S2. Tell the Story toolkit
Toolkit
This planner is designed to help you shape a story that inspires belief and action. Drawing on Marshall Ganz’s Public Narrative model, it guides you to connect through three layers: the Story of Self (your personal motivation), the Story of Us (our shared values and identity), and the Story of Now (the urgent challenge that demands action today). Use the spaces below to draft your story, ready to share in speeches, assemblies, or briefings.
| Story of Self |
| What personal experience shaped my values as a leader? Why do I care about this work? How does my story connect to the school’s vision? |
| Story of Us |
| What values or experiences do we share as a school community? What achievements, challenges, or history bind us together? How can I show we’re in this together? |
| Story of Now |
| What urgent challenge or opportunity must we act on now? Why is this moment critical? What action do I want people to take today? |
| Key takeaway |
| What one message do I want people to take away? |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Does my story feel authentic and grounded in real experience, or does it sound rehearsed? Have I clearly connected my personal motivation to the school’s shared values and vision? Does the story build a genuine sense of collective identity and purpose, showing that we are in this together? Have I articulated the urgency of the current moment without creating fear or overwhelm? Is the action I am asking people to take clear, achievable, and inspiring? Will people remember the key message and feel moved to act because of it? |
Example toolkit
Role: Deputy Headteacher
| Story of Self |
| My passion for education began when I saw the difference a single teacher made in my own life. Growing up, I was quiet and unsure, and one teacher’s belief in me changed everything. That moment has stayed with me and shapes how I lead today. I believe every student in our school deserves to experience that same sense of belief and possibility. My motivation is rooted in helping students see their potential and in ensuring that every adult in our community plays a part in unlocking it. This connects directly to our school’s vision of transforming life chances, because I know from experience that a small act of belief can transform a life. |
| Story of Us |
| As a school, we are deeply committed to doing things properly. We believe in hard work, integrity, and pride, and we show it in the way we turn up each day for our students. Together, we’ve faced challenges that have tested us, but each time we’ve come through stronger because of our shared values and unity. We are a community that refuses to give up on any child. This shared sense of purpose is what defines us and makes our school special. It’s not just my story, it’s our story. |
| Story of Now |
| Right now, we have an opportunity to take our culture to the next level. Attendance and engagement are improving, but to make real, lasting change, we need every classroom to feel like the best version of our school every single day. This moment matters because the habits we build now will shape the experience of every child who walks through our doors next year and beyond. The action I want people to take today is simple: recommit to the routines and relationships that make our school calm, kind, and ambitious. Every interaction counts. |
| Key takeaway |
| We are at our best when we remember why we started, when we work together with integrity, and when we act with purpose every single day. |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Does my story feel authentic and grounded in real experience, or does it sound rehearsed? Have I clearly connected my personal motivation to the school’s shared values and vision? Does the story build a genuine sense of collective identity and purpose, showing that we are in this together? Have I articulated the urgency of the current moment without creating fear or overwhelm? Is the action I am asking people to take clear, achievable, and inspiring? Will people remember the key message and feel moved to act because of it? |