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ASSIGNMENT
Write a forum post (150 words min) as a Reply to this post, reflecting on on your SSE focus, assessment approach and planned actions
- Choose one clear aspect of teaching, learning or assessment to review through SSE.
- Detail the evidence from own work you will use, such as planning created with Teach & Create, adapted resources supported by Copilot or prebuilt agents, or assessment for learning information from Learning Accelerators.
Please also comment on at least one other participant’s post offering a supportive comment, question or suggestion.
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My focus is the use of Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies to improve pupil engagement and understanding in reading this is what I might use for SSE.
Gathering evidence –
Literacy lesson plans created using Teach and Create.
Reading and writing resources differentiated with Copilot and the other agents to support differentiation.
Assessment data from Learning Accelerators, including reading fluency, comprehension, and engagement.
Samples of pupils’ written work collected throughout the year.
Teacher observations and reflective notes.
Feedback from pupils regarding their confidence and engagement in literacy activities.Then we’ll analyse and make judgements, focusing on strengths and challenges. Oral languiage always needs attention, and then the overall goal of helping the children to become independent learners.
Then use the above for targets and actions, and writing and sharing the improvement plan. We put it into action, with inservice for the teachers on how to use the CoPilot tools, and then monitor with the tools themselves – they make it easy to monitor attainment and improvements.
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Hi Mark. I like how you’ve connected your evidence-gathering to the SSE process. Using assessment data alongside pupil work, observations, and pupil feedback should give you a really clear picture of what’s working. It might also be worth thinking about how you’ll track the impact of the AfL strategies over time, so you can clearly show improvements in engagement, reading, and independent learning.
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I like how you’ve linked the use of Copilot and Learning Accelerators directly to the SSE process rather than viewing them as separate initiatives. Using evidence from lesson planning, differentiated resources and assessment data gives a much broader picture of pupils’ progress than relying on one source alone. Your point about using the findings to inform teacher professional development is also important. Providing staff with opportunities to share good practice and develop confidence using these tools will help ensure they are embedded consistently across the school. I also agree that the ultimate goal is to develop independent learners. AI and digital tools should support pupils in becoming more confident and reflective learners while continuing to build essential literacy and oral language skills.
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Hi Mark, thank you for you for sharing such a thoroughly considered reflection to Module 5.
Your focus on Assessment for Learning to boost pupil engagement in reading is fantastic. Gathering a comprehensive range of evidence from Learning Accelerator data to direct pupil feedback, will ensure a clear and balanced evaluation.
I particularly like your plan to support colleagues through targeted in-service training on Copilot tools, this I feel is necessary as we move forward with LLMs, staff confidence as we know, is essential for long-term success. -
I think this is a really practical way of using AI and digital tools as part of the School Self-Evaluation process. I particularly like that the focus remains on Assessment for Learning and improving pupil engagement and understanding, rather than simply using technology for its own sake. Using different sources of evidence, such as Learning Accelerators, pupil work, teacher observations and pupil feedback, should give a much clearer picture of what is working well and where improvements are needed.
The focus on oral language is also important, as this can have such a significant impact on reading comprehension and pupils’ ability to express their understanding. I also like the overall aim of developing more independent learners. AfL strategies such as success criteria, self-assessment and feedback could really support this.
Providing in-service training for teachers would be essential too. If teachers are confident using Copilot and the other tools, they could make differentiation, monitoring progress and adapting future teaching much more manageable and effective.
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Our School Self-Evaluation (SSE) focus is wellbeing and for this assignment I have chosen to review how classroom routines and formative assessment strategies can support students’ sense of belonging and confidence in learning. When students feel safe and supported they are more willing to participate and achieve their potential.
To review this area of my teaching, I’ll look back at lesson plans I’ve created using Teach & Create to see how I’ve included wellbeing through group work and giving students opportunities to share their ideas and opinions. I’ll also use resources I’ve adapted with the help of Copilot to make sure lessons are accessible and suitable for students with different abilities and learning needs. I’ll use Assessment for Learning information from Learning Accelerators to see how students are engaging with their learning and where they might need extra support.
Using this information, I plan to build in more regular check-ins with students, give them more chances to reflect on their learning and work together, and continue adapting lessons to meet their needs. I also want to ask students for feedback about their learning experiences so I can better understand what helps them feel supported and engaged in the classroom. My goal is to create a positive, inclusive learning environment where every student feels confident, valued, and able to do their best.
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I like the SSE area of Wellbeing. We did this previously and while it was invaluable to focus on it, I found it tricky to assess where we were on it.
Making students feel safe and supported is key to any school environment. In reflecting on your post I suppose I often skip over the areas that you put down as vital. Things like regular check ins, chances to reflect on learning and getting feedback. Even simple reflections like traffic light system or emojis to reflect on lessons or their own work can be such an enlightening experience for both teacher and student.
It seems obvious now reflecting on your post but in effect I always tell students a teachers 3rd job is to teach. Job 1 is to keep you safe and job 2 is to ensure you’re ready to learn. Addressing wellbeing won’t have immediate academic results but will have a more rounded developed individual.
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Hi Marguerite, thank you for this compassionate and student-centred response to Module 5. Focusing your SSE on student wellbeing and belonging is a great choice, particularly as we move into enactment of the PCF, Wellbeing is high on the priority list.
Your integration of Teach & Create and Copilot to ensure accessibility shows a deep commitment to inclusion.
Leveraging Learning Accelerators alongside direct student feedback will provide deep insights into how your classroom environment fosters confidence.
With prioritising regular check-ins and learner voice you as a school ensure that students feel truly valued and supported. -
Marguerite
I completely agree that wellbeing is an excellent SSE focus, and I really like the thoughtful approach you are taking. Your emphasis on creating a sense of belonging and confidence through classroom routines and formative assessment aligns well with a positive and inclusive learning environment. I particularly like that you are planning to gather student voice through regular feedback and reflection opportunities. This will provide valuable insights into pupils’ experiences and help ensure that their perspectives inform future practice.
I like your focus on adapting resources, reflecting the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by providing multiple ways for pupils to engage with and access learning. This commitment to accessibility and inclusivity will help ensure that all learners feel valued, supported and able to participate successfully. Overall, your planned actions demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting both wellbeing and meaningful learning opportunities for every pupil.
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Our new SSE focus is on improving Literacy across the junior classes by introducing the UFLI programme, which is replacing Jolly Phonics. This year, I will be teaching 2nd Class and using the UFLI system for the first time. My SSE focus and I suppose that of the school, is to review how effectively UFLI supports pupils’ phonics knowledge, reading fluency and spelling, while also helping me develop my own confidence and professional competency in delivering the programme.
I will use lesson plans and resources from the UFLI programme itself along with ones created with Teach and Create to support structured literacy instruction. I also plan to use Copilot to adapt and differentiate activities to meet the needs of all learners as UFLI can be a one size fits all category. It’ll also assist those pupils requiring additional support or extension. Assessment evidence will include weekly UFLI check sheets, teacher observations, pupil work samples, spelling assessments and reading fluency checks. Reading coach using specific words would be vital here. This formative assessment information will help identify pupils who may need additional intervention from our SET team and allow me to adjust my teaching accordingly.
As this is my first year implementing UFLI, I hope the evidence gathered will help me reflect on the effectiveness of my teaching, identify areas for improvement and ensure that pupils are making measurable progress in Literacy. Working with the Literacy team (which I’m a part of) I also hope to contribute to the successful implementation of UFLI across the school as part of our shared SSE goals.
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Hi Cormac, thank you for your response to Module 5! This reply is full of action and is such a clear and proactive reflection. Embracing the UFLI programme to boost junior literacy while building your own professional confidence is a great SSE focus.
Your plan to differentiate the structured content using Copilot is a wonderful way to ensure every child gets the tailored support they need. Combining weekly UFLI check sheets, Reading Coach data and SET collaboration creates a exceptionally robust assessment framework. It is fantastic that you are an active member of your Literacy team, sharing this learning will hopefully to drive collective growth.
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For my School Self-Evaluation focus, I chose to look at how Microsoft 365 Copilot and the tools explored throughout this course could support planning, differentiation and formative assessment in my classroom. As part of this review, I reflected on lesson plans created using Microsoft Teach, differentiated resources produced with Copilot and assessment opportunities through Microsoft Forms and Learning Accelerators. I also considered feedback from pupils during lessons and my own observations of their engagement.
One of the biggest benefits I found was the time saved in creating high-quality first drafts of resources. This allowed me to spend more time adapting materials to meet the needs of my class rather than starting from scratch. The accessibility features and Learning Accelerators also highlighted practical ways to support inclusion and provide more immediate feedback to pupils.
Going forward, my aim is to embed these tools gradually into my everyday practice. I plan to use Microsoft Teach when planning new units of work, incorporate Microsoft Forms more regularly for formative assessment and make greater use of Learning Accelerators to support literacy. From an SSE perspective, these tools can provide useful evidence of pupil engagement and progress while helping to inform future planning. Throughout this process, professional judgement remains essential to ensure that AI-generated content is accurate, appropriate and tailored to the specific needs of my pupils.
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Hi Colin , I thought your focus on improving assessment practices using Co-pilot and learning acelators was very relevant. It is a significant time-saver, allowing teachers to generate high-quality resources quickly, which can then be adapted and refined to meet the specific needs of their pupils . It will be interesting to see how schools continue to incorporate AI tools like Copilot into the SSE process. I think this has the potential to improve consistency across schools.
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Hi Colin, thanks for your engagement in this final module and such a practical reflection.
Focusing your SSE on embedding Microsoft 365 Copilot, Teach and Learning Accelerators to support planning and assessment is a great direction.It is fantastic to hear how these tools have saved you valuable time, allowing you to focus on tailored differentiation and classroom engagement.
Your point regarding the vital role of professional judgement when using AI-generated content is spot on! Combining Microsoft Forms, Learning Accelerators and pupil feedback will create a real time evidence for your ongoing practice.
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For my School Self-Evaluation (SSE), I have chosen to focus on Numeracy, specifically reviewing how we are implementing the new Primary Mathematics Curriculum to ensure that new materials, planning approaches and assessment practices are being embedded consistently across the school. As the curriculum continues to be introduced, I think it is important to evaluate not only what we are teaching, but also how effectively our planning and assessment align with the curriculum’s emphasis on mathematical understanding, problem-solving and pupil engagement.
To support this review, I will use a range of evidence from my own practice and from whole-school data. My planning, developed using Teach & Create, will provide evidence of how I have incorporated the new curriculum objectives, learning outcomes and differentiated learning experiences into my maths lessons. Copilot will be a valuable tool for reviewing lesson plans, generating ideas for differientated mathematical tasks and ensuring that assessment opportunities are embedded throughout each unit. It will be a time saver to adapt activities so that they promote reasoning, discussion and real-life application of mathematical concepts.
Another key source of evidence will be our pupils’ digital learning profiles. By analyzing assessment information across classes, to identify trends in attainment, highlight areas of strength and pinpoint concepts where pupils require additional support. Looking at data from a whole-school perspective will help make informed decisions about future planning, targeted interventions and professional learning needs. Using assessment data in this way will also allow us to measure the impact of any changes we introduce as part of the SSE process.
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Hi Lisa, thanks for your reflection for Module 5.
SSE and embedding the PMC. go hand in hand, this action will work well for driving enactment.I really like your practical use of Teach & Create alongside Copilot to design differentiated tasks that foster reasoning and discussion.
Leveraging pupils’ digital learning profiles to analyse whole-school trends will offer great evidence to guide targeted interventions and future staff development. All of this data-informed SSE action will directly supports both pupil progress and school-wide growth.
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Lisa, I found this piece very relevant and practical because it focuses on how the new Primary Mathematics Curriculum is being put into practice across the whole school. I agree with the point that it is important to evaluate not just what we teach, but how we teach it and how we assess pupils’ learning. This is essential if we want children to develop a deeper understanding of maths and stronger problem-solving skills. I also like the emphasis on using assessment data and digital tools such as CoPilot to guide planning, as this can help teachers make informed decisions and improve outcomes for all pupils.
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Our school self evaluation focus is Oral language with a particular focus on questioning. For this assignment, I have chosen to look at the oral language development of the children in my class, and in particular how they ask and answer questions. As a whole school, we had observed that a cohort of our pupils struggled with asking and answering higher order questions and as a whole school, we have tried to equip them with the skills to firstly ask higher order questions and, subsequently, develop their ability to answer these type of questions to the best of their ability.
To assess my teaching in this area, I’ll look back at the lessons and resources I have created as part of this module using Teach and Create and also Canva agent. I will check these lessons and resources to see if I have included opportunities and guidance for the pupils to develop their oral language skills. Including key questions or guiding questions in both Canva and Teach and Create easily allows for these opportunities.
Looking ahead, I plan to introduce the Co Pilot tools bit by bit into my everyday teaching. plan to use Microsoft Teach when preparing new topics, and Learning Accelerators to support literacy and, in particular, oral language development. These tools can help pupils build confidence in speaking, listening and sharing ideas. -
Our current School Self-Evaluation (SSE) focus is Gaeilge Léitheoireacht for pupils from 1st to 6th class. As a school, we have identified reading fluency and recognition of high-frequency Gaeilge words as an area for improvement. To support this, we are implementing a whole-school approach to assessing pupils’ reading of the most common Gaeilge high-frequency words (HFW).
At the beginning of the intervention, all pupils will complete a baseline assessment of the targeted HFW. The evidence gathered will allow us to identify strengths and areas for development across class levels. To support teaching and learning, we will create and adapt resources using Copilot Teach Learning Activities, including Gaeilge reading activities, high-frequency word games, visual supports and online learning activities. Copilot-supported planning will help generate ideas for differentiated activities and station teaching tasks.
Over the eight-week block, pupils will participate in structured Gaeilge literacy stations, focusing on new reading, familiar reading, high-frequency words, online Gaeilge games and cluichí. This approach will provide increased opportunities for active engagement, repetition and collaborative learning while allowing teachers to target support effectively.
Assessment information will be gathered throughout the process through teacher observation, pupil participation and ongoing formative assessment. At the end of the eight weeks, pupils will complete the HFW assessment again, and pupil feedback will be collected to evaluate their confidence and enjoyment of Gaeilge reading activities.
The pre- and post-assessment data, alongside pupil voice, will provide valuable evidence of the impact of our actions and will inform the next steps in our SSE cycle. This evidence-based approach will help us evaluate whether our planned actions have improved pupils’ Gaeilge reading skills, engagement with the language and enjoyment of the lessons also.
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I really like this approach, Susan. The focus on Gaeilge high-frequency words is very practical and gives you clear evidence of progress. I also agree that using Copilot to create differentiated activities and station work can save a huge amount of planning time while keeping pupils engaged. The combination of baseline and post-assessment data, along with pupil voice, should give a very balanced picture of the impact of the intervention.
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For my SSE focus, I chose to look at Assessment for Learning (AfL) in literacy across the junior classes. As a DEIS junior school, supporting children’s language, reading and early literacy skills is a key priority, so I wanted to reflect on how assessment is helping to guide teaching and support pupil progress.
This area would be particularly relevant in a junior setting, where pupils are developing foundational literacy skills and where timely assessment can inform targeted teaching and intervention. Through the SSE process, I would seek to determine how effectively assessment information is being used to inform teaching and to support pupil progress.
In order to gather evidence, I would review planning materials created using Teach & Create to examine how learning intentions and success criteria are embedded within literacy lessons. I could also use Microsoft Copilot to create differentiated literacy resources tailored to a range of learner needs, including pupils requiring additional support. Samples of these resources would provide evidence of planning for differentiation and inclusion.
In relation to assessment, I would gather information from Learning Accelerators, such as Reading Progress, to identify patterns in pupils’ reading accuracy, fluency and comprehension. I would also consider classroom observations, teacher records, pupil work samples and examples of self-assessment or peer-assessment activities. Together, these sources would provide a broad picture of current assessment practices and their impact on learning.
Based on the findings, I would plan actions that could strengthen assessment for learning practices across the junior classes. These might include supporting teachers to use assessment data more consistently to inform planning, increasing opportunities for pupil self-reflection on learning, and sharing effective assessment strategies through collaborative professional learning, or through a staff teach meet. The aim would be to ensure that assessment is used not only to measure learning but also to guide future teaching and improve pupil outcomes.
This focus would align with my leadership role by combining assessment, literacy development and school improvement in a way that could have a positive impact on the schools overall teaching and learning.
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My SSE focus would be on improving how effectively differentiated digital resources support my pupils engagement, independence and access to learning. As a special education teacher in a hospital school, I often build on pupils’ interests and strengths, while adapting the language, level of challenge, structure and presentation of tasks to meet a wide range of needs. The evidence from my own work would include the poster and flashcards I created using the Canva agent for a 4th Class Geography lesson on fishing. I would also review adapted resources created with Copilot, such as simplified reading passages, scaffolded activities with sentence starters, visual checklists and extension tasks. I would evaluate whether these resources helped pupils understand key vocabulary, take part in discussion and complete tasks more independently. My assessment approach would combine teacher observation, pupil work samples, pupil voice and assessment-for-learning information from Learning Accelerators. I would also review whether accessibility tools such as Immersive Reader, dictation, captions and translation reduced barriers. My planned actions are to trial these supports with a small group, gather evidence over time, identify which adjustments are most effective and use the findings to inform future planning and whole-school SSE targets. The value comes from sharing outcomes with colleagues and I think establishing a sharing platform is important.
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For my SSE focus, I would like to look at well-being across the school, including both pupil and staff well-being. I think this is an important area to review as the well-being of pupils and staff can have a significant impact on the overall school environment, relationships and learning. As a new principal, I also think it is important to ensure that staff feel supported, valued and have an opportunity to contribute their views.
As part of the SSE process, I would gather evidence through pupil and staff questionnaires, conversations, observations and feedback at staff meetings. I would also look at attendance, behaviour and other relevant school information. This would help us identify strengths as well as areas where improvements could be made.
My planned actions would be based on the evidence gathered. These could include developing opportunities for pupils to discuss well-being, reviewing existing well-being initiatives and identifying practical ways to support staff workload and well-being. I would then review the impact of these actions and use the findings to plan our next steps. -
For my SSE focus, I would review the use of Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies to improve pupil engagement and understanding in reading. To gather evidence, I would use literacy planning created with Teach & Create, differentiated resources supported by Copilot and prebuilt agents, assessment information from Learning Accelerators, samples of pupils’ work, teacher observations and pupil feedback.
When analysing the evidence, I would look at what worked well, particularly whether differentiation and immediate feedback helped pupils understand their learning and participate more confidently. I would also identify challenges, such as ensuring digital tools meet individual needs and maintaining a strong focus on oral language.
AI-supported tools could make differentiation and assessment more manageable while providing useful information about reading fluency, comprehension and progress. However, teacher judgement would remain central when interpreting this information.
My next steps would be to embed regular AfL strategies into literacy lessons, strengthen opportunities for oral language and pupil self-assessment, provide teacher training on Copilot, and use Learning Accelerators to monitor progress over time.
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