Responding to Feedback: Turning Insight into Impact

One of the most powerful drivers of academic progress is how well we listen, reflect, and act on feedback. This week has been a strong reminder of just how impactful that process can be when students, parents, and the school work together with a shared purpose.

Over the past two weeks, our teaching, pastoral, and academic teams, together with the Senior Leadership Team, have undertaken a detailed and thoughtful review of the progress and performance of every High School student. This has not been a purely data-driven exercise. Alongside the analysis, we have held - and continue to hold - positive, purposeful conversations with students individually and, where appropriate, in partnership with their parents. These discussions reflect our strong belief that early intervention is most effective when it is rooted in collaboration. When school insight is aligned with meaningful support at home, students are best placed to flourish.

A real highlight of the week was Thursday evening’s parent webinar on Century Tech. It was wonderful to see such strong engagement and thoughtful feedback from parents. Many shared that they now clearly understand the benefits of the platform as a tool that supports teaching and learning. Century Tech helps guide targeted interventions, informs teacher planning, and uses AI and machine learning to identify gaps, but it does not replace the teacher. Seeing this “demystification” of technology was genuinely encouraging, and we are grateful to parents for embracing it as part of our shared toolkit to support learners.

With the end of the trial examinations, we now enter one of the most important phases of the academic cycle: feedback and action. Feedback is most effective when it is:

● Received with an open mind (it is about improvement, not judgment),

● Understood clearly (what went well, what needs work, and why),

● Acted upon intentionally (specific strategies, not vague promises).

We encourage students to see feedback as a roadmap. Small, focused steps - guided by teachers and supported at home - lead to meaningful progress. This is where interventions truly make a difference.

Looking ahead, next week our Year 9 students will be doing their CAT4 assessments. These are not tests to revise for, but tools designed to help students discover their hidden potential, learning strengths, and preferred ways of thinking. CAT4s provide valuable insight for students, parents, and teachers as we begin to guide them through the IGCSE subject options process. This marks an exciting milestone, helping students make informed choices that align with both their strengths and aspirations.

All in all, it has been a busy, thoughtful, and forward-looking academic week. Thank you to our students for engaging positively, to our parents for partnering with us so openly, and to our teachers for the care and expertise they bring to every intervention. When feedback is embraced and acted upon together, great things happen.

Ms. Noela Gichuru

Deputy Headteacher– Academic