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NNS guidance for providers of summer schools

Pupil target setting

Teachers working on summer numeracy schemes should set numeracy targets for pupils. These may be appropriate for a whole class or a group and in some cases will need to be individually set.

Teachers can use a range of evidence to establish pupils' strengths and weaknesses, such as:

• their Key Stage 2 test script;
• samples of work;
• profiles of pupils' work prepared by the Year 6 teacher;
• standardised test scripts and any pupil scores on sub-tests;
• individual or group targets to which the pupil has been working; and
• for pupils speaking English as an additional language, details of the length of time they have been in school, the support they have received, their stage of English acquisition, and literacy skills in other languages.

The following broad principles should inform the process of target setting and review for summer schools:

• identify what the teacher can do to help the pupil to focus on the aspects he or she needs to improve next;
• support pupils in identifying targets: help them identify specific aspects where there is a need to improve;
• agree how to recognise when the targets have been achieved, e.g. in what ways the pupil's work will be different;
• agree a challenging but realistic deadline by which the target should be achieved;
• agree a brief plan of action with the pupil(s), e.g. a list of things for the pupil to do - in class and independently in school or at home. The plan should be sensitive to pupils' needs and circumstances;
• record the targets and action plan for the teachers, the pupil, and his or her parents. This will help teachers to plan teaching objectives, and act as a point of reference for discussions between pupils, parents and teachers;
• monitor and review progress towards the targets. Plan a formal time for this - at least at the start and finish of the summer school;
• keep parents informed of progress and encourage support; and
• recognise and reward achievement. Small rewards count for a lot, e.g. a letter to parents, a merit award, a certificate, display of 'work of the week', stickers, small prizes, or a congratulatory chat with the teacher.

It is hoped that teachers working on summer numeracy schools will:

• set general targets applicable to all pupils in a specific performance band, such as targets arising from the specific learning objectives identified within the scheme of work for the whole group;
• review individual pupils' progress against their targets on a daily or weekly basis. This is particularly important if there are to be changes of staffing in the course of the summer school;
• maintain clear records of each pupils' targets and progress; and
• make parents aware of the targets set, and help them to monitor and support their children through work done at home.

Pupils should be involved in setting the targets. This can have a powerful impact on motivation and to help them reflect upon and gain control of their own learning. Working towards achieving targets helps to raise pupils' self-esteem and to see the direction and progress in their efforts.

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Case Study

Target setting for Jamie

This summer numeracy school organised the children into four groups of seven. While the rest of the group worked on a multiplication facts activity, the teacher spoke individually to each child in the group about his or her strengths and areas for development, and why he or she wanted to attend the summer school.

With a ready prepared list of short questions on different topics to act as a check-list, the teacher aimed to negotiate needs. Each child was eventually assigned six targets, and presented with a typed version to include in their folder.

Jamie's list was as follows:

By the end of the two weeks I will:

1. Be able to do my times tables up to 10 × 10.
2. Be able to check that my answers look about right.
3. Be able to understand and use the appropriate mathematics words.
4. Know the number bonds to 10 and 20.
5. Be able to divide a two-digit number by a one-digit number.
6. Subtract two digit numbers in my head.

The summer school had established in detail the teaching programme for the first week only, in order to respond more flexibility to the children's needs. At the end of each day staff met to discuss the next day's activities in the light of that day's progress. At the end of the summer school, teachers discussed with each teacher individually the progress they had made towards the identified targets. For each target, children were asked to indicate, on a scale 1 to 10, how well they felt they thought the target had been achieved. Where opinions differed, further discussion ensued. Finally, teachers discussed strategies with pupils as to how they could continue to make progress, and how to ensure that knowledge gained during the summer school was retained.

Jamie graded his progress against his six targets as follows:

8, 5, 10, 6, 9, 3

and wrote of the last of these 'I still find that a bit hard'. In discussion with Jamie the teacher was positive and supportive about his progress, and suggested strategies for continued progress at subtraction and number bonds.

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