I have had a few email requests from teachers recently in the UK on asking for advice on the use of data in their classroom and schools. So I thought it would be easier to write a short blog post instead of emailing several different versions of the same email (I am not being lazy it i just that it may also help others who read the blog too)
There is some good advice in a recent (ish) research report carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), commissioned by the DCSF. It found that:
“data only became effective if it was used to stimulate questions about the learning taking place. Those schools that were most successful tended to be the ones that ensured meaningful discussions with staff about how data can be used to bring about practical improvements in the classroom.”
Things you should consider when using data to improve your teaching and learning:
• Challenge the expectations of staff, pupils and parents
• More effective allocation of staff and resources within departments
• Consideration for performance management
• Monitoring the effectiveness of initiatives and strategies
• Transitions and transfers between key stages and years
• Identification of pupils’ achievement and setting of targets
• Frequently track pupil progress
• To identify underachieving pupils for further support
• To inform teacher’s planning
• To inform pupil setting in individual classes
Things to consider when using data at a classroom level
• Highlight specific weaknesses for individual pupils
• Identify weaknesses in topics for the class as a whole
• Inform accurate curricular targets for individual groups
• Provide evidence to support decisions as to where best to focus resources and teaching.
• Tailor teaching to the needs of targeted groups
• Identify individuals and groups for additional support
• Encourage pupils to take ownership of their learning goals
• Sharing good practice between teachers on successful strategies
Any thoughts and view on this?