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Network Improvement At Scale: Leading Across a Multi School Group

By Martin Nugent • 2023-01-25

Reliability across schools comes from a few routines repeated well.

Case Study • Network Improvement At Scale: Leading Across a Multi School Group

In a group of 13 schools, the strategy read well but practice varied. Our aim was to move from individual excellence to collective reliability through three routines: shared assessment points, disciplined collaboration and light, regular reviews.

Assessment calendars aligned across phases. Data served action. Middle leaders identified a shortlist of pupils for rapid response. Senior leaders looked for patterns in units, not just percentages.

Collaboration had a tight agenda. Departments shared one effective sequence or a set of pupil books. Meetings ended with a small test to run before the next session. Short action, short loop.

Supportive reviews involved a mixed team for one day. Findings were specific and came with help. The tone was developmental so staff stayed open.

Variation narrowed, moderation agreement improved and parent satisfaction rose. Teacher retention increased for the first time in years.

Why it works: professional networks that focus on practice, share evidence and cycle quickly produce stronger results than looser collaborations.

Context

This work began with a clear problem of practice and a simple test: could we see visible change in classrooms within two weeks? We focused on routines that staff could implement reliably and we removed anything that did not serve teaching time.

What we changed

  • Clear non‑negotiables: we set a small number of behaviours and rehearsed them with staff until they became ordinary.
  • Coaching not courses: short cycles tied to live units, with leaders visiting briefly and often.
  • Evidence we would actually use: pupil work, short pulses and calm pacing in lessons.

Human moments

There were small turning points that mattered. A parent at the gate who needed clarity more than language. A new colleague who practised the opening five minutes of a lesson twice with a mentor and walked in confident the next day. These moments turned strategy into culture.

Impact

  • More consistent routines reduced lost learning time.
  • Curriculum conversations became specific and useful.
  • Pupil work showed clearer modelling and better independent practice.

Why this works

Approaches that combine clarity, coaching and aligned assessment are associated with stronger outcomes in UK and international settings. They help teachers do fewer things well and sustain improvement over time.

Lessons for leaders and investors

  • Set a small set of non-negotiables across schools, especially safeguarding, curriculum expectations and data definitions.
  • Create central services that reduce friction for leaders: HR, finance, procurement, quality assurance and training.
  • Invest in leadership development pipelines and peer review so improvement is shared, not dependent on individuals.
  • Use comparable metrics and moderation to support professional judgement, rather than chasing league-table effects.
  • Keep local autonomy where context matters, with clear escalation routes and decision rights agreed in advance.

Sources and further reading

Selected links to expand on the themes in this article.