Lead
Running it across a year
A half-term plan that works whenever your school starts: the self-review first, three shared behaviours, one routine at a time, and a review at the end.
The plan in brief
- Start with the self-review. Every leader takes the self-review in the first two weeks. It takes about 12 minutes, gives each leader a starting picture of all 54 behaviours, and fills the headteacher’s school overview straight away.
- Choose three shared behaviours. The whole team works on one each half term, and makes it visible through a routine from How we do it, so staff and pupils see the difference as well as leaders.
- Add feedback and a personal focus after a term. Colleague feedback (360) shows how others see each leader. Each leader then chooses one to three personal focus behaviours and works on them through a 90-day plan.
- Review after six half terms. Leaders retake the self-review, the team looks at the school overview, and you choose what comes next.
Count in half terms from whenever you start, not from September. A school that starts in January reviews the following Christmas.
Three ways to roll it out
The order stays the same whichever you choose: self-review, shared behaviours, feedback, personal focus, review. What changes is who starts when.
The whole leadership team together
Everyone starts in the same week. Shared behaviours are introduced at leadership meetings, and the team has a common language from the start.
Suits: most schools, especially where the leadership team already meets every week and the headteacher leads it.
Senior team first, then middle leaders
Senior leaders run one half term ahead. They take the self-review, work through the first shared behaviour and launch the first routine. Middle leaders join in the second half term, with senior leaders as their coaches.
Suits: larger schools, a new senior team, or staff who are wary of another initiative.
One leader or a small group
A leader working on their own, a small group across a trust, or someone doing an NPQ. Leave out the shared behaviours and follow the “each leader” column below: self-review, Playbooks, the ES Coach and a 90-day plan.
Suits: individual members, aspiring leaders and NPQ participants.
Half term by half term
One shared behaviour at a time, with a routine that makes it visible. Leave each one in place long enough to become habit before adding the next.
| When | The whole leadership team | Each leader | What the site gives you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before you begin 2 to 3 weeks | Agree why you are doing this. Choose your starting point and three shared behaviours. Name one person to lead it. | Join and take the self-review (about 12 minutes). | Self-review, the school overview for the headteacher |
| Half term 1 | Introduce shared behaviour 1 at a leadership meeting. Launch one How we do it routine that puts it into practice. | Work through the Playbook for behaviour 1. Use the ES Coach on a real situation. | INSET PowerPoint, Playbook, How we do it, QA sheet |
| Half term 2 | Introduce shared behaviour 2. Check the routine every week with its QA sheet. | Invite colleagues to give feedback (360). | Colleague feedback, combined report |
| Half term 3 | Introduce shared behaviour 3. | Choose one to three personal focus behaviours and start a 90-day plan. | Leadership Focus Triad, 90-day planner |
| Half term 4 | Use line management to check 90-day plans. | Work on personal focus behaviours. | Playbooks, meeting check, ES Coach |
| Half term 5 | Review the 90-day plans. Launch a second routine, or deepen the first. | Review the plan, then start a second one. | 90-day planner, How we do it |
| Half term 6 | Review the year using the school overview. Choose next year’s shared behaviours. | Retake the self-review and compare. | School overview, self-review |
Starting part-way through the year
Start at “Before you begin” whenever you join, and count six half terms from there. If you start after Easter, use the summer term for the self-review and choosing your shared behaviours, and launch the first routine in September, when it is easiest to set new expectations.
Using an INSET day
If an INSET day falls near the start, use it to introduce the first shared behaviour with its INSET PowerPoint, then launch the routine the following week.
Five starting points
Most schools recognise themselves in one of these. If you are not sure, the self-review results and the Leadership Focus Triad usually make it clear.
Behaviour and consistency
Expectations are applied unevenly, so pupils and staff get mixed messages.
Shared behaviours
C4 Maintain Consistency, L1 Lead by Example, C3 Establish Routines
A routine to launch with
The threshold or behaviour steps
The trap to avoid
Moving on before routines are secure
Teaching and learning
Teaching quality depends on the classroom rather than on shared approaches.
Shared behaviours
S1 Explain the Why, S5 Establish Collective Goals, C4 Maintain Consistency
A routine to launch with
The do-now or the end of the lesson
The trap to avoid
Launching several teaching initiatives at once
Turbulence and change
Staffing, structure or pressure from outside have stretched the team.
Shared behaviours
S1 Explain the Why, C4 Maintain Consistency, L8 Don't Drop the Ball
A routine to launch with
The morning welcome and line-up
The trap to avoid
Saying different things in different rooms
A strong school raising the ceiling
Outcomes are good, but improvement has started to level off.
Shared behaviours
S5 Establish Collective Goals, S8 Find the Lead Measures, S13 Aspire to Greatness
A routine to launch with
The routine that varies most between classrooms
The trap to avoid
Polishing what already works
A new headteacher
A new head needs to build trust before setting a direction.
Shared behaviours
L1 Lead by Example, L8 Don't Drop the Ball, S1 Explain the Why
A routine to launch with
None in the first half term: listen first
The trap to avoid
Changing too much before you understand the school
Trusts and local authorities
Most start with a small group of schools, or with the central team taking the self-review alongside headteachers. Each school follows its own plan and chooses its own starting point. The trust can agree one shared behaviour that every school works on, which gives leaders across schools a common language and something to compare.
Each headteacher sees their own school overview.
Primary and special schools
Leadership teams are smaller, and many leaders also teach. Keep to one shared behaviour each half term, and choose routines that fit your setting, such as the morning welcome and line-up, the threshold or the dining hall.
How we do it includes primary and special school examples. Leaders who choose primary or special when they join see the examples for their setting first.
Where to start
Take the self-review this week, then choose your starting point with your team.