Learning Walks in Multi-Academy Trusts

What Are You Trying to See?

Trust leaders aren't there to evaluate individual teachers — they're there to understand:

• Consistency: Are shared priorities embedded across schools?
• Fidelity: Is the curriculum being delivered as planned?
• Variation: Where do things diverge — and is that OK?
• Safeguarding and routines: Are systems working on the ground?

The walk-through lens should be one of curiosity and alignment, not control.

What Makes Trust-Led Walks Work?

• 🧭

  Clarity of purpose

  Trust QA shouldn't be a mystery. Schools need to know what you're looking for — and why.

• 📄

  Shared frameworks

  Use a consistent format or protocol across all schools, even if foci differ. This helps align language, expectations, and reporting.

• 🎓

  Trained observers

  Whether it's trust leaders, cross-school middle leaders, or subject network reps — everyone needs to know how to observe fairly, record neutrally, and avoid judgmental language.

• 🔁

  Collaborative debriefs

  Follow-up matters. Create space for reflection with Heads, curriculum leads, and school improvement partners — not just hand over a summary sheet.

Avoiding the MAT Micromanagement Trap

There's a fine line between insight and interference.

That means:

• Looking at patterns across the trust
• Celebrating strong practice and sharing it out
• Respecting each school's starting point and story

Bonus Value: Leadership Development

Trust-led learning walks are also a brilliant opportunity to:

• Develop future leaders by involving them in QA
• Build middle leadership confidence across sites
• Strengthen subject networks with real classroom grounding

It's system leadership with purpose — and proximity.

Final Thought

Learning walks in MATs aren't about catching people out. They're about building a trust-wide picture of teaching and learning that's honest, respectful, and improvement-focused.