How can we reduce teacher workload without affecting the quality of marking?
Written By: Author(s): Andrew Jones and Martyn Essery
7 min read
In 2016, a Department for Education (DfE) working group found that the obsessive nature, depth and frequency of marking was having a negative effect on teachers’ wellbeing and their ability to plan, prepare and deliver outstanding lessons. Marking was monopolising our working hours outside of the classroom to the detriment of our health and, ironically, our pupils’ progress.
The working group’s report, Eliminating Unnecessary Workload Around Marking, concluded that our profession needs to reconsider our approaches to marking and feedback. It said:
‘Marking has evolved into an unhelpful burden for teachers, when the time it takes is not repaid in positive impact on pupils’ progress… Too often, it is the marking itself which is being monitored and commented on by leaders rather than pupil outcomes and progress as a result of quality feedback.’ (p. 6)
This rang very true for me. I have often written extensive feedback for pupils knowing that they were unlikely to re
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This article was published in October 2018 and reflects the terminology and understanding of research and evidence in use at the time. Some terms and conclusions may no longer align with current standards. We encourage readers to approach the content with an understanding of this context.
References
- Christodoulou, D. (2018) Why whole-class feedback beats ‘vague written comments’. (Accessed: 2 October 2018)
- Copping, D. et al (2016). Eliminating Unnecessary Workload around Marking. London: Department for Education. (Accessed: 1 October, 2018)
- Elliott, V. et al (2016). A marked improvement: a review of the evidence of marking. Oxford: EEF/Oxford University.
- Enser, M (2017). Making a Fuss of Feedback. (Accessed: 1 October, 2018)
- Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). ‘The power of feedback/ in Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112.
- Mrs Humanities (2017). Five Whole-Class Feedback Examples. (Accessed: 2 October 2018)
- Lemov, D. Reducing teacher workload by re-thing marking – the Michaela files, part 1. (Accessed: 2 October 2018)
- Kluger, A. N., & DeNisi, A. (1996). ‘The effects of feedback interventions on performance: A historical review, a meta-analysis, and a preliminary feedback intervention theory’ in Psychological Bulletin, 119(2), 254-284.
- Thornton, G. (2016). Marking Crib Sheet. (Accessed: 2 October 2018)
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