Starlight Quarterly: Issue 1 Is Here

We have published the first edition of Starlight Quarterly, our new newsletter for the Starlight community.

This issue covers a lot of ground. We introduce the concept of mining the transcript and why every recording is more valuable than most schools realise. We spotlight three new coaching templates, including Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction, the Great Teaching Toolkit suite and a dedicated Careers Guidance template. We share practical guidance on getting the most from your organisation template and designing custom templates for any purpose.

There is an update on Deep Field Reports, our new bespoke transcript analysis service currently in beta with select schools. We cover how schools are already using Starlight well beyond lesson coaching, from meeting minutes and CPD summaries to assembly records and cover lesson feedback.

On the research and policy side, we report on STAR21's written evidence to the Education Select Committee's inquiry into AI and EdTech, our peer-reviewed paper accepted for the BERA TEAN Conference in May, and our growing partnership with SAPERE and the SOPHIA Network around Philosophy for Children.

And we look ahead: international expansion into Hong Kong, West Africa, China and Switzerland, supported by Starlight transcription and coaching reports now available in over 70 languages. Wherever teachers teach, the coaching principles remain the same: feedback that is specific, timely, actionable and regular. We also share news on a new Initial Teacher Education partnership, our Bett UK 2027 speaker application, and the forthcoming launch of Starlight for individual teachers later this year.

Whether you are already using Starlight or exploring what transcript-based coaching could look like in your school, this newsletter is designed to keep you informed and connected.

Read the full newsletter or share it with a colleague:

Starlight Quarterly Spring 2026.pdf

Download PDF • 2.36MB

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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 a senior leader with responsibility for teaching, learning and coaching. 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.

🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-sturdee-b0695b35a/