If you’re a UK student in nursing, education, social work, business or any vocational degree, you’ve probably been asked to write a “Gibbs reflection”. This guide explains Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle in plain English, walks through each of the six stages, and gives worked examples for UK students.
What is Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle?
Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (Graham Gibbs, 1988) is a six-stage model for structured reflection. It helps you turn an experience into a learning outcome — the goal of most UK reflective coursework.
The 6 stages of Gibbs
- Description — what happened? (just the facts)
- Feelings — what were you thinking and feeling?
- Evaluation — what was good and bad about the experience?
- Analysis — what sense can you make of it? (link to theory)
- Conclusion — what else could you have done?
- Action plan — what would you do differently next time?
UK nursing reflection example (Gibbs)
Description: During my placement on a paediatric ward, I was asked to administer oral medication to a 7-year-old patient. The child refused and became distressed.
Feelings: I felt anxious and unsure. I was worried about the medication being missed but also concerned about the child’s distress.
Evaluation: What went well: I stayed calm and didn’t force the medication. What didn’t: I didn’t have a clear strategy for handling refusal.
Analysis: The NMC Code (2018) emphasises patient-centred care. Roper-Logan-Tierney’s model highlights the importance of psychological as well as physiological needs. The child’s refusal reflected fear, not non-compliance.
Conclusion: I could have prepared the child by explaining the medication using age-appropriate language and giving them choice (e.g. drink type to follow).
Action plan: In future, I will request a brief paediatric communication training session, and I will collaborate with the play specialist team for similar situations.
UK education student example (Gibbs)
Description: During my Year 4 placement, I delivered a lesson on fractions where 8 of 28 children appeared confused.
Feelings: Initially defensive — I felt I had explained clearly. On reflection, frustrated with myself.
Evaluation: The lesson was over-pitched: I assumed prior knowledge that wasn’t there. Pacing was too fast.
Analysis: Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development was relevant — without scaffolding, my pupils couldn’t bridge from prior knowledge to new content. The DfE Mastery curriculum framework also emphasises small-step progression.
Conclusion: I needed a clearer baseline assessment before introducing new content.
Action plan: I will use a 5-minute starter quiz before each new topic and adjust pace based on the results.
Common UK marking criteria for Gibbs reflections
| Mark band | What examiners look for |
|---|---|
| Pass (40+) | All 6 stages present, descriptive |
| 2:2 (50+) | Some link to theory, basic action plan |
| 2:1 (60+) | Clear theoretical framing, specific action plan, honest evaluation |
| First (70+) | Critical, multi-perspective analysis, nuanced action plan, links to professional codes |
Mistakes to avoid
- Spending 80% of the word count on Description
- No theoretical framing in Analysis
- Generic action plan (“I’ll be more confident”)
- Skipping Feelings — it’s mandatory in Gibbs
- Not linking back to NMC Code / DfE / professional standards
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