SSAT

SSAT We support all schools with membership communities, whole-school CPD and improvement programmes to achieve effective, sustainable and student-centric outcomes.

We offer a vast array of support for schools, helping schools become good or outstanding. We work with schools to raise achievement in individual subjects and across the board. We support sponsored academies, helping schools convert to academy status. We support special needs work and dedicated special schools, and much much more.

Some of the people who can drive meaningful change in your school may already be in your classrooms.Lead Practitioners a...
23/09/2026

Some of the people who can drive meaningful change in your school may already be in your classrooms.

Lead Practitioners are leaders of learning whose expertise and influence extend beyond their own practice, working with colleagues, leading change and contributing to wider school improvement priorities.

But how can schools develop and recognise these practitioners consistently?

Download SSAT’s free Lead Practitioner Theory of Change to explore how you can develop and celebrate leaders of learning within and across your school.

Download your free copy: https://f.mtr.cool/citu3re83j

Is inclusion becoming the organising principle for school improvement?Across recent developments in inspection, attendan...
23/09/2026

Is inclusion becoming the organising principle for school improvement?

Across recent developments in inspection, attendance, exclusions, SEND, enrichment and disadvantage, a common thread is emerging: schools are increasingly being asked to understand why pupils experience barriers, as a way of better responding to their educational needs.

That means using data intelligently, understanding individual and contextual needs, and ensuring inclusive practice is owned across the school, rather than sitting with one team or leader.

The direction of travel is clear: inclusion is becoming increasingly connected to how we think about school improvement as a whole.

What does effective whole-school inclusion look like in your setting?

Confidence in inspection starts with knowing your school well.Knowing your strengths.Being clear about your priorities.U...
23/09/2026

Confidence in inspection starts with knowing your school well.

Knowing your strengths.

Being clear about your priorities.

Understanding your evidence.

And ensuring your leadership team can confidently articulate the story of your school.

SSAT's Readiness for Ofsted Inspection Audit Tool provides a structured way for leadership teams to reflect together, review their readiness and identify where further attention may be useful.

It’s designed to make preparation more manageable, helping you approach inspection with greater clarity rather than adding unnecessary pressure.

Give your leadership team the space and structure to feel prepared.

Explore the Readiness for Ofsted Inspection Audit Tool: https://f.mtr.cool/sefwaurerz

Being ready for Ofsted shouldn't mean scrambling when the call comes.The strongest preparation happens much earlier, thr...
23/09/2026

Being ready for Ofsted shouldn't mean scrambling when the call comes.

The strongest preparation happens much earlier, through knowing your school well.

Understanding what's working.

Being clear about where improvement is still needed.

Knowing what your evidence tells you.

And making sure leaders can confidently explain the decisions they've made and the impact they're seeing.

That's why readiness doesn't need to be about predicting every question an inspector might ask.

It's about having confidence in your school, your evidence and your improvement journey.

Preparation starts long before inspection day.

How confident are you in your school’s readiness for Ofsted inspection?With the new framework now in place, understandin...
22/09/2026

How confident are you in your school’s readiness for Ofsted inspection?

With the new framework now in place, understanding where your school stands can help you approach inspection with greater clarity and focus.

SSAT’s Readiness for Ofsted Inspection audit tool supports leaders to reflect on their current position, identify areas that may need further consideration and plan practical next steps.

Want to see how it works before exploring the full tool?

View a free sample: https://f.mtr.cool/ns0uvouwuo

What happens when practitioner expertise is given the opportunity to spread?At Samuel Whitbread Academy, Lead Practition...
22/09/2026

What happens when practitioner expertise is given the opportunity to spread?

At Samuel Whitbread Academy, Lead Practitioner Verity Merryweather has used her expertise to strengthen teaching and learning well beyond her own classroom.

Her work has helped to:

→ Embed a shared approach to teaching and learning across the school
→ Develop practical tools to support behaviour and classroom practice
→ Support ECTs, trainees and colleagues across the trust
→ Build greater consistency through evidence-informed professional learning

And her influence has extended beyond her school and MAT to the international education community.

It's a powerful example of what can happen when schools invest in developing the expertise already within their teams.

Read Verity's story and discover how her Lead Practitioner journey helped turn individual expertise into wider impact.

Read the blog: https://f.mtr.cool/zrwjea9vey

Headship brings decisions that rarely have one simple answer.Parental complaints. Staffing. Budgets. Exclusions. Account...
22/09/2026

Headship brings decisions that rarely have one simple answer.

Parental complaints. Staffing. Budgets. Exclusions. Accountability.

These are complex situations where experience, professional judgement and the opportunity to think alongside other leaders can be invaluable.

Head Cases uses realistic case studies to bring current and aspiring headteachers together to explore those difficult leadership dilemmas in a confidential community of inquiry.

It’s professional learning designed around the reality of headship, informed by SSAT research in which 91% of respondents believed professional learning needed to better address the complexity of the role.

Develop your judgement. Learn from other leaders. Feel better equipped for the decisions ahead.

Explore Head Cases: https://f.mtr.cool/k0e0kijfwy

Schools are incredibly busy places, with important work happening every day.New initiatives. Meetings. Action plans. Int...
22/09/2026

Schools are incredibly busy places, with important work happening every day.

New initiatives. Meetings. Action plans. Interventions. CPD. Data reviews.

The opportunity is to make sure all that activity is translating into meaningful, lasting improvement.

That means creating clarity around what matters most, using evidence to inform decisions and regularly asking:

“Where are we making the greatest difference?”

Sometimes progress comes from introducing something new.

Sometimes it comes from building on what’s already working.

And sometimes it comes from giving a few important priorities the time and focus they need to become embedded.

The goal isn’t simply to do more. It’s to make what we do count.

Everyone seems to be talking about adaptive teaching. But what exactly are we adapting to – and why?With inclusion at th...
21/09/2026

Everyone seems to be talking about adaptive teaching. But what exactly are we adapting to – and why?

With inclusion at the heart of the new Ofsted framework and an increasing focus on ‘inclusive mainstream’, attention is understandably turning to how schools meet the varying needs of learners.

But does adaptive teaching offer a genuinely different way of thinking about this challenge? Or are we repositioning principles and practices that effective teachers have drawn on for years?

Our latest piece explores what adaptive teaching really means and the questions schools should consider when putting it into practice.

Read more: https://f.mtr.cool/9pkb4sdev1

How do we help pupils become more independent learners?Independence doesn't mean leaving pupils to work things out alone...
21/09/2026

How do we help pupils become more independent learners?

Independence doesn't mean leaving pupils to work things out alone.

The EEF's updated guidance on metacognition and self-regulated learning highlights how teachers can explicitly help pupils develop the strategies they need to take greater ownership of their learning.

That includes supporting pupils to:

→ Plan how they'll approach a task
→ Monitor their understanding and progress
→ Evaluate what worked and what they might do differently next time

Over time, thoughtful modelling and scaffolding can help pupils use these strategies with increasing independence.

The important point? Metacognition isn't an add-on.

It's most powerful when it becomes part of everyday teaching and learning.

This , explore the EEF's evidence and practical recommendations for developing metacognition and self-regulated learning.

Read the EEF guidance: https://f.mtr.cool/q77eb9omic

Address

Office 11, 295 Chiswick High Road
London
W44HH

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

+442078022300

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when SSAT posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to SSAT:

Shortcuts

Share

Category