High Impact Teams in Schools Programme

A practical programme that strengthens and elevates how leadership teams work together

In partnership with

 

Why Leadership Teams Choose This Programme

Schools and trusts are operating in a landscape of rising expectations, tighter resources and increasing complexity. Even strong teams can feel the pressure of balancing strategic priorities, operational demands and the need to maintain a positive culture.

In this environment, the way teams work together becomes one of the most powerful levers for improvement. In fact, the way teams work together may be the single greatest lever for success.

Most leadership development, however, still happens off-site and away from the real work. It can be energising in the moment, but it rarely creates the lasting habits that teams need to thrive under real conditions.

In partnership with My Delta, LLSE is offering a programme that provides something different: a structured opportunity for teams to refine, strengthen and elevate how they work together — in the context of their live priorities.

It’s not about fixing broken teams. It’s about helping good teams become exceptional and reach their potential.

What This Programme Does

This four-month action-learning programme develops high-performing teams through their real work, not through abstract training. It helps teams build the habits, behaviours and shared practices that allow them to operate with clarity, trust and momentum.

Teams Strengthen Their Ability To:

• Navigate differences and use them productively
• Solve complex problems together
• Work at pace while maintaining trust
• Lead effectively through change
• Communicate clearly beyond their own team

These capabilities help teams adapt, align and perform at a consistently high level.

Why Teams Benefit From This Work

1. Deepen collaboration and shared purpose
Even cohesive teams benefit from refreshing how they align, make decisions and maintain momentum.

2. Enhance the quality of leadership conversations
Teams refine how they explore challenges, surface assumptions and move work forward together.

3. Sustain improvement through changing priorities
As contexts shift, teams strengthen the behaviours that keep improvement work on track.

4. Build stronger connections across leadership layers
The programme supports middle, senior and executive leaders to work in a more connected and coherent way.

5. Grow collective capacity
Teams develop ways of working that reduce dependency on individuals and increase shared ownership.

How the Programme Works

The programme blends team coaching, practical tools, real-time application and structured reflection. Teams practise high-performing behaviours repeatedly, in the context of their live priorities. This is learning on the job, which is how lasting team behaviours develop.

A Clear, Practical Structure

1.      Scoping and shared aims — Teams clarify what they want to strengthen in how they work together, including an initial conversation with senior leaders to understand context, priorities and opportunities.

2.     Building awareness — Teams explore their dynamics, strengths and ways of working, focusing on self and team awareness, psychological safety and positive relational dynamics.

3.     Working with positive conflict — Teams learn to surface differences, challenge thinking constructively and use positive conflict as a driver of better decisions. This phase also strengthens shared accountability and improves meeting quality.

4.     Applying coaching skills — Teams practise coaching approaches that help them listen deeply, ask better questions and support each other’s thinking.

5.     Review and next steps — Teams reflect on progress, identify what has shifted and agree how they will sustain their new ways of working.

Core Components Include:

• Three facilitated half-day team sessions
• A team charter
• A team action-learning project
• A high-performing team audit
• Optional DISC profiling
• Coaching for team leaders

The programme outline

Who This Is For

·       Ambitious teams who want to strengthen how they work together

·       School senior leadership teams refining their collective practice

·       Phase or department teams leading significant change

·       Executive and central teams seeking greater coherence and impact

What Schools Say

Schools describe becoming more cohesive, more reflective and better equipped to collaborate. One school noted that the work “directly contributed to Ofsted’s confirmation of Outstanding.”

For senior leaders, the value is clear: teams that continually refine how they work together deliver stronger outcomes for pupils, staff and the organisation.

Next Steps

If you want leadership teams across your organisation to strengthen their collaboration, deepen their shared practice and build lasting capacity, this programme provides a practical, proven route. Contact the LLSE Team to discuss how this programme can support you.