Five things the best implementers do

That was the first question that Olivia Sumpter asked our newly formed Teaching & Learning team nearly a year ago. Having contended with the London rush and a 5 am get-up, it felt like a big question.

Since that day, my team has supported hundreds of settings with their literacy agendas. We’re starting to really get a sense of what schools need most, and there’s a real buzz about what we have lined up for schools next year and beyond.

It’s been a real privilege to collaborate with so many wonderful colleagues worldwide this year; forming meaningful, supportive relationships has been the most positive aspect of my new role in leading Bedrock’s Teaching & Learning Team.

From all the schools I have worked with, there are five common behaviours that the most effective implementors share:

It’s a thrill to be there when a school begins their Bedrock journey. Teaching will never be boring to me, and neither will this. The strongest implementations always begin with a host of questions- it’s a sign of diligence. Hearing phrases like ‘so how can I…’, ‘but what about…’, ‘and what if…?’ are music to my ears. Yes, the big ideas are wonderful and inspiring, but what sustains these big ideas is tangible, logical operational thinking.

It might sound like a trite question, but I love asking schools, ' Why have you partnered with Bedrock?’ Yes, schools want to teach vocabulary to their learners. But in truth, the partnership represents a significant movement of the dial for the language of the learners in your school and—equally as importantly—a platform for teachers and leaders to enrich the language culture in your school. Sometimes, it’s about a smaller cohort, and sometimes, it’s about a particular aspect of reading or writing, but having a clear sense of your purpose when implementing is key.

Praise and celebration are so much more powerful than sanctions (though I know they have their place). I’ve seen celebratory systems work brilliantly this year, and another tip I learned early on was to involve pastoral leads in the importance of Bedrock, and how to monitor and track learners. It’s important to move Bedrock away from the responsibility of solely one subject area- in doing so, you are acknowledging the magnitude and gravitas of the agenda you are driving in your school.

Increasing numbers of colleagues are asking my team to deliver CPD - remotely or in person. This is a true privilege, and another wonderful part of our role. One thing that founders Olivia Sumpter and Aaron Leary emphasised to me early on was that Bedrock represented a partnership for a school, and a chance to align with schools at a deep, systemic level. Our work with Mapper and our reading assessment has given us fascinating, enriching opportunities to do this in increasingly profound ways this year.

The best implementers never stop asking questions. Their thinking and reflection don’t stop. I love it when a colleague from a school emails me asking me something else about Bedrock. Again, anything beginning with ‘we wondered if…’ or ‘is it possible to…’ means that colleagues are truly reflecting and trying to move the implementation forward. As the EEF points out, implementation is a process and not a one-off event. We completely recognise this and embrace this aspect of the guidance.