For this case study our pupils, staff and parents were clear about what is to be learned and what success would be like, practice self and peer assessment and set their own learning goals. The curriculum areas involved were: Sciences, Expressive Arts and Primary and Secondary pupils.
Relevant capacities of Curriculum for Excellence
Successful learners are able to:- Learn independently and as part of a group.
Responsible citizens are able to:
- Make informed choices and decisions.
Confident individuals are able to:
- Relate to others and manage themselves
Effective contributors are able to:
- Communicate in different ways and in different settings
- Work in partnership and in teams
- Take the initiative and lead
- Solve problems.
Project summary
This cross-sectoral ASG in South Ayrshire focused its development work in the curricular areas of science and art, and creatively explored the links between AifL and Curriculum for Excellence. Each of the members of the group had established many formative approaches in their establishments but all felt that self and peer assessment needed further development in order to fully support the identification of next steps in learning. Furthermore, it was felt that it was time to extend the principles and approaches of AifL beyond maths and language, where much of the previous work had been focused.
The teachers focused on researching the impact of using rubrics to support self and peer assessment in science and using pupil mentors in art.
The key strengths of this project were:
- collaboration between primary and secondary staff, such as secondary science teachers delivering to primary pupils, establishing sustainable links
- a reflective approach to research and links made with Curriculum for Excellence
- transferability of approaches to other curricular areas.
Case study extract
I feel that the rubrics really helped them focus on what they had achieved and importantly, it helped them to recognise their next steps.P7 Teacher Primary School B
The rubric was easier to say a comment because it gives you ideas.S1 pupil, High School A
Rubrics have been developed and used for other curricular areas successfully as a result of this collaborative inquiry.
The secondary art specialist trained pupil mentors from P7 and S1 to lead small groups of five lower primary children in mask making. The mentors were made aware of the success criteria for the lesson and encouraged to assist the children in achieving the criteria and assessing their success.
The staff considered this project in terms of the links to Curriculum for Excellence
Successful Learners: Link and apply different kinds of learning in new situations and learn independently and as part of a group.P7 and S1 worked together to focus on main points for teaching clay masking to P1 and P3; P1 and P3 worked in groups to produce a clay mask, concentrating on given success criteria reinforced by older pupils; P7 and S1 transferred learned skills and knowledge to lower primary, where they modelled and supported learning.
Effective Contributors: Take the initiative and lead.
In their role as mentor S1/P7 pupils collaborated to solve problems in mask-making sessions with junior/infant pupils. This gave opportunity for them to take initiative and lead others.
While we were teaching the P1s how to make a clay face, we were also trying to encourage them to widen their artistic ability. P7 pupil.
Next Steps
- To develop rubrics further for talk, writing and collaborative work.
- To develop an enterprise unit for S1 allowing S1 pupils to mentor a primary class in one aspect of art and design
The rubrics
PDF file: Rubric for description of experiment (1.6 MB)PDF file: Rubric for description of experiment P7 & S1 (1.8 MB)Points to consider
- This ASG built on work teachers had already undertaken in self and peer assessment by exploring the identification of next steps as an area for further development. What next steps might you pursue to deepen your understanding and embed the approaches you have been using?
- This cluster found that rubrics were more effective than success criteria alone in helping pupils to focus on their successes and what they needed to do next. Does this have implications for your practice? If so, what?
- Pupil mentors communicated their understanding of success criteria to younger pupils and modelled what they could do to meet the criteria. How could pupil mentors be used in your school and what benefits might this provide?
Contact details
If you would like further information on this case study, please contact the local authority assessment co-ordinator. You can find contact details for each authority area on our local authority co-ordinators' contacts page.
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