Schools aren’t machines. They are living, breathing ecosystems.
And yet, for too long, we’ve treated them like factories, focused on outputs, performance metrics, and efficiency models that forget the humans who keep them going.
The Living School Model is a radical departure from that industrial mindset.
It’s a living framework, one that prioritises belonging over burnout, connection over compliance, and wellbeing as the foundation, not the afterthought.
This isn’t just about creating better outcomes for students. It’s about building cultures where the adults shaping young lives, feel seen, safe and supported. Because when teachers and staff thrive, students thrive too.
The Current Reality: Our Schools Are Systems Under Strain
The data is sobering and urgent:
42,000 teachers in the UK say they are very likely to leave the profession within the next two years
84% of UK teachers describe themselves as stressed
37% report workload as overwhelming or unsustainable
25% of secondary schools in England have no qualified physics teacher
Psychological safety is one of the strongest predictors of team effectiveness, yet it is rarely measured or prioritised in schools
Burnout is cited as a leading cause of attrition, especially among new and mid-career teachers
The Four Pillars of the Living School Model™
The Living School Model™ is built around four foundational pillars — each one a vital part of a thriving school culture. These aren’t abstract ideals. Each pillar is grounded in practical, research-backed tools and behaviours designed to support real transformation over time.
1. Psychological Safety
Create a culture where staff feel safe to speak up, show up, and take risks.
Rooted in the Safe to Thrive framework, this pillar builds trust, openness, and belonging, because innovation, collaboration, and wellbeing only flourish when people feel safe, not silent.
2. Conscious Leadership
Lead with clarity, courage, and emotional intelligence. This pillar supports leaders to move from reactive management to conscious leadership, where connection and curiosity drive decisions, not just compliance.
3. Cultural Alignment
Turn values into action and inclusion into everyday practice. From policy to the staffroom, this pillar bridges the gap between what schools say they value and how those values show up in daily routines, meetings, and interactions.
4. Sustainable Working
Design work that supports energy, capacity, and long-term wellbeing.
This pillar addresses the operational reality of school life, from workload to rhythms, helping schools move from burnout culture to sustainable practice.
Discover Your School’s Priority Pillar for Culture Transformation
A 5-minute research-backed quiz to reveal the one area that will create the biggest shift in your school’s culture right now.
Every school has one cultural foundation that unlocks everything else — psychological safety, conscious leadership, cultural alignment, or sustainable workflows.
Take this short diagnostic to discover your school’s priority pillar and receive personalised insights to guide your next steps.
Imagine a Living School...
Where the energy in the staff room feels calm, not frantic.
Where people speak up in meetings not to defend, but to contribute.
Where staff don’t just survive the week — they feel seen, supported, and inspired to stay.
Where leadership isn’t reactive, it’s relational — and where difficult conversations happen with honesty, not fear.
Where wellbeing isn’t a poster on the wall, it’s embedded in how time is protected, voices are heard, and decisions are made.
Where inclusion is more than a policy — it’s felt in every corridor, classroom, and connection.
Where psychological safety, staff wellbeing, conscious leadership, and inclusion are not competing priorities — they’re the foundation for how your school breathes, grows, and thrives.
This is what a Living School feels like.
And it doesn’t require a culture overhaul overnight.
It starts with awareness, alignment, and action — built on what’s real right now.
Ready to Bring Your School Culture Into Focus?
Choose the path that’s right for you
1. The Living School Focus Finder Quiz
A free 5-minute reflection tool
Not sure where to begin? This quiz helps you identify which pillar of school culture needs your attention most right now.
2. The Living School Orientation Report
A whole-school culture scan with a personalised roadmap — €1,500
Hear directly from your staff through a research-backed survey. Get a detailed diagnostic across the four Living School pillars, clarity on your school’s strengths and stress points, and a 6–12 month action roadmap you can actually use.
3. The Full Living School Audit
A deep-dive, in-person cultural diagnostic with Dr Donna de Haan
If you're ready to go all in, this is your chance to bring the Living School Model to life — hands-on. I’ll spend a week immersed in your school, listening, observing, and co-creating a practical, aligned culture strategy with your leadership team.
We’ll map your school’s current cultural reality and design a bespoke plan for the transformation you’re ready for.
Let’s connect…
If something here has spoken to you, maybe a sentence, a feeling, or simply a sense that this work matters, let’s talk.
This isn’t a sales pitch. It’s a space to connect.
Whether you're curious about collaborating, working together, or just want to share what’s stirring in you, I’d love to meet you.
Book a free 30-minute call below.
Come as you are. Bring whatever’s real.