can also help to build trust and shared values. But I’ve also seen What does your role at the IOE entail? Which is examples where the networks are less strong – your favourite aspect of your job? either because one school tries to dominate or is My main role as a professor is to undertake seen to be benefitting at the expense of others, research, which is really the aspect of the role I or because the leaders involved aren’t able to get enjoy most. Over the past 4 years my main beyond their personal differences and articulate research has focussed on trying to understand the wider benefits for staff and children from how schools and school leaders are responding deep collaboration. At root I think it comes to the government’s ‘self-improving school down to how leaders understand what makes a system’ agenda – the report is due next spring. school successful.

If you see the heart of a great school as being the INSET sessions as well as the ways in which quality of teachers and teaching, and if you think evidence informs wider conversations about the best way to improve the quality of teaching is change, learning and improvement. Making that to expect teachers to engage in a continuous part of the culture comes down to leadership. process of sharing and reflecting on their There’s no doubt that time is under huge practice, via structured collaborative processes pressure in schools and that teachers are but also drawing on rigorous evidence and extremely busy, but I think that even in schools external expertise, then you are likely to where the culture is less well established, understand why networks are important! individual teachers and teams can commit to making it part of how they work. For some teachers using research to inform their practice feels like another ‘job’ to do when they are already feeling overworked. How can teachers engage with research without feeling as though it is an added extra to their ‘to-do’ list? I think the main thing to appreciate is that being evidence-informed is about a way of thinking, rather than about knowing the answers or ‘what works’. Being evidence-informed means that you are constantly asking questions about your own You have recently undertaken research looking practice and then looking for and critically at evidence informed teaching, ‘Evidence- evaluating a range of sources of evidence that can informed teaching: an evaluation of progress in help you to improve. Given that, being evidence- England’ and found that many teachers do not informed is not simply about sitting and reading feel confident engaging with research. What lots of research articles! It’s about seeking out advice would you give to the teachers reading and really trying to understand the implications this who want to become more confident in of research, but also putting that understanding their ability to use research? alongside other forms of evidence (for example As the Chinese poet and philosopher Lao-Tzu the assessment data you have in school) and your wrote, ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a professional judgement and knowledge of the single step’. For me that means there is no context. alternative to giving it a go! A good place to start would be to attend a Research-ED conference or TeachMeet, because I think it will feel a lot less scary when you see that everyone else is in the same boat and that there are no easy answers. Alongside that I would suggesting looking at the EEF’s excellent Teaching and Learning Toolkit (https:// educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence- summaries/teaching-learning-toolkit). It provides In some schools that process of professional an overview of the research behind a range of reflection and learning sits at the heart of interventions, with lots of detail to follow up in everything – so the time comes via dedicated the areas that you are most interested.

Critically, it also gives you an idea of how secure but I do think that we have lost sight of questions the evidence is in any particular area, so you can around how education and pedagogy needs to start to see that there are different forms of evolve to develop higher-order thinking skills and evidence and that any research needs to be dispositions as well as non-cognitive skills and critically interrogated in terms of its methods qualities in the light of a fast changing world. and warrant.

How can middle and senior leaders encourage the use of educational research such as yours in school? Leadership is partly about modelling the practices you want to see – so the starting point is for middle and senior leaders to attend the Research -ED and TeachMeet type events I refer to above, and to read and talk about research in their daily work. Beyond that, there are clearly steps to take around making research accessible and part of the professional learning culture. One way to get started is to sign your school up to the UCL IOE Research and Development network: http://www.ioe-rdnetwork.com/ - the network website has a range of practical resources and gives you access to our professional learning programmes and quality marks.

You have worked all over the world, in places such as China and Brazil. What lessons did you learn there and are there any wider lessons for the education profession in the UK? There is a long and a short answer to that question! What strikes me most at the moment is the fact that many school systems around the world are seriously engaged with the question of how to develop much deeper forms of learning for children, including through new technology. Meanwhile, the focus of the National Curriculum in England has been on traditional academic subjects and content. I am a firm believer that we do need academic disciplines and that teachers need more opportunities to develop their subject-specific pedagogic expertise, so I am not arguing for a complete change of direction,

‘The use of dialogic Why is Reflecting on Marking Important? or so called “deep/ As an academy, we have seen a significant change in our marking and feedback policy over recent triple” marking in years where we have moved away from marking post-16 teaching everything in a student’s book - what is referred to in the recent publication on Eliminating with a specific focus Unnecessary Workload Around Marking (March on the teaching of A 2016) as “tick and flick” to a policy where students complete “Formally Marked Work” Level English Language and every fourth lesson in the cycle which is then Literature’ followed up by a DIRT task (Directed Improvement and Reflection Time). The idea by Keren Gunn then being that students can follow up on misconceptions and be extended and developed by the personalised feedback that they As an English teacher for more than twenty are given. The teacher can then re-mark, or years, I have spent a considerable amount of my respond, to the DIRT task in turn in the next life marking. I have seen the changing educational round of marking enabling a dialogic process to landscape over that time, with regards to trends take place. and fashions in marking and feedback practice - and what has been seen as effective or “best” practice. In my current role working with trainee teachers, or those relatively new to the profession, I am acutely aware of how much time it can take for those early stage teachers to develop the skills required to “mark” effectively, recognise grade boundaries - or what constitutes the different stage in a learning journey - and to give effective feedback that promotes progress and learning. Reflecting back on my own teacher training I can recall very little specific guidance being offered on how or what to mark as part of This is supported by on-going formative the university element of the course and it was assessment during lessons which often takes the during the - in those days - rather short weeks form of self or peer assessment, as well as of in school practice that these skills came into regular verbal feedback as part of effective much sharper focus. I remember though, it was teaching and learning. This change in policy is often all about the grade or the mark - not supported by the recent Ofsted “mythbusting” about the formative feedback that was being document where it states: “Ofsted does not given. As a Teaching School, it is our expect to see any specific frequency, type or responsibility to ensure that we are up-to-date volume of marking and feedback; these are for with the most current research and are acutely the school to decide through its assessment aware of the importance of ensuring the policy. Marking and feedback should be well-being of all our teachers. consistent with that policy, which may cater for different subjects and different age groups of pupils in different ways, in order to be effective

and efficient in promoting learning.” (Ofsted 2015) consistency in their institution in terms of The crucial points here being that the onus is on marking policy and feedback, but here that was not the school to develop an appropriate marking poli- my main focus in this research. My main cy that is consistently applied and above all has an intention was to research whether dialogic impact on learning and progress. This change in marking in post-16 teaching was effective and focus has been embedded in the academy for purposeful and did it meet the suggested aims of several years and is consistently applied for the the report to be: “meaningful, manageable and most part. Teachers mark work, give feedback and motivating”? students complete their DIRT tasks. The results of this change has been evidenced in part by our improved progress and achievement data at Key Deep Marking Stage 4 and 5 and in our recent Ofsted inspection Whilst there is a significant amount written on outcome (Outstanding 2015). Looking outside the lower key stages in terms of marking and feedback academy there seemed to be little research into there seems to be a dearth of research post-16, the effectiveness of “triple marking” at post-16 and as that is where a significant amount of my level. The concept of “deep marking” was also teaching lies, I decided that would be my main questioned in Eliminating Unnecessary Workload focus. In going back to the first principles concepts Around Marking (March 2016) where the report that “there is a need now to move further, to says: “ From a review of the educational focus on the inside of the ʺblack boxʺ and so to literature, there appears to be no broadly agreed explore the potential of assessment to raise definition for this term or any theoretical standards as an integral part of each pupil’s underpinning of its educational worth” and “Deep learning work.” (Black/William Inside the Black marking also seems to have been supported by an Box 1998) I was looking to explore my own belief, assumption that marking provides a more corroborated by Hattie’s findings that feedback is thorough means of giving feedback and the most significant effect factor on a learner and demonstrates a stronger professional ethic, as well is, as Andrew Tharby posits “a balance of quality, selective formative feedback with well-trained peer as improving pupil outcomes. Deep marking often and self-assessment. If we want great lessons acts as a proxy for ‘good’ teaching as it is some- planned and executed consistently then marking thing concrete and tangible which lends itself as mustwork.” (Black/William Inside the Black Box ‘evidence’. In some cases, the perception exists 1998) I was looking to explore my own belief, that the amount of marking a teacher does equals corroborated by Hattie’s findings that feedback is their level of professionalism and effectiveness. the most significant effect factor on a learner and These are false assumptions.” (March 2016). is, as Andrew Tharby posits “a balance of quality, selective formative feedback with well-trained peer This report was quite challenging and as I read and self-assessment. If we want great lessons further it stated that marking should planned and executed consistently then marking “serve a single purpose – to advance pupil progress must be selective; with a process that builds in and outcomes. Teachers should be clear about what reflection time for students” (2013) - and I wanted they are trying to achieve and the best way of achiev- above all to consider how the students felt about ing it. Crucially, the most important person in deciding this process and whether they could see the what is appropriate is the teacher.” purpose and effectiveness of it. As an enthusiastic Clearly this consideration presents a question for adopter of Triple/Deep marking (and having seen Leadership Teams as they need to ensure a what I believed was a positive effect of this), I was

keen to know whether this was actually having a significant effect on the students - and I knew that this was going to need a longer period of research. The EEF study (2016) found that “The evidence base on the impact of student responses is limited. Most available studies are from higher education and use student survey responses as the measurement of impact, rather than directly examining attainment. In some cases, it appears that studies have taken for granted the fact that pupils will be given time to consider and act upon feedback, which may explain why the evidence base on this aspect of marking is underdeveloped. However, given the range of forms of pupil response practiced in schools, it is clear that more evidence in this area would be valuable, for example by testing the impact of marking with questions to be answered in class time.”

Using Blogs to about blogs, 43% of participants stated that they Inform Practice found their information through Twitter, whilst others stated that they would use google search or By Claire Bishop, recommendations from colleagues. Only one Assistant Principal at Sir participant cited the Times Educational Christopher Hatton Academy Supplement (TES) as a source of blogs. If they then choose to share these with colleagues, they do so This journal features blogs that are linked to our through word of mouth or through email. 75% of central theme of marking and feedback. As a participants believe that they have changed their modern teacher, blogs can be the resource we practice as a consequence of the information they turn to when we are looking for guidance on how accessed through reading blogs. A quarter of we can adapt our teaching. In one sense, blogs are participants say they improved marking, with most an invaluable tool that can provide us with insights stating that resources were applied to exciting into current educational debates, develop our schemes of work or new activity types were teaching practice and support our well-being. But tested in lessons. how do we know that what we are saying is A potentially concerning aspect of my findings is accurate? Although the process is by no means the level of evaluation given to blogs by the infallible, when academic sources of information teachers who are reading them; this is mainly done are published, they are put through a rigorous through ‘own judgement’. Two participants stated system of peer-review and correction before they that they would look at the references at the end reach us, but the same is not true for blogs. When of blogs, whereas other participants would use self we are applying information we read from blogs to -assessment or their own experience to determine our teaching practice, there is the danger that we whether a blog has value. Now, I am not saying could split more towards anecdotal, rather than that this is wrong or that teachers are ignorant, robust research evidence. but if we are researching how to use a certain To address this issue, I turned to Twitter, asking theory or improve an aspect of our practice, the the ‘tweetchers’ how they engage with blogs and implication is that this is not an area in which we the level of critique they use when reading them. I are not experts who can exert clear judgement. A was also interested in looking at how they share further level of clarity is needed in order to make this information and how often reading a blog led our evaluation of blogs more effective. Like two of to a change in their practice. My poll had sixteen the participants, we could use the references to responses, so cannot be seen as representative of determine the level of research that has been done any particular group in the teaching profession. I by the author, or as another participant suggested, do, however, argue that those colleagues who did we could be sure of the provenance of the blog. In take the time to complete my survey are very the worst case scenario, we could be using false likely to be very research engaged and so can information or get to the end and realise we are provide us with insight as to how those who are belong sold something! Instead, going to a reliable wanting to use research as part of everyday source, a colleague who has dedicated large parts practice in schools work and share with others. of their career to the pursuit of research. This is why we are pleased to publish the work of two My results show that participants read blogs such colleagues, Niki Kaiser (@chemDrK) and between once a month (31%) or fortnight (19%) Mark Enser (@EnserMark) who have agreed to to as much as 50% saying that they read at least share their blogs about using feedback effectively one blog a week. When asked where they hear with us for this themed edition.

Teacher Blogs: took (on the non-linear course) almost in parallel with them. Whole-class marking: KS4 mock However, this meant I had set myself up for a exam by Niki Kaiser great deal of extra marking and feedback. This is ndhsblogspot/October 1, 2016 the method I used to help them learn from their mocks, and progress. It’s based on the style of feedback I have been using in KS5 tests. It includes draws on ideas such as those explained here (from Timely, useful, sustainable feedback Toby French), here (by Jo Facer) and here (by Mrs We have been trying to develop ways of giving Humanities). This recent post by Ben Newmark is feedback to students that is timely, and which aids a really good summary of these kinds of ideas. students’ progression, but (perhaps most importantly) is sustainable in the longterm for a fulltime teacher. In their guidance paper on Mistakes, improvement points, marking and feedback, the ASCL reminds us that misconceptions time is a teacher’s most precious commodity, and As I went through and marked students’ papers, I that the purpose of feedback is to improve student made notes of common mistakes, points for learning; marking is not for parents. improvement, and misconceptions. I noted these on a blank copy of the exam paper, and gave each Suggestions from the ASCL note a numerical code:

We developed feedback ideas at Journal Club last year (here and here) and a focus group discussed feedback ideas at the end of last year. At the 6-mark question. Some students are STILL moment, a group of teachers are gathering describing things as “environmentally friendly”. together practical ideas for colleagues to try as (This is not a good thing!) part of our new CPD programme. Mock exam- heavy marking load!

I gave my triple science group two mocks in the summer. I didn’t think they took their first one seriously enough, and I wanted to give them the chance to take the “actual paper” that their friends

Sometimes students just need a nudge to learn something. As I marked students’ individual papers, I made a note of any marks they’d gained/ lost as usual, but then made a note of any key feedback points using a numerical code in the margin, as described here.

Sometimes, students need reminding that their handwriting should be legible!

Verbal feedback I find one of the simplest (and possibly most effective) ways of giving feedback is to just talk to pupils as I give their papers back. The advantage of this relatively pain-free approach was that I had This student needs to recall the products marked the papers the day before I gave them of incompete combustion. back, and could usually remember enough to give This didn’t preclude the option of adding specific them an overall comment. I set the class a task to comments to students’ papers, when necessary. get on with and gave out the papers.

“That was a really strong paper, well done! Your use of scientific language was particularly good this time.”

This student planned a 6-mark question before answering it.

“You gave one of the best answers to the 6-mark questions because you thought about the impact each gas has on the atmosphere.”

“What happened? You really struggled with the hydrocarbons question?” (the advantage of asking this in person was that the student could reply to my question, and I could help them there and then!)

What I find particularly interesting about this is Whole class feedback that students have taken onboard my feedback, as After pupils had read through their paper, and I went through the paper, and put it into their discussed their answers with their friends, I went own words. Sometimes they do have a slightly through the paper question by question, focussing different take on things. on key points. Every time one of these points For example: related to a particular marking code, I flagged this up to students. They then made a note of the Point 1: the first student just points out that they things I’d said in their books. missed out a question, whereas the second student writes an actual instruction: “check that you answer every Q”.

Follow-up tasks

In this particular exam, there were two questions that were answered pretty badly across the board so, in addition to individual tasks based on their individual feedback/ codes, the whole class

re-drafted these questions for homework (using some pointers from the lesson, and a structured sheet).

Making a fuss of feedback The debate around whole class feedback is an interesting one. As with just about everything by Mark Enser else people end up dividing down roughly “traditional-leaning” (Pro-WCF) and “progressive At the weekend I attended the Teaching and -leaning” (more anti-WCF). This is an odd Learning Takeback conference at Southampton division. It is hard to image something more Uni – #TLT17. It was wonderful to meet so didactic than the traditional way of marking many engaged and enthusiastic teachers who had books where each pupil is told exactly what they given up their time to share their ideas freely have done wrong and what they have got right, with others. One stand-out session was Rebecca whereas WCF encourages pupils to “discover” Foster’s who discussed the problems with the their errors for themselves; more with a guide need to provide endless streams of summative on the side to help them. The education world is data and the implications of this for curriculum a strange beast. design. She also shared her method of giving When people say they are “against WCF” they whole class feedback (WCF). These ideas were tend to mean either. tweeted out by me and many others – like the one below. 1. They don’t like the templates used (efficiency) or

2. They don’t want it to replace individual comments written in books (effectiveness). The Template

Once something in education, that has always been done, is given a name you can expect a debate to kick off. Knowledge organisers, direct instruction, whole class feedback, none of these are anything new. Teachers have always shared with pupils lists of what they need to know (knowledge organisers), always told them things (direct instruction) and have always given feedback to the whole class about pieces of work. People who say, as they have said on WCF doesn’t have to mean filling in a template twitter, “I would never explore whole class like those shared by Rebecca Foster. I was first feedback” have clearly missed the point. aware of this type of template after it was Feedback is a constant process in class and created and shared by Greg Thornton here. inevitably some of it will be delivered to the class as a whole.

The reason it is used is that many comments you It is certainly efficient but is it effective? write in one book you also end up writing in Replacing individual comments another. By using this template (or one like it) you write the comment once on the sheet, There are a few problems with using individual number it, and then write that number in any written comments that WCF addresses. book where the target applies. The pupil then The first is that of time. It is far quicker to give knows what they need to do to improve. the WCF than it is to write annotation on to pupils targets are specific to the piece of work. One work. Is this a benefit for the teacher or for the example shared by Rebecca, from the Geography pupil? I have yet to meet a teacher who uses department in her school, also had the space to WCF so that they can spend more time with include a screen shot of excellent work. Once their feet-up. Any time gained from using this the class have been given feedback they then method is spent on creating better lessons, work on redrafting or (and I’d suggest more creating resources, collaborating with others or effectively) complete another task where these working with pupils 1-2-1. There is a finite targets can be worked on. The first time I used amount of time and we need to find ways to use this template it took a little less time than writing it well. individual written comments but the more I used it the faster I got. The second issue that WCF addresses is that individual written comments do little to develop self-regulation (or independence if you prefer). When I give feedback to the class the pupil needs to look through their work and check if they have made the errors discussed or where they have made them. They need to look for the common spelling errors and make the corrections. This is developing important study skills for when they don’t have the constant support of a teacher, not just in the exam but throughout their life. There is no evidence anyone has been able to point me to that individual written comments lead to students making better progress and Hattie and What gets lost in this is the fact that WCF Timperley’s meta-analysis shows that this doesn’t mean this template. As so often happens feedback could be harmful if used at the wrong we risk losing the pedagogy and focusing on the time for the wrong task. structure. While I sometimes use a template like this, on other occasions I just put a few notes on One problem with writing individual comments is a slide showing the features of good answers and that they end up being very generic. You end up the features of less good answers. Pupils then with comments like “add more detail here” or look for examples of these things in their work “explain this” but without being able to give the and make corrections. This example is feedback detail on how to do those things. When giving following a Year 12 test on coastal processes. feedback to the class you have ample opportunity This is far less time consuming than writing the to demonstrate and model the difference annotation on their papers or using a formal between excellent answers and less good work. template. The feedback can be far more meaningful.

A criticism that seems to be leveled at the use of An Example of How WCF is that pupils will miss the personal touch Research Can Benefit Your of these written comments. I have never heard this from anyone who has experimented with Practice increasing their use of WCF however, or from a by Vicki Cook, Sir Christopher pupil. Again, we need to challenge the image of a Hatton Academy lazy teacher using these templates and nothing more. As a newly qualified teacher, research has been key in helping me to develop my practice. I have Pupils in my class get a huge amount of found that research can be particularly useful personalised feedback but this feedback comes when trying to resolve issues that arise in the verbally. After we have looked through the work classroom. For example, as we progressed as a class, and shared excellent examples we have towards October half-term, I found that seen, they improve their work or complete a behaviour in my classes started to slip. Students different task to develop areas of weakness. would enter the classroom in dribs and drabs During this time I give individual feedback to and were slow to settle. Often, a quarter of the pupils about their work. I often sit with a pupil lesson would go by and only the register had and look through their book with them 1-2-1 and been completed. I was giving out over 10 give detailed and meaningful feedback on the warnings every lesson, and adding time to each progress they seem to be making. This dialogue lesson for all students. It was clear that my is far more effective, and far more personal, than students were not motivated and I was a hastily scribbled note asking for “more detail” concerned that the students were not or to “use examples”. progressing as they should.

Conclusion Although I had asked for advice from members of staff at the school, the various strategies that I Whole class feedback is something that almost all had tried were not effective in the long-term. At teachers do much of the time. We frequently this point, I decided to turn to research to help discuss excellent work with a class or call their me. As teachers, we often focus on the attention to common errors. If you are doing behavioural problems in front of us, not the this, you are using WCF. cause. I needed to find a way to improve Increasing the amount of WCF you do, and behaviour, by tackling the motivational issues decreasing the amount of individual written that were causing them in the first place. comments you write, saves time that you can Research showed me that too often, there is a then use to improve other aspects of teaching focus on what not to do in class, as opposed to and should have no negative impact on pupil what to do (Becker, Madsen, Arnold and progress. Nor should it have a negative impact Thomas, 1967). This is reinforced by more on relationships with pupils as you open a recent evidence, showing that when we punish a dialogue about their work. person for behaving badly, we leave it up to them WCF is an important tool and I am incredibly to discover how to behave well (Maag, 2001). grateful to the likes of Greg Thornton and According to Kaplan, Gheen and Midgley (2002), Rebecca Foster for giving up their time to emphasising mastery goals in class reduces the explore it more fully with us. likelihood of students disrupting lessons. Positive reinforcement can be used to manage classes and enhance skill performance (McLeod, 2015).

Students take rules and responsibilities more References seriously when there is a common approach, from which they benefit. Becker, W.C., Madsen, C.H., Arnold, C.R. and I introduced a reward based system called Class Thomas, D.R. (1967) The Contingent Use of Dojo with my groups. Students can be awarded Teacher Attention and Praise in Reducing for positive actions, but points can also be Classroom Behaviour Problems. The Journal of deducted for negative behaviour. I believed that Special Education 1(3): pp 287-307. this system would have three main outcomes. Firstly, I hoped it would motivate students. The incentive of parental contact for students with Kaplan, A., Gheen, M. and Midgley, C. (2002) the most points led to healthy competition Classroom goals structure and student disruptive within my classes. As well as this, my behaviour. British Journal of Educational expectations would be reinforced every lesson, Psychology 72(2): pp 191-211. as Kaplan et al. (2002) had suggested. Each time a point was given out, students would know what it had been given for and why. Finally, I wanted Maag, J.W. (2001) Rewarded by Punishment: there to be an attention on positive behaviours, Reflections on the Disuse of Positive as opposed to negative. Reinforcement in Schools. Exceptional Children 67(2): pp 173-186. Very quickly I found that this system was having a positive impact on my lessons. The number of warnings that I gave out each lesson was McLeod, S. (2015) Skinner – Operant Condition- reduced, as was the number of detentions. I ing [online]. Available at: http:// rarely added minutes to the end of the lesson. www.simplypsychology.org/operant- Students were more enthusiastic and willing to conditioning.html contribute their ideas. In terms of data, most students reached or exceeded their end of year targets. This demonstrates that the use of a rewards based system can be a success. I ran a survey to see what impact using Class Dojo had on my students. It was clear that they valued receiving positive points, and felt more motivated in class based on its use. To conclude, this is an example of how research can be used effectively in the classroom to resolve a problem. By researching an issue and trialling different strategies, teachers can become reflective practitioners that use evidence- informed ideas to develop their classroom practice. Teachers need to constantly evolve to meet their pupils needs, and research is fundamental in achieving this.

Students take rules and responsibilities more seriously when there is a common approach, Becker, W.C., Madsen, C.H., Arnold, C.R. and from which they benefit. Thomas, D.R. (1967) The Contingent Use of I introduced a reward based system called Class Teacher Attention and Praise in Reducing Dojo with my groups. Students can be awarded Classroom Behaviour Problems. The Journal of for positive actions, but points can also be Special Education 1(3): pp 287-307. deducted for negative behaviour. I believed that this system would have three main outcomes. Firstly, I hoped it would motivate students. The Kaplan, A., Gheen, M. and Midgley, C. (2002) incentive of parental contact for students with Classroom goals structure and student disruptive the most points led to healthy competition behaviour. British Journal of Educational within my classes. As well as this, my Psychology 72(2): pp 191-211. expectations would be reinforced every lesson, as Kaplan et al. (2002) had suggested. Each time Maag, J.W. (2001) Rewarded by Punishment: a point was given out, students would know what Reflections on the Disuse of Positive it had been given for and why. Finally, I wanted Reinforcement in Schools. Exceptional Children there to be an attention on positive behaviours, 67(2): pp 173-186. as opposed to negative.

Very quickly I found that this system was having a positive impact on my lessons. The number of McLeod, S. (2015) Skinner – Operant warnings that I gave out each lesson was Conditioning [online]. Available at: http:// reduced, as was the number of detentions. I www.simplypsychology.org/operant- rarely added minutes to the end of the lesson. conditioning.html Students were more enthusiastic and willing to contribute their ideas. In terms of data, most students reached or exceeded their end of year targets. This demonstrates that the use of a rewards based system can be a success. I ran a survey to see what impact using Class Dojo had on my students. It was clear that they valued receiving positive points, and felt more motivated in class based on its use. To conclude, this is an example of how research can be used effectively in the classroom to resolve a problem. By researching an issue and trialling different strategies, teachers can become reflective practitioners that use evidence- informed ideas to develop their classroom practice. Teachers need to constantly evolve to meet their pupils needs, and research is fundamental in achieving this. References

Book Review: some changes to the type of work I set and the marks which I record. I have also referred the book to other Making Good colleagues to inform my academy’s wider Progress? The assessment development. Future of AFL by Daisy Christodolou Is there anything the book is missing? by Gavin Stanger, Senior Assistant Principal, Daisy Chrisodoulou presents a very cohesive and Sir Christopher Hatton Academy complete review of assessment. However, the book does present a particular view point and is What is the book about? constructed to build an argument towards her Following the removal of National Curriculum own vision of where both AfL and wider levels and the ‘opening up’ of the possibility of assessment should be heading. As such, there is schools designing their own assessment models, little presentation of balanced or conflicting Daisy Christodoulou (Head of Assessment at views. Ark Academies) reviews educational literature on assessment and synthesises possible ways forward. Would you recommend this book to your department or colleagues in the teaching

school?

I absolutely would recommend reading this book. At the moment there is a lot of uncertainty nationally about what assessment should look

like. In recent years, much of the focus of CPD strategies has been on teaching and learning delivery, so guidance about assessment is much needed. On a personal level, I found myself agreeing with much of what the author had to say about the effective use of both formative and Who is the book aimed or and who might summative assessment. find it useful? Curriculum focused school leaders – both those at middle and senior level, will find this book useful, particularly chapters 1-6 which effectively summarises much of the academic literature to date. Each chapter is extremely well referenced and although the book is academically rigourous, it is also an easy read. How did the book inform your practice? Almost immediately following reading this book, I have begun to reflect on my own class teaching and use of assessment. I have made

Upcoming Events Teaching School Update

Since the start of the academic year, Hatton Creating a Research Culture in Schools on 29th Teaching School Alliance has continued to evolve January 4.30-6pm at Sir Christopher Hatton and grow, with exciting events such as NACE Academy, Wellingborough, NN8 4RP. seminars for teachers of More Able, Gifted and Talented pupils, guest speakers from the Further Maths Support Programme and more School to Regional Hub Event—Excellence in STEM event School Support being delivered to local schools. on 19TH February 4-6pm at Sir Christopher We continue to build and develop the Alliance Hatton Academy, Wellingborough, NN8 4RP. and enhancing the range of CPD available. School Direct recruitment is ongoing and we look forward to meeting the next cohort of trainee teachers. Research Interest Group (RIG) on Monday 26th

February 230-6pm at Sir Christopher Hatton Wendy Ingram has moved onto Academy, Wellingborough, NN8 4RP. other ventures and a new member of staff has joined the Teaching School.

NFER Update “I’m Lily Hawkins and started at Hatton Teaching School Alliance in September. I We are pleased to announce that we have have a background in project management and recently submitted an application for the NFER delivering accredited employability courses and research mark. The school has worked hard support to disadvantaged groups of local young over the last year to establish a successful people in particular care leavers and young offenders. The focus of this was making higher research environment. The NFER will be visiting education accessible, raising employment levels, the school in the coming half-term to assess improving future prospects and raising the this. We are looking forward to hearing county’s economy (on a small but important feedback about our research culture. scale!). Training has been a passion of mine for a long time. To be able to facilitate the learning of schools and people into an important profession SSAT Announcement such as teaching is very meaningful to me and I’m looking forward to meeting more of our Our application for the SSAT Innovation has collaborators, responding to the needs of their been approved and we are delighted to be schools and helping the Alliance to grow. Please come and talk to us about what your school working on our project thanks to their generous could offer the Alliance and what we can offer programme. As a result of our successful funding you“ bid, we are hosting the ‘Creating Excellence’ conference in July and working with the Contact Details University of Leicester to explore how we can E: [email protected] T: 01933 221424 improve communication without our school to W: www.hattonteachingschoolalliance.org.uk support the spread of research.

Contents

Editorial Board………………………………………………...……….……2 Interview with Professor Toby Greany from the Institute of Education, University College London...... 3 “The use of dialogic or so called “deep/triple” marking in post-16 teaching with a specific focus on the teaching of A Level English Language and Literature” by Keren Gunn………….……………………………………………….....…...7 Using Blogs to Inform Practice by Claire Bishop………………………...….…9 Teacher Blogs: Whole-class marking: KS4 mock exam by Niki Kaiser...... 10 Making a fuss of feedback by Mark Enser...... ,,...... 13 An example of how research can benefit your practice by Vicki Cooke…,,.…...16 Book Review: ‘Making Good Progress? The Future of AFL’ by Daisy Christodoulou reviewed by Gavin Stanger...... ,,,...... 18 Upcoming Events and Teaching School Update ...... ,,,...... 19

RPS and Research –

Working together; researching together; creating/sustaining excellence together