C1. Hold High Standards toolkit
Toolkit
Holding high standards requires leaders to define what “good looks like,” check it relentlessly, and act immediately on any drift. This tool helps leaders identify the key areas of school life where standards must be upheld, make those standards explicit, and track whether they are being maintained over time.
| Area | ||||
| Which aspect of school life are you focusing on (e.g. uniform, corridors, classrooms, displays, work scrutiny)? | ||||
| Stated Standard | ||||
| What is the precise, observable expectation you want everyone to meet? | ||||
| Evidence Tracker | ||||
| Evidence This Week | Drift Noted | Immediate Action | Owner | Review Date |
| Reflection Prompts | ||||
| Which standards are slipping and why? Are leaders modelling the same standards they expect of others? Where do expectations need re-teaching rather than simply re-stating? Are successes being celebrated as clearly as infractions are corrected? | ||||
C1. Hold High Standards: example toolkit
Role: Head of Department
| Area | ||||
| I am focusing on classroom routines and expectations within the English Department, with particular attention to punctuality to lessons, student readiness to learn, and adherence to presentation standards in books. | ||||
| Stated Standard | ||||
| All students arrive before the second bell and begin the Do Now task immediately. Exercise books follow the agreed presentation policy, including underlined titles, correct dates, and use of blue or black pens. I model these standards consistently and correct any drift immediately. Every classroom displays the departmental Ready to Learn poster and I use identical language to reinforce it. | ||||
| Evidence Tracker | ||||
| Evidence This Week | Drift Noted | Immediate Action | Owner | Review Date |
| Learning walks showed four classes with strong start routines; one group entered late twice. | Year 9B entering late and inconsistent Do Now start. | I met with the class to reset expectations and introduced a visual countdown timer. | Ms Smith | Next Monday |
| Book looks showed improvement in 8 out of 9 classes. One teacher using green pen instead of blue. | Minor presentation inconsistency. | I will give a department meeting reminder and share example pages. | HoD | Friday |
| Two new displays in corridors aligned with policy. | None | Celebrate with photo share in staff briefing. | HoD | Friday |
| Peer observation feedback: positive modelling of routines. | No drift observed. | Continue drop-ins to sustain consistency. | SLT link | Next fortnight |
| Reflection Prompts | ||||
| The key standard slipping slightly is punctuality to lessons after break for Year 9. The cause appears to be corridor congestion rather than staff enforcement. I will coordinate with the duty staff to improve movement. Teachers are modelling expectations well; the drift occurs with a small group of students testing boundaries. Expectations may need re-teaching at the year-group level, not just within English. Positive recognition of improvement will help sustain consistency so that I will celebrate classes with 100% punctuality in next week’s assembly. Overall, the standards are holding well across the department because they are explicit, observable, and frequently reinforced. The evidence tracker ensures that I act immediately when drift appears, rather than waiting for patterns to form. | ||||