Andy Burton reflects on what really drives successful implementation in schools.
When considering implementation, many teachers think back to the first week in September. There is renewed optimism in the air after a long summer break and excitement about a new academic year, with new groups of students. However, as that first day progresses, this enthusiasm can begin to wane as staff reflect on the number of initiatives introduced during the opening meeting.
Through coordinating a team of school improvement advisors, supporting secondary schools — many in areas of significant economic disadvantage — this tension is a familiar one. The work, particularly within the Targeted Support programme, has centred on effective implementation and building leadership capacity for sustainable improvement.
At the core of this approach is the EEF’s A School’s Guide to Implementation, which emphasises that people are at the heart of effective change. This marks a significant shift from earlier models that focused more narrowly on processes or cycles. Instead, implementation is recognised as a fundamentally collaborative and social process, shaped by how people think, behave and interact.
This raises an important question: how often do we truly engage staff in the why behind new initiatives?
Many of us can recall situations where changes were introduced with little explanation — where the focus was simply on what needed to be done. In one instance, during a multi-agency meeting, participants were told they were expected to complete additional administrative tasks, with no rationale provided. When the question “why?” was raised, it became clear that this crucial element of engagement had not been considered.
Simon Sinek’s concept of the Golden Circle provides a helpful lens here. The most successful leaders and organisations begin with why — their purpose, cause or belief — before moving on to how and what. Too often in schools, the reverse happens.
However, people do not simply buy into what you do — they buy into why you do it.
If we want implementation to be effective and sustainable, we must prioritise engagement, by clearly articulating purpose and connecting it to shared values and outcomes for pupils.
The same principles apply when “selling” a new initiative to staff in your school/department. Try reversing the order of the information that you are sharing, with staff, on that first INSET day in September. Always start with why.
