Invest in your future
We can help you put in place the foundations for year on year improvement
Schools we work with are 300% more likely to be rated as outstanding
(without looking at the framework)
The truth
Most schools are good. But very few will ever become as great as they aspire to be.
And that will remain true regardless of what inspection regime is in place.
The challenges
You have a great plan, good people and a dream for your school.
But you’re stuck. There’s too many issues, never enough money and not enough time.
The solution
There is no magic bullet, but there is a solid foundation for success.
We help you build it, getting your team 100% on board with the skills they need to make your plans and dream school come to life.
What is the Journey to Outstanding Programme?
A one year programme, split into 10 sessions that cover the three essential elements for transforming the culture of your school.
By the end of the programme, you and your team will be able to resolve staff performance and behaviour issues quickly, kindly and effectively.
You will have transformed your vision and values from words on a webpage into the powerful driving force behind everything you do.
You will be strategically driving your staff development and growth
You’ll be on the path to having everyone in your school fully on board with what you are doing and where you are going.
Programme overview
Phase 1
You will learn how to resolve your difficult conversations kindly and effectively
Phase 2
We will create your cultural eco-system for excellence
Phase 3
You will embed your vision in your school so your whole team is with your journey to excellence
See the full programme details here.
Since 2011 we’ve been perfecting the programme to get the best results for schools.
You will have a dedicated trainer throughout, who will support and challenge you to think differently.
Our trainers have supported many schools go on this transformational journey.
Meet the Team
Sophie Bevan
Since 2014 I’ve been supporting school leaders to create genuinely outstanding schools, helping them craft powerful visions for excellence and supporting them to have successful difficult conversations.
I graduated as an Actor from the Drama Centre London and enjoyed a professional acting career in Theatre and Film. I developed an interest and expertise in personal communication and development and used my skills as an actor to help businesses, such as KPMG, CitiBank and Barclays Capital, to communicate effectively and bring about change.
Lilian Flynn
I have spent over a decade in the education and training field, teaching both primary and secondary school students in a teaching career that has taken me from Dublin to Abu Dhabi to London. I am also a qualified coach and I hold an MSc in Applied positive psychology and coaching psychology.
Two of my passions are, education and helping others realise their full potential. I love being part of the mission to make every school outstanding, so all children can have the education they deserve.
Czarina Deen
I trained as an actress at Arts Educational Schools & Drama Centre. My acting career has been varied, encompassing theatre, commercials, short films, radio and even stand-up!
I completed a BA Hons in Performance Studies and have taught theatre and acting in drama schools and FE colleges.
I love my work for Heads Up as it is a perfect way to use my expertise in theatre techniques and performance skills to help people become better communicators. I believe in giving candidates the skills and confidence to conduct necessary ‘difficult conversations’ to learn and grow, which ultimately leads to an outstanding school environment for all.
Carol Starks
I trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and since then I’ve appeared in a whole range of theatre and television over the years – from Dirty Dancing in the West End, to Arthur Miller and Sondheim at the National Theatre, from one-off television dramas to a two-year stint on a soap.
I have two sons and I was always very involved in their primary school, helping out with drama productions and in their classrooms, so I’ve spent a lot of time in schools.
It’s very exciting to be part of Heads Up and I’m looking forward to using my experience to help you solve these difficult conversations.
The Journey to Outstanding Plan:
1. Have a chat
Together we’ll make sure the programme is right for you. No cost, no commitment, honest advice (we'll say if we're not right for you)
2. Join the programme
You’ll be sent your programme schedule, supporting videos and resources
3. Move your school from good to great
GIve your children the gift of a great school, and Ofsted will love it as a by-product
We understand you don’t do what you do for Ofsted, you do it for your children
Which is why we help headteachers get their team 100% on board so their great plans turn into reality, it just so happens our schools are 300% more likely to be judged as outstanding as a by-product.
We know that you want be a headteacher who gives your children the very best education.
In order to do that your team needs to teach your school of children as well as you could teach a class or children.
The problem is that some of your team aren’t all doing what you need them to do.
Which can make you feel frustrated because your plans are great, if only everyone would do them.
Which can make you feel frustrated because you can see what needs to be done, if only your whole team would too.
We believe good education isn’t good enough for our children
We understand you don’t do what you do for Ofsted, you do it for your children
Which is why we help headteachers get their team 100% on board so their great plans turn into reality, it just so happens our schools are 300% more likely to be judged as outstanding as a by-product.
FAQs
Up to six is the norm, but we can work with more in a leadership team, talk to us about this.
That’s ok, but there might be some middle leaders you want to be part of this. We’ll talk about this with you.
No, the programme works and the results show that. We want you to get the most out of the programme and create a genuinely outstanding school. To do that we need to do the full programme according to where your school is when we start.
Yes, over two financial years.
Most of the training is delivered live online with your trainer.
No, the programme starts at the start of each term and all are just as good times to start.
We’re afraid not. The work on vision is deep, unique work relevant to your school and so we can’t get the same level of impact if two different schools, with different heads, do it together.
Yes as long as they commit to being present at all of the training dates for the duration of the sessions.
We haven’t found any increase in the results you achieve if Governors are included and we find having more members of your SLT involved is more important.
This might be possible, please get in touch to talk about this with us. Click here to arrange a call.
