Research School Network: Focusing on Feedback How SLT at schools in Aspire Educational Trust are working together to improve feedback.

Aspirer Research School, whilst based at Ash Grove Academy, operates within the Aspire Educational Trust (AET) and supports all the schools in the Trust to be evidence informed. This year, the director of Aspirer will be working with members of SLT from the schools on using the Teacher Feedback to Support Pupil Learning to update their feedback policy. There are 6 meetings planned over the year, 1 full day face to face every 1^st
half term and a TEAMS coaching conversation meeting planned for the 2^nd
half term.

All these sessions will encourage the schools to work through the different stages of the implementation process as outlined in the School’s Guide to Implementation guidance report.

Last Tuesday, we had our 1^st face to face full day session where we started to ​‘explore’ the guidance report.

First, we started with the 3 recommendation that are they key principles that should underpin all feedback. Time was given for colleagues to read a recommendation and then discuss it on their tables before having a wider discussion around the room.

Here are some of the key points that were discussed after reading each principle.

Recommendation 1 – Lay the foundations for effective feedback
- We need to understand the purpose of the work we are setting – what is it that we want to assess?
- If teachers have a clear understanding of the desired outcome, then identifying misconceptions and gaps in learning – - will be easier to identify.
- It needs to be about focussed assessment.
- Reduce cognitive load by teaching in small steps.
- Pre-assessment prior to lesson is key – what could this look like?
- Plan ahead – what will your feedback look like?

Recommendation 2 – Deliver appropriately timed feedback that focuses on moving learning forward
- Correct misconceptions of task – needs to be immediate feedback
- Pupils need to have the opportunity to act on the feedback given
- Use a range of feedback – whole class, personal, subject focused.
- Feedback needs to be explicit and linked to the outcome
- Feedback needs to be responsive – the school policy cannot be too fixed
- Policies need to focus on the principles rather than systems and procedures

Recommendation 3 – Plan for how pupils will receive and use feedback
- Create a positive culture around giving and receiving feedback
- Have high expectations and verbalise this daily
- Be clear that feedback is a positive thing – if we don’t make a mistake then we are not learning
- Remember that a one size fits all approach does not work with feedback
- Teachers need to model how to respond to feedback

We used the same structure to unpick the 2 methods for feedback – verbal or written. After this, we provided time for them to RAG / audit their feedback policy – what is already being done that meets the recommendations of the guidance report, what is amber that can be tweaked or altered and what is red that can be stopped altogether. This then led them to think about what other information they need to find out before starting to think about their implementation plan. Are they confident about what feedback currently looks like in their school? Do they need to speak to teachers, create an audit, have a look in the books? What actions do they need to take to ensure that they are really exploring what the area of feedback and getting an honest reflection.

We also used the School Leader Implementation Pack that can be downloaded from the EEF website. This resource helps to focus your thoughts and provides a list of questions to consider whilst planning your policy and to use when reflecting on the final policy.

The benefits of having a SLT group all working on the same focus for the year is that a working group is created to share ideas, generate professional discussion, and provide support for each other. We have also planned in time to really explore what feedback looks like in their school before each school starts to plan in a new evidence-informed approach. We want to do it right and not rush it.

If you work in a group of schools and would like some support from Aspirer Research School to help facilitate sessions like the above, then please get in touch with us.

Sarah Izon

Director of Aspirer Research School