A

Specific

R

Measureable

(hover over letters)

T

A smart goal (or target) is a formalised way of specifying an intended learning outcome for a pupil. Although they have their origins in the business sector, smart goals have proved particularly useful in education for pupils with additional learning needs.  Smart is an acronym providing an easily remembered series of questions to ask yourself when setting a goal for a pupil. Smart goals are:

Agreed

Time-related

Realistic

Click each letter for further explanation

M

S

Specific

Time-based

A goal should be clearly enough expressed so that the learner knows what they are expected to achieve, and everybody can agree on whether they have achieved it. Vague terminology should be avoided. Goals should be described in observable and unambiguous terms, so that two different observers would agree whether or not they have been achieved. For example, “Knows number bonds to 10” might at first sight seem to be pretty clear. However, does this target mean that the learner can add up numbers to totals of 10 when presented in written format, or does it mean the learner can do these sums in his/her head? How accurately do we expect the learner to perform the task? Do we expect them to get it right 100% of the time, or will we allow a little room for error? More fundamentally, does “number bonds to 10” mean adding up to totals of 10 or adding numbers up to 10 (so the maximum total is 20)? Does it also include subtraction? All of these are possible areas of disagreement.

If you have expressed your goal clearly, it should be possible to measure it. Measuring it enables you to monitor progress and to decide when it has been achieved. We need to be able to count how accurately it is performed and, in some cases, how fluently. Some of the most difficult goals to specify are those relating to social behaviour. We may want to encourage a young person to concentrate on the task in hand, and to measure their time on task. That is to say, how long they actually spend focusing on a task they have been set, rather than talking to others, daydreaming, or doing other things, which may include disrupting the class. We therefore have to define how we can observe time on task. One of the criteria may be that the learner is looking at the work in hand, but of course this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are thinking about it. However, the majority of tasks are more straightforward provided they are sufficiently well described.

Measureable

Pupils are more likely to achieve a goal when they know what it is and feel some ownership of it. Whilst overall priorities might be determined by the school curriculum and parental expectations, pupils need to be directly involved as far as this is possible. A goal that has been agreed with the pupil is more likely to be achieved, both because the pupil knows what is expected, and because they are more likely to be motivated if they have agreed with the target. This will encourage the pupil to self-monitor, and self-regulate their own behaviour, and is now universally recognised as good practice.

Agreed

Realistic and relevant

Although your goal should be stretching, do not set one that the pupil is unlikely to achieve. Instead, break it down into steps and use the first as a basis for your goal. Then when the pupil has achieved this, you can write a new goal for the next step. There is nothing more dispiriting than being set a task that you know you can’t achieve. Equally, if the learning you are presented with seems irrelevant to you, then your motivation is likely to be low. The latter is more likely to be an issue with older learners.

A realistic goal should be achievable within a reasonable timeframe. It can be dispiriting to plug away at something endlessly, even if it is possible to achieve the goal eventually. Goals should not be indefinite. If they are taking too long, they may be inappropriate for the pupil or need breaking down into smaller steps, each of which can be achieved within a reasonable timescale. This should help to maintain motivation and avoid boredom and, ultimately, the larger goal is likely to be achieved more quickly.

Time-related