Are you tired of spinning plates? Think about creating heartbeats.

As you know I meet a lot of school leaders and walk into a lot of schools. Something I notice is that there’s a difference between the schools that are spinning plates and those that are creating heartbeats (a phrase I’m sharing from a wonderful outstanding headteacher I’ve been lucky to know for many years). […]

You’re the sum of the 5 schools you hang out with…

Welcome back! Summer term here we go! You might have heard the saying: you’re the sum of the 5 people you hang out with the most. I think the same is true of schools: You’re the sum of the 5 schools you hang out with the most. So who are you […]

This Easter, why not reduce the noise so you can increase the focus?

I don’t know about you but I feel the world is constantly trying to distract me in ways I don’t want. At work, at home, everywhere! I think of distraction as noise. The more of it there is, the noisier it is. And it’s not helpful or nice noise, it’s noise that interferes […]

The 4 reasons people seek legal advice when going through capability

Clare Fowler, Employment Solicitor at the charity YESS Law, shared the four most common reactions from people who are unhappy when you start talking to them about improving their performance.

Are you proud of the displays around the school (inside and out of class)?

I love the phrase: environment is the third teacher. What is your environment whispering to your children and staff team about your standards?

Five common difficult conversations we find in most schools

There are five common conversations we see pop up all the time. In fact only 4% of schools have told me that they don’t have any of these conversations in their schools. What are they?

Nothing is significantly wrong (but so much more could be right…)

'The way I think things are – nothing is significantly wrong but so much more could be right… ' Do you feel this way? What could be ‘more right’? And what are you going to do about it?

Consistency: Do you ever feel like you’re herding cats?

Herding cats? Sticking jelly to the wall? Same stuff, different day? Whatever phrase you like to use, my guess is the idea is a familiar one – the quest for plans and policies to be followed with consistency.

Your plans aren’t the problem, your people are. Here’s a tool to help

I see this all the time. Plans are made, results aren’t as good as expected, so plans are changed. Plans keep changing, but people don’t. (Although the great ones move on too quickly!). What I find in schools is that your plans are fine. The problem is everyone isn’t doing them for some reason or other.

Who do you want to be when Ofsted arrive? Mr & Mrs Calm or Mr & Mrs Crisis

I’ve heard many an Ofsted inspection story, some heartwarming and just how you would want an inspection to be (regardless of the judgement) because they are developmental and supportive, whilst giving an honest summary of the school. And the horror stories that make you sink!

Author: Sonia Gill

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