Writing School Experience Reports

Writing Reports on trainees Why write a report as well as complete lesson observations? Who is the audience for the SE Report? Ask mentors to think through these questions rather than us giving them the answers. Brainstorm as a whole group or in pairs.

Reporting The following points are based on Ofsted training materials on reporting on pupils but have relevance to reporting on trainees. Principles: Reports should ……. Be based on records Be easily understood by all parties Be as far as possible phased positively Involve trainees in the process

More Effective Practice: School-based trainer’s comments on reports: Draw on records of a range of work Use the Grade Descriptions (Phase 1 or 2 as appropriate) Comments made match the grade awarded Address strengths and weaknesses Indicate how trainees could improve Trainee self-assessments are challenged or amplified

Contd Set sensible, realistic, achievable targets related to the Standards for QTS (SMART targets) Follow from ‘negotiation’ with or guidance to the trainee where areas of weakness and criteria for satisfactory performance have been discussed

Reports need to based on evidence. In groups, consider what evidence is available to us.

Possible sources of evidence All lesson plans and Lesson Observations PDF – QTS Tracker and Weekly Action Plans Subject Knowledge Record /Mark book, Pupil work and feedback Professional relationships with colleagues, teaching and non- teaching Participation in corporate life of the school, meetings, events Ephemeral evidence?

Less effective practice: Look at this ‘pretend’ report: To what extent is it useful/informative to trainee/UEL/next placement trainers? (See the Word document loaded onto the wiki). Give out poor report and analyse.

Less effective practice Trainer’s comments on reports are: Bland and brief comments focusing on effort/attitude/personal qualities Loose intuitive feel for trainees’ performance based on impressions (based too much on latest lesson observation?) Focus on strengths only Future targets are of the ‘work harder/concentrate more’ variety Little/no reference to trainees’ self assessments or simply endorse/repeat After this, do the Report Writing activity with mentors which needed to be made subject specific …. It is impossible to tell which subject this trainee teaches.