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Create an effective feedback culture in your school

Boost the impact of feedback, focus on pupil outcomes and reduce staff workload by using these evidence-based approaches to feedback and marking.

Last reviewed on 16 May 2025See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 46619
Contents
  1. First, understand what you want to achieve with feedback
  2. Next, think about workload and wellbeing
  3. Then, try these approaches
  4. Consider creating a marking and feedback policy
  5. See examples from other schools

Please note that the inclusion of commercial products in this article does not constitute an endorsement from The Key.

First, understand what you want to achieve with feedback

The main purpose of feedback is to help your pupils, and effective feedback can have a significant positive impact on your pupil outcomes.

Feedback needs to show pupils:

  • What their goals are – by discussing learning objectives and success criteria
  • What they have achieved – by acknowledging and praising their work
  • What changes are needed – by correcting misconceptions and setting strategies for improvement

For this to be effective, it should be:

  • Timely – usually immediately after the task is completed, or in the same lesson
  • Frequent – after every piece of work or task
  • Acted on – by pupils

Feedback vs marking

Marking, or written feedback, is one form of feedback and typically involves