You don’t need a clipboard to lead. As educator Peter Drucker once said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
For many primary English subject leads, leadership comes without the release time they want, need and deserve. That can feel frustrating – especially when you care deeply about improving writing outcomes and leading with clarity.
But Drucker’s reminder is powerful: strategy matters, but culture carries it. You can write the best subject plan in the world, but if culture doesn’t support it, it won’t stick.
Here’s the good news: you don’t necessarily need a timetable slot to shape culture. Culture lives in corridor conversations, shared vocabulary, quick feedback and quiet consistency.
Leadership can start anywhere.
5 culture-building moves you can start this week
These five moves are designed for subject leads with limited time. Each one strengthens subject culture, builds credibility and aligns directly with the Writing Framework – and you can do all of them without a clipboard.
1. Echo excellence
Be the person who notices – not in a formal “drop-in” kind of way, but in a purposeful, human way. When you walk past a lesson where vocabulary is being embedded, or see a scaffold that’s clearly making a difference, say something:
“The way you used that modelled example – you could see the whole class build confidence.”
Why it matters: naming what’s working builds trust, reinforces shared priorities and raises the visibility of good practice.
Pro tip: keep a list of “what’s worth echoing” to celebrate in briefings or CPD.
2. Lift the level of conversation
Professional talk drives professional culture. Swap “How did it go?” for something curriculum-aligned:
“What did they learn about paragraph control?” “How did they respond to the revision prompt?”
Why it matters: these questions shift attention from performance to learning. They help your team think like subject specialists – and show that you are one.
Pro tip: pick two or three go-to questions that reflect your priorities and use them consistently – they’ll reshape how your team talks.
3. Offer corridor coaching
You don’t need INSET to develop others. Feedback can be relational and spontaneous:
“That oral rehearsal strategy really helped with sentence structure – would you be happy to share it with the team next week?”
Why it matters: it frames leadership as developmental, not evaluative. Over time, this builds a culture of shared practice – and positions you as someone who helps others grow.
Pro tip: think like a talent-spotter — amplify others’ impact.
4. Draw the thread
Leadership means helping people see the bigger picture. In planning or book review discussions, say:
“Our current focus is sentence fluency – how’s that showing up in these openings?”
Why it matters: it connects intent to impact and reinforces teaching as a craft.
Pro tip: use visual tools – curriculum threads or focus trackers – to anchor conversations and align next steps.
5. Use CPD moments strategically
Even five minutes in a staff meeting is a leadership opportunity. Rather than overloading with content, provide clarity and direction:
- What we’re noticing
- What we want more of
- One shared action for the fortnight
Why it matters: these short inputs create momentum and show steady, strategic leadership.
Pro tip: keep the format consistent – familiarity builds trust.
From strategy to culture
Strategy matters. But without a culture that supports it, even the best plans gather dust. You don’t need a formal title to shape culture – just presence, intent, clarity and consistency.
Lead in the margins. Show up with purpose. That’s how subject leadership grows – from the inside out.
How we can help
At Leading English we help subject leads turn strategy into culture through:
- Practical training and real-world leadership experience
- A complete writing curriculum that connects classroom practice to subject leadership
- Coaching and consultancy that build clarity, confidence and credibility
