Starting point 3
Turbulence and change
When change is constant, staff need leaders who say the same thing and follow it through. This starting point steadies the school.
The situation
The school is going through sustained change: staff turnover, structural change, pressure from outside or shifting priorities. It still works, but leadership capacity is stretched. Decisions are understood differently in different teams, and staff confidence varies.
This is not a crisis. It is drift. Without deliberate leadership, uncertainty grows, workload rises through misalignment, and trust erodes.
The shared behaviours
The whole leadership team works on these three, one each half term.
- S1 Explain the Why. Leaders explain decisions clearly, even when not every answer is known yet.
- C4 Maintain Consistency. Messages and expectations are reinforced in the same way across the school.
- L8 Don't Drop the Ball. Follow-through is visible, which rebuilds trust over time.
A routine to launch with
Launch with the morning welcome and line-up. It is the first thing every pupil and adult sees each day, so a calm, consistent start sends a clear message that the school is steady, whatever else is changing.
How the year runs
Count from whenever you start. Each leader also follows the usual plan: the self-review first, colleague feedback in the second half term, and a 90-day plan from the third.
| Before you begin | Leaders take the self-review. Agree the three or four messages every leader will give about the changes. |
| Half term 1 | S1 Explain the Why. Launch the routine and explain the reasons in every team. |
| Half term 2 | C4 Maintain Consistency. Check that the same message is landing everywhere. Colleague feedback opens. |
| Half term 3 | L8 Don’t Drop the Ball. Keep a visible log of what was promised and what was done. Leaders start 90-day plans. |
| Half terms 4 and 5 | Line management checks follow-through. Use the ES Coach for difficult conversations. |
| Half term 6 | Review the year. Check that the school overview reflects the steadier picture. |
What success looks like after a year
- Greater clarity about decisions and priorities
- More consistent communication across teams
- Staff trust that leaders will follow through
- Less duplication and uncertainty
The trap to avoid
Saying different things in different rooms. In a period of change, small differences in how leaders explain a decision quickly become rumours. Agree the words, then use them.
A judgement call
Where the main issue is the tone leaders set or how visible they are, L1 Lead by Example may be prioritised in place of C4.
When something specific comes up
The plan sets the direction for the year. Within it, leaders will face difficult conversations, team problems and moments of uncertainty. Use the Leadership Challenge Finder to find the behaviours that help most, or talk it through with the ES Coach.