C4. Maintain Consistency toolkit
Toolkit
Consistency is the multiplier that turns routines into culture. Once expectations are introduced, they only take root if they are reinforced, monitored, and practised until they become habits. Leaders can’t assume that a routine shown once will embed itself. Maintaining consistency requires relentless follow-up, by spotting drift, closing gaps, re-teaching expectations, and celebrating bright spots. This applies across every aspect of school life: behaviour responses, lesson routines, marking cadence, corridor duties, and assemblies. By maintaining alignment across people and places, leaders create a school environment that is predictable, fair, and high performing.
| Process |
| Identify the specific process or routine being monitored. This could be a behaviour response, lesson entry, marking cycle, or corridor duty. Be precise so that expectations are clear and measurable. |
| Agreed Way (One Best Way) |
| Define the agreed standard: the “one best way” that reflects school values and non-negotiables. This should be specific enough that anyone can recognise whether it is being met. |
| Fidelity Sample |
| Gather live evidence of how the process is being enacted across teams or settings. This might include walkthroughs, book looks, or spot-checks. Sampling provides a reality check on whether the agreed way is happening consistently. |
| Bright Spots |
| Record examples of excellent practice. Share these widely to model what “done well” looks like and to build momentum. |
| Gaps |
| Note where the practice drifts from the agreed way. Be clear and objective; this is about identifying gaps to close, not criticising intent. |
| Coaching Action |
| Plan immediate support or re-teaching to close the gap. This may include coaching, modelling, or practising the routine again. Set a clear date to return and review whether the action has worked. Without this loop, drift is likely to continue. |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Where are we rewarding compliant intent over consistent execution? Which routines are slipping and why? How can we increase follow-up so that bright spots spread and gaps close quickly? |
C4. Maintain Consistency : example toolkit
Role: Head of Department
| Process |
| Book scrutiny in Year 8 English. |
| Agreed Way (One Best Way) |
| Marking includes success criteria ticked, one improvement target, and evidence of student response within two lessons. |
| Fidelity Sample |
| Spot-checks across five classes. |
| Bright Spots |
| Two teachers had exemplary use of improvement targets and student responses that showed clear progress. |
| Gaps |
| Across the department, the two-lesson turnaround was slipping. |
| Coaching Action |
| I reviewed the timeline in briefing, modelled efficient feedback routines, and checked again after a fortnight. Turnaround compliance rose from 60 percent to 95 percent. |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Where are we rewarding compliant intent over consistent execution? Which routines are slipping and why? How can we increase follow-up so that bright spots spread and gaps close quickly? |