Using APP to Raise Standards in Writing.

1. Using APP to Raise Standards in Writing. Summer 2009.

2. Objectives of this session • To reflect on and review your school’s current • timescale in APP for writing. • To secure understanding of the APP Process • using Standards Files and Level Guidelines. • To identify links between the AFs and • Renewed Framework for Literacy. • To explore elements of quality first teaching • and raise awareness of relevant support materials. • To identify and prioritise professional development • needs and next steps.

3. APP Timeline January 2009 July 2009 July 2010

4. Reflect and review on writing in your school Where are you now? What is successful and effective? Are there any issues? Where would you like to be with writing by end of Spring term 2010?

5. The planning cycle - RPTAR Summative Framework Plan, teach, assess, review Progress Progress Framework Plan, teach, assess, review Framework Plan, teach, assess, review Progress

6. Formative How might I need to review and modify my planning in light of the next steps identified? Review teaching plan – go back to the Framework Plan learning objectives from the Framework Day to day teaching and learning. Gathering evidence for all assessment focuses. Assess – usingevidence gathered complete Writing Assessment Guideline Sheet

7. APP is a tool to assess children’s progress periodically against National Curriculum Levels • It is a formative approach which informs next steps • It is diagnostic because it identifies gaps in learning • It enhances classroom practice and encourages cross curricular opportunities • Embedded in primary frameworks and keyed into National Curriculum Level descriptors APP is all about moving away from formal testing and directly linking assessment / teaching and learning.

8. The process of assessment that informs APP is important because it helps to determine: • successes • gaps • progress • weaknesses

9. Reminder of the APP Process • Teachers select a sample of pupils who are representative of the whole class. (6 pupils suggested) • Each term, they review the full range of evidence (written, spoken and observed) for each assessment focus • They select the appropriate ‘level boundary’ and arrive at judgements using the assessment guidelines sheet • Annotated examples of pupils’ work provide reference points for teachers (standards files)

10. The APP approach

11. Writing: making a level judgement • Use these steps to formalise your assessments of pupils' writing into level judgements • You will need: • evidence of the pupil's writing that shows most independence, for example from a range of subjects, outside of direct literacy teaching • other evidence about the pupil as a writer, for example notes on plans, the pupil's own reflections, your own recollections of classroom interactions • a copy of the assessment guidelines for the level borderline that is your starting point.

12. Step 1: Making assessment focus judgements. • For each AF, starting with AF5: • look at the evidence in relation to all the criteria for both the higher and lower levels at this borderline and highlight those that have been met • make a best-fit judgement whether the higher or the lower level has been achieved and tick the appropriate level–related box • if there is some evidence for an AF but not enough to make a judgement at the lower level, tick the BL (Below Level) box • if there is no evidence for a particular AF, tick the IE (Insufficient Evidence) box. • If you have ticked BL for more than one AF out of AFs 1 to 6, check whether you should be using the assessment guidelines for the next lowest level borderline. • If you have ticked all, or almost all, the criteria for the higher level, check whether you should be using the assessment guidelines for the next highest level borderline.

13. Step 2: Making an overall level judgement. Check your AF judgements against the requirements for each level. For level 1: ticks at level 1 for three out of AF5, AF6, AF1 and AF2 and either AF7 or AF8, plus some highlighting of level 1 criteria for handwriting. For level 2: ticks at level 2 for three out of AF5, AF6, AF1 and AF2 and either AF7 or AF8. For all other levels: ticks at the target level for any four AFs out of AFs 1 to 6. If you have ticked IE for more than two AFs, there may be insufficient evidence to make an overall level judgement, in which case IE should be awarded.

14. Now finalise the overall level judgement by deciding whether the level is low, secure orhigh. Low – meets the minimum requirements for the level. Secure– meets the minimum requirements for the level with some additional highlighting of criteria at the level in most other AFs. High – the criteria for the level are highlighted across all, or almost all, the AFs, with some criteria in the level above likely to be highlighted as well. Your decision should take account of how fully and consistently the criteria have been met and how far the pupil demonstrates independence and choice across a range of evidence. Where evidence for AF7 and AF8 is significantly better/worse than the evidence for other AFs, it is likely to influence your judgement of low, secure or high.

15. Step 3: Checking the overall level judgement Finally, check the overall judgement by comparing the evidence with the relevant standards files.

16. Example assessment guideline – Writing a a a a a a a a a a

17. Example assessment guideline – Writing a a a a a a a a a a

18. Example assessment guideline – Writing a a a a a a a a a a

19. Let’s take a break!

20. What’s new?

21. Support for Writing…… …..Steps in Learning. ……Progression Papers ……Writing Targets ……Text type information • http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk • Primary Frameworks • Literacy Frameworks • Support for Writing – Steps in Learning • OR Objectives – Steps in Learning.

22. Talk for Writing Materials • Moving children from Level 1 to Level 2 • Writer Grids. • Strategies site • Literacy Subject Area • CPD • Talk for Writing • Left hand menu – Level 1 Writer grid • Level 2a/2c Writer grids.

23. Before planning time – some Talk for Writing activities to warm us all up! Spiderman’s Pocket.

24. Crossing the River

25. Alphabet Race

26. ? Who regularly says.... Improve the quality of teaching and learning by ensuring that teachers plan lessons which provide all pupils with sufficient challenge and activities that are well matched to their ability. ? Ensure that accurate assessment procedures are used to inform teacher’s planning. ? ?

27. Meet Joe! Year 1 Secure level 1

28. Activity. • In small groups, work together to analyse the writing samples from Joe’s Standards File. • Please consider; • the quality first teaching that has taken place. • the written outcome • the range of the writing i.e. fiction/non • fiction/curriculum area. • the context of the activity i.e. individual/group etc. • Do you agree with the judgements recorded on the guidelines sheet? • Complete the recording grid but we do encourage you to take time to discuss your responses.

29. Where next for Joe and his group? What are the next steps in their learning? How can we best plan for progression?

30. Writing Assessment Focuses linked to Framework Strands. AF1 write imaginative, interesting and thoughtful texts. 9 AF2 produce texts which are appropriate to task, reader and purpose 9 AF3 organise and present whole texts effectively, sequencing and structuring information, ideas and events. 10(9) AF4 construct paragraphs and use cohesion within and between paragraphs . 10 (9) AF5 vary sentences for clarity, purpose and effect. 11 (9) AF6 write with technical accuracy of syntax and punctuation in phrases, clauses and sentences. 11 (9) AF7 select appropriate and effective vocabulary. 9 AF8 use correct spelling. 5 & 6

31. Year 1 Strand 11 • Compose and write simple sentences • independently to communicate meaning. • Use capital letters and full stops when • punctuating simple sentences.

32. Support for Writing Materials; Steps in Learning Progression summary During Year 1, children develop their use of simple sentences for a widening range of writing purposes. They begin to apply basic sentence grammar and punctuation more deliberately, increasingly aware of the need to convey meaning clearly for a reader. Step in learning 1 Through shared writing, children develop their understanding of what asentenceis and when complete sentences are appropriate. They mark sentence boundaries and make the connection between sentence punctuation and meaning in their own writing.

33. Step in learning 2 Children extend therange of sentence types they use and recognise to include statements and questions. They apply what they know about questions in guided or independent writing, as appropriate. Step in learning 3 Children apply what they know about sentence structures in independent writing of their own recounts.

34. Task. Using the 3 Phase Planning sheet, outline a unit of work to support the needs of this group with particular reference to Strand 11. Emphasis needs to be on speaking and listening to rehearse writing, teacher modelling, guided group work and AfL opportunities.

35. Main messages. • APP Writing Guidelines to be used with a range of evidence from across the curriculum. • Always work with colleagues to complete the assessment guidelines and ensure moderation time is given. • Use Standards Files to standardise your judgements. • Use the results to inform future learning but only teach from the Framework Objectives. • Use resources from both Support for Writing and Talk for Writing to guide teaching and enrich the learning.

36. APP Action Plan The development of AfL with APP

37. PROCESS Familiarisation with AFs & Standard files Practice in levelling Standard files using APP guidelines Evidence gathering Marking Record keeping Assessment using sample pupils Moderation • PEDAGOGY • Planning for supporting • writing opportunities • across the curriculum • Developing Guided • sessions in; • Reading • Writing • Mathematics • PROFESSIONAL • DEVELOPMENT • Whole school INSET • Coaching • Modelling • Mentoring • Lesson observation • Area network meetings • Mini networks

38. Summer Term 2009 Autumn Term 2009 Spring Term 2010 Summer Term 2010 Autumn Term 2010 SCHOOL INSET CLASSROOM PRACTICE Success - Achievements

39. Summer Term 2009 Autumn Term 2009 Spring Term 2010 Summer Term 2010 Autumn Term 2010 2 x INSET Levelling Writing using Sample Pupils Writing Moderation Meeting Writing Moderation Meeting Writing Moderation Meeting Writing Evidence gathering Sample pupils Writing Evidence Gathering Writing Evidence Gathering Writing Evidence Gathering INSET Writing Familiarise with AFs & Standards Files INSET Evidence Gathering Cross- Curricular Opportunities 2 x INSET Levelling Writing using Standards Files APP Writing in place

40. Summer Term 2009 Autumn Term 2009 Spring Term 2010 Summer Term 2010 Autumn Term 2010 INSET Guided Reading and Reading Records INSET Reading Familiarise with AFs & Standards Files INSET Evidence Gathering Cross- Curricular Opportunities 2 x INSET Levelling Reading using Standards Files 2 X INSET Levelling Reading using Sample Pupils Reading Moderation Meeting Reading Evidence Gathering Sample pupils Reading Evidence Gathering Guided Reading in all classes established APP Reading in place

41. Summer Term 2009 Autumn Term 2009 Spring Term 2010 Summer Term 2010 Autumn Term 2010 INSET Writing Familiarise with AFs & Standards Files INSET Evidence Gathering Cross- Curricular Opportunities INSET Guided Reading and Reading Records INSET Reading Familiarise with AFs & Standards Files INSET Evidence Gathering Cross- Curricular Opportunities 2 x INSET Levelling Writing using Standards Files 2 x INSET Levelling Writing using Sample Pupils 2 x INSET Levelling Reading using Standards Files 2 X INSET Levelling Reading using Sample Pupils Writing Moderation Meeting Writing Moderation Meeting Reading Moderation Meeting Writing Moderation Meeting Writing Evidence gathering Sample pupils Writing Evidence Gathering Writing Evidence Gathering Writing Evidence Gathering Reading Evidence Gathering Sample pupils Reading Evidence Gathering Guided Reading in all classes established APP Writing in place APP Reading in place

42. Summer Term 2009 Autumn Term 2009 Spring Term 2010 Summer Term 2010 Autumn Term 2010 INSET Maths Familiarise with AFs & Standards Files INSET Evidence Gathering Cross- Curricular Opportunities 2 x INSET Levelling Maths using Standards Files INSET Guided Maths and Record Keeping Guided Maths in all classes established

43. Summer Term 2009 Autumn Term 2009 Spring Term 2010 Summer Term 2010 Autumn Term 2010 INSET Writing Familiarise with AFs & Standards Files INSET Evidence Gathering Cross- Curricular Opportunities INSET Guided Reading and Reading Records INSET Reading Familiarise with AFs & Standards Files INSET Evidence Gathering Cross- Curricular Opportunities INSET Guided Maths and Record Keeping INSET Maths Familiarise with AFs & Standards Files INSET Evidence Gathering Cross- Curricular Opportunities 2 x INSET Levelling Writing using Standards Files 2 x INSET Levelling Writing using Sample Pupils 2 x INSET Levelling Reading using Standards Files 2 X INSET Levelling Reading using Sample Pupils 2 x INSET Levelling Maths using Standards Files Writing Moderation Meeting Writing Moderation Meeting Reading Moderation Meeting Writing Moderation Meeting Writing Evidence gathering Sample pupils Writing Evidence Gathering Writing Evidence Gathering Writing Evidence Gathering Reading Evidence Gathering Sample pupils Reading Evidence Gathering Guided Reading in all classes established Guided Maths in all classes established APP Writing in place APP Reading in place

44. PROCESS Familiarisation with AFs & Standard files (Standardisation) Practice in levelling Standard files using APP guidelines Evidence gathering Marking Record keeping Assessment using sample pupils Moderation PEDAGOGY Planning for supporting Writing opportunities across the curriculum Steps in Learning • PROFESSIONAL • DEVELOPMENT

45. APP Timeline Autumn 2009 Spring 2010 Summer 2009 Where do you want to be by Spring 2010?

46. APP Timeline Autumn 2009 Spring 2010 APP in place for writing Summer 2009 Where will you need to be in Autumn 2009 to reach your 2010 target?

47. Standardisation and Moderation. The purpose of school standardisation is to check the consistency of teachers’ judgements BEFORE they assess pupils in their class. Possible suggestion….. Teachers assess a small sample of pupils’ work from the school and/or use a training standards file (of no more than two pupils) and standardise their judgements using the APP materials. Any variations in judgements need to be identified and discussed. Differences need to be resolved before teachers make assessments of their pupils.

48. The purpose of in-school moderation is to check the consistency of teachers’ judgements AFTER they have made their assessments and to identify and resolve any differences. It is important that teachers come to the meetings having made judgements for every assessment focus and attainment target identified in the school plan. THIS NEEDS TO BE KEPT MANAGEABLE! One suggestion…… Select a focus for the moderation rather than trying to moderate all judgements. The focus could either be a particular level, a level boundary or particular assessment focuses. Keep the sample for moderation to a reasonable number – one or two pupils per teacher.

49. Suggested formats for recoding standardisation and moderation can be found in…… Assessing Pupils’ Progress Guidance for planning and supporting in-school standardisation and moderation.

50. Do we have all we need to be successful? What do we need to do next? What support do we need to ensure success? Evaluations please!