Although the DfE is keen, in principle, to reduce teacher workloads, it seems that every pronouncement they make add further to the size of the task, especially when it comes to teaching evidence and pupil assessment. They rationalise this by saying ‘Get this new software.  The workload saving it provides will allow you extra time for this, this and this.’

While we’re not so sure about the this, this and this, we do know that software can make teachers’ lives a whole lot easier, and their output better.  So it’s nice to hear the DfE echo such sentiments.

The latest guidance on the question of the new Engagement Model is a case in point. Several sections of their paper are devoted to using tech. We have put together a series of short blogs, taking you through each section, with particular reference to how Earwig covers all the bases, especially for SEND.  We begin with … 

The Use of Multimedia and Technology

The DfE are keen for schools to access efficiency-enhancing technologies (such as Earwig!) as they are aware that their assessment requirements are substantial, and therefore simply too much to do manually. This means that an annotated video or photo is all they require as evidence, especially if it can be easily linked to an assessment framework.

We know that capturing that evidence, adding a note and linking it to a framework can be done in a matter of seconds using Earwig. And that writing lengthy reports and grappling with Excel spreadsheets is exactly what Ofsted will not want you to be doing. Especially as they will also be assessing you on your teacher workload management. 

By using multimedia, the evidence captured will convey “subtle patterns“ and this will “support schools to identify what behaviours the pupil did and did not demonstrate, whether the intervention was successful and how it might be built upon or altered next time.”  It also allows teachers “develop a personalised curriculum and pedagogy for each pupil.”

Sounds like an advert for Earwig.  Except we didn’t write it.  The DfE did!

SUMMARY: Use a multimedia tool to help you capture evidence and link to assessment