Being an English Subject Lead in a primary school is a serious responsibility—but also one of the most exciting roles you can have. You get to shape how children read, write, speak, and think. How amazing is that? To do that well, you need clarity, direction, and evidence. That’s where our Stages of Growth Audit Tool comes in. Think of it as a compass, a mirror, and a growth partner all rolled into one.

And what better time to use it than September? The start of the school year is a golden opportunity to set the tone, establish priorities, and start with clear goals. An audit in September ensures you begin the year on the front foot, with a sharp focus on what really matters for English across your school.

1. Clarity about What “Good” Looks Like

Sometimes expectations (from SLT, Ofsted, the curriculum, parents) can feel vague or overwhelming. An audit document breaks down the stages of growth into manageable, concrete steps. It helps you define what excellent practice looks like in teaching reading, writing and oracy alongside planning, assessment, pedagogy and progression.

By doing this at the start of the year, you immediately align your vision and practice. No wasted time, no blurred priorities—just a clear roadmap for the year ahead.

2. Focused, Evidence-based Action

It’s not enough to want “better English outcomes.” You need to know what to improve. An audit reveals strengths and gaps—maybe in resource usage, teacher confidence, school environment, progression between year groups, or assessment practices.

Using it in September means your action plan is ready to roll out straight away. CPD can be targeted, curriculum tweaks implemented, and monitoring focused—all from the first term.

3. Better Collaboration & Consistency

As Subject Lead, you’ll often need to bring the whole staff on board—class teachers, TAs, phase leads. An audit provides a shared language. Everyone can see the same criteria, the same expectations, the same goals and the same progress!

Through an autumn term focus, it creates instant consistency. It unifies staff and builds a sense of shared purpose, giving everyone the same “north star” for English.

4. Tracking Growth Over Time

One of the most powerful things about a structured audit tool is that it lets you track progress—not just pupil progress, but progress in how you are leading; how teachers are teaching; how the curriculum is evolving. Do the audit once: baseline. Do it again in a term: see what has moved. Celebrate what has improved, identify what still needs work. This helps with accountability—but in a constructive, developmental way rather than as “just being judged.”

5. Stronger Evidence for Reporting & Inspection

Ofsted, governors, senior leadership—they all like evidence. An audit tool provides tangible evidence of review, reflection and improvement. It shows that leadership is proactive, that you are continuously evaluating and moving the English curriculum forward. By downloading the audit tool now, it means you are inspection-ready all year long.

6. Empowerment & Professional Growth

Using an audit tool isn’t just good for pupils; it’s good for you as a leader. It gives you a diagnostic lens, helping you hone your leadership skills: analysis, strategic planning, influencing, supporting others. Working in collaboration with your Link Consultant, you give yourself a whole year to grow into those leadership goals and see the impact in real time.

In short, the Stages of Growth Audit Tool gives you structure, insight, and momentum. It helps you lead English with confidence, not just hope. When done well, the benefits ripple out; a better, more coherent English curriculum, improved teacher practice, more consistent pupil progress, and a leader who can clearly articulate why things are the way they are and how to make them better.