A boys-only secondary school improves student ownership and teacher satisfaction with Eedi's targeted homework and retrieval practice.

The Challenge: Building resilience and tackling apathy

"One of our biggest challenges is building resilience. Like many teenagers, some of our boys find it hard to push through when things feel difficult,” Lisa-Mari explains. “Some have clear plans for their future that don’t seem to require GCSEs, and I completely understand that perspective, many come from hardworking, practical families. Our job is to help them see the value in persevering and embracing challenges, even if it’s outside their comfort zone.”

These issues aren’t unique, but they are particularly pronounced in boys, she adds. “A lot of them are coasting. They don’t want to sit with something challenging, they just want to get the answer right and move on. But that’s not what learning is.”

The Solution: Homework that actually teaches

The school introduced Eedi as its official homework platform, assigning two quizzes and a retrieval task each week for all Key Stage 3 students, and the same for Key Stage 4. Lisa-Mari loads a full year’s worth of homework in advance, ensuring consistency across the year group. “It takes hours, but I know every Year 7 boy is getting the same, structured support.”

“What’s transformed things most is how the platform gently supports students through misconceptions:

“The thing I love about Eedi is that it doesn’t just tell you if you got something wrong and move on. It encourages students to try again, and if they’re still struggling, it offers extra support like a helpful video. It takes the fear out of making mistakes and helps them build real confidence in their maths skills.”

Initially, only the two main quizzes were set for homework, but the teacher quickly realised the retrieval practice was the most important element.

“Now we’ve made all three compulsory. And we go through the work in class, it’s brought structure and focus.”

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The Impact: More teaching time, happier teachers

Before Eedi, the school dedicated one full lesson a week to reviewing homework. “Honestly, it was a bit soul-destroying,” Lisa-Mari laughs. “No one looked forward to it, students, staff, even me! We all wanted to spend that time actually learning, not just going over old ground.”

But now, with Eedi’s data and interventions, that time has been reclaimed.

“We’ve gained a whole lesson back every week. Teachers aren’t stressed about chasing homework anymore, and the boys know exactly where they stand. It’s freed up so much more time to actually teach and support our students.”

Now, teachers can instantly see who’s engaging and who might need a helping hand—and step in straight away to support them.”

“I love working with my boys, they’re funny, determined, and always keep me on my toes. When they see themselves improving, it gives them a real sense of pride. That’s why I’m passionate about using Eedi: it helps every boy, no matter where he starts, see his own growth.”

Students who engage are thriving

While some students still complain that getting questions wrong means more work, the teacher is clear:

“That’s the point. It’s meant to help them learn. They see it as a punishment, but actually, it’s working.”

One standout student, in particular, is thriving.

“He’s ranked 23rd globally on Eedi every week. It’s incredible. And what I love is that it motivates him, even though no one else in the school is near him, he takes real pride in it.

The teacher uses the global leaderboard as a motivator and proudly shares that all her top 10 students are ranked in the global top 100.

“It’s not just one year group either, it’s boys from Year 7 through to Year 11.”

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Final thoughts

When asked what she’d miss most if Eedi disappeared, the answer was simple:

“The ease. It’s so helpful to be able to see at a glance where each boy is at, and support them straight away if they need help. Eedi makes it easier to keep parents involved, too, it really feels like we’re working as a team around each student.”

She continues:

“Even if you started charging, I’d still go with you, because I believe in it. I’m never going back to paper homework.”