Classroom Observation Record Template

Teaching observation: ground rules, pre-observation questions, time-stamped log, engagement sweep, evidence by focus area, debrief actions

EducationStandardclassroom observationUpdated Oct 29, 2026

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How to use: Use it for a peer, mentoring or formal visit to a lesson. Fill the purpose and pre-observation conversation first, so the teacher knows how the record will be used. The main pitfall is recording judgements instead of low-inference evidence.

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Classroom Observation Record: [Teacher and class]

Teaching observation record for a peer or supervisor visit to a lesson, seminar, lab or online session. It follows the common three-part cycle: a pre-observation conversation, an evidence-based observation, and a post-observation debrief with agreed actions. The focus areas are written for this template; if your institution uses a licensed observation framework, use that instrument instead of section 4. Replace every [bracketed] value and every row marked Example.

Document control

Field	Value
Record ID	[OBS-2026-031]
Teacher observed	[@teacher]
Observer(s)	[@observer], [role: peer / head of department / mentor / external]
Class or group	[Year 9 English, group 9C, 26 students]
Subject and topic	[Persuasive writing: structuring an argument]
Date, time and length	YYYY-MM-DD, [10:20 to 11:10, 50 minutes]
Setting	[Classroom / Lab / Online synchronous / Hybrid]
Observation type	[Developmental peer / Mentoring / Formal review / Induction]
Version	[1.0]
Status	[Planned / Observed / Debriefed / Closed]
Access	[Teacher and observer only / Plus line manager]
Last updated	YYYY-MM-DD

Approvals

Role	Name	Confirmation	Date
Teacher	[@teacher]	[Record read; comments added in section 7]	YYYY-MM-DD
Observer	[@observer]	[Record complete and accurate]	YYYY-MM-DD

Revision history

Version	Date	Author	Change summary
0.1	YYYY-MM-DD	[@observer]	Notes typed up after the lesson
1.0	YYYY-MM-DD	[@observer]	Example: Debrief outcomes and teacher comments added

Purpose and ground rules
Pre-observation conversation
Observation log
Focus areas and evidence
Strengths and questions for the debrief
Debrief and agreed actions
Teacher's comments
Glossary and references
Standard and licence note

1. Purpose and ground rules

Item	Agreement
Purpose	Example: Developmental. The teacher wants feedback on questioning during whole-class discussion
Will the record be graded?	Example: No. No overall grade or score is given
Who sees the record	Example: Teacher and observer only; the teacher may choose to share it in an appraisal
Retention	[Per institution policy, for example until the end of the next academic year]
Observer conduct	Arrive before the start, sit where students are not distracted, do not intervene unless there is a safety issue

2. Pre-observation conversation

Question	Teacher's answer
What should students know or be able to do by the end?	Example: Write a paragraph with a claim, two reasons and a counterargument
Where does this lesson sit in the unit?	Example: Lesson 4 of 9; they have analysed model essays
What do you know about this group's needs?	Example: Wide range of writing confidence; four students use a reading support plan
Where would you like the observer to focus?	Example: Whether my questions get beyond the first few volunteers
What would count as success today?	Example: Most students can name the counterargument in a model paragraph
Anything the observer should know?	Example: A fire drill is possible during the lesson

3. Observation log

Time	Teacher actions	Student actions	Notes or counts
10:20 (Example)	Greets at door; starter on board: "Which sentence is the claim?"	Most begin within 2 minutes	3 students without a pen
10:28 (Example)	Cold-calls 5 students by name on the starter	4 of 5 give the correct claim	Wait time about 3 seconds
10:35 (Example)	Models a paragraph live, thinking aloud	Copy the structure; 2 ask about connectives
10:45 (Example)	Sets paired task: add a counterargument	Pairs talk; teacher circulates to 7 pairs
10:58 (Example)	Mini-whiteboards: "Underline the counterargument"	21 of 26 underline the right sentence	Hinge question
11:06 (Example)	Exit ticket and summary	All submit exit ticket	Lesson ends on time
[Time]	[Teacher action]	[Student action]	[Counts or quotes]

3.1 Engagement sweep (optional)

At fixed intervals, count how many students are doing the task set. Do not record names. A sweep is a snapshot, not a measure of learning.

Minute	Students present	On task	Share on task
10 (Example)	26	22	84.6%
20 (Example)	26	24	92.3%
30 (Example)	26	19	73.1%
40 (Example)	26	23	88.5%
Mean			84.6%

Example note: the dip at minute 30 (10:50) came just after the slow move to paired work, when instructions were given once orally only.

4. Focus areas and evidence

Optional descriptors: Established (consistent strength, with evidence), Developing (present but uneven), Not seen (not observed in this lesson, which is not a judgement that it is missing).

Focus area	Evidence from the log	Descriptor
Clarity of purpose: students know what they are learning and why	Example: Objective shared at 10:22 and revisited at 11:06	Established
Learning climate: respect, routines, safety to make mistakes	Example: Calm start; students corrected each other politely	Established
Explanation and modelling	Example: Live model at 10:35 with thinking aloud	Established
Questioning and discussion	Example: Cold-call reached 5 students; wait time about 3 seconds; no follow-up probing questions noted	Developing
Checking for understanding	Example: Hinge question at 10:58: 21 of 26 correct; teacher regrouped the 5 who were not	Established
Inclusion and access: varied entry points, support plans followed	Example: Sentence starters given to 4 students; instructions for paired task given orally only	Developing
Use of time and resources	Example: Transition at 10:45 took about 4 minutes	Developing
[Focus area]	[Evidence]	[Descriptor]

5. Strengths and questions for the debrief

Strengths, with evidence:

Example: The hinge question at 10:58 gave clear information on who had understood, and the teacher acted on it at once.
Example: The live model made the structure of a paragraph visible.

Questions to explore:

Example: After cold-calling, how could you push a correct answer further, for example by asking another student to build on it?
Example: What would help the paired task start faster?

6. Debrief and agreed actions

ID	Action	Owner	By	Sign of success
ACT-01 (Example)	Add one probing follow-up ("Why?", "Who can add to that?") after each cold-call answer	[@teacher]	YYYY-MM-DD	Observer or teacher notes at least 3 follow-ups per discussion in the next visit
ACT-02 (Example)	Display paired-task instructions on screen as well as saying them	[@teacher]	YYYY-MM-DD	Pairs start within 1 minute
[ACT-NN]	[Action]	[@owner]	YYYY-MM-DD	[Indicator]

Support offered: [Example: Observer shares a short reading on questioning and invites the teacher to observe one of their lessons.]

Follow-up visit: [YYYY-MM-DD or "not required"]

The diagram shows the observation cycle this record follows.

7. Teacher's comments

[Example: "The slow start to the paired task was partly because the room had been rearranged for an exam. I agree with both actions."]

8. Glossary and references

Term	Meaning
Low-inference evidence	A record of what was seen or heard, with as little interpretation as possible
Hinge question	A quick diagnostic question at a key point that shows whether the class can move on
Cold-call	Asking a named student to answer, rather than taking volunteers
Wait time	The pause after a question before a student is asked to respond
Engagement sweep	A timed count of how many students are working on the set task

Licensed frameworks: some schools and districts use the Framework for Teaching (2022 edition) from the Danielson Group or another licensed rubric. The Danielson Group states that its framework may not be copied or adapted without a licence, so this template does not reproduce or adapt its domains, components or levels. If your institution holds a licence, use the licensed instrument for section 4. Official text: The Danielson Group, purchase or licensed access: https://danielsongroup.org/observation-support-systems/

Standard and licence note

Based on common practice for peer and supervisory teaching observation (a pre-observation conversation, low-inference note taking and a structured debrief). The Framework for Teaching is named for reference only; no part of it is reproduced. Data about teachers is personal data: follow your institution's policy and the data protection law that applies to you. This is a documentation format, not legal or employment advice. This template is original text written for this collection; the example lesson, people and counts are illustrative. Template licence: MIT.

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