Leading improvement is a challenge faced by all headteachers, but for newly appointed headteachers, the process has particular dimensions associated with the transition into a new and promoted post, often in an unfamiliar context. The early months of teacher headship are concerned with developing an understanding of context, through working with the people involved and seeking to interpret what is happening through the construction of meaning. It is a time when personal values and vision are explored and when fundamental moral questions are asked and ideas developed to ensure that improvement processes lead to increased effectiveness. A large body of work, drawn largely from the non-educational field, suggests stage theories to explain the transition phases experienced by leaders. Three periods of organisational socialisation are identified by Hart (1993) in her synthesis and critical analysis of the field: (1) Encounter, anticipation, or confrontation; (2) Adjustment, accommodation, clarity; and (3) Stabilisation. The case study described in this article illustrates how careful focusing on the most appropriate priorities was facilitated by key tasks that acted as a thread for continuity in the school's longer term development.