Developing a Positive School Culture

What makes a positive school culture?

At Excelsior Multi-Academy Trust, we know that for our school community and students to be successful, we need excellent teachers as we believe wholeheartedly that excellent teachers change lives. We know that the way to improve student learningin its broadest sense is to ensure we have an excellent teacher for every child. Something that has been recently recognised by the Government in the latest education white paper. The question is, how do we do this? Our experience was that providing excellent CPD wasn't necessarily enough.

Yes, we need to continue to look at how we deliver CPD to gain maximum impact, but that alone will not get us where we want to be. What is it that makes school leaders, businesses, and sports teams successful? There must be something that is consistent across all successful organisations that are key ingredients to development leading to measurable success. This article identifies our journey of enlightenment and gives a brief insight into what we believe is the golden thread of success.

‍

What Are the Key Dimensions of School Culture?

School culture comprises multiple interconnected dimensions including leadership practices, staff relationships, teaching approaches, and organisational values. These dimensions can be systematically identified and measured through structured assessment frameworks. Understanding these components allows school leaders to design and deliberately shape their institution's culture rather than leaving it to develop naturally.

We were aware as experienced leaders that culture was and is very important, however, we didn't know that this could be designed and codified. Our work with a business coach opened up our eyes to the world of organisational culture and the importance this has on success.

Our cultural journey started 3 years ago when we were creating our long-term strategic development plan for our MAT. We identified a 10 and 3-year vision for the MAT that, if achieved, would ensure our student body, staff and communities were receiving a world-class education. To support us in this process, we looked toward business rather than education. We were convinced that to be more strategic, we needed to research, study and read about the best businesses and what they were doing to develop and grow. Specifically, we wanted to learn about the strategies they were using to achieve this growth. Most importantly, how did organisations excite their employees to be part of something bigger than themselves? The task for would then be to translate this to the world of education.

As a result of our study we created a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) (Jim Collins- Built To Last- Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, 1994), our exciting, challenging and aspirational 10 year plan. Our BHAG is 'to be world-famous for effective education'. Quite a scary goal. To help us work towards this and make it more achievable we also identified our 3 year Hairy Audacious Goal which was 'to be nationally recognised for effective education.'  Now we had a clear outcome-based vision so our attention turned to what was needed to achieve the 3 year goal. This involved us working with a business coach who exposed us to some fabulous business tools that allowed us to identify 3 key areas of development that would help us achieve the 3 year goal. These are called our swim lanes, these are to:

1. Develop and demonstrate innovation 

2. Develop our reputation locally and nationally 

3. Become the employer of choice so we attract, recruit and retain the best staff. 

Whilst culture runs throughout all of these strands it was strand 3 that led us into the wonderful world of organisational culture. Interestingly, there was very little research about positive school culture or in the education world. There was however, an abundance of it in the corporate world. Our central staff were hungry to achieve our plan and embraced the importance of culture development.

‍

How Do You Define and Conceptualize School Culture?

School culture is the collective beliefs, traditions, and behaviours that define how a school community operates and interacts. It encompasses both visible elements like policies and procedures, and invisible elements like shared values and unwritten expectations. A well-conceptualized school culture serves as the foundation for all improvement efforts and directly influences teacher retention and student outcomes.

One of the key challenges we had before setting, changing and improving our culture was to first describe what culture was in its broadest sense. There are a number of models and explanations that have been developed to describe and define culture.

Daniel Coyle 'The Culture Code- The secrets of highly effective groups' 2018, identified culture as 'a set of living relationships working toward a shared goal. Its not something you are. It's something you do.' Coyle looked at the cultures of high-performing organisations to see what made them tick. What was it that leads to greater performance compared to others.

Gary Ridge, CEO of WD40 company, focuses on culture relentlessly and specifically the empowerment of the staff who work for him. He identified culture by saying 'Imagine a place where you go to work everyday, you make a contribution to something bigger than yourself, you learn something new, you feel safe and are set free by a compelling set of values, and you go home happy. He believes passionately that it is the central role of leaders to create the environment to allow this to happen. This approach emphasises the importance of wellbeing and engagement in building effective organisational cultures. 

Johnson and Scholes (1992) created the culture web. They identified a number of linked elements that makeup culture. The tool doesn't specify any one best culture but does argue that by analysing each element, you can decide if the current approach helps to support the organisation's strategy or not. He identifies 6 key elements to consider: 

1. Rituals and Routines- The daily behaviour and what is considered normal in the organisation.
2. Stories- The past events and people talked about. Who and what does the organisation celebrate?
3. Symbols- Visual representations of the company including logos, how formal the offices are, and the dress code.
4. Organisation Structure- The structure including both the formal and informal power structures
5. Control Systems- The ways the organisation is controlled; financial systems, quality control and rewards
6. Power Structures- Who makes the decisions, how widespread is the power and on what is power based?

‍

How Can School Leaders Shape a Positive School Culture?

To intentionally shape a positive school culture, leaders should focus on developing trust, promoting collaboration, and helping staff. This involves open communication, shared decision-making, and creating opportunities for professional growth. By actively modelling desired values and behaviours, leaders can create a cultural environment that supports both staff and student success.

There are a number of strategies that school leaders can deploy to deliberately shape and improve school culture.

1. Lead with clarity- Ensure the vision and values of the school are clearly communicated, understood, and embodied by all staff.
2. helps teachers- Provide autonomy and opportunities for leadership within their classrooms and the wider school community.
3. Encourage collaboration- Create structures and time for teachers to work together, share ideas, and support each other.
4. recognise and celebrate success- Acknowledge both individual and collective achievements to reinforce positive behaviours and values.
5. Invest in professional development- Offer training and resources that align with the school's values and suppo rt continuous improvement.
6. creates open communication- Establish channels for regular feedback and dialogue between leadership, staff, and students.
7. Model desired behaviours- Leaders should exemplify the values and behaviours they wish to see throughout the school.

By adopting these practical strategies, schools can move from passively accepting their existing culture to actively shaping a positive and supportive environment that drives improved outcomes for everyone involved. Regularly assessing the culture through surveys and discussions also helps to ensure continuous improvement and alignment with the school's overall goals.

‍

Conclusion

developing a positive school culture is a peripheral consideration and rather a central driver of success in education. By understanding the key dimensions of school culture and adopting deliberate strategies to shape it, school leaders can create an environment where teachers thrive, innovate, and remain committed to their profession. This, in turn, leads to improved student outcomes and a stronger school community.

The journey towards cultivating a positive school culture requires ongoing effort and reflection. It involves actively listening to staff, adapting strategies based on feedback, and continuously reinforcing the values that underpin the school's mission. By prioritising culture development, schools can create a sustainable foundation for long-term success and ensure that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

‍

Further Reading

School culture research

organisational culture in schools

School climate

• MacNeil, A. J., Prater, D. L., & Busch, S. (2009). The effects of school culture and climate on student achievement. *International Journal of Leadership in Education*, *12*(1), 73-84.
• Hoy, W. K., & Miskel, C. G. (2012). *Educational administration: Theory, research, and practice* (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
• Deal, T. E., & Peterson, K. D. (2009). *Shaping school culture: Pitfalls, paradoxes, & promises* (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
• Stoll, L., & Fink, D. (1996). *Changing our schools: Linking school effectiveness and school improvement*. Open University Press.
• Fullan, M. (2007). *The new meaning of educational change* (4th ed.). Teachers College Press.