This package of in-school support is aimed at supporting your teachers to become more responsive and adaptive teachers, through developing highly effective formative assessment practice.
We explore practical approaches that teachers can use to better find out what children already know and understand, and what their gaps and misconceptions are, so that teaching can be pitched more effectively. We also look at techniques for monitoring children’s learning during lessons so that teachers can adapt nimbly and explore the effective use of retrieval to make learning ‘stickier’.
What are the aims of Focus on Formative?
We know that teaching is most effective when it is pitched exactly right, based on what learners already know and understand.
We also know that a key element Ofsted look for when evaluating quality of education is that teachers:
- “Check learners’ understanding systematically, identify misconceptions accurately and provide clear, direct feedback”
- "Respond and adapt their teaching as necessary”
- “Use assessment well, for example to help learners embed and use knowledge fluently or to check understanding and inform teaching”
(Ofsted Inspection Framework)
Our 2-day package of support is designed to upskill your teachers in the formative assessment techniques that will enable them to become more effective responsive and adaptive teachers and will enable all your learners to thrive.
What is included in the support?
The support can be tailored to the needs of your school. We will discuss with you exactly how you would like to use the time. Typically, the package will include:
- Whole staff training
- Visits to lessons
- Tailored feedback to teachers to support their development of the techniques
It can also incorporate supporting teachers with planning to ensure good assessment opportunities within lessons and better curriculum progression.
This support takes place entirely in your school. We will work with you to plan a timetable of activity that meets your needs.
Find out more
For more information, contact the Assessment team on hfl.assessment@hfleducation.org.
Observations have shown that teachers are confidently deploying strategies shared and there is more focus on the intrinsic value of AfL throughout lessons. We have witnessed staff adapting their lessons to suit the outcome of their questioning. There is also a clear emphasis now on retrieval and recall and teachers have been seen to focus on the most important and relevant elements of ‘sticky knowledge’ to retrieve.
Headteacher, Mill Mead Primary School
Changes throughout daily practice, the variety of AFL techniques shown and modelled in the initial staff INSET and following team teaching sessions are very useful. Especially during whole class teaching when ensuring that all children are engaging with and understanding the session.
Headteacher, Kenilworth Primary School
