The National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers

When reflecting on the great schools globally I have visited, I see schools which excel at what they do in a consistent manner, they have strong values and high expectations, their achievements do not happen by chance but through highly reflective, carefully planned strategies, there is a high degree of internal consistency, and leadership is well distributed and ambitious to move forward.

In summary, excellence is not an act, but a habit. The schools and their staff practise being excellent. What then is the starting point for inspirational leadership? First, it is knowing where you want to go. At the heart of that knowledge is deciding what it is that you want your children and students to have by way of 21st century minds, knowledge and skills. Great school leaders have thought through this question very carefully and of course are prepared to adapt as they proceed.