Measure progress separately in each subject
Useful progress evidence answers a practical question: what can the learner now do with less prompting, greater accuracy or better judgement? It should be close enough to the starting task to make comparison meaningful, while still testing whether the learner can apply the idea rather than repeat a memorised example. English and Maths therefore need different observations and records.
Marks can contribute, but a single score can hide the source of change. In English, the evidence might be a more controlled analytical paragraph or a clearer explanation of a text. In Maths, it might be a correct method selected independently and justified across a new problem. Review both trails together only when deciding how to allocate future time. Tutoring studies support targeted, curriculum-linked teaching with feedback and monitoring, mostly in school settings; they do not turn a progress measure into a guaranteed outcome.
- English comprehension
- Compare the precision of an answer, the relevance of selected evidence and the learner’s explanation of how that evidence supports the point.
- English writing
- Compare organisation, clarity, control of sentences and the quality of independent editing on tasks with similar demands.
- Maths fluency
- Track accuracy and efficiency on appropriate calculations while noticing whether facts and notation are recalled without avoidable prompting.
- Maths reasoning
- Look for a suitable method, connected working, justified conclusions and transfer to a problem whose wording or context has changed.
- Learning independence
- Record the type and amount of help needed, because a correct response reached only through repeated prompts is different from independent command.
- Plan decision
- Use the two records to continue, change the explanation, revisit prerequisite knowledge or shift time towards the higher-impact need.