All feedback about a teacher’s practice is confidential to that teacher. For maximum benefit, we hope that teachers will want to share this feedback and associated actions with trusted colleagues. After all, feedback will likely highlight elements of practice that are truly great! This should be celebrated, and such experience could be used to help others within the school, creating systems of support. Great Teaching is happening every day in schools across the world!

There is already a good body of research that shows student surveys can provide valid measures of classroom environment and teaching practices (eg Marsh and Roche, 1997; Gates Foundation, 2012; Spooren et al, 2013). The surveys also give students a voice in teaching and learning, and the feedback they generate can be a powerful tool for teacher learning – offering additional insight that allows teachers and leaders to personalise professional development.

• Teachers receive the responses of their class(es) with comparator information, so they can see how their students’ perceptions compare with those of similar students taught by other teachers. This informs their development over time.
• Leaders receive a summary, at school level, of how students’ perceptions in each dimension compare to those in other schools. This informs the professional development priorities and provides additional insight into where Great Teaching already exists!

Use of the surveys is free for individual teachers with a Great Teaching Toolkit: Starter Account. Use the surveys and feedback to:

• Answer the question ‘What can I best focus on to improve that will optimise student learning?’
• Make evidence-based, personalised decisions about how to use precious time for professional development.
• Generate insights to better understand classroom climate.
• Give students a voice in teaching and learning.
• Contribute to active and ongoing research.