The Journey to Outstanding Programme
A one year programme that transforms the culture of your school.
Enabling you to create your Outstanding school for your children.
What makes outstanding schools truly outstanding?
Since 2011, Sonia Gill, founder of Heads Up, has visited hundreds of recently inspected Outstanding schools—particularly those in challenging contexts. Her findings reveal a consistent pattern. These schools:
- Are genuinely outstanding, not just on paper but in practice.
- Offer a rich, broad curriculum that delivers a holistic education.
- Retain staff in some of the happiest and most fulfilling environments, often with staff working fewer hours than those in ‘Good’ schools.
Even today, Heads Up continues to visit Outstanding schools, uncovering their secrets behind the exceptional education they provide—the kind of excellence you, as educators, strive to achieve.
So, what are they doing differently?
When speaking to the headteachers of these schools, they often highlight their exciting curriculum, strong community engagement, enriching extracurricular activities, exceptional pastoral care, and significant behaviour improvements.
But there’s one common thread that underpins all these successes: high-performing teams.
These aren’t just good teams—they’re great teams.
They are aligned, united, and resilient, consistently overcoming the challenges their schools face. They share a clear vision, work collaboratively, and are deeply committed to the school’s values and goals.
It’s this foundation of exceptional teamwork that enables these schools to rise above the rest.
Ready to build a team like this in your school? Join us to learn how.
That’s why we created our 1 year programme: Journey to Outstanding.
Drawing on 10+ years of experience visiting Outstanding schools, we’ve designed this programme to help you and your SLT build the core foundations of an Outstanding school—one that’s defined by your vision for your children, not just Ofsted criteria.
Below, you’ll find a step-by-step breakdown of how the programme unfolds term by term.
If you’d like to explore the programme in more detail, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We recommend starting with our workshop, Breaking the Glass Ceiling of Good, if you haven’t already attended.
Why Choose Us?
Schools that work with us are 300% more likely to achieve an Outstanding judgement
80% of our schools that were judged recently were better than Good
Ready to take the first step towards transforming your school?
Let’s build the Outstanding school your community deserves.
The journey to outstanding programme - step by step
This transformative programme is designed to guide you and your leadership team through a structured, three-phase process. It includes 10 training sessions (8 online and 2 in-person), carefully crafted to equip you with the skills, knowledge, and strategies needed to build a high-performing team and create the Outstanding school you envision.
How it works:
Some sessions will be tailored exclusively for your school.
Others will bring you together with other schools on the programme, fostering collaboration and shared learning.
What you’ll gain:
The tools to overcome the challenges and barriers your school faces.
The ability to define and create an Outstanding school that reflects your vision and meets the needs of your children.
This programme isn’t about ticking boxes for Ofsted—it’s about building a school that truly excels, driven by a united, motivated, and high-performing team.
Mastering difficult conversations (Phase 1)
So you can fix the tricky issues quickly and with kindness
Create a cultural ecosystem for excellence (Phase 2)
So that your team are 100% with you on the journey to outstanding
Bringing your vision to life – Communication & leadership support (Phase 3)
To ensure your vision is lived continuously
Mastering difficult conversations
So you can fix the tricky issues quickly and with kindness
Session type: Exclusive to your school and SLT.
Duration: Full day session (09:30 – 16:00).
Location: Online via zoom (no travel costs).
What you’ll learn:
- How to open and structure conversations to keep them productive and on track.
- Techniques to manage emotions and prevent them from derailing discussions.
- Strategies for creating a psychologically safe space for honest, solution-focused conversations.
- Practical experience: You’ll rehearse a real-life difficult conversation, guided by expert trainers who will provide clear direction to help you resolve it with confidence and care.
Why this session matters:
Mastering the art of difficult conversations allows your leadership team to:
- Address challenges more effectively, leading to faster resolutions.
- Build a shared approach for handling tough discussions, ensuring consistency across your school.
- Remove communication barriers that may be hindering progress.
This interactive, expert-led session equips you with essential skills to navigate tough conversations with confidence—so your school can move forward with clarity and collaboration.
Session type: Group session with all schools on the programme.
Duration: Half day session (09:30- 12:30).
Location: Online via Zoom (no travel costs).
What you’ll gain:
- Learn when and how to apply four different leadership styles, so you can address challenges more effectively and get the best results.
- Review your performance and behaviour matrix to pinpoint key areas for improvement.
- Develop a clear strategy to move team members up the matrix, building a stronger, high-performing team.
Why this session matters:
As a leader, you manage individuals at different career stages. What works for one person may not work for another.
By the end of this session, you’ll have the skills to identify and apply the right leadership style for each team member—helping them grow while driving overall team success.
Create a cultural ecosystem for excellence
So that your team are 100% with you on the journey to outstanding
Session type: Exclusive to your school and SLT.
Duration: Full day (09:30 – 16:00).
Location: Online via zoom (no travel costs).
What you will achieve:
- Understand the critical role of values in creating a high-performing school culture.
- Assess your current values and define the values you want your school to embody.
- Learn how to communicate these values in a way that makes them memorable and actionable—so they become lived, not just stated.
Why this session matters:
By the end of this session, you and your SLT will have a set of clear, powerful school values that everyone can articulate and embody—without the need for constant enforcement.
Session type: Group session with all schools on the programme.
Duration: Half day (09:30- 12:30).
Location: Online via Zoom (no travel costs).
What you’ll achieve:
- Step back from daily challenges to dream big about the future of your school.
- Organise and prioritise your vision to focus on what truly matters for long-term success.
- Clearly articulate your strategic priorities so your team understands and aligns with them.
Why this matters:
Great schools don’t try to do everything—they focus on doing the most important things exceptionally well. This session will help you streamline your goals, so you can work smarter, not harder.
Session type: Exclusive to your school and SLT.
Duration: Half-day (09:30 – 12:30) – coupled with afternoon session, see Session 6 (pm).
Location: At your school.
What you’ll achieve:
- Discover what makes a vision truly powerful and how to craft one that resonates.
- Develop a strong first draft of your vision, ready for refinement and finalisation.
- Receive expert feedback in a follow-up check-in to ensure your vision is impactful.
Why this matters:
If your current vision isn’t remembered or embraced, it’s not working.
This session will help you create a vision that is compelling, clear, and drives real change.
Session type: Exclusive to your school and SLT.
Duration: Half-day (13:30 – 15:00), coupled with morning session, see Session 5 (am).
Location: At your school.
What you’ll achieve:
- Assess the messages your school environment is sending to students, staff, and visitors.
- Identify quick, low-cost (or free) ways to align your environment with your school’s culture.
- Develop an action plan to enhance your school’s atmosphere and reinforce its values.
Why this matters:
Your environment silently communicates your school’s culture every day. This session will help you ensure it’s sending the right message.
Session type: Group session with schools on the programme.
Duration: Half-day (09:30 – 12:30) – coupled with afternoon session, see Session 8 (pm).
Location: Online via Zoom (no travel costs)
What you’ll achieve:
- Learn a simple yet effective tool to create a clear 3–5 year strategic plan.
- Establish a tracking system to monitor progress and adapt your plan annually.
- Align your school’s long-term vision with practical, actionable steps.
Why this matters:
School development planning shouldn’t feel like an isolated, overwhelming task. By the end of this session, you’ll have a collaborative, strategic roadmap that keeps your team focused and on track.
Session type: Group session with schools on the programme.
Duration: Half-day (13:30 – 15:00) – coupled with afternoon session, see Session 7 (am).
Location: Online via Zoom (no travel costs).
What you will achieve:
- Generate creative ways to embed your vision into everyday school life.
- Develop a plan to keep your vision alive throughout the year in multiple formats.
- Ensure your vision remains front and centre—without it being all on you.
Why this matters:
A vision only works if people remember it and act on it. This session will help you embed your vision so that it becomes a guiding force in your school’s journey.
By the end of these sessions, you will have:
✔ Clearly defined school values that you and your SLT stand behind.
✔ Strategic priorities that provide focus and direction for long-term success.
✔ A compelling school vision that aligns values, priorities, and aspirations.
✔ A practical action plan to enhance your school’s environment.
✔ A structured 3–5 year roadmap with built-in progress tracking.
✔ A strategy to embed your vision daily, ensuring it drives real change.
Bringing your vision to life – Communication & leadership support
So that your team are 100% with you on the journey to outstanding
Session type: Group session with schools on the programme.
Duration: Full day (09:30 – 16:00).
Location: Online via Zoom (no travel costs).
What you’ll gain:
- Master the art of impactful communication, even in high-pressure situations.
- Understand the psychology behind powerful messaging and why it works.
- Receive personalized feedback to refine your communication style.
- Learn techniques to ensure your message is heard, remembered, and acted upon.
Why this matters:
Have you ever shared important information with your team, only to find that some didn’t remember—or worse, didn’t interpret it the way you intended?
By the end of this session, you’ll have the skills to make sure your communication is clear, compelling, and truly understood.
Session type: Your school only (you and your SLT).
Duration: Full day (09:30 – 16:00).
Location: Online via Zoom (no travel costs).
What you’ll gain:
- Embed your vision into your spoken presentations for maximum impact.
- Structure your messaging so your team feels motivated and aligned.
- Practice delivering your vision with expert coaching to refine your style.
- Learn how to measure buy-in and address any resistance effectively.
Why this matters:
You now have a powerful vision—now it’s time to bring it to life.
By the end of this session, you’ll be able to deliver your vision in a way that inspires genuine excitement, alignment, and even a standing ovation. You’ll also know how to track buy-in levels and support any team members who need extra clarity.
Session type: Group session with all headteachers in the programme
Duration: 1 hour per session (once a term).
Location: Online via Zoom (no travel costs)
What you’ll gain:
- A confidential space to share successes and tackle leadership challenges.
- A network of like-minded headteachers who are ambitious for their schools.
- Ongoing support and the opportunity to ask questions about your training.
Why this matters:
Leadership can be isolating—you’re often the one solving problems for everyone else. These sessions provide a space where others help solve challenges for you. You’ll leave with fresh perspectives, practical solutions, and renewed motivation.
✔ All SLT members will master high-impact communication for all audience types and sizes.
✔ Your vision presentation will resonate powerfully, achieving 90%+ buy-in from your team (with only a few needing further conversations).
✔ You’ll have ongoing leadership support, ensuring you stay on track with your school’s journey to Outstanding.
This isn’t just about creating a vision—it’s about embedding it into your culture and leading with confidence.
See the impact in this video:
Jo Savidge: they said it couldn’t be done
| Demographics | School | National Average |
|---|---|---|
| Pupils with an SEN Education, Health and Care Plan | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Pupils with SEN Support | 8.2% | 13.5% |
| Pupils whose first language is not English | 19.2% | 22.0% |
| Pupils eligible for free school meals at any time during the past 6 years | 29.4% | 25.9% |
Contact Jo: 01708 745972, [email protected]
Paul Murphy: from bottom of the borough to above national
| Demographics | School | National Average |
|---|---|---|
| Pupils with an SEN Education, Health and Care Plan | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Pupils with SEN Support | 13.8% | 13.5% |
| Pupils whose first language is not English | 69.8% | 22.0% |
| Pupils eligible for free school meals at any time during the past 6 years | 47.1% | 25.9% |
Contact Paul: 020 8808 8088, [email protected]
Ian Scotchbrook: we were good, but a bit stuck…
| Demographics | School | National Average |
|---|---|---|
| Pupils with an SEN Education, Health and Care Plan | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Pupils with SEN Support | 16.7% | 13.5% |
| Pupils whose first language is not English | 35.2% | 22.0% |
| Pupils eligible for free school meals at any time during the past 6 years | 17.6% | 25.9% |
Contact Ian: 020 8340 2757, [email protected]
Journey to Outstanding - The investment
We understand that the programme is a significant investment in time and resource. But if you are ready to put the work in and create your Outstanding school, we can help you get there. We want to help you get there, for your community and your children.
We have a variety of options to help with the investment cost, please ask for details.
Plan 1
You can split the cost evenly over 2 Financial years
Plan 2
You can split the cost over 2 Financial years unevenly (Whatever works for your budget)
Plan 3
You can pay monthly over the school year