Wayfinder: leading curriculum vision into reality

Wayfinder offers a clear framework and method for school leaders to support long lasting curriculum change that is successful and positive for staff and students.

Drawing on a decade of experience of leadership in schools and the armed forces, Matthew guides us through the foundational knowledge to be a successful leader of change. Building on this, we walk through a step-by-step model of delivering change, with classroom examples, and based upon the best research in the field. Covering fields as diverse as design testing, overcoming resistance to change, and using coaching to support staff, Wayfinder is your indispensable guide and framework to leading curriculum change.

Whether you are a new subject lead or an experienced headteacher, this is your essential guide to leading and delivering curriculum change.

Available now from John Catt | amazon | Hachette

Reviews

  • Mary Myatt - author

    Matthew's synthesis of the key theoreticians in the field of change leadership is impressive ... Rushed change doesn't work: Wayfinder shows us how to give the process justice.

  • John Tomsett - author of Huh

    W. Edwards Deming, the American industrialist, had a simple rule about change: 'Of all changes I've observed, about 5% were improvements, the rest, at best, were illusions of progress'. In his book Wayfinder, Matthew Lane gives us a practical process for implementing curriculum change which is rooted in theory. Its attention to detail will guide school leaders through the implementation process so that the on-going development of the school curriculum results in genuine improvements which enrich the lives of both teachers and pupils. Read it - it will help you disprove Deming's rule!

  • Kate Jones, Evidence Based Education

    This is an excellent book, exploring leadership through a unique lens and linking leadership at all levels to effective curriculum change and implementation. Wayfinder is an enjoyable, interesting, and ultimately helpful book for educators, one I can wholeheartedly recommend

  • John Semmens - Chair, Norfolk SACRE

    An informed, sensible, yet inspiring guide to navigating change. Matthew's open but authoritative writing style helps distil years of experience and scholarship into a book I wish had been published before I started my own subject leadership

  • Rachel Higginson

    “I'm only on Chapter One but already I love how Matthew has brought himself to the book with relatable family anecdotes mixed in with genuine research informed knowledge”

Headteacher Chat

The comprehensive and incredibly detailed "Wayfinder: Leading Curriculum Vision into Reality" by Matthew Lane is an invaluable resource for educational leaders navigating the treacherous waters of curricular transformation.

Three separate sections make up Matthew's approach, each of which focuses on important facets of transformation and leadership. The first section, "Being a leader and manager of change," explores the subtle distinctions between managing and leading, emphasising the value of emotional intelligence and the servant leadership paradigm. This part lays a solid foundation for the book by establishing that thoughtful and compassionate leadership is the first step towards implementing meaningful change.

The second section, "Making change happen," offers a methodical strategy for putting change into practice while moving from theory to reality. While acknowledging the difficulties that would inevitably arise during this process, such as opposition and adoption, Matthew offers a reasonable yet ambitious plan. Matthew has demonstrated his commitment to providing educators with a useful guide by including chapters on planning, developing change plans, and the specific stages of implementation.

Matthew's work moves from strategy to tactics in the last section, "Tools for supporting change," where he offers resources for locating, creating, and delivering CPD along with logistical and curricular documentation recommendations. Because it may be immediately applied to the reader's everyday professional practice, this section is especially beneficial.

"Wayfinder" is essentially an insightful book about how educational settings can deal with change. It pushes readers to adopt a rigorous, introspective approach to leadership rather than clinging to the security of the status quo. Undoubtedly, Matthew's work will serve as a beacon for those who wish to lead curricular vision into reality.

Matthew's "Wayfinder" is recommended by us because of its meticulous planning, comprehensive approach, and proactive understanding of the needs of educational leaders.

This review was first published in SchoolLeaderBooks.com