Here is a selection of the feedback Matthew has received from his client schools in recent years.
"Matthew is a man on a mission to change mindsets and cause paradigm shifts in how schools approach education. By emphasising the measurement of what truly matters, he empowers us to look at data through different lenses. He exhorts us to piece together the unseen, the invisible and the silent parts of the story of every child in our care. Learning from and with Matthew has caused my brain to rewire, to see beyond the invisible, and to look underneath the mask we and our students all wear."
Priya Ramteke | Head of Middle School, Oberoi International School, India
"Matthew’s drive and determination to share his passion for data and its use to personalise learning is infectious. Sometimes in life you meet people who can help you understand things through completely different lenses. Matthew is one of those people."
Ian Plant | Associate Principal, GEMS Founders School, UAE
"Matthew is an exceptional and inspiring educator and advocate, who is making a positive impact in our world. His authentic commitment to equity and justice is commendable, ensuring every voice is heard and valued, and he cocreates innovative solutions that contribute to individual and community growth. My experience working with Matthew has been transformative."
Ann Marie Luce | Associate Director Centennial Center for Leadership, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, USA
"Matthew is someone with whom you must and should build a long term partnership as your school goes on its data journey. He has met us where we are, taken a holistic approach, asked the right questions, built capacity and developed momentum. Working with Matthew has been instrumental in shaping our thinking and supporting our strategic direction as a school. It has evolved into a rich, ongoing dialogue and engagement, including ‘residencies’ to support teams on the ground. We cannot wait for his next visit."
Helen Olds | Director of Schools, British International School Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
"Matthew possesses an exceptional talent for commanding an audience with his powerful words, but what sets him apart is his unique ability to help data-driven individuals move beyond mere numbers to take a holistic look at their students. His impact goes beyond the surface, leaving a permanent mark on the educational landscape. His passion, eloquence, and genuine dedication make him an invaluable asset to any organisation fortunate enough to collaborate with him."
Chris Smith | Smith Visualizations
"Working with Matthew is a real game changer for international schools. His unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child, without condition or exception, be seen, be heard, be known and belong is inspirational. He has the unique ability to interweave the complexities of whole school data with individual student stories. His intelligence, attention to detail and ability to impact profoundly on staff and students alike make him a joy to work alongside. And, perhaps more importantly, he's down-to-earth, humble and an all-round good person."
Sara Thomas | Assistant Head of School – Wellbeing, ACS International School Cobham, UK
"Matthew is a consummate professional and always easy to collaborate with. His focus is on student wellbeing, and he uses his personal story to illustrate this in a really powerful way. Data is considered by many to be a cold topic, but Matthew gives it humanity."
Justin Hardman | Co-Founder & Director, 21st Century Learning
"Matthew has been a tremendous facilitator of learning for our leadership team, and his guidance has allowed us to expand our perspective, foresee potential challenges, and embrace solutions to impact student growth. Matthew is a valuable thought partner, who ensures students are seen, heard, valued and belong."
Nicholas Kolentse | Secondary Vice Principal, Canadian International School, Singapore
"Matthew’s passion for his work is infectious; his articulate, deep and determined commitment to making the world a better place through education shines through in all that he does, whether as a speaker, a trainer, a coach or as a thought partner for schools. Humble yet unswerving in his relentless focus on people-centred education, Matthew enables people to grow and change. It is a privilege to work with him."
Dr Helen Wright | Board Chair, International Education Advisor, Executive Leadership Coach
"Matthew has worked with our staff and students for the past two years, his visits always insightful and thought provoking for the entire school community. His work with student representatives is truly remarkable and leads to meaningful and sustainable change in putting student wellbeing first. Matthew has an innate ability to connect deeply with all those he works with, inspiring a real desire to reflect on current school practices and strive for a fully inclusive school."
Ben Armstrong | Secondary Principal, Australian International School Saigon, Vietnam
"Matthew Savage has been an exceptional Thought Partner and mentor to our organisation. He is generous in sharing his insights, experience, and deep understanding of the educational sector, and his guidance is pertinent, reliable, and inspirational. Matthew's vision that every child must belong grounds us to do the right thing."
Michèle Lehmann-Kim | Noonchi
"Matthew really helped us focus on the importance of inclusion. His guidance was gentle and always focused on care and acceptance. Often, when it comes to DEIJ there is a sense of discomfort or defensiveness, but not with Matthew because he stays true to his message of listening and taking care of one another."
Tim Kelley | Director, International School of Stuttgart, Germany
"Matthew is a standout Assessment, Wellbeing, and DEIJB Consultant, and I've been consistently impressed by his revolutionary take on student data. His holistic approach is not just about numbers; it's about stories, about every student's journey. Watching Matthew present is truly captivating; he effortlessly demystifies complex topics, making them relatable and digestible. His contributions are vital for educators and institutions aiming to create nurturing, inclusive educational spaces."
Leisa Grace Wilson | Teach Middle East Magazine
"Working with Matthew has revolutionised the way in which we approach data collection and analysis. With his support we now have a deeper understanding of our pupils on a whole school, cohort and individual level. We have been able to identify pupils in need of support and look for wider school trends, to ensure that everyone has the support which allows them to flourish. Matthew is an inspirational speaker who challenges our thinking and has helped us to broaden our understanding of the complexities of data constellations."
Kirsty Whitwood | Deputy Head, Thomas’s Clapham, UK
Matthew and I met through BSME and, having connected and realised how aligned our vision and values were, we stayed in touch. He has contributed regularly to the #DiverseEd community as a blogger and as a speaker and trainer at our virtual events. He is also a chapter author in our book, Diverse Educators: A Manifesto. He is an inclusive educator, leader and ally, and an advocate for belonging for all.
Hannah Wilson | Leadership Development Consultant, and Founder of Diverse Educators
"Working with Matthew has been an enlightening and enriching experience. His approach to using data effectively is nothing short of transformative, empowering leadership and teaching staff alike to make informed decisions that positively impact student welfare and progress. Working alongside Matthew has been a powerful journey of learning and growth. His dedication to understanding the whole child by leveraging data effectively is truly inspiring, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have benefited from his expertise."
Luci Willis | Head of Secondary School, Raha International School, UAE
"I have worked with Matthew on various projects over the past years and sought his expertise and advice in many areas. Despite his humility, Matthew is a breed apart in terms of his knowledge, insight, and passion for inclusive and holistic education and wellbeing. He is a captivating public-speaker and always delivers a punchy message. And I know that schools who have invited him to speak with their staff and students have found his training transformational."
Edward Clark | Executive Director, LSC Education
"Matthew's deep understanding of how data intersects with wellbeing is enlightening. Both during our time together at the ‘Data in Schools’ conference and during our conversation for my Learning Explorations podcast, his ability to explain complex data-related concepts and their impact on student and teacher wellbeing was both insightful and thought-provoking. I highly recommend Matthew for his expertise and his ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and relevance."
Emily Murphy | Senior PD Lead, Nord Anglia Education
"Collaborating with Matthew Savage has been an enlightening and transformative journey, both personally and for our entire school community, and his approach to integrating the 'warm why of data' into the fabric of our school has been nothing short of revolutionary. His dedication to making data relatable and human has inspired me to view our educational challenges through a new lens, emphasising empathy, understanding, and the individual needs of each student. He has encouraged us to embrace a more holistic view, where academic achievements are balanced with the psychological and emotional wellbeing of our students - a call to action that has galvanised our faculty and staff. His influence on our school will be felt for years to come."
Wolfgang Soeldner | ICT Campus Partner, Ecole Internationale de Genève, Switzerland
"Working with Matthew and The Mona Lisa Effect® was a game-changer for our understanding of pupil data. This shift led to a deeper understanding of our pupils' needs and opened up completely new avenues for personalised learning and improving wellbeing within our school community. Matthew's expertise and passion has helped our school to thrive."
Benjamin Atkins | Head of Secondary, The Aquila School, UAE
"Matthew's workshop encouraged us to hunt for those moments in our assessments and all aspects of school life that disrupt the wellbeing of our students. As educators it is important to reflect on our practices and it was a pleasure to do this with such an inspiring, authentic coach!"
Emily Morgan | Senior Lead for Student Engagement & Achievement, International School Nice, France
"In a thought-provoking series of seminars and workshops with us, Matthew encouraged us to use data more strategically to ensure that students can be seen, heard, known and belong. Already we have started to think about and plan how we will use data to measure what we value."
Anthony Partington | CEO, XCL Education, Malaysia
"An insightful and practical workshop day. The engagement in the room was palpable, and I took away pages of notes on resources, books, films and more. I feel better equipped to advocate for my whole student body and their diverse needs. I appreciate Matthew’s family’s willingness to share their story with those he trains as we are made better people by knowing their journey."
Emily Rankin | Deputy Head, English College Prague, Czechia
"Matthew provided us with the opportunity to evaluate our school culture and individual pedagogy. By encouraging us to consider impact along with intention, he invited us to reflect on both purpose and potential barriers. Through a variety of lenses, he helped us to recognise simple steps to create a more inclusive environment for students of specific groups, simultaneously enhancing the experience for all pupils."
Brooke Baker | Wellbeing Lead, Independent Bonn International School, Germany
"Matthew came into our school to deliver an exciting and engaging day on the use of our existing data, and how we can best use what we're doing and what we have to explore student support at an holistic level. Our middle leaders were so inspired by this, we are now embarking on a consultation journey with Matthew to ensure we are producing data dashboards that are providing a full and evidence-informed data picture of individuals, cohorts, key groups and the whole school."
Brent Woods | Assistant Head of Secondary, Bangkok International Preparatory & Secondary School, Thailand
"Matthew has been a regular contributor to International Teacher Magazine almost since we started publication in 2015. Sometimes challenging, he is always interesting and engaging. Matthew draws on his huge range of educational experience to write with real authority about an impressive spectrum of educational topics, from governance and identity to data management and equity. At the heart of his work is a deep commitment to the needs of young people and how the grown ups in their world can learn to understand them in a way that will bring out the best in them both."
Andy Homden | Editor, International Teacher Magazine
"Matthew`s enthusiasm for meaningful assessment and reporting has been inspiring. We look forward to working more closely with him in the future and building on the guidance he has so skilfully shared."
Fiona Carter | Director of Education, Wellington Colleges International
"Matthew stretched and challenged our thinking about what constitutes data in our context. His workshops are engaging, thought-provoking and at the forefront of current thinking and ideas in education."
Katie Wellbrook | Vice Principal, St Joseph’s Institution International, Singapore
"Over the past two years, our collaboration with Matthew has significantly benefited our schools, and his expertise has been instrumental in propelling us toward becoming a data-driven school. His ongoing commitment and contributions have made a substantial impact on our journey, enhancing the educational landscape for the school and the board alike."
Eni Ogon | Board Chair, Broadoaks British School, Nigeria
"The two days that we spent with Matthew were extremely valuable and, more than anything, thought-provoking. It was an absolute pleasure working with him, and I really do hope that we have the opportunity to work with him again as our project gains momentum."
Imran Akhtar | Assistant Headteacher, Rashid and Latifa Schools, UAE
"I could not recommend Matthew Savage and #TheMonaLisaEffect more highly! He expertly guided our staff through the data triangle and into the practical analysis of their own student data to ensure our students are known, seen, and belong. Highly engaging!"
Nicola Neethling | Principal, Khalifa City Campus, Raha International School, UAE
"I am really excited about how #TheMonaLisaEffect will help us use quality data intelligently to personalise learning and our interventions for our students. It will also help our colleagues understand and identify how to develop their practice and pedagogy to support our students both pastorally and academically."
Kai Vacher | Principal, British School Muscat, Oman
"Each time we engage with Matthew he brings new thinking into our debate about the best way to use data to support student progress and wellbeing. Once again Matthew provided highly engaging sessions; full of substance, thought provoking content and an expert eye."
John Smith | Principal, Park House English School, Qatar
"Matthew has been a partner and friend to inquiring professional minds at NIS for many years now as we ponder how to unlock and release the potential, joy and passions of each learner. Whenever I see a picture of Mona Lisa these days, I see our kids….each of them a unique individual waiting for us to open up the doors of learning to them…and this is thanks to the inquiry Matthew has helped us embark upon."
Matthew Parr | Head of School, Nagoya International School, Japan
"I had the privilege of working with Matthew as my executive level coach. Throughout our sessions, he asked thought provoking questions, provided invaluable insights, and empowered me to discover my own solutions. As someone who was new to working in a corporate education role, he supported me in overcoming immediate obstacles and helped me to navigate complex leadership scenarios with confidence. I wholeheartedly recommend Matthew to anyone seeking to elevate their leadership skills and maximise their impact."
Rachael Edgar | Aldar Education, UAE
"Matthew was an inspiring and visionary Principal who transformed the school. Through his leadership, the school became an outstanding and happy place where every child could thrive. His strong belief in wellbeing and data made the school a very innovative and exciting place to be. He was a skilled orator and an engaging speaker, and his knowledge and experience shone through in every interaction."
Matthew Lee | Vice Principal, Wales International School, UAE
"Matthew Savage is a highly-valued colleague and contributor to the COBIS network. He has delivered conference sessions and training on a range of topics for our international school audience – data, wellbeing, inclusion, belonging, leadership – drawing on his personal and professional experience and expertise. To all he does, he brings passion, compassion, authority, and generosity, and consistently demonstrates his commitment to ensuring all children and young people thrive. His impactful contributions to COBIS events always receive positive feedback. He is a consummate professional, and an absolute pleasure to work with."
Dr Fiona Rogers | Deputy CEO, COBIS, UK
"Aspen Heights has worked with Matthew frequently over the past 4 years, bringing our data to life, ensuring all children are seen, heard and thrive. Matthew was instrumental in driving the inaugural BSME Wellbeing conference that we were delighted to host, ensuring wellbeing is front and centre of each and every conversation about learning and schools. Matthew is an entertaining, perceptive and thought provoking speaker; he has inspired us to continue to grow and develop our provision at Aspen for all students."
Emma Shanahan | Principal, Aspen Heights British School, UAE
"Matthew has the wonderful gift of being able to put everyone in the room at ease with the subject matter. He is able to make his content immediately relateable to the unique school context. Throughout the sessions with Matthew, I could see the 'light bulb' moments across the team. He has prompted our teachers and support staff to think differently about how we deliver our curriculum and also provided the vocabulary in order that the correct questions are being asked."
Zoe Woolley | Headmistress, Jeddah Prep and Grammar School, Saudi Arabia
"Matthew has profoundly influenced our school's approach to equity in student wellbeing. His emphasis on elevating marginalised voices has been pivotal in directing our schoolwide initiatives. By guiding us to consider diverse perspectives in our planning processes, Matthew's work has helped us create more inclusive and empathetic policies and programs. His dedication to equity has not only improved student wellbeing but also strengthened our community's commitment to diversity and inclusion. We are incredibly grateful for Matthew's impactful contributions to our views on student wellbeing."
Kim Criens | Director of Student Life and Co-Curricular Programs, Singapore American School, Singapore
"Matthew's exhortation to use data kindly and wisely to holistically improve students’ wellbeing and academics is a powerful message all schools should hear. His inspirational knowledge and compassion take you on a whole-school journey of growth and change beyond numbers, where all children are seen, heard, valued and belong. Matthew’s personalised partnerships for reflective, nurturing schools are both exciting and essential."
James Soumilas | Deputy Head of Upper School, and Philippa Pyett | Head of Upper Key Stage 2, St Catherine’s British School, Athens, Greece