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Growing What’s Strong – Early Impact of Our Strength Ambassadors Programme
This year something quietly encouraging has been happening across our schools. After the whole-staff strengths INSET last Easter, a small group of colleagues stepped forward to become our first Strength Ambassadors led by Helen Day from Positive Leaders.. Joanne Hadley, Edwina Stevens, Laura Willis and Ruth Stoddart joined the project because they were curious about what might shift if we all spent more time noticing what people do well.
It has already made more of a difference than we expected.
A project rooted in everyday school life
From the start, this has felt like a very down-to-earth piece of work. It hasn’t been a programme handed to staff. It has been shaped by the people who understand the daily reality of school life. The Ambassadors have taken the tools into their own settings and tried things out in small, natural ways—changing the tone of a conversation, naming a strength they’ve spotted, or looking again at a student they thought they already knew.
When Stuart Busby visited schools recently, he said the effect was “biblical” in the sense that something had clearly shifted. People seemed lighter. There was more warmth in conversations, and a sense that colleagues were genuinely seeing each other’s efforts.
The WhatsApp group reflects the same feeling. Ruth has shared thoughtful reflections. Edwina and Ruth have posted moments from their day that capture strengths in action. Joanne has been brilliant at spotting strengths in others long before they notice them in themselves. The whole group has taken on a gentle rhythm of sharing and learning together.
One Ambassador described the experience simply as: “It’s a really lovely group to be working with.”
Why it seems to be working
A big part of the impact is that staff haven’t waited for permission or a formal process. They’ve just started using what they learned. The approach feels manageable because it’s grounded in real interactions rather than big initiatives. The coaching conversations have helped too. The recent one with Joanne turned early ideas into something small and achievable, which is exactly how this kind of work grows.
One of the comments that has stayed with us came from Joanne:
“I was a little bit overwhelmed when we first started down the strengths path with you, but I’ve seen a change in myself. I’m noticing other people’s strengths and my own, and it feels really special to point someone’s strengths out and see the smile that comes afterwards. Thank you for opening my eyes to the strengths inside us all.”
It captures the heart of the project better than anything else we could say.
Early signs of change
Even though we’re only part way through the year, we’re already seeing:
• a lift in morale • more appreciative conversations
• staff trying out strengths language with confidence • students being noticed in new ways • colleagues recognising their own strengths again
None of this feels forced. It’s come from people wanting to create something positive together. And that, more than anything, is what gives us confidence about the rest of the year.
