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[P+S] Primary & Secondary Designing for Integrity

The 90-Second Decision Vignette

If student voice can be imitated, we need better proof than "the writing sounds like them." A 90-second in-class vignette is low-stakes, high-signal, and kinder than constant suspicion. It reveals whether the learner owns the decisions in the work.
Classroom Strategy

Add a rolling 90-second vignette during drafting. Three consistent prompts, 60 to 120 seconds per student. Jot three bullet notes and staple them to the draft.

  • "One decision you made."
  • "One evidence anchor you used."
  • "One uncertainty or one thing that could be wrong."

If the vignette only appears when you are suspicious, it feels punitive. If it appears as a normal part of learning, it feels fair. Normalise it from the start of the year and it becomes culture, not interrogation.

Three Ways to Embed It

The vignette works best as a routine rather than an event. Three practical ways to build it into existing practice without adding significant workload.

  • Rolling check during drafting: one group per lesson, rotating across the week
  • Quick exit routine: two or three students answer the three prompts before leaving
  • Rehearsal before submission: students practise the vignette the lesson before a task is due
Primary — Year 3

Students respond to a prompt card: "What did you change and why?" They point to their draft or drawing and name one change. Developmentally appropriate and builds metacognition from the earliest years.

Secondary — Year 13

Three consistent questions: decision made, evidence used, what could be wrong. Brief teacher notes kept as part of the authenticity record. Supports internal assessment conditions without requiring detection tools.

Decision Checkpoint

What is your secure evidence point for authenticity in this task, and is it fair and low-stress for all learners?

Governance Reminder

The fastest way to reduce anxiety is to make the vignette routine. Normalise it from the start of the year and it becomes culture rather than interrogation. Students who know what to expect engage more honestly with the prompts.

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