The Impact of Feedback on Student Attainment: A Systematic Review (EEF/EPPI-Centre)
Newman, M., Bird, K., Kwan, I., Shemilt, I., Richardson, M., & Hoo, H. · 2021
grade Bmeta-analysisindependentunreplicated
Sample
Risk-of-bias-coded, RCT-heavy, K-12 attainment-only synthesis
Population
K-12 students; school attainment outcomes only.
Design
The only risk-of-bias-coded, school-age-only feedback synthesis — the best current anchor. Grades effects by study rigor.
Key findings
The honest number for feedback in schools: small-but-real ~0.17 overall, falling to 0.07 in the least-biased studies, near-zero for secondary students, positive mainly in early primary and math. Feedback is not zero — but it is nothing like the 0.5-0.8 folklore.
Genetic confound
RCT-heavy; low confounding.
Replication notes
Confirms the deflation thesis with a clean bias gradient: the more rigorous the study, the smaller the effect (0.62 → 0.20 → 0.07).
DOI / URL
Effects
| Outcome | Metric | Value | Measure | Timing | Vs | Horizon | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall (low/moderate risk-of-bias studies) | g | 0.17 [0.09,0.25] | standardized | end-of-treatment | unclear | end-of-treatment | domain-skill |
| LOW risk-of-bias studies only (n=4) | g | 0.07 [0.00,0.14] | standardized | end-of-treatment | unclear | end-of-treatment | domain-skill |
| Serious risk-of-bias studies | g | 0.62 — rigor drives the number down | mixed | end-of-treatment | unclear | end-of-treatment | domain-skill |
| Secondary school / ages 14-16 | g | 0.05 ns / -0.04 (all constituent studies negative) | standardized | end-of-treatment | unclear | end-of-treatment | domain-skill |
| Early primary (KS1) / math | g | 0.34 (mostly one research group) / 0.25 | standardized | end-of-treatment | unclear | end-of-treatment | domain-skill |
Cited by
- Feedback and formative assessmentmixedconf: highgc: low