The research thesis
Feedback only matters when a student can use it.
Nurture turns decades of formative assessment research into a practical classroom framework—so useful, individual feedback can reach every learner without adding to teacher workload.
01
Clarify good practice
Make the destination visible, so students understand the standard they are working towards.
02
Encourage interaction
Open a dialogue between teacher and student rather than handing down a one-way verdict.
03
Build self-assessment
Help students judge the quality of their own work and take greater ownership of learning.
04
Identify next steps
Point to the specific action a student can take to close the gap and keep improving.
Developed with experts
Research partnership, translated for real classrooms.
Nurture commissioned its framework with the pedagogy team at Learnovate, the EdTech Research & Design Centre in Trinity College Dublin.
Researched in partnership with
From evidence to action
Three questions keep feedback moving.
Drawing on Hattie and Timperley’s model, Nurture keeps feedback focused on the learning goal, the learner’s current understanding and the next achievable action.
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Feed up
Where am I going?
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Feed back
How am I going?
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Feed forward
What should I do next?
The scale of the opportunity
Small changes to feedback can compound into meaningful progress.
These findings shaped the platform: personalisation at classroom scale, reflection before grades, and next steps students can act on.
98%
of students receiving individualised feedback perform better
Bloom, 1984
+7 months
potential progress from metacognition and self-regulation
EEF, 2022
+6 months
potential progress from effective feedback approaches
EEF, 2022
“The only useful feedback is the feedback that’s used by students.”
Professor Dylan Wiliam · Nurture strategic advisor
Built into Nurture
The research is not a footnote. It shapes the workflow.
Reflection before grades
Grades can stay locked until students reflect, helping delay the ego response and keep attention on learning.
Individual next steps
Teachers can make the next action clear and personal, while using a repeatable framework across the class.
Put the evidence into practice
Take the research further.
Explore practical guides and eBooks that translate formative assessment evidence into everyday classroom practice.