Topic outline

  • Feedback to Improve Learning

    The importance of precise and personalised feedback that moves pupils forward is not in doubt. However, there is equally no doubt over the way that written marking adds to teachers' workload. This area shares resources and research around approaches to feedback to help your reflection and planning for your departmental feedback policy.

  • Useful Documents

    Over last five years, approaches to marking and feedback have been systematically reviewed, considering carefully the evidence for the impact of teacher time spent on different approaches. The EEF has recently published its guidance report that summarises the evidence around marking and feedback and responds to the questions raised in the previous reports.

  • Effective and Time Saving Approaches

    Schools and departments are now tending to offer more freedom and scope in designing a feedback policy that is fit for purpose. Key principles in designing or updating feedback policies are:

    • departmental approaches may be different because of different demands of the subject
    • departmental policies should be carefully aligned with the whole school feedback policy, even where there are differences between department
    • the curriculum should drive assessment and students should be assessed based on what they have been taught, and given feedback that helps them to improve 
    • feedback policies should have regard for teacher workload as well as the benefit to students.

    Resources in this section are intended to inform thinking about feedback within English departments and can be used and adapted as needed by the school or individual teacher.