Little tweaks now, fewer staffroom fires later

Half term's over. And already, something in your team feels a little different. This is storming season — it happens every year, to every team. The trick isn't spotting it. It's knowing what to do next: what to fix now, what to model for new starters, what to hand to your SLT, and what to leave for now.

One emotionally charged parent can distort the whole picture

A headteacher told me: “There’s been a parent living in my head, rent-free.” One difficult relationship can quietly distort how we feel about our whole school community. Especially when we care deeply and want to do a good job. This week’s blog is a calming reminder for school leaders carrying difficult situations into the break.

You’ve been carrying a lot this half term. Now it’s your turn.

This half term has been full. New parents finding their feet. Long emails arriving at midnight. Conversations that needed careful handling. Relationships you've been nurturing. You've done a lot. More than you'll probably give yourself credit for this weekend. So before you close your laptop and head into the break, here’s a thought that I hope will help you rest and recharge.

The simple shift that ends a parent standoff

You've explained your position. They've explained theirs. Ten minutes later you're still in exactly the same place. In my latest blog I share two tools that move things forward — even when you strongly disagree

You already have one of the best parent conversation tools. Is it in a file?

Your Home-School Agreement gets sent out in September, signed by parents, and filed away. But used well, it's one of the most powerful tools you have for managing difficult parent conversations — calmly and without it feeling confrontational. In my latest blog I share: why most Home-School Agreements end up doing nothing two simple shifts that make it genuinely useful and how to use it when things are going well, not just when they're going wrong

What does ‘exceptional’ look like for your school?

Money, falling rolls, attendance, and what "exceptional" really looks like — five speakers at Excellence in Education this November tackle the pressures on every school leader's mind. One ticket covers your whole SLT.

“My child would never do that!” — now what?

A parent says: “My child would never do that.” You know the evidence is there. But you also know saying “You’re wrong” won’t help. One of the biggest shifts in parent conversations is moving from opinion to evidence. But they don’t always believe you. In this week’s email I share: • why “evidence anchors” matter • how to respond when perceptions differ • a powerful question to ask when parents reject the evidence you’re sharing

A practical way to stop emotionally charged emails hijacking leadership

Have you had that moment when you open your inbox and amongst the sea of emails there’s one name that might as well be in neon lights? And not for good reasons. I think every head I speak to has a few parent emails that emotionally infiltrate the day before they’ve even been opened. So in my latest blog I share: two practical email rules heads are using and how to stop emotionally charged emails driving your response Tiny tweaks. Huge difference.

When a parent sends a 50-page email… do this first

A very long parent email can take up emotional energy before you’ve even replied. Here is a coaching technique that can completely change how you respond.

How to shape parent culture early — without adding more work

Welcome back! It’s a new school year and that always brings energy with it. New classes.New relationships.New opportunities to strengthen what already works well. And whilst September is undeniably busy, I think most school leaders also enjoy this time of year. There’s momentum.Fresh starts.The chance to build culture intentionally from day one. And that September […]

Author: Sonia Gill

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