De Havilland Primary in Hertfordshire serves around 450 pupils, with 39% eligible for pupil premium. Rated ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted in 2019, it improved to ‘Good’ in 2023. Many staff stayed through the difficult period, united by a shared determination to improve and an openness to change. Dave Bostock joined as assistant head in 2021 and became headteacher in 2024.

The school is part of Danes Educational Trust, which works with school leaders on actioning TEP responses.  The trust values both its staff voice and TEP as a tool, and has seen tangible change to any new initiatives much more quickly than an annual survey.  

TEP’s Role

Dave was introduced to TEP by his trust and sees the anonymity element of the TEP surveys as crucial. “You can't just rely on what people say; they need to feel safe to be honest. When people feel listened to, they give more. With just a little action based on feedback, you get a lot in return. TEP helps you understand what staff need, and if you act on even part of it they feel supported.”

Peer Relationships and Leadership

In Spring ‘25 De Havilland scored 9.5/10 for peer relationships, +0.8 above the benchmark, and outperformed the national benchmark by +1.1 points (8.8 out of 10) in staff feeling supported by leadership.

“It’s a school where you can't really feel isolated,” says Dave. The two-form entry structure creates tight-knit year and phase teams, and adjoining classrooms encourage frequent collaboration and support. Staff who experienced the school’s turnaround share strong bonds.

During recruitment, Dave is upfront: “You’ll work hard here, but the rewards are 10 times greater.” This honesty attracts those aligned with the school’s values. The leadership team—including Dave—takes on teaching and playground duties, ensuring constant visibility and support.

“We all live and breathe it together. No one’s too important to be on the playground.”

They’ve embedded practical ways to strengthen relationships:

• Support staff included in all meetings and workshops

• Weekly shoutouts and prep briefings

• Digital staffroom noticeboard for daily key messages

• Role-modelling with pre-meeting check-ins

• An additional bespoke staff survey focused on preferences and CPD

• Clear follow-up on TEP survey feedback: “You said, we listened.”

For Dave, leadership means being open, present, and responsive.

“It’s not about one person’s ego. It’s about everyone pulling together, knowing their voice matters.”