Looking at learning

Looking at learning

Schools should evaluate learners’ well-being, progress and the standards that they achieve through a range of activities. This will involve both observing learning as it is taking place and also looking back at learning that has taken place over time.

When observing learning as it takes place, schools can find out how well learners are progressing by:

• discussing with learners the work that they are doing
• observing:
  • levels of learners’ participation and engagement
  • learners’ reactions or responses to questions
  • learners talking and interacting to each other in pair or group activities
  • learners’ responses to 1-to-1 feedback and how they interact with adults
  • the work that learners’ complete during the lesson and over time.

Schools should also consider:

• the impact on learning that teaching has, for example through:
  • planning to provide learners with opportunities to consolidate and extend their learning in lessons and over time
  • questioning to reinforce, develop or extend learners’ knowledge, skills and understanding
  • the use of resources, including the learning environment and the deployment of staff
  • the use of assessment and feedback

• the difference that teaching makes to:
  • the progress that learners make in their knowledge, skills and understanding
  • how well learners use existing knowledge and skills to develop their learning
  • how far they demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning
  • how well they persevere to overcome challenges
  • learners’ capacity to work independently or collaboratively.

Overall, schools should consider how their provision, over time, supports learners’ progress towards realising the curriculum purposes.

Looking back at learning that has taken place over time provides schools with additional opportunities to:

• evaluate how far the curriculum supports continuity and progression in learning
• consider the impact of feedback on learners’ progress
• identify the impact of learners’ attitudes to learning on their progress
• evaluate how well learners apply different skills across the curriculum
• evaluate the progress of different groups of learners.

When looking at learning retrospectively, schools can find out how well learners are progressing by:

• discussing with learners the work that they have done
• considering the progress learners make in the short, medium and long term
• evaluating how well learners acquire new knowledge and skills and then apply them to new contexts
• considering how well learners consolidate and develop their literacy, numeracy and digital skills across the curriculum
• considering how well learners use and apply the Welsh language and develop their understanding of Welsh culture
• evaluating to what extent learners improve their work in light of the feedback they receive
• considering the progress that learners are making in developing a specific skill, for example data handling or summarising information, across different areas of the curriculum
• considering to what extent learners complete tasks, show resilience when undertaking challenging activities, demonstrate independence, present and organise their work carefully – and what this tells you about learners’ attitudes to learning and teachers’ expectations.

Looking at learning supports improvement when it:

• is a developmental and supportive process
• promotes team learning, collaboration, trust and mutual respect
• has an agreed, specific focus
• focuses clearly on learner progress
• identifies specific strengths and areas for development
• provides opportunities to share and develop skills, expertise and innovative practice
• promotes professional reflection and discussion
• informs professional learning.

Discussion prompts

Resources

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