S4. Uphold Values toolkit
Toolkit
Upholding values means using them as a filter for every decision and behaviour. This planner helps you test alignment, capture examples, and share stories that make values real for staff and students.
| Value |
| Which school value does this relate to? |
| Decision / Action |
| What choice or action are you examining? |
| Alignment Check |
| Does this decision uphold the value, or risk compromising it? |
| Evidence / Example |
| What actually happened? A moment, action, or story that shows values in action (or at risk)? |
| Impact |
| What effect did this have on trust, culture, or outcomes? |
| Next Step / How to Communicate |
| What will I do next, and how can I share this as an example of values in action? |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Did I let expediency override values? Which value have I neglected recently? How am I reinforcing our values daily? Have I explained why values matter when making decisions? What stories or symbols could I use to make values more visible? |
S4. Uphold Values: example toolkit
Role: Headteacher
| Value |
| Integrity |
| Decision / Action |
| A decision needed to be made about whether to move forward with a new behaviour tracking system that would make data collection faster, but might reduce the quality of conversations between staff and students after incidents. |
| Alignment Check |
| At first glance, the new system seemed efficient, but on closer reflection, it risked undermining our value of integrity. Our approach to behaviour is built on honesty, relationships, and accountability, not shortcuts. Implementing a system that prioritised speed over meaningful dialogue could have sent the wrong message about what matters most in our culture. |
| Evidence / Example |
| During a pilot, one teacher commented that the new process “felt transactional,” and that they spent less time talking with students about the reasons behind their behaviour. This feedback highlighted the potential drift away from our core value of integrity, where reflection and ownership are central. |
| Impact |
| We decided not to adopt the system and instead refined our existing process to make it easier to log incidents while keeping the personal conversation element intact. The result has been more meaningful staff-student interactions and a stronger sense of fairness and trust. Staff now describe the process as “more human” and aligned with the school’s culture. |
| Next Step / How to Communicate |
| I plan to share this example during the next staff briefing to show how decisions are filtered through our values. I’ll also include it in the staff bulletin as a story of “integrity in action,” reinforcing that values guide not only what we do, but how we do it. |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Did I let expediency override values? Which value have I neglected recently? How am I reinforcing our values daily? Have I explained why values matter when making decisions? What stories or symbols could I use to make values more visible? |