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How tagging transforms learning outcomes: pupils achieve more progress in just three months

Our recent collaboration with NCFE focused on how tagging – an innovative tool within Pupil Progress – enables the assignment of students to groups based on shared learning needs or strategic goals, such as "English 4+ but not Maths."

This functionality is further enhanced by detailed Question Level Analysis (QLA) from formal assessment data, providing both teachers and students with clear insights into the specific areas of the course that require focus and improvement. But the success of this project isn’t just about the technology; it’s about a shared commitment to improving outcomes for every student.

In just three months, underperforming students identified for targeted support using the Pupil Progress tagging feature matched or made greater progress than their peers, closing learning gaps. This was seen consistently across all 6 schools that used tagging, and in both English and Maths.

This isn’t just a promising statistic – it’s evidence of how teacher expertise paired with purpose-built assessment tracking tools can transform teachers’ strategic planning, student motivation, and efficiently raise attainment.

The journey behind Pupil Progress

As former educators, Brett Griffin and I lived the challenges teachers face every day. I spent over 12 years as a school leader, working to simplify data management while improving student outcomes. Brett, an Assistant Principal, shared my frustration with the inefficiencies in tracking and evidencing progress.

The “aha” moment came during a key education conference, where Brett secured our first investor. Together, over the past 10 years we’ve built Pupil Progress, a platform designed by teachers, for teachers, to transform how schools approach assessment. Today, our team of more than 30 includes many former educators who are passionate about reducing workload and creating opportunities for students.

What is Pupil Progress?

Pupil Progress trackers help you take control of your performance data at subject, topic and skill level, giving you clarity and confidence when it comes to informing your curriculum strategy, lesson planning and teaching.

For teachers, tracking and evidencing progress can feel like an uphill battle. How do you identify which pupils are struggling? How do you ensure interventions are effective? And how do you communicate progress clearly to parents and carers, school leaders, and inspectors? This is where our tagging feature comes in.

What is tagging and how does it work?

Tagging allows teachers to label specific skills or objectives for improvement within assessments, breaking down learning into manageable chunks. Instead of focusing solely on final grades, tagging helps identify and track progress of students with similar strengths and weaknesses at a granular skill, topic or question level.

By reviewing tagged data, teachers gain clear insights into student performance, enabling them to:

  • pinpoint learning gaps and plan targeted interventions
  • track long-term trends in progress and identify consistent issues
  • evidence progress during meetings, inspections, and reviews.

The results: positive progress in just three months

Our recent research with NCFE revealed the significant impact of tagging on pupil outcomes:

  • Accelerated learning: previously underperforming pupils that were tagged achieved matched or exceeded results in comparison to their peers.
  • Improved clarity for teachers: Educators reported that tagging made it easier to identify areas needing attention.
  • Enhanced engagement: Targeted interventions boosted pupil confidence and motivation.

Channel website: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/

Original article link: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/all-articles/how-tagging-transforms-learning-outcomes-pupils-progress/

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