Feedback. One of the most talked-about aspects of teaching and learning, and one of the most inconsistently applied.

In the Further Education and Skills sector, feedback can be both a strength and a sticking point. Everyone knows it matters. Most people want to do it well. But under pressure, with time short and caseloads high, it can slip into one of two extremes:

• Too vague (“Good effort”, “Try harder”)

• Too heavy (three pages of critique with no clear next step)

Over the years, across multiple inspection types and provider settings, I’ve seen feedback done brilliantly, and I’ve seen it missed completely. So here’s what I’ve learned about what ‘good’ really looks like.

Good feedback is timely

It doesn’t arrive weeks after the work is done. Feedback should land while the learning is still fresh, and before the next task builds on it. If a learner can’t remember what they wrote, they can’t apply your advice.

This doesn’t mean tutors have to turn things around overnight. It means planning feedback into the learning cycle, so it becomes part of the rhythm, not a last-minute rush.

Good feedback is focused

You don’t need to mark every sentence. Highlight the most important thing the learner did well, and the one (maybe two) things they need to improve next time. That’s it. Clarity over quantity.

Feedback that tries to fix everything often ends up helping no one. Learners need direction, not overwhelm.

Good feedback is learner-friendly

If your comments are full of jargon or copied from a template, they probably aren’t landing. Feedback should be written with the learner in mind, in language that makes sense to them, not just the quality manager.

I’ve seen marking that ticks all the boxes for compliance, but the learner walks away not knowing what to do next. That’s not good feedback. That’s paperwork.

Good feedback links back to intent

The best feedback connects to the original purpose of the task. Why was this piece of work set? What skill or knowledge was being assessed?

When feedback helps learners understand their progress against the intended learning, it becomes part of the golden thread. Inspectors notice that. And so do learners.

Good feedback leads somewhere

Feedback should spark action. A reworked paragraph. A conversation. A follow-up task. Something that shows the learner has reflected, responded, and moved forward.

Without that, feedback is a dead end. Good feedback lives on in the next piece of work. You can see it. Learners can feel it.

Good feedback is seen as part of the culture

In providers where feedback is strong, it doesn’t feel like an afterthought. It’s embedded. Learners expect it. Staff talk about it. Leaders value it.

It shows up in CPD. It appears in walkthroughs. It’s part of standardisation. And when Ofsted visit, it’s clear that feedback isn’t a tick-box - it’s a conversation that helps learners grow.

There’s no one-size-fits-all model. Feedback might be written, verbal, recorded, peer-led. It might happen online or in person. What matters is that it’s meaningful, manageable, and makes a difference.

If you’re reviewing your approach to feedback, my advice is simple: start with impact. What do you want your feedback to achieve? Then work backwards from there.

Good feedback is rarely flashy. But when it’s done well, it’s one of the clearest signs of high-quality teaching.