Implementing WalkThrus at Scale.
A strategic approach to the development of teachers and pedagogy at scale.
Haringey Education Partnership, London
SITUATION
Haringey Education Partnership (HEP) is a schools-led partnership serving more than 160 schools across three London boroughs. Following Covid, leaders recognised a system-wide challenge: how to improve teaching and learning at scale without formal authority. Schools were at different stages of development, professional learning lacked coherence, and there was a need for a shared pedagogical language that could unite diverse contexts while maintaining local autonomy.
THEORY
HEP anticipated that if schools could develop a common language around evidence-informed pedagogy, then teaching quality would improve across the system, so that outcomes for students would strengthen over time. Drawing on Rosenshine’s Principles and the cognitive science underpinning Teaching WalkThrus, leaders identified a strategy that was accessible, practical and scalable. The theory of action centred on building professional knowledge, creating strong networks and developing local capacity through collaboration rather than compliance.
ACTION
HEP adopted Teaching WalkThrus as a central element of its school improvement offer and invested early by purchasing subscriptions for participating schools. Leaders created extensive professional development programmes, networks, conferences, clinics and implementation support to keep pedagogy at the forefront. They identified exemplary practitioners, developed a system-wide team of champions, trained improvement partners, and established structures that allowed schools to join the work at different stages. Over time, instructional coaching, implementation training and leadership engagement became key mechanisms for sustaining momentum and building expertise across the partnership.
RESULTS
WalkThrus became an integral part of HEP’s approach to leadership, curriculum and pedagogy. A common language now exists across schools, with strategies such as Cold Calling, Think, Pair, Share and Signal, Pause, Insist widely understood and used. Professional dialogue has become more open, collaborative and improvement-focused. Teachers increasingly engage in peer observation, video reflection and coaching. Leaders report stronger pedagogical understanding, increased professional confidence and improved outcomes. Haringey has sustained performance above London averages at Key Stage 2 for four consecutive years, while teaching quality across member schools remains consistently strong.
TAKE-AWAYS
Build champions at every level of the system, from classroom teachers to senior leaders.
Secure leadership commitment - system change depends on decision-makers being fully engaged.
Invest in networks, clinics, conferences and ongoing professional learning.
Expect schools to move at different speeds and design support accordingly.
Plan proactively for staff and leadership churn.
Keep the professional learning journey visible and accessible so that schools can join at any stage.
Develop and protect a common language around pedagogy.
Keep improvement positive, practical and focused on professional growth.
PROFILE
HEP is a schools-led partnership established in 2016 by headteachers seeking to improve school improvement and professional learning across their local area. Serving more than 160 schools across Haringey, Enfield and Waltham Forest, the partnership focuses on leadership, curriculum and pedagogy, using collaboration, professional learning and system leadership to improve outcomes for children and young people.
Written by
Fran Hargrove, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Haringey Education Partnership.