S7. Communicate often toolkit
Toolkit
Communicating often means building rhythm and routine into how leaders share messages so that they are remembered, not forgotten. This planner helps leaders identify their core messages, match them to audiences, and build a repeatable cycle using multiple channels. By creating a deliberate drumbeat of communication, leaders ensure that values, expectations, and priorities remain at the forefront of staff, students, and parents’ minds.
| Core Messages (Standing Priorities) |
| What are the non-negotiable messages that must be reinforced all year round (e.g. behaviour expectations, safeguarding reminders, values, attendance, literacy)? |
| Seasonal or Termly Messages |
| What are the additional messages that need to be emphasised at particular points of the year (e.g. exams, option choices, reports, transitions)? |
| Audience Map |
| For each message, identify who needs to hear it. Consider staff, students, parents, governors, and the wider community. |
| Channels |
| Which communication methods will be used for each audience? Consider assemblies, newsletters, staff briefings, corridor conversations, posters, emails, social media, and one-to-one meetings. |
| Feedback Loops |
| How will you gather and act on feedback to ensure your messages are understood and acted upon? Consider surveys, staff voice, student council, or informal conversations. |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Are my core messages being repeated often enough to combat the forgetting curve? Do I adapt my communication for different audiences without diluting the message? Is there a clear rhythm to my communication, or is it reactive and ad hoc? Am I using enough variety in my channels to keep messages fresh and engaging? Do staff, students, and parents feel they are part of a dialogue, not just recipients of information? |
S7. Communicate often: example toolkit
Role: Head of Year
| Core Messages (Standing Priorities) |
| Respect, punctuality, attendance, and effort remain the four key messages reinforced every week. They underpin our behaviour expectations, shape our assemblies, and feature in every communication home. We remind students that being respectful and punctual are not optional extras; they are part of what it means to be a member of our school community. |
| Seasonal or Termly Messages |
| In the autumn term, we focus on positive starts and establishing routines. In the spring term, the focus shifts to revision and resilience as exams approach. The summer term emphasises transition and reflection, especially for Year 11 leavers. These cycles ensure that messages feel timely and connected to the rhythm of the school year rather than repetitive noise. |
| Audience Map |
| For attendance and punctuality, the primary audience is students and parents. For effort and learning culture, the focus is staff and students together. For transitions and leavers’ celebrations, the wider community and governors are also part of the audience. Each group hears the same core principles expressed in ways that feel relevant to their role. |
| Channels |
| Students hear these messages through assemblies, tutor time discussions, corridor conversations, and visual reminders on digital screens. Parents receive consistent updates through newsletters and text messages. Staff are kept aligned through weekly briefings, emails, and line management meetings. I also use corridor conversations and tutor visits to reinforce the same messages informally, ensuring that communication is lived, not just written. |
| Feedback Loops |
| I check understanding through informal student voice in tutor groups and through conversations with form tutors during weekly meetings. Feedback often reveals whether messages have landed or need rephrasing or reinforcement. For example, when students mentioned they were unclear about the “why” behind punctuality drives, we reworded messages to connect them more explicitly to readiness for learning and respect for others’ time. |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Are my core messages being repeated often enough to combat the forgetting curve? Do I adapt my communication for different audiences without diluting the message? Is there a clear rhythm to my communication, or is it reactive and ad hoc? Am I using enough variety in my channels to keep messages fresh and engaging? Do staff, students, and parents feel they are part of a dialogue, not just recipients of information? |