Lead by Example

The challengeStaff arrival and gate cover vary on pressured mornings, and leaders sometimes send reminders from their offices rather than joining the routine themselves.

What the leader doesThe headteacher leads the lower gate from before opening and introduces a lead-and-reserve rota, so calm, punctual mornings no longer depend on who happens to be free, then reviews every exception fairly.

What success looks likeBy day 30 every morning should have a confirmed senior lead and reserve; by day 60 at least 95% of leadership duties should be completed as planned; by day 90 at least 80% of staff should agree leaders keep the standard they ask of others.

The challengeFeedback often asks teachers to be more challenging without leaders demonstrating the specific practice expected, so teachers are told what to change but not shown it.

What the leader doesThe assistant headteacher models the evidence, action and rehearsal feedback process with a teacher and her phase leader, asking first what the teacher noticed and adjusting the action where she knows the class better.

What success looks likeBy day 30 every phase leader should model the feedback process accurately; by day 60 at least 85% of sampled feedback should lead to the agreed practice; by day 90 fewer pupils should hold the targeted misconception in at least 80% of sampled lessons.

The challengeThree different equipment routines operate across the phase, and the phase leader's own teaching does not always follow the agreed sequence.

What the leader doesThe phase leader teaches the agreed practical routine in a Year 2 lesson while the other Years 1 and 2 staff watch, giving the adults a role and adding a short safety reset for spills.

What success looks likeBy day 30 all four classes should use the practical routine; by day 60 at least 90% of pupils should manage equipment transitions independently within four minutes; by day 90 at least 90% of pupils should explain why each material gets the same test.

The challengeSenior leaders are deployed inconsistently at lesson changeover, and staff perceive that expectations apply differently when leaders are busy.

What the leader doesThe headteacher takes the corridor position asked of every leader at the 10.55 changeover, deals with any missed position the same day and debriefs so other leaders have a model they can copy.

What success looks likeBy day 30 every priority changeover should have a lead, a reserve and a tested flow plan; by day 60 deployment should reach 95% with priority stairwells clearing in under two minutes; by day 90 corridor incidents should fall by 25%.

The challengeLeaders use the agreed reset language in briefings but revert to lengthy or confrontational exchanges with pupils when they are under pressure.

What the leader doesThe assistant headteacher rehearses the reset language with senior leaders, then uses it in a live corridor conversation they can watch, showing where safeguarding or a reasonable adjustment would change the wording.

What success looks likeBy day 30 every senior leader should demonstrate the reset sequence; by day 60 at least 90% of sampled resets should stay concise and lead to a recorded repair or return; by day 90 at least 80% of staff should agree leaders use it.

The challengeTutors are expected to call families early, yet pastoral leaders sometimes rely on templated messages during busy weeks, so tutors read about the standard rather than hear it.

What the leader doesAfter the next significant incident, the head of year makes the family call personally while a tutor listens, separating what is known from what is still being checked, then debriefs the order to copy.

What success looks likeBy day 30 every priority incident should receive personal same-day contact; by day 60 at least 90% of promised updates should arrive on time and every tutor should have rehearsed the call; by day 90 no sampled family should need to repeat information.

The challengePupils are asked to act on critique, but department meetings rarely show leaders exposing and improving their own work.

What the leader doesThe head of department puts an unfinished prototype of their own through the critique protocol pupils use, hands the chair to the technician and shows which suggestions are accepted, tested or rejected, and why.

What success looks likeBy day 30 every colleague should have observed and practised the critique protocol; by day 60 all teachers should model a revision of their own work with pupils; by day 90 70% of sampled Key Stage 3 projects should show a specification-linked revision.

The challengeSchools receive detailed review expectations on evidence and deadlines, but the central team's own reports sometimes arrive late or without clear evidence trails.

What the leader doesThe director applies the trust's evidence, correction and deadline standard to the central team's own reports first, escalates any slippage before the deadline and asks headteachers for feedback on accuracy and timeliness.

What success looks likeBy day 30 every central review pack should include a source index, correction log and feasible deadline; by day 60 at least 95% of reports should arrive on time; by day 90 all central reviews should meet the standard expected of schools.