How does it work?
Each visit should be designed by the two participating leaders and shaped around their schools, availability and learning priorities. A three-day exchange could look like this:
Before the visit
The two leaders hold a short online planning conversation to:
- Agree dates, travel, accommodation and a realistic outline programme.
- Identify one or two learning questions or priority areas for discussion.
- Confirm confidentiality, safeguarding and any school-specific arrangements.
- Agree what each leader would consider a useful outcome.
The visiting leader may review publicly available information about the host school beforehand. The host might share a small number of key documents, such as school-planning information or headline data, where appropriate.
Day 1: Culture, vision and relationships
- Observe the start of the school day and how relationships are built with staff, pupils and families.
- Join a leadership-team meeting, where appropriate, to explore how decisions are made and values are kept in view.
- Meet middle leaders or colleagues with specific responsibilities to discuss how leadership is shared.
- Finish with a short reflective conversation between host and visitor.
Day 2: Learning, teaching and pupil voice
- Take part in learning walks through classrooms or settings, with an agreed focus such as inclusion, teaching or learning.
- Observe activity that highlights pupil voice or participation, where appropriate.
- Discuss a current development priority for the host school, such as wellbeing, curriculum change or digital learning.
- Consider the evidence, data and professional judgement informing that work.
Day 3: Partnerships, strategy and next steps
- Where possible, observe activity involving partners beyond the school, such as families, governors or community partners.
- Discuss how evidence and data inform planning and communication.
- Identify a small number of ideas or actions that each leader will take forward during the next 30–90 days.
- Agree a short follow-up conversation one or two weeks after the visit.
Following the visit, each leader can record reflections for their professional portfolio, share an agreed public version of their learning with colleagues and consider whether a reciprocal visit would be valuable.