Thanks to Rebecca Griggs for this, some nice ideas.

1. Progression
10th
September 2013

2. • Lesson observations are now more focused on
evidence of progress
• If you are being observed for 5, 10, 20 minutes,
the judgement descriptors state that the
‘observer must be confident that
students have made good or
exceptional progress during that
time in order to rate the lesson
above ‘needs improvement’
Why?

3. Progress ‘egg’
• Students colour in
their progress ‘chart’
as the lesson
proceeds and when
they feel they have
met the criteria.
• They can be
questioned on their
chart throughout the
lesson.

4. Confidence levels
• Alternatively at the start of the lesson students
can assess their understanding by lining
themselves up against a confidence line on the
wall.
• This can then be repeated at the end of the
lesson to highlight progression.
• Or throughout the lesson as progress is being
made.
Not at all
sure
Very
confident

5. Scaling
• Use mini whiteboards or
scoring sheets for students to
score their understanding
against the lesson aim or
objective at the beginning of
the lesson (0 – 10)
• Regularly refer back during the
lesson, adding new score -
with time the score is
recorded.
• When necessary, ask student
to explain how and why they

6. Showing 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 fingers to demonstrate
success in learning progress. 5 fingers means ‘I
really got it’, 4 means ‘mostly got it’ 3 ‘got some
ot it’ etc
Scaling

7. Confidence levels
• At start of the lesson, students write
their name on a post-it note
• Students place their note on a wall
thermometer showing confidence
levels or in a three column table –
Very, Quite, Not (related to a skill or
knowledge)
• During the lesson, students are
encouraged to get up and move their
post-it when progress is made during
the lesson

8. RAG rating 1
Students to hold up the coloured cards in
planners to show the progress they have
made against the objectives
• Red – no progress
• Yellow – some progress
• Green – good progress

9. RAG rating 2
Students to place planners on desk with coloured
card facing upwards to show level of knowledge
and
Understanding as the lesson progresses
•Red – Do not understand
•Yellow – Not sure
•Green – Fully understand
Individual student needs can then be addressed
as
the lesson unfolds – students are encouraged to
change the colour as the level of understanding
changes.

10. Faces
• Students to draw face next to lesson
objective/aim in their book at the beginning of
the lesson – to show their confidence/ability in
relation to the aim or objective
• At regular intervals, students draw a face in the
margin to show how they now feel against the
lesson objective
• This could be also be done on mini
whiteboards, divided into 3 columns – to show
change at three stages in the lesson

11. Entry/ Exit tickets
In order to exit the lesson, students need to
complete an exit ticket:
Headings on ticket:
• What I have learnt
• What I already knew
• What I might need extra help with
• How I feel I have progressed in the lesson (tick
face)

12. The examiner says…
• Tell students to take on the role of an
examiner assessing their work or the
work of a partner
• Ask them to write a response from the
examiner about the work:
What you did well
What you need to do to improve

13. Questioning
Ask students (no hands up):
• What do you know now, that you didn’t
know 5, 10, 15 minutes ago?
• When you go home this evening and are
asked for one thing you have learnt
today in *************, what will you say?

14. Plenary pyramid
Complete the plenary pyramid and stick it in your books.

15. Progression, progression,
progression!
Although these strategies will not guarantee
that the lesson observed is rated ‘good’ or
‘outstanding’ it will make the progress made
by students much more explicit