ALT Assessment for Learning Team - Proposal

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Henry Ford

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organisational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”

After much deliberation and discussion about DELPE, and research into the work of Dylan William, the ALT Assessment for Learning Team have developed a proposed framework that is both innovative and sustainable to make AfL a dynamic, meaningful and central focus of Learning and Teaching at Welling School. We endeavour to:

• open dialogue about Afl across the school
• to use and showcase good practice to illustrate the benefits of Assessment for Learning via this virtual forum
• provide regular opportunities to reflect, review and evaluate AfL at a variety of levels, and support staff in acquiring new skills and embedding AfL models through regular training and CPD opportunities.
• We aim to move away from a deeply prescriptive style of working and use our collective strengths both within and beyond ALT, to make AfL a flexible set of ideas, a framework and indeed policy document that can be personalised and customised within each department to meet the needs of the curriculum and key stages in each subject, while adhering to the principles and good practice of Assessment for Learning in order to support achievement, continuity and meaningful progression.

"Assessment for Learning is all about informing learners of their progress to empower them to take the necessary action to improve their performance".

AFL Proposal - First Draft:

• To undertake a whole school AFL curriculum audit / SWOT Analysis to ID strengths, areas for improvement, CPD need.
• For members of ALT to lead a half-termly 'AFL' Clinic at lunchtime with a representative/s from each department present to discuss and explore models, techniques and ways in which AfL can be developed with cross-curricular links being forged.
  
• To dedicate space on 'Post-it' for staff to engage in a dialogue about AfL and to showcase best practice through podcast interviews with staff; 5 minute films of staff and pupils engaged in AfL; links and access to TV programmes and resources.
• ALT members taking a lead with AST's on training for PGCE, NQT and GTP staff , as well as support staff to ensure that AfL is 'cross-fertilising' at every level.
• ALT and AST's to lead an 'AfL' Working group (made-up of any interested parties) which will meet half-termly to discuss developments in AfL, good practice at Welling and undertake active research that can be disseminated on the blog.

Implications for Departments:

• Each HOD will be asked to work with their team in interpreting the AfL policy and developing a departmental policy that enables them to embed good practice in AfL. This should be published and reviewed at intervals throughout the year.
• ALT will devise an A4 Tick Sheet/Leaflet and supporting AFL Pack outlining a variety of AfL models that can be employed and utilised within all subjects ranging from peer assessment; formative and summative feedback; traffic light systems; open questioning; DELPE; self assessment etc. and each HOD will be required to half-termly QA techniques employed, and the inherent strengths and areas for improvement within the department. ALT/AST's will then QA HOD and support through half-termly clinics, CPD for staff, lesson observations and blog content.
• AfL will be required to feature as an agenda item at all department meetings with HOD encouraged to use time in each meeting to invite colleagues to bring examples and best practice to the table for discussion, celebration and evaluation. This process could then provide 'Top Tips' and resources to share on the blog.
• Each HOD undertakes a piece of departmental research in September 09 - an audit asking each subject team to reflect upon and evaluate their skills, knowledge and confidence with AFL. An example of this can be found in the following document that we can adapt and personalise for Welling School
• http://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.org.uk/files/AssessmentforLearning.pdf

What about the children? Some other Food for thought:

Whilst the focus here is on driving AFL through staff training, QA and dissemination of best practice, it is important that there is joined-up thinking, and that the children at Welling School from Years 7 to 13 are actively engaged with exploring their 'Learning journeys' and empowered to access meaningful resources to assist them in assessing their learning and monitoring their progress. I would like to propose that ALT working with curriculum teams, HOD, pastoral leaders and SLT develop a framework of resources to enable children better understand how they learn and to reflect upon learning, progress and achievement. Here are a few ideas:

1. Each key stage has a 'Passport for Success' leaflet or section in their planner which includes a 'plotting' matrix where they can identify progress accross their subjects through the + - o system (this can be used through pastoral and academic pathways stimulating discussion, feedback and meaningful exploration of engagement with learning); Study skills advice with useful links to resources to support students including a link to (guess what?) a dedicated 'Learning to Learn' blog for Welling students.
2. The development of a set of whole school postcards to celebrate 'learning' be distributed to students making progress through pastoral and curriculum routes. This could be supported with a series of collectable badges to be given out at assemblies to again celebrate 'learning'.
3. A dedicated Noticeboard to celebrate 'learning' at Welling School complimented by a series of posters.
4. Family 'learning' days/mornings for KS3/4 students to embed a positive attitude to learning and a 6th Form 'Learning' day to improve study skills.