Consultancy service

Classroom & Instructional Review

A calibrated read of instructional quality across the institution — with a coaching-needs plan attached.

The problem it solves

You suspect instructional quality varies more than it should, but you lack a defensible way to see it.

Why it matters

Instructional quality is the single largest lever a school controls — and the one most institutions are least able to see clearly. A structured instructional review gives leaders an honest, calibrated view of teaching across the school, and a coaching plan matched to what they actually find.

Our approach

We calibrate observers, sample across departments and phases, and pair classroom evidence with work sampling and teacher voice. The output is not a judgment of teachers; it is a strategic view of teaching — and a coaching-needs plan matched to it.

What is included

Everything that makes the engagement land.

  • Structured, calibrated classroom observations
  • Work sampling and assessment analysis
  • Teacher and student focus groups
  • Coaching-needs analysis by department
  • Department-level feedback sessions
  • Instructional coaching plan
Timeline

How the engagement unfolds.

Phasing is calibrated to your context — but this is the typical shape.

  1. 01
    1 week

    Protocol design

    • Observation protocol calibration
    • Sampling plan across departments and phases
    • Communication to staff
  2. 02
    1–2 weeks

    Observation

    • Calibrated classroom walkthroughs
    • Work-sample and assessment review
    • Focus groups
  3. 03
    2 weeks

    Analysis

    • Coding and heatmap build
    • Coaching-needs mapping
    • Draft findings
  4. 04
    1 week

    Delivery

    • Findings workshop with SLT and HoDs
    • Department feedback sessions
    • Coaching plan handover
Deliverables

What you actually receive.

Every artifact is designed to be used by the people who need it — not to sit in a shared drive.

Deliverable 01

Instructional review report

A written report structured around instructional domains — with evidence, patterns, and recommendations.

Deliverable 02

Classroom quality heatmap

A calibrated visual of instructional patterns across domains, departments, and phases.

Deliverable 03

Coaching-needs plan

A department-by-department plan matching identified patterns to specific coaching cycles and PD priorities.

Deliverable 04

Department action briefs

Two-page briefs each middle leader can act on in the next term.

Deliverable 05

PD budget guide

A recommendation on where PD investment will produce the largest instructional return.

Sample outputs

A few of the artifacts partners have received.

Anonymized examples of the kind of work this engagement produces.

Sample

Instructional heatmap (sample)

A calibrated visual across five domains and five departments, highlighting hotspots and cold spots.

Sample

Coaching cycle template

A four-cycle coaching plan template mapped to the observed instructional gaps.

Sample

Focus-group synthesis

An anonymized synthesis of what teachers and students said about instruction — used to open department meetings.

Full samples are shared under NDA during discovery — never on the public site.

Frequently asked

About instructional review.

Is this a performance-management exercise?

No. Observations are developmental and de-identified in reporting. Individual teacher evaluation remains the institution's responsibility.

How many classrooms do you observe?

Typically 40–80 short walkthroughs across departments and phases, with sampling designed to be representative rather than exhaustive.

Can our coaches shadow the observation team?

Yes — many schools use the review as calibration training for their own coaches and middle leaders.

Do you observe subject specialists?

Where subject depth matters, we bring subject-specialist observers or pair with respected internal specialists.

Book a discovery call

Book a discovery call about instructional review.

Pick a 30-minute slot with a senior advisor, or send a short note and we'll respond within two working days.

  • 30-minute discovery conversation, no cost or obligation.
  • Confidential — details are never shared beyond the advisory team.
  • Prefer to write? Switch to the short note fallback on the right.
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