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 25 May 2023
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 46619
Contents
  1. Every little helps
  2. Feedback vs marking
  3. Ofsted doesn't specify any frequency, type or volume of marking and feedback
  4. First, understand what you want to achieve with feedback
  5. Next, think about workload and wellbeing
  6. Then, decide how to adapt your feedback approach
  7. Have a look at these examples of approaches to feedback
  8. Finally, consider creating a marking and feedback policy

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

Every little helps

Changing your feedback culture can feel overwhelming, but effective feedback can have a significant positive impact on your pupil outcomes. Getting it right also may help you to reduce your teachers' workload, like how one 'outstanding' secondary school cut its marking workload by 75%.

You can achieve these things even if you only make small changes here and there. You might even find that some changes happen organically once you help teachers and leaders think differently about marking. 

Read on to find out more about how you might optimise the approach to feedback in your school. You can choose from the methods outlined here if they'll help you meet your goals, or find something that works better for your context with these considerations in mind.

Giving feedback means giving pupils