ABSTRACT

There is more to the measurement of impact than the analysis of data. It is important, therefore, for middle leaders regularly to consider the impact of the curriculum in the classroom. The key to measuring impact in Ofsted terms is the phrase ‘knowing more, remembering more and being able to do more.’ A lesson visit should involve asking questions which allow pupils to talk about what they know and what they can remember. Skilled classroom observation allows middle leaders to evaluate the impact of the curriculum in considerable detail. The information gathered in lessons can then be compared to pupil data to give a fully rounded picture of pupil progress. Impact is not just about the data, it is about the climate for learning, the engagement of pupils in lessons, their ability to remember what they have learned, the quality of the work in their books, and their willingness to talk about what they have learned.