Three keys to school improvement

The article this week is from one of my favourite educational thinkers, Adam Boxer. He makes the argument that for a school to improve, there are three key questions to ask:

• Is learning in every classroom disruption-free?

School improvement starts with behaviour, as poor conduct erodes learning time and staff wellbeing. Clear systems, consistent routines, and strong leadership support create the foundation for lasting cultural change.

• Are all students paying attention and actively participating?

Once behaviour is secure, focus shifts to engagement, ensuring every student listens, thinks, and contributes. Techniques such as Question → pause → name help build classrooms where everyone has a voice.

• Do we have a clear strategy for long-term memory?

Without planned retrieval and review, even excellent lessons fade quickly from memory. A structured approach to revisiting knowledge through classwork and homework ensures learning sticks over time.

‘Fundamentally, the issues of behaviour, attention, participation and memory are shared by all schools and transcend the idiosyncrasies that make schools such varied and fascinating places to visit and work in. Let’s sort those out first, then worry about everything else.’ – Adam Boxer

Read the full article

Happy coaching.

Kind regards
Mark

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