Change is a constant in any organisation - perhaps no more so than in schools, with policy shifting constantly.

As a middle leader, you can also be the one who has to constantly juggle and switch plans depending on the latest impetus of senior leaders.

So, how best can you handle change?

The lowdown 

Middle leaders have to deal with three types of change: change they instigate themselves; change imposed on them from above; and change in circumstances.

All three have challenges but there are common elements of change management that can help across the board.

What we know about what works

Tina Kiefer, professor of organisational behaviour at Warwick Business School, at the University of Warwick, says it’s important that leaders don’t fall prey to the idea that “people don’t like change and therefore resist it”.

“People are very adaptable,” she says. “It is a particular kind of change they don’t like: when it is imposed in a way that feels contrary to their professional identity.

“When people get angry at organisational change, it is often about a sense of someone putting an obstacle in the way.”

For teachers, she continues, that will be anything that makes it harder to get on with the business of teaching. And so she recommends that the first thing leaders do around managing change is ask a very simple question: “What do staff need to deliver change? What do they need right now to do a better job?”

Helen Barker, director of people at Anthem Schools Trust, agrees. “Most people respond well to feeling like they are part of the solution, and they have a stake in making something work,” she says.

“Make the vision and purpose tangible to them and relate it directly to the front line. Provide clarity, allow mistakes and give support when it’s needed.”

If a change is not panning out as planned, Kiefer says, it is worth taking a pause and trying to understand why rather than ploughing on. 

Often it will be because “the implementation and the changes haven’t been developed together with the people who will have to implement it”, she says, which means problems can creep in.

“Have you, as a middle leader, put aside adequate resources to do this, for example?” she says. “Are there deadlines? Are there checkpoints? Are there feedback loops?” 

Where change is being forced on you from above and it encounters challenges, taking the problems to senior leaders in a productive way - one that suggests solutions and shows you have attempted to solve the issues yourself - will be needed.

Despite the risks of change, though, middle leaders will need to be brave and force it to happen when required, says Barker. This is true particularly when they find they are “not delivering on core promises”.

Change is also positive if a middle leader feels things have become stagnant across the school, says Barker. 

“This can be seen when too many parts of the organisation are doing things in the same way as they have for years and nothing is changing.

“As Einstein said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. If you see this happening, you have to shake things up.”

Above all, Kiefer says, focusing on being reflective, flexible and agile will serve middle leaders well during any moment of development.

“Every change has hurdles and obstacles, and therefore will need continuous revision. You need to be willing to reconsider the original proposition to see if you can learn something new.” 

And as a final note: beware change fatigue.

“Change fatigue is a huge issue,” says Kiefer. “And it’s to do with the fact that every new leader feels that the way to establish themselves is through change.

“When the change is just for the sake of it or jumping on the next bandwagon, it becomes meaningless and staff feel that they can’t make a contribution that has value.”

The experienced leader view

Jon Hutchinson is director of curriculum and teacher development at the Reach Foundation. He writes:

As a middle leader, you’ll oversee a whole host of changes, from small and painless to big and scary. 

Asking teachers to use mini whiteboards more during questioning? No problem. Changing exam boards? Sleepless nights.

The most important part of change management is to clearly articulate the reason (and sorry, but “I saw it on Facebook” or “Ofsted want it” aren’t reasons) and then clearly set out the path ahead.

You have in your power the ability to inspire your team as to what is possible, supporting them to deliver even better lessons and results for their children. You also, of course, have the risk of creating stress, uncertainty and resentment. 

The case for change is most compelling when it is in response to a clear, objective problem. Perhaps the results from the Year 4 multiplication check were disappointing. Or maybe the A-level mock papers have all been marked and people are feeling panicky. 

Starting out with a blame-free but honest presentation on the challenge that you face together should demonstrate that a change is necessary (“these results show that our children aren’t fluent in times tables, and this is going to make maths much harder for them in the future”). The proposed plan of a daily Times Tables Rock Stars session is then much more likely to be met with enthusiasm.

Don’t be scared to ask for advice, either. Whatever change you’re implementing, it’s almost certain that someone’s been through the process before. Moving to using knowledge booklets across key stage 3? Seek out a head of department who has already done it and ask them what they’d do differently with the benefit of hindsight.

One of the hardest parts of the job is driving through changes that weren’t your idea, and that perhaps you even counselled against.

It could be that the headteacher or “the trust” has executed a wide-scale change that is failing badly. Your role here requires monumental diplomatic skill.

Middle leaders need to be careful not to undermine the school’s leadership; the adage “never complain down” is solid advice. No matter how frustrated you might be feeling, moaning to your team about the CEO helps nobody and quickly creates a toxic culture. 

Instead, you’ll win respect if you can tactfully reveal the realities to senior leaders of how change is affecting staff and playing out in classrooms.

A few years ago, I asked a head who had just taken on a challenging school the most important thing he’d learned in his first term. His reply: “Who I can trust to be honest with me.”

Gaining this reputation takes time but it will ensure that teachers are both effective and happy.