All subjects

All ages

To make sure that I am constantly aware of how confident pupils are in each subject, especially with a new class, I ask them to give themselves a confidence score one to three.

I note their score next to their names on my planning sheet and make sure it is on hand during the teaching day. This allows me to be aware of the pupils who may require extra support and I ensure I’m on hand for them, especially during peer or active learning sessions. Conversely I can step in to offer a challenge to more confident pupils.

This can also be a useful tool when prioritising marking.

It’s interesting to compare their confidence self evaluation with the information I am given on their attainment levels.

Asking the children to review their work and then complete these evaluations at the start of each term lets me know if my strategies to support them are proving effective or need to be reviewed.

It’s rewarding to see how proud children are when they upgrade their score, especially the girl who had been struggling with decimals during the first part of the term and then at her self evaluation asked if she could give herself a 2.5

Claire McGinlay teaches at Markinch Primary School in Fife, Scotland.