2 side briefing on Sustaining improvement: the journey from special measures: OfSTED report of a survey to identify the most important actions that lead to improvement in schools that require special measures. The 14 schools involved were chosen because the actions they took during their time in special measures laid strong foundations for sustaining the momentum of improvement; they were not chosen because they were removed from special measures particularly quickly. Two West Midlands’ schools were surveyed: Shepwell Centre in Walsall and The Heartlands High School in Birmingham.