Following the successful implementation of the Demonstrate and Connect marking and feedback strategy that was trialled in Maths and Science at the start of the year, we will now be using Demonstrate and Connect across the school. This will mean that all teachers will use Demonstrate and Connect to give your child feedback.

What is Demonstrate and Connect?

The Demonstrate task is an independent activity that your child will complete at the end of a lesson/ topic. This is then assessed by their class teacher, and they are allocated a colour based on the progress they have made. The Demonstrate task will differ across their subject areas, e.g., a practical subject may complete a verbal task. The following lesson there will be a Connect activity which addresses any gaps in learning from the previous lesson/s. Your child will be given a suitable Connect activity which will help them to make progress.

Demonstrate

The Demonstrate task should involve an exam-based question that allows the class teacher to evaluate the progress achieved in lesson. The activity will be challenging and it is designed to assess what the pupils have understood in a sequence of learning. The task will be scaffolded to support the learning needs of all students.

Student Expectations

Pupils will write the heading Demonstrate before starting the activity and they will be expected to complete it independently and in silence. Your child should expect regular Demonstrate tasks in accordance with their subject area curriculum plan.

Connect

The Connect task is an activity designed to address misconceptions or mistakes from the previous lesson’s Demonstrate task. This is a planned starter activity that is differentiated according to the RAG outcomes from the previous lesson. Within this, there should be relevant tasks that address common misconceptions as well as stretch and challenge to develop the learning of pupils who have been successful in their Demonstrate activity.

Your child will be graded with the following colours:

  1. Green = accelerated understanding – will require further stretch and challenge
    1. Amber = effective understanding – some misconceptions will need addressing
    1. Red = limited understanding – significant further support required

Your child will use green pen when completing a Connect activity.

LITERACY LIVE MARKING

Your child may have mentioned that class teachers are now using green highlighters in lessons to ‘Live Mark’ their work. If you see a highlighted green line in your child’s book, this means that something positive has been recognised and verbal feedback will have been given. Where any errors are identified, the teacher will put a green dot in the margin and the error will be explained to your child. Where any literacy errors (SPaG) are identified, the teacher will use the following literacy codes.

spA spelling error. Use a dictionary to check.
wwWrong word used.
pPunctuation is either wrong or missing.
np//New paragraph needed.
CMissing or wrong use of capital.
?This is confusing.
^A word left out, or where you need to add more.

FAQs

Is my child getting personal feedback?

Yes, their colour reflects the stage of learning that they have achieved and is designed to help them achieve the next stage of progress. Each Demonstrate task will be marked by the teacher.

What evidence is there to suggest that it’s an effective way to mark?

We have already seen the benefits of Demonstrate and Connect from trials in Maths and Science. The benefits for the students are that their books are marked more regularly and therefore any misconceptions can be identified and addressed quickly. It also helps with teacher workload as it has been proven to be a more efficient way of marking. This then allows the class teacher to focus on quality lesson planning.

My child is SEN, how are they being supported?

Alongside Demonstrate and Connect, live marking is also carried out by your teacher. This means the teacher circulates the classroom and spends time individually addressing any errors made in the lesson. We have found early feedback from Live Marking incredibly positive from the students because they have the opportunity to share their work and ask questions one to one about their learning. The demonstrate tasks are also scaffolded and differentiated to allow everyone to complete the tasks.

How can Demonstrate and Connect work effectively in different subject areas such as English and Maths?

Although we use the same marking and feedback principle, the Demonstrate and Connect activities differ according to the subject area. One of the benefits of this consistent approach is that students are familiar with the process, and this means they know that a specific piece of work is being assessed by their teacher.

What if my child does not understand Demonstrate and Connect?

All children have received Demonstrate and Connect training in their assemblies to help support their understanding of Demonstrate and Connect as well as Live Marking. Class teachers are always available to answer any questions that your child may have.