Nord Anglia Education Global Study in Partnership with Boston College Demonstrates that Metacognition Boosts Future-Ready Skills Up to 72%

Nord Anglia Education (“Nord Anglia”), the leading international schools organisation, has published the final report from its two-year Metacognition Research Project, one of the most comprehensive studies of metacognition in schools to date, in partnership with the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. 

According to the report, metacognition, the ability to understand how one learns best and adapt thinking to thrive in different situations, is helping students develop essential skills and mindsets for life, including boosting future-ready skills by up to 72%.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and automation transform the future of work, human skills are becoming more important than ever for the next generation of students to succeed. The study spanned 29 schools across 20 countries and engaged over 12,000 students and 5,000 teachers; generating more than 500,000 student reflections through Nord Anglia’s first-of-its-kind platform designed to capture and visualise growth in future-ready skills that were previously difficult to measure.

Key Findings

With metacognition, teachers reported increased student progress in all critical future-ready skills:

• 72% in collaboration

• 70% in curiosity

• 69% in creativity

• 68% in critical thinking

• 60% in commitment

• 59% in compassion

Teachers saw tangible impact from metacognition:

• Up to 96% believe metacognition helps students succeed beyond school

• 78% saw improvements in reflection

• 74% saw improvements in how students communicate their learning

• 71% reported progress in how students work independently

Students reported growth in independence and self-awareness:

• 85% of students reported knowing their strengths

• 76% reported increased independence

• 70% recorded improved social skills

Specific strategies aimed at enhancing metacognition also drove results:

• The regular use of simple, structured strategies called “Thinking Routines” was linked to +21% growth in critical thinking and +20% in curiosity

• However, daily use of these routines drove gains of at least 40% across all skills, and up to 50% in curiosity and compassion
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Dr Kate Erricker, Group Head of Education Research and Global Partnerships at Nord Anglia Education, said: “What stands out in this research is how metacognition helps level the playing field. When students understand how they learn, they gain confidence, independence, and the belief that progress is possible for them. That’s a powerful form of educational equity. With the project now complete, our focus is on embedding these practices more deeply across Nord Anglia and continuing our collaboration with Boston College. And by sharing the full report openly, we hope schools everywhere can adapt and benefit from what we’ve learned.”

Dr Damian Bebell, Assistant Research Professor at Boston College, added: “This is one of the most in-depth studies of metacognition in schools to date, providing empirical evidence of its impact on teaching and learning. At a time when educators worldwide are seeking ways to develop transferable skills in their students, these findings offer practical insights grounded in data. We look forward to building on this partnership and exploring its implications further."

Nord Anglia launched a longitudinal study with Boston College in September 2025 to further investigate the long-term impact of metacognitive approaches on student outcomes. The work will also refine Nord Anglia’s student reflection platform and expand professional development for teachers to embed metacognition more deeply into classroom practice.