Show Notes
In this episode, I’m talking about choosing the right interventions for pupils - and especially for pupils with SEND — and why, in so many schools, it can start to feel confusing and over-complicated.
In lots of schools, staff are doing a huge amount. And yet, when leaders are asked a few simple questions — Why this intervention? Why this pupil? What exactly are we trying to improve? How will we know if it’s working? — things can start to feel less clear.
This episode is about making better leadership decisions with the support and staff you already have. Because every intervention has a cost. And leaders need to be confident that what pupils gain is genuinely worth what they miss.
What we explore in this episode In this conversation, I talk through:
Why interventions aren’t neutral — and why leaders need to be honest about what pupils give up when they leave the classroom
What the research actually tells us about deploying teaching assistants most effectively, and how school systems shape impact
Why matching interventions to labels is often unhelpful — and what it looks like to match support to specific barriers to learning instead How pupil voice, family insight, classroom observation and assessment can sharpen intervention decisions
Why many interventions fail in practice — not because the idea is wrong, but because delivery isn’t protected or consistent
What effective intervention delivery really requires: time, training, clear roles, and strong links back to classroom learning
Real examples from schools where leaders tightened systems, reduced unnecessary withdrawal, and improved outcomes for pupils with SEND
A set of practical questions leaders can use to check whether their intervention offer is actually doing what it’s meant to do
This is about clarity, not compliance. And about making thoughtful decisions in schools where staff time and capacity are already stretched.
A key idea to hold onto: Interventions have to earn their place.
They should compensate for what pupils miss — and be strong enough for leaders to stand behind with confidence.
If interventions currently feel messy, this episode will help you understand why — and what to do next.
🎧 For Premium Members Premium members also get practical resources to help use this thinking with leadership teams and colleagues.
This includes:
A full set of training slides to support staff discussion and development
A facilitator script to guide reflection and professional dialogue
Tools to help leaders:
think more clearly about matching pupils to the right support deploy teaching assistants effectively and purposefully review interventions honestly and decide when to adapt or stop
👉 Become a Premium Member here: https://the-leadership-lens.mykajabi.com/premium-membership
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In last week’s episode, I explored why so many school development plans don’t quite do what we hope they will. We looked at the idea that we often focus too heavily on goals, rather than the day-to-day systems and habits that actually drive change in schools. We also reframed the starting point for planning away from “what do we want to achieve?” and towards “what are our persistent problems?” This week builds directly on that thinking. Because once you’ve identified your persistent problems, the next step is deciding what to do about them. That’s the moment where most plans either become genuinely powerful… or quietly fall apart. In this episode, I introduce the concept of premortems, a simple but incredibly powerful way of strengthening your school improvement plans before you implement them. Rather than waiting to evaluate something after it hasn’t worked, a premortem asks you to imagine that your plan has already failed, and then work backwards to understand why. It sounds uncomfortable, and it is, but that discomfort is exactly where the insight sits. In this episode, I explore: Why we tend to move too quickly from identifying problems to implementing solutions What a premortem is and where it comes from How premortems create space for honest, risk-aware thinking within leadership teams A step-by-step walkthrough of how to run a premortem effectively in your school A detailed school-based example focused on improving reading fluency in lower KS2 Three non-examples of premortems that look right on the surface but fail in practice — and what goes wrong in each case How to use premortems to strengthen your school development plan before it reaches the classroom 🧠 Key takeaway Identifying the right problem is only half the work. Designing the right response, and properly stress-testing that response before you implement it, is where school improvement either succeeds or quietly falls apart. Premortems help you do exactly that. 💡 Premium Membership If you want to take this straight into your own setting, this week’s premium resource is designed to do exactly that. As a premium member, you’ll receive: A full slide deck that walks you step-by-step through the premortem framework Clear guidance on how to structure and facilitate the session with your team A resource you can use immediately in SLT meetings or wider leadership discussions Premium membership also gives you access to the full back catalogue of 36 episodes, each with accompanying resources including: Training scripts Slide decks School development frameworks Practical tools you can use straight away Topics covered include safeguarding, behaviour, personal development, curriculum design, retrieval practice, alternative provision, and much more. 👉 You can join here: https://the-leadership-lens.mykajabi.com/premium-membership It’s £11 per month, and each week you’ll receive a resource linked directly to the episode, designed to support your work as a school leader in a practical, usable way.