Teacher Feedback to Improve Pupil Learning

In June 2021, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) published a Guidance Report entitled 'Teacher Feedback to Improve Pupil Learning'. In this article, we summarise its key recommendations. You can view and download the report and summary poster here.

Many schools are still exploring their approach to feedback, particularly given the plethora of guidance that has emerged in the last 2 or 3 years and also the ongoing focus on teacher workload.

The great thing about EEF Guidance reports is that they concisely summarise key recommendations (in this case there are 6) both within the document structure and often as a separate ‘poster’ of recommendations.

The 6 recommendations in this Guidance Report are as follows:

  • Lay the foundations for effective feedback
  • Deliver appropriately timed feedback that focuses on moving learning forward
  • Plan for how pupils will receive and use feedback
  • Carefully consider how to use purposeful, and time-efficient, written feedback
  • Carefully consider how to use purposeful verbal feedback
  • Design a school feedback policy that prioritises and exemplifies the principles of effective feedback

A key message of this report is that the principles of effective feedback likely matter more than the methods through which it is delivered.

The report is also supplemented by a practical and clearly structured Senior Leader Implementation Pack, which:

  • Supports schools to make evidence-informed decisions when designing a feedback policy
  • Aims to ensure that practice and policy prioritise and exemplify the principles of effective feedback
  • Supports schools in considering opportunity costs such as teacher time and workload

The Aspirer Research School, as part of the Research Schools Network, has also published blog posts about how they have approached Implementation of the Guidance, across a series of staff sessions, and informed by pupil voice. Read the blog posts at the links below:

You can also access the Evidence Review that sits behind the guidance here.

This EEF Guidance Report and linked resources are highly recommended, particularly if you are looking to review and update your feedback practice and policy.


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You can download this article below.