BESA CORNER


BESA CORNE R


This month, Education Today kicks off a new series for teachers, in which we hear from members of BESA, the trade body representing UK suppliers to the education sector. BESA has over 300 members, and we’re confident that there will be something useful for you to take away every month, whether that’s a new way of looking at an old challenge, or perhaps an innovative product which could make your teaching life easier.


Thismonth, Education Today kicks off a newseries for teachers, inwhichwe hear frommembers of BESA, trade body representing UK suppliers to the education sector. BESA has over 300members, andwe’re confident that therewill be something useful for you to take away every


A, the rymonth,whether that’s a newway of looking at an old challenge, or perhaps an innovative productwhich couldm ake your teaching life easie r.


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offers us advice on how teachers are improving classroombehaviour management.


uncan Wilson, chief executive of Class Charts offers us advice on how teachers are improving classroom behaviour management.


uncanWilson, chief executive of Class Charts


As a former Head of IT at a school in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, I feel teachers’ pain.


With pupil behaviour high on Ofsted’s agenda, schools are expected to keep an effective seating plan for each class, ideally based on pupil behaviour, ability


level and learning objectives, ready for when the inspector calls! At my former school, it became my job to produce PowerPoint the compulsory seating arrangement of every class. nstantly changing and the students in attendance


With classes co slides showing


varying from lesson to lesson, this took up major chunks of my day; there were plenty of other things that needed my attention. There had to be an easier way.


Coming from the Spectrum ZX generation, I had been dabbling in coding since the age of 10 and, after numerous attempts, I found a way of generating plans in a quick, easy to use and most importantly, compliant way.


If Sam and Jon endlessly goaded each other on to cause mischief, an algorithm would ensure they were placed at a safe distance from each other in the classroom. Or if Suzy and Charlotte got better results when they sat side-by-side, the chart would ensure they were placed in close proximity. In any one class, teachers will generally hav e a good sense of where to seat pupil s to minimis e disruption, but what if data from every lesson a pupil takes could be pooled and updated in real time? So if Suzy and Charlotte fell out earlier in the morning, they would be sat apart in the afternoon. Indeed, the system worked so efficiently that the Ofsted inspector cited our school as an example of excellence. And so Class Charts was born.


Class Charts is now used by over 190,000 teachers and 2.8million pupils. Its growth also attracted the attention of TES Global, which acquired a stake in the company.


Once Class Charts has produced the ideal seating plan teachers know that good, constructive classroom behaviour is optimised. But the applicatio n of good seating plans can go beyond simply findin g the ideal class structure.


Many of our schools use the system more broadly. School is not just about grades! Class Charts helps promote positive character traits and encourages pupils in the right direction. As Robert Sidebottom, data manager at Danum Academy advises, “Class Charts is a critical system for the management of poor behaviour and rewards.”


It’s also about changing the atmosphere in the class. As data manager, Georgina Theobald at The Harefield Academy explains, “teachers can sometimes dwell on the negative behaviour, however, using ClassCharts my teaching staff have never been so positive about behaviour.” Of course, one of the most attractive benefits for busy teachers is ‘time saving’ as Theobald continues, “Class Charts has saved me from hours of report writing and analysis.”


To find outmore about Class Charts please visit: https://www.classcharts.com


8 www www .education-today.co.uk.co.uk


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advice on howteachers can use formative assessmentwell in the classroom.


When asked to name the biggest single reason for their overburdened work 44,00


reg Watson, Chief Executive of GL Assessment, offers us advice on how teachers can use formative assessment well in the classroom.


regWatson, Chief Executive of GL Assessment, offers us


0 teachers who responded to the lives, more than half of the


Government’s workload survey cited data as their main bugbear. This is backed up by our recent ‘Smart Data’ survey, which revealed that 43%of


teachers are spending more time administering pupil assessments than interpreting and acting on the data.


However, teachers are not averse to assessing and analysing collected student data if it supports their learning: 95%of those surveyed think data has a place in the classroom.


So,why the discrepancy ? So, why the discrepancy?


The answer lies in the fact that too much of the data being used in schools is being misapplied or is pointless.


In our world of digitally enhanced precise measures, we find it hard to see pupil performance as a continuous process. Test scores are commonly reported as a nominated grade or level.


In contrast, ‘smart’ data is infrequent, is about analysis rather than administration, and it provides enough information for a teacher to make a decision about a student.


Here are our recommended ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ . Five do s: Five do’s:’


1 Consider what you are measuring in the assessments that you choose. Data will only shed light on the questions being asked. 2. Build a consistent and effective plan.


.


3. Let students know that formative assessments aren’t about passing or failing, but about helping them to thrive.


4. Follow your instincts. Data shouldn’t be read in isolation - as Steve Cox, Assistant Principal at Bluecoat Academy, says, “Data literacy is really important. It doesn’t necessarily give you the whole picture, but it does play a huge part in helping you see it.” 5. Remember to encourage parental involvement by sharing th e information with them .


Five don ts: Five don’ts:’


1. Avoid marking high stakes assessments yourselves. Digital assessments are of course marked automatically, but it’s better to have paper assessments scored externally to ensure they are reliable and objective.


2. Don’t waste time analysing small differences in student performance. Context is key.


3. Beware of mistaking similar standardised scores in different years for a lack of improvement; they may simply have kept pace with the average, and the performance of the entire cohort will have increased from year to year.


4.While most schools will have a tiny percentage of pupils who may struggle with standardised assessments, don’t dismiss them. It’s better to use specialised assessments for these children. 5. Don’t over assess. Too much assessment adds to the teacher’s workload and takes time away from teaching without producing any added insight .


Read GL Assessment’s ‘Smart Data’ report at www.gl-assessment.co.uk/smartdata


Jun e 2016 2016


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