For school boards and leadership teams
School improvement for schools in England and British international schools
Our current and former Heads of School and evaluators work with school leaders and governing bodies on school improvement. We review teaching and learning, develop leadership and advise on curriculum, governance, inclusion and pastoral care. We also support preparation for inspection and accreditation.
Request a complimentary consultationAn engagement may focus on a particular area or bring several strands together in a wider school improvement plan. We review the school's priorities with its leaders and agree the work required, the consultant involved and the findings or support to be provided.
The services below cover compliance and governance, learning design and leadership development. Advice for school groups, foundations and other institutions is described on our Institutional and University Partnerships page.
Services
Our work is organised into three areas. Select a service to enquire about a consultation.
Regulatory and compliance
Annual Policy Compliance Audit
A review of the school's statutory policies, with written findings and recommendations. The scope can range from reviewing existing documents to updating the full policy suite. Led by Natalia Ambridge.
Inspection readiness
Preparing schools for ISI and BSO inspection, and for CIS and COBIS accreditation. Mock evaluation against the relevant framework, gap analysis, and a prioritised readiness plan. Led by Sarah Zarzo.
The inspection-readiness review is a defined engagement: a point-in-time review of your statutory policies, single central record, safeguarding arrangements, publication duties and governance evidence, over two to three days, remote and on site as the school requires. It concludes with a written report of findings and priority actions, delivered within ten working days.
The review supports your preparation; it does not and cannot guarantee any inspection outcome.
Governance and compliance
Advice for boards on governance structures, compliance responsibilities, decision-making, succession planning and the appointment of a Head. Led by Natalia Ambridge.
Discuss consultancyRead Natalia's AI governance article
For self-service compliance, explore The Head's Companion.
Learning design
STEAM design
Support with integrating science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics across the curriculum, teaching and learning environment. The work is shaped around the school's existing provision and development plans. Led by Sarah Zarzo.
Explore STEAM consultancySport and purposeful learning
Design and development of school programmes that integrate football and basketball with academic study and purposeful learning. Support can cover curriculum, timetabling, coaching and pastoral care, with clear learning goals alongside sporting development. Led by Sigve Austheim.
Discuss a sports programmeInclusive education and UDL
Advice on inclusive teaching, Universal Design for Learning and the organisation of student support. We help schools identify barriers to participation and plan how classroom practice and specialist support can work together. Led by Bartola Mavrić.
Discuss inclusion and UDLWellbeing and pastoral care
Review and development of pastoral systems and approaches to student and staff wellbeing, including how support is organised across the school. Led by Natalia Ambridge and Sarah Zarzo.
Leadership development
Mentoring for new Heads
Confidential mentoring throughout the first year of headship, with a current or former Head whose experience is relevant to your school and region. Support can focus on priorities, relationships with the board, staff leadership and decisions arising during the year. The mentor and contact arrangements are agreed at the outset. Led by Sigve Austheim, Sarah Zarzo and Hasan Hasanov.
Leadership and professional development
Training and development for teachers, middle leaders and senior leaders, based on the school's priorities. Programmes can address classroom practice, staff responsibilities and progression into leadership. Led by Hasan Hasanov.
Mentoring and coaching
One-to-one support for school leaders to explore decisions, develop their leadership and manage the demands of the role. Led by Natalia Ambridge and Joseph Russell-Bishop.
Self-service compliance
The Head's Companion
The Head's Companion is a separate software product for Heads of independent schools, academies and maintained schools in England, and British international schools. It keeps the school's statutory duties, policies and inspection evidence in one register, so a Head can see what needs attention. The Companion is not designed for pupil records or safeguarding case material, and schools must not enter them.
Try the platform today - The Head's CompanionHow engagements work
What can school improvement consultancy cover?
We work with school leaders and governing bodies on teaching and learning, leadership, curriculum, governance, inclusion and pastoral care. An engagement can focus on one priority or bring several areas together in a wider improvement plan.
What will the school receive?
We agree the findings or support to be provided before work begins. Depending on the engagement, this may include written review findings and recommendations, a prioritised readiness plan, curriculum development or leadership support. The written scope identifies the work and the consultant involved.
How are the scope, fee and confidentiality agreed?
Every engagement opens with a complimentary thirty-minute consultation. We then issue a written scoping note, a mutual non-disclosure agreement, and a written proposal setting out the work and fee. Where the school requests it, the non-disclosure agreement covers the existence of the engagement itself, not only its contents.
For more about leadership support, read our guide to coaching and mentoring for school leaders. For curriculum work, see Natalia Ambridge's account of developing a STEAM curriculum in an international primary school.
Request a brochure
The Institutional Service Brochure is a four-page PDF covering our services for schools, how engagements work and the people involved. It is sent to you by email as soon as you submit the form.