# 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*.

<!--
Guidance: How to use this template
- Agree the purpose first (section 1). A developmental peer visit and a
  formal performance review need different ground rules, and the teacher
  should know which one this is before the visit.
- During the lesson, write what you see and hear (low-inference evidence),
  not judgements. "12 of 26 students answered the hinge question
  correctly" is evidence; "students were confused" is an interpretation.
- Hold the debrief within two working days, and let the teacher speak first.
- Treat the record as personal data about the teacher. Store and share it
  only as your institution's policy allows, and never name students.
-->

## Document control

<!-- Guidance: Identify the visit, the people involved and who may see the record. -->

| 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 |

## Contents

<!-- Guidance: Keep this list in step with the headings. -->

1. [Purpose and ground rules](#1-purpose-and-ground-rules)
2. [Pre-observation conversation](#2-pre-observation-conversation)
3. [Observation log](#3-observation-log)
4. [Focus areas and evidence](#4-focus-areas-and-evidence)
5. [Strengths and questions for the debrief](#5-strengths-and-questions-for-the-debrief)
6. [Debrief and agreed actions](#6-debrief-and-agreed-actions)
7. [Teacher's comments](#7-teachers-comments)
8. [Glossary and references](#8-glossary-and-references)
9. [Standard and licence note](#standard-and-licence-note)

## 1. Purpose and ground rules

<!-- Guidance: Write down what the observation is for and how the record will be used. Pitfall: a "supportive" visit whose notes later appear in a performance file without the teacher knowing. -->

| 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

<!-- Guidance: Spend 10 to 15 minutes with the teacher before the lesson. Ask about intentions, the class and where the teacher wants feedback. Record the answers so the debrief can refer back to them. -->

| 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

<!-- Guidance: Take time-stamped notes of teacher and student actions. Write in short phrases. Record quotes, counts and examples. Leave interpretation for the debrief. -->

| 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

<!-- Guidance: Use only the focus areas agreed in section 2, or all of them for a general visit. Cite evidence from the log for every statement. If you use the optional descriptor column, define the levels with the teacher in advance. -->

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

<!-- Guidance: Pick two or three strengths and one or two questions. Questions invite the teacher to analyse; they work better than verdicts. -->

Strengths, with evidence:

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

Questions to explore:

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

## 6. Debrief and agreed actions

<!-- Guidance: Agree at most two actions. Each needs an owner, a date and a sign of success. The teacher should leave with something to try next week, not a long list. -->

| 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.

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  A["Pre-observation conversation"] --> B["Lesson observation"]
  B --> C["Observer reviews notes"]
  C --> D["Debrief"]
  D --> E["Agreed actions"]
  E --> F["Teacher tries actions"]
  F --> G["Follow-up visit or self-review"]
  G --> A
```

## 7. Teacher's comments

<!-- Guidance: The teacher writes this part. Include context the observer could not see and any disagreement with the record. -->

[*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

<!-- Guidance: Define terms that observers in your team may use differently. -->

| 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.