playbook black h

Worked examples in different contexts

Every school is different.

Some are grappling with behaviour and consistency. Others are working to improve teaching and learning. Some are navigating turbulence or transition. Others are high performing but looking to raise the ceiling.

Everyone Succeeds is deliberately designed to work across all of these contexts. What changes is not the framework itself, but which leadership behaviours are prioritised, in what order, and at what pace.

The worked examples below show how the same framework is applied deliberately in different situations. Each example follows the same underlying logic, but makes different behaviour choices based on what matters most at that point in time.

These are not case studies in the traditional sense. They are worked examples that show how leadership teams make disciplined decisions about focus, sequencing, and implementation.

Worked exampleWhen this appliesCore challenge
Improving behaviour and consistencyBehaviour is uneven across the schoolInconsistent routines and follow-through are limiting learning and trust
Improving teaching and learningTeaching quality varies and initiatives are not landing consistentlyGood intentions are not translating into classroom practice
Leading through turbulence and changeThe school is experiencing uncertainty or instabilityAnxiety and mixed messages are undermining confidence
High-performing school raising the ceilingOutcomes are strong but improvement has plateauedComplacency and incrementalism are limiting ambition
New headteacher joining the schoolA new leader is establishing themselvesCredibility and timing matter more than speed

How to use these examples

These examples are designed to be used diagnostically.

Leadership teams should:

  • read the brief context descriptions,
  • identify which example feels closest to their own situation,
  • explore the full worked example linked below,
  • use it as a reference point when selecting foundational and focus behaviours.

Many schools will recognise themselves in more than one example. That is normal. The discipline lies in choosing where to start, not trying to do everything at once.

Each link takes you to a full worked example showing:

  • how senior leaders set direction,
  • which behaviours are treated as foundational,
  • which behaviours are prioritised in Year 1,
  • how leaders use the book, workbook, toolkits, and Coach and Practice sheets,
  • how diagnostics and 90-day planning are introduced at the right moment,
  • how focus evolves over Years 2 and 3.

What all the examples have in common

Although the contexts differ, the examples share a common logic.

Across all five, you will see that:

  • behaviour change precedes structural change,
  • foundational behaviours are never assumed,
  • shared understanding is built before evaluation,
  • senior leaders model behaviours before expecting others to change,
  • planning is delayed deliberately until judgment and credibility are secure.

This consistency is intentional. The framework is stable. The application is contextual.

A final note on pace and restraint

A common mistake in leadership development is rushing to action.

These examples show the opposite. They demonstrate how slowing down early:

  • builds trust,
  • improves the quality of decisions,
  • reduces overload,
  • leads to stronger, more sustainable impact later.

The aim is not to fix everything quickly, but to choose wisely, practise deliberately, and embed leadership behaviours that last.

Where to go next

If you are new to Everyone Succeeds, you may want to:

If you are ready to act, select the worked example that best fits your context and explore it in full.

0

Subtotal