Assertive Mentoring provides the vehicle for ensuring the collection of systems which are brought together and wrapped around the child. The child remains central to the whole process throughout. Assertive Mentoring is a guaranteed, regular, one to one dialogue between pupil and mentor. It is evidence based and focused on; Attainment Achievement Attitude. Progress towards long term targets is reviewed as well as the achievement of medium term targets. SMART targets are carefully chosen from agreed assessment criteria so as to be both challenging yet achievable and to have the greatest impact on performance. These targets transfer to pupils’ personal mentor files and form the focus of continual assessment, marking, feedback and support. Its key components are: School Self Evaluation Data analysis School improvement planning Target Setting: long, medium and term Pupil Tracking Intervention and support systems Monitoring Performance Management systems Its key outcomes are: True Assessment for Learning A personalised curriculum Raised standards for all It facilitates: Continual and consistent assessment Effective feedback to pupils and parents Pupil and peer-assessment Marking and feedback Home-school partnerships PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Aims of Assertive Mentoring at Hope High School Staff to have a high standard of pupil expectation in all aspects of work.
34 35 5A Stage 6 St 6 Emerging 36 St 6 Developing (+4) 37 6C St 6 Securing 38 St 7 Ready 39 6B 40 41 6A 42 43 7C MEDIUM TERM TARGETS The assessment criteria on the class and pupils records are replicated on individual mentoring records. This allows for easy transference of attainment and progress information in preparation for the mentoring meeting. The same code is used to indicate partly, mostly, fully achieved and is understood by children. Discussion between staff and pupils will focus around the assessment criteria which is already mostly achieved ( / ) and what is required for it to become fully secure (X). Once it is clear that the child understands the criteria and what is required, they will become the child’s personal and medium term targets for that subject and form the basis of marking, feedback, assessment and support if required. If pupils demonstrate full understanding and mastery of the criteria, the teacher awards a cross on the pupil’s tracking sheet; if only partial ….a line; completely wrong…. a dot. Partly achieved . Mostly achieved / Fully achieved X This code allows the teachers’ class records to be updated by overwriting from a dot, to a line, then a cross to provide a continual record of current performance. This is printed and given to the pupils as their record. It is re-printed for pupils every half term after each new half termly test results in an update. That is why there are six columns. A clear picture builds over the year, increasing the evidence base and therefore teacher confidence in the accuracy of the level assigned. Half Term Reports – Pupil Assessments Pupil Self-Assessment and Peer Assessment The school has several systems facilitate pupil and peer assessment. For mentoring purposes the child tracks their own progress towards targets and completes the self assessment sheet before the mentoring meeting. It is then compared with the evidence base in order to challenge or confirm perceptions of performance and behaviour. This is particularly useful for revealing potential barriers to learning, challenging excuses and reflecting on the causes and effects of poor attitude and behaviour. The self-assessment sheet also provides the opportunity to celebrate particular successes and comment on the quality of support received.