S10. Sustain Change toolkit
Toolkit
Sustaining change means moving beyond good ideas and pilots to embedding new practices so they become a natural part of school culture. This planner blends Kotter’s 8 Steps with insights from Knoster’s model and the “bullets before cannonballs” approach. It helps leaders structure change carefully, address resistance, and make improvements last.
| Vision & Urgency |
| Why is this change necessary now? How to communicate the purpose clearly and repeatedly? |
| Guiding Coalition |
| Who are the champions who will drive the change forward? How are they modelling the new behaviours? |
| Bullets Before Cannonballs |
| What small-scale pilots or experiments will we run before scaling up? How will we use feedback to refine the approach? |
| Skills & Resources |
| What training, time, or tools are needed for staff to implement this change confidently? |
| Communication Plan |
| How will we share the vision and reinforce it across multiple channels and touchpoints? |
| Short-Term Wins |
| What early successes can we aim for and celebrate to build momentum? How will these be recognised across the school? |
| Consolidation |
| How will we extend early successes and refine the process so the change becomes consistent and sustainable? |
| Anchoring in Culture |
| How will we align the change with values, routines, and daily practice so it becomes “the way we do things here”? |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Which step of the process is being neglected? Are staff repeatedly exposed to the change so it becomes familiar and less threatening? Have we addressed loss aversion by framing change as an opportunity, not a burden? Are we celebrating small wins often enough to build momentum? How do we know the change is becoming part of our culture rather than just a project? |
S10. Sustain Change: example toolkit
Role: Assistant Headteacher
| Vision & Urgency |
| The change initiative focuses on embedding consistent formative assessment practices across all departments. The urgency stems from inconsistent marking approaches identified in learning walks, which limit students’ ability to act on feedback effectively. We have communicated the vision through whole-staff briefings, emphasising that this is not an additional task but a refinement of what great teaching already looks like. The message is framed around improving student ownership of learning, supported by strong evidence from research and our own internal reviews. |
| Guiding Coalition |
| A cross-departmental working group of six teachers has been formed to lead and model best practice. These colleagues are respected by peers and represent a balance of experience and subject areas. They trial strategies, share successes in briefings, and act as the first line of support for others. Their role is both practical and cultural: they demonstrate that this change is achievable and worthwhile. |
| Bullets Before Cannonballs |
| Before scaling up, we piloted two key feedback routines within the English and Science departments: one focused on student self-reflection prompts after marking, and another on the use of live marking during lessons. Feedback from these pilots helped us refine the timing, workload balance, and student response strategies. Once we saw consistent improvement in engagement and understanding, we shared these models with other teams through peer observation. |
| Skills & Resources |
| We provided clear examples, co-created marking templates, and scheduled time during departmental meetings for collaborative moderation. Training focused on simplifying feedback rather than adding workload, with practical examples and modelled lessons. To reduce friction, we also created a shared digital space where staff could upload and access annotated examples. |
| Communication Plan |
| The change was communicated repeatedly through multiple touchpoints: weekly staff bulletins, department meetings, and SLT walkaround feedback. Each channel reinforced the same message that formative feedback drives learning and workload efficiency when done with intention. Regular updates highlighted impact stories from classrooms, giving visibility to small wins and recognising early adopters. |
| Short-Term Wins |
| Within the first six weeks, student voice surveys indicated improved clarity in understanding how to improve their work. Departments shared examples of reduced marking load due to smarter feedback cycles. These wins were shared in staff briefings and newsletters, strengthening momentum and reinforcing that the approach works. |
| Consolidation |
| After the first term, departments reviewed implementation data and refined their systems. Some adjusted their frequency of written feedback, while others improved student response tasks. These reflections were built into ongoing quality assurance processes, ensuring the practice continued to evolve rather than revert to old habits. |
| Anchoring in Culture |
| By linking feedback practices explicitly to our teaching framework and professional standards, the change has become a recognised part of our culture rather than an initiative. References to formative feedback are now embedded in lesson observations, appraisal discussions, and CPD agendas. “Feedback first” has become part of the shared language in the school. |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Which step of the process is being neglected? Are staff repeatedly exposed to the change so it becomes familiar and less threatening? Have we addressed loss aversion by framing change as an opportunity, not a burden? Are we celebrating small wins often enough to build momentum? How do we know the change is becoming part of our culture rather than just a project? |