Dr Sarah Alix, Deputy Head of Education (Chelmsford) Improving NSS scores in the area of assessment and feedback through the review of assessment processes, introduction of a standardisation day, and explicit communication closing the loop with students. Dr Sarah Alix, Deputy Head of Education (Chelmsford)

Issues Poor NSS performance Particularly around areas of assessment

Assessment Pilot grademark annotation (feedback from students and EEs) Developed the feedback form suitable for regional colleges Still issues with inconsistency of feedback

Standardisation day Occurs around the day of main hand-in Everyone in same room, across campus, new staff and regional partners Input; feedback form, expectations for this, annotation/close marking, different years/gradebands. Processes, EEs. Then courses work in groups to standardise work Course leaders then look across modules ‘this has been incredibly useful to ensure that we are all doing the same, can discuss any issues and examine work with module leaders before the ongoing marking, this has been so much better for us and the students’.

Close the loop with students Email to each student year group outlining strengths in their assignments and quotes from external examiners Use language of NSS eg EEs commented that marking process were robust Remind them of 20WD for feedback and this was timely/achieved/better

Clear processes EEs are informed in September of work they will see, when they will receive it etc Expectations for completion of marking Time booked/diarised for moderation Gives clear time – 1 week for EEs to look at work

  Assessment & feedback 2016 Early Years Playwork and Education 88 Education Studies 80 Education & Childhood 69 Early Childhood Studies/ ECPS 84 Some course improved as much as 30%. Most courses achieved higher than ARU average (79) and HEI average (73). ‘what have you done differently? I can see no inconsistency in marking and feedback across all of the markers on the Undergraduate Major Project, this is really outstanding’

Areas still to work on! Feedback on my work has helped me to clarify things I did not understand Clarity of processes will support us in the next steps of unpicking the further detail