Think Long, Act Daily

The challengePupil talk depends too much on the teacher and subject. In two classes the same pupils dominate, while quieter pupils and multilingual learners get the least thinking time.

What the leader doesThe headteacher says plainly there is no attainment result yet, keeps each phase rehearsing one talk routine, and lets a doubtful teacher compare it with a lighter version, judged by pupils' reasoning.

What success looks likeBy day 30 every phase should have rehearsed and tested a subject-specific talk routine; by day 60 the routine should be secure in at least eighteen of twenty-one classes; by day 90 pupils' reasoning should decide what is kept, adapted or dropped.

The challengeFamilies see adults deliberately stepping back from children with SEND and conclude that support is being withdrawn, while expectations of independence differ between the school's two sites.

What the leader doesThe deputy agrees each pupil's independence outcome with the family before stepping back, logs prompt levels and any distress every morning, and calibrates judgements across both sites each term.

What success looks likeBy day 30 each pilot pupil should have an agreed independence outcome and a recorded starting point; by day 60 each should begin independently in at least three weeks out of four; by day 90 both sites should judge independence by the same criteria.

The challengeThe first recordings of the shared musicianship task sound uneven and colleagues want to abandon it, but pupils' musical learning still does not build coherently between year groups.

What the leader doesThe music lead treats the recordings as diagnostic, keeps one common progression question while allowing different repertoire, reviews recordings against two agreed features and models the next step for each phase.

What success looks likeBy day 30 all fourteen classes should have submitted a first recording; by day 60 two identified progression problems should be retaught and recorded again; by day 90 the progression map should be revised from what the recordings show.

The challengeCoaching quality varies and some staff experience it as observation, especially where their coach is also their line manager. After a term, staff have heard nothing about whether it is working.

What the leader doesThe headteacher names in advance the evidence to be reviewed, re-matches coaching pairs that overlap with line management, keeps fortnightly calibration and explains exactly what is and is not confidential.

What success looks likeBy day 30 overlapping coaching pairs should be counted, published and re-matched where possible; by day 60 each coach should have completed at least three calibrations; by day 90 the headteacher should say honestly which evidence moved and which did not.

The challengeSLT wants one whole-school reading routine by half term, but generic literacy activity does not help pupils read the distinctive texts of each subject.

What the leader doesThe assistant head agrees five common expectations with faculty leads, lets each faculty choose its routine inside them, requires a live test and pupil sample, and timetables support for two faculties.

What success looks likeBy day 30 all eight faculties should have a rehearsal date and the two needing help should have timetabled support; by day 60 every faculty should have completed a live test; by day 90 five common expectations should be agreed in writing.

The challengeDestination support intensifies near deadlines, and colleagues now say the monthly destination conversations produce paperwork rather than outcomes, while students with weaker networks still get less guidance.

What the leader doesThe head of sixth form keeps a five-field record, gives each of 24 priority students a named adviser and a monthly conversation with a dated next action, and reviews stalled plans fortnightly.

What success looks likeBy day 30 every priority student should have a live next action with a name and date; by day 60 each should have tested at least two credible routes; by day 90 students with the fewest professional contacts should have had the most brokered opportunities.

The challengeFirst-time attendance at the new offer has risen and senior leaders want to scale it, but nobody yet knows whether pupils from under-participating groups keep coming back.

What the leader doesThe head of PE asks for six weeks, makes three practical changes, talks to pupils who returned and those who stopped, and states four conditions for scaling before anyone asks.

What success looks likeBy day 30 attendance figures should count targeted pupils separately; by day 60 return across three sessions should improve for the targeted group; by day 90 the six-week decision to extend, adapt or stop should be taken against all four stated conditions.

The challengeAfter one term, trustees judge early-language progress modest and ask for a visible new programme, while practice still varies across nine schools and a trust average could hide which are not improving.

What the leader doesThe director answers school by school, keeps fortnightly coached rehearsal of one interaction routine, puts intensive support into the two weaker schools and shares a learning note after every cycle.

What success looks likeBy day 30 all nine schools should be rehearsing fortnightly, with intensive support for the two that were irregular; by day 60 every school should rehearse in three of four cycles; by day 90 the director should know whose practice has changed.