1. Gorefield Primary School
Assertive Mentoring
Gorefield Primary School
In association with

2. Today’s aims to see how it will work in our school
to explain what Assertive Mentoring is
to see how it will work in our school
to see how it will benefit you and your child

3. Assertive Mentoring places the child at the centre of learning.

4. Aims of Assertive Mentoring
To raise standards for all
To motivate and involve children
To inform and involve parents

5. Why Assertive Mentoring?
‘There is no evidence that increasing the amount of testing will enhance learning.’
(Assessment Reform Group)
In other words ‘You don’t fatten the pig by weighing it’!
And yet the ARG goes on to say...‘There is abundant evidence from reports of school inspections that the use of assessment to help pupils learn is one of the weakest aspects of practice in classrooms across the UK.’
Why should this be? Discussion
Talk to teachers and they will say...
TIME: Overloaded with planning, objectives, targets, tracking etc
CONFIDENCE: Teacher confidence in assessment has been systematically eroded in favour of an over reliance on external testing, moderation, marking etc.

6. In other words... You don’t fatten the pig... by weighing it!
You have to feed it!

7. Learners learn best when they:
Understand what they are trying to learn
Are given feedback about their work
Are shown how
to make it better
Are fully involved
in the process

8. What is Assertive Mentoring?
“Assertive Mentoring is a focussed, child centred, collaborative approach
based on a dialogue about the child’s present and future learning needs.”
(G. Downey SIP )

9. Assertive Mentoring Model
The Child T I M E
Targets and tracking
Intervene and interact
Mentor and motivate
Empower and ensure

10. It incorporates and facilitates:
Assessment:
Where are the children?
Tracking:
How are they progressing?
Target Setting:
What do they need next?
Support:
What help is needed?

11. Long Term Targets: End of Key Stage End of year Reading, Writing Maths
Science
See Appendix 1

12. Track attainment progress
(Exp) Y2
(2B)
FFT Level
School Target
Y3 (2A/3C) Y4
(3B)
Y5 (3A/4C) Y6
(4A)
Read 2B 4B 4A 3C 4C 5
Write
Maths 2A 3B
Science 3A

13. Medium Term Targets: End of term End of half term Attainment
Achievement
Attitude

14. Track achievement progress
Read
Write
Maths
Science
Attitude
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
Year

15. Short Term Targets: End of week End of lesson Work specific
Informs feedback
Focus for marking

16. Marking and feedback Red Yellow Green very poor poor satisfactory good
very good
excellent
little effort, not your best
many errors
untidy, poor presentation
Objective not achieved
Stop and get help
good effort but could be better
some errors but mostly correct
mostly neat presentation
Objective partly achieved
Continue with care
super effort
no or very few errors
beautifully presented
Objective fully achieved
Go!

17. Track attitude progress
Last year T1 T2 T3
Attendance
98%
96%
92%
Punctuality
Behaviour
Effort
Homework
Uniform

18. Behaviour: Support and challenge Negotiate deals Involve parents early
Set targets and check

19. Assessment Success depends on assessment which is: Consistent Accurate
Simple to gather
Simple to record
Universally understood
Generates relevant MTTs

20. Consistency
Means maximum
effect and efficiency

21. Mentoring Meetings: Mentor = Teacher Meet every term
Meetings last min
Must be 1:1
Must be out of class
Must be Assertive
Shared at parent consultations

22. Staff benefits Know where children are Informed planning
Focussed teaching
Relevant intervention
Accelerated learning
Targets met
Success

23. Benefits for children Know where they are Relevant intervention
Focussed teaching
Know where they are
Relevant intervention
Personalised learning
Motivation
Targets met
Success

24. Parent’s role: Know your child’s targets
Support them in achieving them
Discuss school – smileys, targets, learning
Support with completion of Homework

25. Homework: Spellings – linked to key word assessment
Reading – linked to reading assessment. All children need to read 5x’s a week.
Times tables – tested weekly at school.