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Original poster

Is it normal for teachers not to mark exercise books?

57 replies

Milomonster · 02/07/2021 12:50

DS is at a prep. He has some learning support issues eg handwriting. I checked one of his exercise books which hasn’t been marked by his teacher for months. One of his homework tasks had mistakes and hadn’t been corrected. Is this normal practice?

OP posts:

Wormholes · 02/07/2021 12:53

Why don't you contact the school, ask them about their marking policy?

Original poster

Milomonster · 02/07/2021 12:56

I did - she do not respond. I asked her how DS could achieve his writing goals if he received no explicit feedback.

OP posts:

Loudestcat14 · 02/07/2021 13:00

They could be doing verbal feedback marking, which is becoming more popular in primary schools, because research has shown younger children tend to respond better to it compared to when teachers write in their books. (In case anyone thinks it means an easy life for teachers, they still have to write down what the feedback is for school records, to satisfy Ofsted.)

But if they are doing that, the teacher should really tell you.

Original poster

Milomonster · 02/07/2021 13:03

Thanks @Loudestcat14. He’s 10 and he hasn’t received any verbal feedback.

OP posts:

ahayavsbs · 02/07/2021 13:03

Marking is different in every school, they will all have different policies and only they can tell you what theirs is.

Original poster

Milomonster · 02/07/2021 13:05

Ok. I guess what I wanted to know is absolutely no marking/written feedback for months normal elsewhere?

OP posts:

Bobbybobbins · 02/07/2021 13:11

It's not normal in my school OP (secondary comp). The expectation is that we mark books once every 3 weeks minimum. We wouldn't mark every piece but eg an assessment piece. This was a bit looser while on lockdown but we still fed back on work submitted online.

negrilbaby · 02/07/2021 19:45

In our school our policy states that all work should be marked, as seen, weekly - extending to two in exceptional circumstances!

Your school will have a marking policy - they all differ but they should keep to what their policy states. It may well be on the website , if not, ask to see a copy. If you do not get a reply - contact the head and explain that you had asked someone else but had no response.

Hoopa · 02/07/2021 20:16

At our (state) primary all work is marked and corrected. At my DD"s (state) comp work is either self marked in class or corrected by teacher.

sirfredfredgeorge · 02/07/2021 22:28

He's at a PREP, you are the customer, you do not need to ask us, talk to the teachers superior, advocate for your child, they are not getting the support they need.

mumtoboyscanterbury · 03/07/2021 07:23

No this isn’t normal - they might say they offer verbal feedback but if I did that, I would write VF and date it in the margin so it was clear.

Hercisback · 03/07/2021 07:25

It could be normal.

How do you know he has had no verbal feedback?

Written feedback is going out of fashion because it has limited impact and high workload. Regular verbal feedback is far more effective.

NotAnotherPushyMum · 03/07/2021 07:27

In a prep it would be really unlikely that he hasn’t had any verbal feedback, even if he can’t remember it as such. Is it just the one book or multiple books? If it’s just the one maybe they have a policy of only marking certain subjects.

MrsPworkingmummy · 03/07/2021 07:30

I don't think that's normal OP BUT verbal feedback is certainly becoming more popular. Also, what subject was the book linked to? Have you checked all work books? Your child's English book, for example, might be marked regularly and in detail but not their humanities book? I'm an experienced teacher/leader and in my current school we mark extended writing and assessments, but there's no expectation to mark day to day classwork. We give loads of verbal feedback though and plan lessons to address the mistakes we know are being made. Can you see progress in your son's book?

NotJustAnyOldDog · 03/07/2021 07:32

If it’s a handwriting book what marking do you want?

sirfredfredgeorge · 03/07/2021 22:11

even if he can’t remember it as such

He's 10, if he doesn't remember his feedback, then the feedback isn't effective, and a new strategy is required, this may not be a failure in the teacher - if neither the child or the parent is prepared to bring this up with the teacher.

But it is a failure.

0None0 · 03/07/2021 22:36

I’m many schools teachers are banned from touching exercise books during covid.

Any work we want to mark has to be submitted electronically, or it has to be on separate paper, and it is collected in a box, without teacher contact, quarantined for up to a week before marking, marked, quarantined again before handing back.

Exercise books are never touched

mumtoboyscanterbury · 04/07/2021 01:24

@0None0 seriously?

0None0 · 04/07/2021 06:56

[quote mumtoboyscanterbury]@0None0 seriously?[/quote]
Yes seriously. I have been banned from touching exercise books all year. All teachers in our MAT have, and in many other local schools to. This has also been union advice across the whole UK, and from other unions in other countries too.

Having said that, I believe, but I am not completely sure, that this advice might be changing.

I understand. But again I am not completely sure, that current advances in understanding indicate that paper is not a possible route if transmission.

If this is confirmed, then these rules will change. However, they currently still stand

mumtoboyscanterbury · 04/07/2021 08:19

@0None0 Wow - genuinely shocked at this! I’m a teacher but in an independent school and we’ve continued marking and using exercise books the whole way through.

Hercisback · 04/07/2021 08:21

We had quarantine rules in autumn term but they changed with new guidance.

Online marking is even worse!!

Treezan82 · 04/07/2021 08:28

I work in a state secondary and we mark books with written feedback every 3 weeks. That has definitely been let slide a little lately as we have had over 2000 pieces of evidence to mark, per department, for Year 11 TAGS. However, that would mean one missed marking cycle for younger year groups - not months.

sadeyedladyofthelowlands63 · 04/07/2021 10:09

I also work in a state secondary school. We mark all work in books, with at least one piece of work marked in depth with detailed written feedback every two weeks. This has been extended to every three weeks since the pandemic started, as we can't take books home at the moment. During lockdown we had the same policy for electronic marking.

If I had not marked books for months my head of department would be on me like a ton of bricks!

0None0 · 04/07/2021 10:16

I actually miss marking books. I am looking forward to getting back to it. Of course it can be a real drag, abs a chore, but I do feel like I’m driving blind a lot if the time, having not seen any class work from while classes

roundtable · 04/07/2021 10:17

No it's not normal. I'm in a state school.

I use a lot of verbal feedback but write vf and a couple of words to explain what it was. It's also evident as usually the child has needed to correct something.

As previous posters have said if you're not getting answers from the teacher it may be time to find out what the marking policy is. It might be standard (which is poor) or might be a teacher not doing what they are supposed to. Either way no point guessing go to the school again and talk to someone else.

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