No silver bullets: Day in, day out school improvement

There are no secrets to school improvement. There are no silver bullets and no magic answers. It is far less glamorous. It is a question of identifying numerous actions and applying effort ‘day in, day out’ to improve them. The five year anniversary edition of this book now contains 123 strategies which leaders have successfully used in primary and secondary schools to make the difference to their pupils.

'This brilliant book is a ‘must have’ for any school leader. It is packed full of realistic strategies that can be adopted, adapted and implemented' - Sarah Paul, Headteacher, Wyberton Primary Academy.

‘Packed to the brim with practical advice for school improvement that is founded in his real-life work.’ - Jayney Cooksley, Headteacher, Briar Hill Primary School.

‘Really resonates with me, the strategies are particularly useful for new Headteachers and those working in stand-alone schools’ - Rebecca Walker, Primary Director, West Norfolk Academies Trust.

‘The title of the book is perfect – there are no ‘silver bullets’ but this strips the mammoth beast of school improvement back to a toolkit that focuses on doing fewer things really well. No bandwagons to jump on, just relentless consistency in tried and tested strategies to provide a great education for all learners.’ - Donna Tandy, CEO, Palladian Trust.

‘Each page bristles with rich examples of school improvement,’ - Abby Bayford, Executive Director of the GAT Teaching Institute

‘Provides simple and easy-to-access advice to school leaders, will be very much welcomed by many,’ - Rowena Hackwood, CEO, Astrea Academies Trust

'This book is a must have for any school leader looking to bring about positive change, with tried & tested ideas.’ - Liz White, School Improvement Advisor.

‘Everything I know of Paul’s work is nothing but excellence and ‘No Silver Bullets is no different’ - Julie Keyes, The Education Consultant.

‘No Silver Bullets offers a valuable and pragmatic approach to ensuring that school improvement strategies ‘stick’. Grounded in Paul Ainsworth’s extensive experience and expertise, this book will be an invaluable resource to any school leader seeking to make sustainable improvements in their school community.’ - Zoë Elder, author of ‘Full On Learning’

‘A book to not just read once but act as a reference, challenge and reflection as to where you are at on your School Improvement journey and context.' - Stephen Logan, Deputy Head, Malet Lambert School.

‘No Silver Bullets is an excellent guide to key strategies that really make a difference when it comes to school improvement from someone who “walks the talk” with school leaders each and every day.' - Gavin Booth, CEO, Infinity Academies Trust.

‘No Silver Bullets is a reassuring and realistic message that school improvement relies on day to day hard work and clear focus and not an external quick fix being adopted by the school.’ - Leann Lynch, Strategic Teaching and Learning Leader, L.E.A.D. Equate Teaching School Alliance.

‘I have supported over sixty schools in the last six years as I have worked in Director of School Improvement roles across for four Multi-Academy Trusts. I help Headteachers and school leadership teams make their school the best it can be. I rarely suggest drastic changes, instead on each visit, I look for little tweaks which will make the difference to their school. This book contains the suggestions that I make the most often. They are quickly adopted and help drive school improvement.' - Paul K. Ainsworth

So whether you are a school leader or a system leader, read through the actions and see which of these small changes can make a big difference to your school.