Last weekend, we made a deliberate choice to lodge our leadership team in a hotel for a few days; away from daily distractions; so they could give their full concentration to the process.
The focus of our time together was simple but powerful: reviewing our Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as we prepare for the new academic year.
What struck me most was how the exercise transformed into something much bigger than a review session. Sitting around the table, working line by line as a team, every member felt the weight of responsibility. It wasn’t just about rules or routines; it was about ownership, accountability, and vision.
For many of them, it was their first time experiencing such an immersive, structured training, and the feedback was beautiful: “It gave us clarity… it made us feel trusted… it made us proud to be part of something bigger than ourselves.”
This experience reminded me once again that when you invest in people, you’re not just equipping them; you’re igniting them. And when your staff carry that sense of responsibility back into the classroom, it reflects in the culture of the entire school.
At the end of the day, great schools are not built by structures alone, but by people who understand their role in shaping lives.
