The summer holidays are a perfect time to unwind, explore, and gain fresh perspectives. My wife and I love to travel, and one of our favourite activities is joining walking tours in historic city centres. These tours provide a deep dive into history, culture, and the influences that shape a place.
But beyond the stories of architecture and tradition, I noticed something striking—the way walking tour guides lead, engage, and inspire their audience resonates with effective school leadership. As educators, we guide students, staff, and parents through an evolving school journey. The best school leaders, like great tour guides, know how to tell their school’s story, build relationships, and create a shared vision.
Here are five school leadership lessons from walking tours that stood out to me this summer.
1. Know Your History
A good tour guide begins by providing historical context. They explain how a city or landmark came to be, offering insight into its foundations and vision. Similarly, school leaders must know their school’s history—its traditions, values, and evolution over time.
When welcoming new staff or walking parents around the school, leaders should share the school’s journey. Understanding where the school has come from gives people a sense of belonging and purpose.
2. Understand External Influences
On a walking tour, guides explain how outside forces have shaped a city—whether through architecture, cuisine, or cultural shifts. The same applies to schools. Education is influenced by government policies, community expectations, technology, and social change.
Great school leaders recognise these influences and adapt. They consider how societal changes impact curriculum, student needs, and teaching practices. Schools that thrive are those that acknowledge change while staying true to their core mission.
3. Plan with Purpose
Tour guides don’t wander aimlessly—they map out routes that build on key themes and connect stories. Each stop is intentional, leading participants through a carefully crafted experience.
Effective school leaders also plan with purpose. Every initiative, meeting, and decision should build on the school’s vision and long-term goals. Without a clear roadmap, schools risk getting lost in reactive decision-making rather than moving towards meaningful progress.
4. Build Relationships
Walking tour guides rely on relationships—they connect with their audience, personalise interactions, and adjust their approach to keep participants engaged. They know that a happy tourist is more likely to tip at the end.
Likewise, school leadership is built on relationships. Leaders who take the time to connect with teachers, students, and parents foster trust and engagement. A school where people feel valued and heard is a school where people thrive. Whether through informal conversations, staff mentoring, or student check-ins, personal relationships are the foundation of strong leadership.
5. Reinforce Key Messages
The best tour guides don’t just tell a story once—they revisit key moments throughout the tour to help participants make connections. They use phrases like:
- “Do you remember when we stopped at…?”
- “When we were discussing the invasion of…”
- “See how this connects to…”
School leaders should do the same. A vision or school value shouldn’t be a one-time speech—it needs to be reinforced through conversations, assemblies, and staff meetings. Leaders who continually link actions back to core values help create a shared sense of purpose across the school.
Leading Schools Like a Tour Guide
A great tour guide transports their audience through storytelling, enthusiasm, and clear vision. Imagine how schools could evolve if principals led like expert tour guides—knowing their school’s history, adapting to change, planning with intent, building relationships, and reinforcing key messages.
School leadership, like a well-crafted walking tour, should be engaging, meaningful, and memorable.
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