This occasional paper of the Centre for Education Policy and Practice outlines how the National School Improvement Tool, developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in collaboration with the Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment is being used in Australian schools. The Tool is grounded in international research, and its nine domains focus schools on whole school improvement in teaching and learning. ACER's school improvement team conducts reviews and training for reviewers across Australia, and report on several themes or success factors which emerge from the consultants' reflections.