Feedback might be the Katherine Johnson of a student’s academic journey, essentially unrecognised and overlooked. It has the power to impact success in GCSE and A Level examinations as well as competitive independent school entrance examinations that demand the highest standards. Yet, rarely is it used to its full potential either by the teacher/tutor or by the student.
With research from John Hattie and the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), we know that quality feedback can be transformative, enabling students to recognise and act on areas for improvement. However, to be effective, feedback needs to be timely, specific, and actionable—qualities that make it challenging to deliver but immensely rewarding for teachers and beneficial for students.
Key Takeaways
Transformative Potential: Effective feedback in education can enhance student performance, helping them improve and excel in their academic journey.
Four Core Qualities: Effective feedback should be timely, explicit, actionable, and followed up with further guidance.
Two-Way Process: Engaging students in feedback discussions fosters reflection and ownership of their learning.
Varied Types: Different forms of feedback, like written, oral, peer, and self-assessment, each offer unique benefits.
My Journey with Feedback: A Lesson from a Single Word
I remember vividly when a teacher wrote a single comment on my A-Level essay: “STRUCTURE?” It was like an abstract piece of art - I loved words, and it was open to interpretation as I had no idea what the teacher was actually asking me to do in real-terms. It highlighted a gap in my work without providing any modelling, scaffolding or clarity on how to bridge it, leaving me wondering what a well-structured essay looked like. A defining moment resulting in hours of guesswork and blind experimentation.
As a teacher today, I strive to provide feedback that not only encourages and identifies issues, but also offers clear, actionable steps towards improvement, recognising that effective feedback can make the difference between confusion and clarity, frustration and growth.
Why Feedback Matters: The Research Perspective
Research consistently underscores the power of feedback. John Hattie, in his seminal work Visible Learning, ranks feedback as one of the most impactful strategies to create progress, with an effect size of 0.70, signifying substantial influence on student achievement. In fact, Hattie places it within the top 10 of 150 factors that affect learning outcomes. Similarly, the EEF highlights that effective feedback can accelerate student progress by up to 50%, equating to an additional eight months of learning within a year.
Can you believe that? It costs children nothing other than time…a goldmine of potential to push forward.
Yet, despite its potential, feedback often remains underutilised or inconsistently applied in classrooms or in private tuition lessons.
Many tutors feel that any time dedicated to their tutee outside of teaching time is an ‘add-on’ and it is important to ensure parent and tutor expectations are clear from the outset.
Are you paying a tutor a lower hourly rate, with no feedback or support outside of the lesson?
Do you pay a higher rate and receive communications outside of the session?
Do you pay separately for additional time?
Teachers face high demands within schools, limited time, and substantial workloads, which can lead to feedback that is cursory or lacks specific guidance. The Department for Education identified in their Teacher Workload Survey, that working hours are 50+ hours per week and impacts the quality of feedback.
Teaching in boarding schools certainly is a life commitment if you give it your all, that can be difficult if you have your own family - consistently valuable feedback is often a casualty.
The Teacher Well-being At Work report highlights that workload adversely affects teachers’ mental health which of course can impact their capacity to deliver constructive feedback. The worrying exodus of teachers from a profession I love, is a conversation for another time.
However, when feedback is deliberate, well-structured, and responsive to a student’s specific needs, it becomes a potent tool for learning.
Key Qualities of Effective Feedback
Effective feedback hinges on four core qualities, each supported by educational research:
Timely: Feedback is most effective when it is given soon after an assignment or performance. Hattie’s research highlights that immediate feedback, particularly when students are actively engaged, can significantly improve retention and application. In my practice, I aim to provide feedback at various stages: during lessons, at the end of each day, and at the week’s end, each time adapting to the student’s progress.
Explicit and Specific: Feedback must be clear and measurable, addressing precise elements of the work. General comments, such as “Excellent effort,” can be encouraging but often lack the depth needed to guide improvement. Instead, feedback should target specific areas, for example, “Your essay has strong ideas, but it would benefit from clearer paragraph structure and signposting. In terms of SPaG, let’s work on possessive apostrophes and subordinate clauses.” Crucially, this must be followed up with a directed task - the opportunity to capitalise on the identified gap.
Actionable: Feedback should clarify both what needs improvement and how to achieve it. The EEF’s research shows that actionable feedback encourages students to reflect on their learning and engage in self-correction. By providing steps such as “Next time, plan your essay to ensure each paragraph has a clear main point,” we empower students to see feedback as part of a roadmap, not an endpoint.
Follow-up Opportunities: Feedback should open the door to further dialogue, allowing students to apply the suggestions and receive additional guidance. In my classes, I ensure students have opportunities to revise their work after receiving feedback, creating a cycle of continuous improvement.
The Role of Feedback as a Two-Way Street
Feedback should not be a one-way transaction. In my teaching practice, I prioritise open dialogue, creating a reciprocal relationship where students feel comfortable sharing their perspectives.
Individual and small group classes can more easily foster this environment, allowing each pupil to respond to feedback, ask questions, and develop reflective learning habits such as metacognition. This dialogue has a two-fold benefit: it enhances students’ engagement and informs my teaching, as I adapt my methods based on their responses.
Research by Black and Wiliam emphasises the value of “pupil voice” in feedback, showing that students who actively participate in feedback discussions are more likely to internalise and apply it.
At each school that I have been SENCo, I introduced ‘Pupil Voice’ forms for students to reflect on their teaching and learning - this is important for themselves and offers valuable insight for parents, teachers and tutors to act upon.
Types of Feedback: Finding the Right Approach for Each Student
Feedback can take many forms, and part of the art of teaching is selecting the most effective type for each student’s needs and type of task.
Written Feedback: Written feedback can be particularly effective for complex tasks, providing students with a record they can revisit. The EEF’s studies show that written feedback, when detailed and actionable, leads to more significant academic gains. For example, instead of simply marking errors, provide comments that guide students on how to approach similar challenges in the future.
Oral Feedback: Hattie’s work highlights the immediate impact of oral feedback, especially in formative assessments. This form allows for real-time correction and clarification, making it ideal for group discussions or practice exercises. Incorporate oral feedback during lessons to ensure students can adjust their understanding on the spot. Of course, this must be a safe place and creating a culture of growth mindset and respect is absolutely fundamental for this to be effective. Knowing your students is key.
Self-assessment and Peer Feedback: Encouraging students to evaluate their own work or that of their peers fosters a sense of accountability and ownership over their learning. According to the DfE, self-assessment helps students develop critical thinking skills and a more accurate understanding of their abilities. I often use peer feedback activities to encourage collaboration and reflection, teaching students to give constructive feedback to one another. We put on an ‘examiner’s hat’, the student is clear on the mark scheme/success criteria which makes their work more likely to earn higher marks. Clarity and precision is the upshot, ACTIVE and critical thinking, rather than passive receiving of a grade or feeling judgement.
Automated Feedback: Technology now offers tools that provide instant, data-driven feedback, which can be especially useful in skills-based subjects like mathematics. However, while useful, automated feedback lacks the personal nuance that human feedback provides, making it best used as a supplement rather than a replacement.
Practical Tips for Parents and Teachers to Maximise the Impact of Feedback
As we approach school entrance exams, feedback can be a game-changer. Here are some actionable strategies for parents and teachers to ensure feedback becomes a powerful ally in students’ preparation:
Be Specific and Constructive: Avoid vague comments like “Try harder” or “Could be better.” Instead, highlight exact areas for improvement, such as:
- “Focus on developing your argument in each paragraph.
- What are your key words? Here are some examples of emotive techniques and reasoning techniques.”
- Implement gradually - perhaps one strong piece of feedback per week.
There is no point in dedicating an exhausting week to feedback and then giving none for the next few weeks as you recover or catch up on what has been neglected. Cut and paste feedback will dilute effectiveness.
Encourage Reflection: After providing feedback, give students time to process and reflect. This is especially helpful for younger students, who benefit from understanding the “why” behind each suggestion. Establish metacognitive work as standard after chosen pieces of work.
Create a Feedback Routine: Establish a regular feedback cycle to foster accountability and growth.
- For example, designate Fridays as feedback review days where students can look back at their progress and plan next steps.
- Who is monitoring and reviewing this to ensure it is implemented and maintained? This is important for buy-in.
Celebrate Progress: Recognising small wins along the way can keep students motivated - think of Kramer’s Progress Principle. Developing a culture of intrinsic motivation is essential. Positive reinforcement encourages students to view feedback as a tool for growth rather than criticism.
Looking Ahead Today and Beyond
I hope this small adventure into effective feedback in education serves as a moment to think of it as dynamite, and far more than a comment or grade on a paper. It is a transformative process that can unlock a student’s potential when delivered and received thoughtfully and actively.
As educators and parents, we hold the key to shaping how children perceive and respond to feedback, instilling in them a growth mindset that values learning as a journey. As students prepare for entrance exams, let’s ensure feedback remains at the forefront, seeking it from teachers/tutors whilst understanding the demand on their time, guiding children and families towards success, one specific, actionable insight at a time.
Fortis Education | succeed Without Limit
At Fortis Education, we believe that every child deserves the right support to reach their full potential.
If you're ready to empower your child with personalised, results-driven learning, we are here to make it happen.
Through tailored advice,1:1 tuition and engaging group courses, available both online and in person, we create an inspiring environment that fosters confidence, growth, and a love for learning.
Don’t let the opportunity pass to give your child the edge they need for academic success and beyond. Get in touch with us today to explore how we can support your unique learning journey. Together, we can help your child reach their potential!
Comentários