This blog is from 44th COBIS Annual Conference speakers, Claire Waller, Headteacher, Junior School and Patrick Heuff, Headteacher, Senior School at The British School in the Netherlands, COBIS Accredited Member (BSO). You can attend their session at our conference in London, 9-11 May 2026. Book your place now.

As school leaders, we can write fantastic School Development Plans, articulate our vision and mission and highlight the values embedded in our decision making. However, if the underlying school culture (the people, their behaviours and beliefs within the organisation) do not support our well-thought out strategies, we are doomed to failure. In schools, collaboration is often spoken about as an ideal – something universally valued, yet not always deliberately cultivated. If you have heard yourself or others in your school bemoan the school culture, this is the session for you.

True collaboration is far more than having an “open door policy” or encouraging staff to share ideas. It is a proactive, intentional way of working that nurtures trust, empowers professionals, and places learners unequivocally at the centre. At the British School in the Netherlands (BSN), strengthening collaborative culture has become a core focus of our leadership journey. In our COBIS Annual Conference session, we will explore and share how a collaborative culture can be actively developed, and how this can positively impact on making the vision and mission come alive.

Listening to Understand: The Cornerstone of Collaborative Culture

If collaboration relies on one behaviour above all others, it is the ability to listen with genuine intent. If colleagues can see the connection between the feedback they provide and the meaningful actions taken by the leadership of the school (not just the colour of the toilet paper!), they feel a sense of agency over the organisation which increases their own belonging and can positively impact discretionary effort. For this to happen, colleagues need to feel psychologically safe—safe to speak, to question, and to hold differing perspectives. Research into team effectiveness frequently points to psychological safety as a defining factor in successful collaboration, and our experience certainly echoes this.

Listening to understand means creating opportunities for staff voice to be authentically heard—not as a tick-box exercise, but as a meaningful part of shaping shared direction and school development planning. Through surveys, discussion groups, informal conversations, and team reflections, colleagues can openly share what matters to them.

Establishing the Cornerstones: Trust, Communication, and Clarity

Trust grows when actions and expectations are transparent. Clear, purposeful communication reduces uncertainty and helps staff work interdependently rather than in isolation. As leaders, we understand the importance of modelling vulnerability. Being open about our own learning, uncertainties, or mistakes signal that it is perfectly acceptable—and indeed professionally healthy—not to have all the answers. Research into collaborative professionalism suggests that when leaders model learning, teams gain confidence to do the same.

Bringing Collaboration to Life Through Structures and Routines

While goodwill and strong relationships set the tone, structures and routines make collaboration sustainable. At the BSN, we are working to embed collaborative enquiry into regular practice. Professional learning communities, cross phase working groups, provide structured opportunities for thoughtful, inquiry driven dialogue.

Working norms have proved particularly impactful and reinforce a culture of open talk. Simple shared expectations—such as assuming positive intent, giving space for every voice, and having the opportunity to share how you like to work—helps establish psychologically safe spaces where staff can engage fully and honestly. These norms are lived out and revisited throughout the year thanks to the professionalism and commitment of colleagues.

Leaders also play an active role in reinforcing these expectations.

Empowering Middle Leaders as Collaborative Catalysts

Middle leaders are uniquely positioned to strengthen collaborative culture. They connect whole school strategy with the lived experience of classrooms, and their influence on team dynamics is profound. Supporting them to develop as collaborative leaders has therefore been a priority.

Our CPML (COBIS Programme for Middle Leaders) programme has helped middle leaders deepen their understanding of their role in this. The Leadership Challenges have been highly effective in driving school improvement, but more deeply they have allowed our middle leaders to grow their understanding of facilitation, enquiry, and constructive dialogue. Through shared learning, coaching, and reflection, they have gained confidence in shaping team culture with purpose and clarity, helping collaboration become embedded in daily practice, rather than confined to formal structures.

Collaboration Aligned with Mission, Vision, and Strategy

Collaboration is most powerful when it is aligned with a school’s mission and strategic direction. Every structure, initiative, and enquiry cycle at BSN is intentionally linked to our wider aims. This alignment ensures coherence: staff understand not only what we are doing collaboratively, but why.

The Ongoing Journey

Building and sustaining collaboration is not a project with an endpoint. It is a continuous process of reflection, refinement, and renewal. We are looking forward to sharing our ongoing journey with you during the COBIS conference and hopefully can share some ideas to take away.

Book your place at the 44th COBIS Annual Conference