Feature, Not a Bug: How AI Feedback is Changing Teacher Behaviour

One of the most interesting things about building Starlight is seeing how teachers are beginning to change how they teach — not because anyone told them to, but because of how the feedback makes them think.

Recently, a P4C facilitator (find our more about our pilot with Thoughtful here: https://www.sapere.org.uk/2025/10/partnership-with-starlight/ ) testing Starlight reflected that “there’s also the issue of [teachers] trying to gain scores from the system. In one enquiry I was more mindful of performing to the assessment — for example, using the types of questions I knew it would score highly on.” She framed this as a problem — an unintended side effect. As a teacher myself, I realised I’d done exactly the same thing. And actually, that’s not a flaw in the system; it’s a sign that it’s working. It’s a feature, not a bug.

When feedback loops are well designed, they change behaviour. What matters is what they focus on.

Each Starlight template acts like a mirror, drawing attention to a specific aspect of practice — questioning, clarity, classroom climate, or student participation. When teachers start “aiming” to do better in those areas, the data stops being abstract. It becomes lived. And when the focus is right, the impact is real.

This is where gamification comes in. Teachers can toggle ratings on or off, but most choose to keep them on. They trust the system — not because they think it’s perfect, but because it’s fair. AI doesn’t judge. It just listens, analyses, and reflects back patterns of speech. It can get things wrong, yes, but that fallibility actually helps: knowing that the feedback isn’t personal makes it feel safer, lighter, more like a coach than a critic.

The results are fascinating. Teachers are speaking more clearly, enunciating words, pausing for effect. They’re consciously articulating ideas to ensure they’re captured accurately by the transcription engine. That’s not gaming the system — that’s good communication. And for students listening in the room, the benefits are obvious: clearer explanations, calmer pacing, sharper focus.

The real magic lies in the template. Each one defines the lens through which a lesson is viewed — and by extension, the behaviour it incentivises. If we get that focus right, then every nudge in the system, every rating, every insight gently aligns teacher behaviour with the school’s priorities. That’s feedback doing what feedback should do: driving purposeful change.

And the best part? Starlight’s about to make this even more powerful. With the launch of our Template Universe, schools will be able to share, browse, and adopt templates built by other educators — from quick reflection models to complex coaching frameworks. Organisation admins (like SLT or T&L leads) will also be able to set a school-wide template, ensuring every teacher’s feedback aligns with shared goals. It’s a major step toward a living ecosystem of improvement — one that’s teacher-driven, endlessly adaptable, and quietly transformative.

So yes, if teachers find themselves thinking, speaking, or teaching differently because of Starlight, we take that as a win. It means insight is sparking change — exactly as it should.

Starlight – Spark Insight. Spark Change.

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The Insight Engine is written by Adam Sturdee, co-founder of Starlight—the UK’s first AI-powered coaching platform—and Assistant Headteacher at St Augustine’s Catholic College. This blog is part of a wider mission to support educators through meaningful reflection, not performance metrics. It documents the journey of building Starlight from the ground up, and explores how AI, when shaped with care, can reduce workload, surface insight, and help teachers think more deeply about their practice. Rooted in the belief that growth should be private, professional, and purposeful, The Insight Engine offers ideas and stories that put insight—not judgment—at the centre of development.