“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 […]

Who’s behaviour or conduct keeps being an issue?

Nearly half the heads I talk to raise the same thing. Whatever else is going on in their school, there’s a member of staff whose performance or behaviour isn’t where it needs to be. And a conversation they’ve been putting off. I get why. These conversations feel personal, even when they’re not. Most of us […]

Difficult Parents. This isn’t about blame. It’s about clarity.

The first two weeks of September shape far more of the parent culture than we realise. Not through policy. Through lived experience. If parent issues felt heavy at times this year, this might help you head into September differently.

Here’s how the best schools turn policies into lived behaviours

School leaders tell me this all the time: “We’ve shared the policy. We’ve explained it in briefing. Everyone nodded. So why aren’t people actually doing it?”

Sickness hits budgets hard — but it’s more fixable than you think

Sickness doesn’t just hit the timetable. It hits the budget — and often harder than we realise. Here’s a quick way to see the real picture. Think back to last term (or better still, last year): How many sick days were there? Now multiply that by £150.

A simple calculation that reveals a surprising drain on resources

Here’s a number worth knowing — and once you see it, you can’t unsee it: Everyday conflict in your school might be costing you the equivalent of one full-time teacher. Here’s the simple maths. If low-level issues take up just 30 minutes a week of your team’s time — things like: lateness poor marking mood hoovers resistant TAs caretakers not getting jobs done admin not following through — then across a whole staff, that half-hour becomes a huge drain.

A wellbeing boost that puts responsibility in the right place

School plays. Religious festivals. End-of-term deadlines. And Christmas chaos on top. Everyone’s busy. Everyone’s tired. Here’s a light-touch wellbeing boost that works — without burning you out

Category: Staff performance and behaviour

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