New academic year - priorities
A new school year in the Southern Hemisphere
As we step into a new academic year, it’s worth pausing to ask ourselves:
- What will make the greatest difference to student learning this year?
- Where should I, as a school leader, invest my time and energy to have the biggest impact?
These are the questions I come back to again and again in my role as Director of Education. One book I continually return to for clarity and inspiration is Paul Bambrick-Santoyo’s Leverage Leadership: A Practical Guide to Building Exceptional Schools. It’s full of practical insights and no-nonsense guidance on how to lead schools where great teaching – and therefore great learning – is the norm.
At its heart, Leverage Leadership reminds us that exceptional school leaders succeed not by doing everything, but by focusing on the right things at the right time. The most effective leaders organise their work around seven high-leverage areas – what Bambrick-Santoyo calls “instructional and cultural levers.”
Instructional Levers:
- Data-Driven Instruction – Are we using data as a tool to refine teaching and meet students where they are?
- Observation and Feedback – How regularly and effectively are we coaching our teachers to improve their practice?
- Instructional Planning – Are our lessons aligned, coherent, and purposeful across the school?
- Professional Development – Are we providing training that actually changes practice, not just ticks boxes?
Cultural Levers:
- Student Culture – What expectations, routines, and values are we embedding so that learning can truly thrive?
- Staff Culture – Do our teachers feel supported, valued, and part of a professional community?
- Leadership Team Development – Are we building leadership capacity across our schools, not just relying on a few key individuals?
Reflection
As a new term begins, these levers offer a valuable framework for reflection and prioritisation.
👉 Which of these levers will you focus on first this year?
👉 What small changes in your routines could lead to big improvements in teaching and learning?
👉 How will you create a culture where growth is the norm – for both staff and students?