Taking up a new senior or executive leadership role in education is both a privilege and a responsibility. The first 100 days are often described as the period in which leaders lay the cultural and strategic foundations that shape their tenure. For school and trust leaders, this window is not about quick wins or surface-level change, but about establishing a climate of trust, safety, and purpose where adults and young people can flourish into the long-term. 

Although it often goes ‘unseen’, culture is sensed across an organisation. We have all had the feeling of walking into an organisation and within moments getting a feel for whether there is a good or bad ‘vibe’. Culture is no backdrop - it’s an operating system and an ecosystem.