Some strategies being used by Schools:

• Set performance variation target (10% maximum) for linked departments.
• Re-titling to demonstrate demand for change, eg departments named “Attainment Teams”.
• Accountability culture: use of close supervision and hard-edged performance management in under-performing departments.
• Reduce teacher/department isolation through creating new teams or fresh pairings, eg weak and strong formally linked with specific focus such as coursework, assessment, use of revision booklets.
• Timetabled meetings of cross-department mentoring groups.
• Planned time for inter-departmental work with agreed tasks and success indicators.
• Changing focus of observations: shift from performance management and appraisal to professional learning
• New styles of observation which focus on short episodes with observer present by invitation to extend own learning or use trials.
• Publish a target for the number of observations expected (one school has 250).
• Rename observation: Enquiry Research?
• Middle leader coaching (eg use Leading from the Middle).
• Use student feedback to provide the most effective insights into learning.
• Match teachers to strengths when timetabling.
• Personalise the learning: shape the curriculum at Key Stage 4 to match the interests and attainment potential of student cohorts.
• New vocational courses.
• Use ICT to create new styles of learning that are powerful motivators.
• Unify student guidance (can often be split between tutor, head of year, connexions, counsellor, SMT coach) and base on clear data (eg CAT scores).
• Alternative programmes of study in Year 11 to reduce subjects where low grade outcomes are predicted and provide additional time for intensive teaching, supported study, ICT.
• Use Single Science and English Language rather than Double Award to provide manageable curriculum for students who might have too many subjects.
• Introduce Applied Science.
• Use examination conditions to generate coursework from under-performers.
• Record good practice and create video banks.
• Create unified database.
• Force discussion of data onto agendas of all meetings.
• Talk with students about their perspectives of learning in different departments (eg questionnaires/surveys; transforming learning surveys).
• Barometer groups, where Heads of Year regularly meet with a focus group to go through their exercise books and folders across all subjects in order to identify areas where the work is insufficiently challenging, and feedback to HODs.
• Standard operating procedures.
• Some references: www.transforminglearning.co.uk and
  high reliability: www.highreliabilityschools.co.uk