Culture Components - Heroes

Heroes and heroines are those who personify the values and beliefs of an organization. They can be living or deceased, real or fictional. In schools, this might include celebrating successful alumni in student assemblies or highlighting historical figures who inspire students to embody key values.

Harnessing Heroes to Strengthen School Culture
When used effectively, heroes and heroines can be powerful tools in shaping a positive school culture. Schools can leverage them in several ways:

• Role Models for Aspiration: Showcasing alumni who have achieved success in various fields can inspire students, reinforcing the idea that hard work and perseverance lead to achievement.

• Embedding Core Values: Recognising staff and students who consistently demonstrate school values—such as resilience, kindness, or integrity—can encourage others to adopt similar behaviours.

• Storytelling and Tradition: Schools can build a sense of identity through stories of past students, teachers, or historical figures who represent the school’s ethos. These narratives can be shared in assemblies, classroom discussions, or through visual displays around the school.

• Mentorship and Peer Leadership: Encouraging students to become ‘heroes’ in their own right—through mentoring programs, student leadership roles, or community projects—can foster a culture of responsibility and service.

• Recognition and Celebration: Regularly acknowledging staff and students who contribute positively to school life (e.g., through awards, house points, or public recognition) reinforces a culture where positive actions are valued.

However, heroes and heroines can also pose challenges to an organisation if they promote values that contradict the desired school culture. Additionally, an individual’s pursuit of hero status may come at the expense of teamwork and collective success. For example, a deputy head might pride themselves on working extreme hours, boasting to a newly qualified teacher about surviving on just four hours of sleep—subtly implying that such sacrifice is necessary for success. This kind of self-promotion can discourage collaboration and place unrealistic expectations on others.

In her 2013 paper From Heroes to Organisers: Principals and Education Organising in Urban School Reform, Ann Ishimaru argues that while the hero metaphor can be powerful in education, a shift towards distributed leadership fosters greater collaboration and leads to more effective schools. Encouraging teamwork over individual heroism can help create a sustainable and supportive school culture where leadership is shared, and success is collective.

By using heroes wisely—focusing on collaboration, mentorship, and values-driven recognition—schools can cultivate an environment where inspiration leads to action and individuals thrive as part of a strong, united community.

Read More

Culture Components - Ceremonies

Schools must recognise the significant role that ceremonies play in shaping and reinforcing school culture. These events are not just about marking milestones or celebrating achievements—they are opportunities for schools to communicate the values, behaviours, and attitudes they want to instil in their community. How a school approaches ceremonies speaks volumes about what they prioritise and the kind of culture they are cultivating.

For example, when a school leader takes the time to personally recognise and celebrate staff achievements, whether it be promotions, successful projects, or professional milestones, it sends a message of appreciation and commitment to staff development. These ceremonies become a reflection of the leader’s values, signalling that they care about staff contributions and the professional growth of their team. By thoughtfully incorporating staff achievements into these ceremonies, leaders can foster a culture of mutual respect, recognition, and teamwork.

On the student side, schools should ensure that ceremonies such as reward assemblies or graduation celebrations don’t just focus on outcomes but also emphasize the behaviours and values that the school community holds dear. A ceremony that highlights teamwork, perseverance, or creativity is a celebration of the school’s ethos and serves as a reminder of what is truly valued in the community. Schools should consider how they use these moments to reinforce the school's vision and mission, ensuring that students leave with not just recognition, but a clear understanding of the culture they’re expected to uphold.

Moreover, ceremonies also serve as powerful tools for leadership visibility. When school leaders actively participate in or lead such events, it humanises them, making them more approachable and engaged with the community. This visibility strengthens the connection between leadership and the wider school body, ensuring that everyone feels a sense of unity and shared purpose. In this way, leaders can use ceremonies to model positive behaviour, strengthen relationships, and create a deeper sense of community.

In conclusion, ceremonies should not be viewed as optional or trivial events, but as deliberate opportunities to shape, reinforce, and celebrate school culture. When done thoughtfully, ceremonies can serve as a powerful tool, influencing how students, staff, and the broader community perceive the school’s values and goals. By carefully considering the design, messaging, and participation in these events, schools can ensure that their culture thrives and is consistently reinforced through meaningful rituals and celebrations.

Read More

Culture Components - Rites

Rites are planned activities that consolidate school culture and leadership, including training programmes, engagement with external consultants, and staff and student surveys—all of which benefit organisational members. These rites are essential as they structure our understanding of how the school operates and reinforce its values.

For example, a staff or student survey not only gathers feedback but also signals what the leadership prioritises, as reflected in the questions asked. Reviewing responses allows school leaders to assess the impact of existing practices and determine whether they align with the desired culture.

Similarly, timetabling is a powerful cultural tool. It reflects the school’s priorities—whether in allocating time for professional development, ensuring student well-being, or emphasising collaboration. Thoughtful timetabling can reinforce a culture of high expectations, inclusivity, and continuous improvement, making it a key leadership decision that shapes daily experiences for staff and students alike.

School leaders must be intentional in how rites are designed and implemented. They need to consider:

• Alignment with values: Do these activities reflect the school’s ethos and vision?
• Inclusivity: Are all staff and students meaningfully involved, and do they feel valued?
• Impact and follow-through: How will feedback be acted upon to ensure real change?
• Consistency and tradition: Are there established rites that create stability and belonging, while allowing room for innovation?
• Communication: How are these activities framed and explained so that they foster trust and engagement?

When school leaders approach rites strategically, they strengthen the school’s identity, improve staff morale, and create a shared sense of purpose. They are not just symbolic; they are mechanisms for embedding culture, driving improvement, and ensuring that leadership decisions translate into everyday experiences.

Read More

Culture Components - Stories

Stories are a powerful tool in shaping the culture of any organisation, and schools are no exception. They influence how staff and students perceive situations, understand events, and navigate the complex dynamics of the institution. In schools, stories often serve as cultural codes that help new staff understand and adapt to the micro-politics of their new environment. These stories not only convey information but also reinforce shared values, expectations, and unwritten rules.

Take the staff room, for example. This informal space is a breeding ground for storytelling, where seasoned staff share anecdotes, gossip, and experiences. From tales of last year’s staff social event to who’s dating whom, these stories offer new teachers a window into the social fabric of the school. They also provide subtle guidance on how to interact with different staff members, the leadership team, and navigate the school’s power structures. For many, the staff room becomes a vital space to learn not just about the curriculum but about how to ‘fit in’ and survive the day-to-day politics of school life.

Beyond the staff room, storytelling plays a key role in student assemblies and classroom discussions, particularly when school leadership emphasizes the value of education, hard work, and achievement. Leaders often use stories to illustrate school values, highlight success stories, or convey the importance of community. These stories can inspire students and help them align with the school’s mission and vision.

Moreover, school leaders themselves often share their ‘culture stories’—narratives about the school’s history, values, and future goals. These stories are essential for promoting the school’s ethos and attracting new staff, students, and even potential donors. Headteachers, for instance, will often craft stories about the school's culture to foster a sense of pride and belonging among the staff and community. These are stories you hear and think, “That’s the kind of school I want to be part of.”

This approach is not limited to schools. Many businesses, including Southwest Airlines, effectively use storytelling to shape their culture and attract talent. Their website features a dedicated section titled “Culture and Employee Experience,” which reads: "We provide our people with great jobs and benefits, and a world-famous culture where they’re encouraged to be their authentic selves." This modern approach highlights how storytelling can help define an organisation’s identity and build a positive work environment.

Schools, too, can learn from this model. A more modern way for schools to tell their culture story might involve showcasing it on the school website, sharing success stories, and making the ethos clear to both potential staff and the wider community. By doing so, schools can foster a strong, positive culture that resonates with all members of the school community, from staff to students and their families.

Read More

Culture Components - Norms

Norms are the unwritten rules that guide behaviour. Essentially, norms dictate what is considered appropriate and inappropriate for a member of the organization. Norms are particularly important to organizational culture, as they provide an implicit framework for expectations, shaping how individuals interact and perform their roles. They help ensure consistency and predictability in behaviour, making the culture more easily controlled and reinforcing the values of the institution. This, in turn, can significantly impact the efficiency, reliability, and innovation of the organization.

Common and obvious norms include not smoking in the work environment or maintaining good timekeeping. In schools, norms are often clearly visible at both the whole-school and departmental levels. For instance, one department may have a corporate, business-like atmosphere in its workroom, while another may foster a more relaxed and jovial environment. These norms are not typically written down but are instead reinforced through the modelling of key stakeholders, such as department leaders and experienced staff members.

This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as the 'Chameleon Effect,' where individuals unconsciously adopt the behaviours, attitudes, and practices of the dominant group. In a school setting, this can shape how new staff integrate into their teams and how students perceive behavioural expectations. School leaders play a crucial role in establishing and sustaining these norms. Their actions, language, and priorities signal to staff and students what is valued, influencing everything from pedagogical approaches to staff collaboration and student behaviour management.

Strong school leadership ensures that norms align with the broader vision and ethos of the school. Leaders who model high expectations, professionalism, and inclusivity set a standard that permeates throughout the institution. Conversely, if school leaders fail to address negative norms—such as complacency, low expectations, or resistance to change—these can become embedded in the culture and hinder school improvement. Therefore, an awareness of both explicit and implicit norms is essential for school leaders who seek to cultivate a positive and high-performing school culture.

Read More

Culture Components - Architecture

The impact of architecture on school culture is increasingly significant, as institutions are often judged by their physical environment. A school’s layout, design, and use of space communicate its values and priorities, influencing both student behaviour and staff dynamics. Fostering a strong school culture does not require constructing a new building; rather, thoughtful use of existing spaces can shape the learning environment and reinforce leadership priorities.

For instance, strategic classroom placement can enhance professional development by pairing experienced staff with less experienced colleagues, fostering mentorship, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose. This not only supports staff growth but also contributes to a more cohesive school community. Similarly, communal spaces—such as staff rooms, shared offices, or breakout areas—can be designed to encourage informal professional dialogue, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and a culture of continuous improvement.

At the classroom level, design choices—such as seating arrangements and furniture layout—play a critical role in shaping interactions and pedagogical approaches. If the goal is to promote a collaborative ethos, desks might be arranged in small groups to encourage teamwork, a common approach in primary schools that supports cooperative learning. Alternatively, to cultivate a culture of debate, inquiry, and critical thinking, a U-shaped formation ensures all students can engage in face-to-face discussion, fostering deeper intellectual exchanges.

Beyond seating arrangements, visual and environmental elements also contribute to culture. The use of displays, student work, and inspirational messaging on walls can reinforce school values and aspirations. A school that prioritises student voice might dedicate space to student-led projects and achievements, while a school focused on academic excellence might highlight subject-specific milestones and exemplars of high-quality work. Even the availability of flexible learning spaces—such as open-plan areas, breakout rooms, or quiet zones—can signal an investment in diverse learning needs and approaches.

Effective school leadership recognises that physical space is not just a backdrop but an active component of the culture, shaping interactions, relationships, and learning experiences. By intentionally designing and utilising space in alignment with the school’s vision, leaders can create an environment that nurtures engagement, fosters a sense of belonging, and ultimately strengthens the school's ethos.

Read More

Culture Components - Language

Organisations can have specific terminology, which can carry different meanings depending on the culture. At a basic level, this relates to homonyms—words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. For instance, the word bat can refer to a baseball bat or a flying nocturnal animal. In education, a common example is the term outstanding, which may imply excellence or an incomplete task.

For school leaders, the precise use of language is especially significant in shaping organisational culture. Ambiguity in terminology can lead to misinterpretations, particularly in areas such as performance expectations, safeguarding, and behaviour management. In staff training, for instance, a shared understanding of key terms is crucial to ensuring consistency in practice. How often has professional development been delivered in schools, only for each participant to walk away with a slightly different interpretation? Clarity in language fosters a shared vision and coherence across the school, reinforcing core values and expectations.

In the classroom, language plays an equally vital role in supporting learning and behaviour. Teachers often use specific instructional terminology, and without clarity, students may misinterpret what is expected of them. For example, the phrase work independently could mean working alone without speaking to some students, while others may interpret it as working without direct teacher support but still collaborating with peers. Similarly, behaviour expectations must be explicitly defined to ensure consistency—what one teacher means by listening might differ from another’s interpretation, leading to confusion for students moving between classes.

When leaders and teachers establish a common language, it not only improves communication but also strengthens the sense of belonging and direction within the school community. In turn, this consistency supports a positive, well-aligned school culture where both staff and students work towards shared goals with a unified understanding.

Read More