In Impact, executive headteacher Nick Hart sets out a practical framework for improving outcomes for children in primary and secondary schools.


Impact provides a strategy for thinking about, planning for and maximising the impact of teaching in your school. All educational establishments require leaders and teachers who can make a difference, regardless of the community context, age range or Ofsted grading of the school.


This book condenses the knowledge that educators need and offers practical steps to improve academic attainment and progress, as well as pastoral outcomes such as social and emotional development, behaviour, attendance and wellbeing. Impact is ideal for the aspiring middle leader striving to make a difference in their school, the middle leader tasked with raising standards in their subject or phase, and the senior leader working on school improvement.


Nick Hart identifies a five-part framework for understanding what impact really looks like, helping educators at all levels to plan for and recognise the difference they can make in their classroom, department or school.


What do we think?

This book is the perfect tool to inform professional development, subject action plans and school development plans in a very practical way.

Who it is for

The publisher names three readers: the aspiring middle leader, the middle leader raising standards in a subject or phase, and the senior leader working on school improvement. It suits a leader writing or reviewing a subject action plan or school development plan who wants a consistent way to say what difference a piece of work should make and how they will know.

The publisher's description does not name the five parts of the framework, so they are not listed here. Bloomsbury's companion site offers three downloadable templates: appraisal, exploring a problem, and progress since the last inspection.

About the book

  • Full title: Impact: A five-part framework for making a difference in schools.
  • Author: Nick Hart, Executive Headteacher of the Alwyn and Courthouse Primary Federation in Maidenhead. His later book Creating a Strong Culture and Positive Climate in Schools is also reviewed on HeadteacherChat.
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Education, 1st edition, 18 August 2022.
  • ISBN: paperback 9781801990141; ebook 9781801990158.

Sources: Bloomsbury online resources page for the book and Schweitzer listing, checked 13 October 2026; author role from the Routledge author biography.