Notice what changed — because of the way you led

There’s a particular kind of tired that only school leaders understand. It’s the tired that comes from holding the impossible — and still creating magic anyway. Every head I’ve spoken to this term has carried some version of the same heartbreak: There isn’t enough funding. There isn’t enough support. There isn’t enough of you to go around. And yet…

Does it feel uncertain right now?

We live in an age that feels uncertain. Globally, the world order we’ve known seems to be shifting. Nationally, politics feels less certain than it once did. And in schools you’re facing a new Ofsted framework, the White Paper, rising complexity in pupil needs and parents who understandably expect more than ever before. It’s no wonder leadership feels uncertain! Some days it might even make you think about quitting. Or retiring earlier than planned. And yet…

One small shift that separates good schools from excellent ones

There’s a quiet way school culture erodes — not through big blow-ups, but through tiny tolerances that slip in unnoticed. A missed deadline. A lesson that isn’t quite good enough. A comment that lands a bit too sharply. Have you seen this?

A clear way to protect your biggest investment this year

Welcome back — I know Spring 2 can feel financially tight, emotionally tight, and time tight. So here’s something honest to start the term with. A head said something to me recently that stopped me in my tracks: “I spend £2 million on staff. I’m not going to worry about £60k on CPD.” And she’s right. We talk about CPD like it’s a “nice-to-have”. A luxury. Something to trim when the budget hurts. But when you strip it back, CPD is the thing that protects the biggest investment you make every single year: your people.

Why excellent schools look like they have extra budget

Here’s something I see in outstanding schools almost everywhere I go: They look like they have money. But they don’t. They have more Superstars on their payroll. What do I mean by superstars? People who are brilliant at their job and great cultural fit for your school. Put simply, you’d clone them if you could! And that alone gives them the equivalent of £200k extra for every £1m of payroll.

The four numbers that make your school budget go further

School budgets can feel so out of your hands — formulas, pay rises, energy costs… all set elsewhere. And when we talk about budgets, we usually dive straight into codes and spreadsheets. The best heads I work with look past the spreadsheet. They keep focusing on four human numbers that tell them whether their school is getting real value from their biggest spend — payroll.

For the leader who’s given their all this term (again)

We always talk about “the Christmas holidays”…but let’s be honest — for those who work in schools, Christmas doesn’t always feel like a holiday.

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

Morale boosters that actually work

Is morale dipping? And the usual things aren’t working? Morale isn’t built in away days, sugar highs, or quick “pick-me-ups.” Those can be nice in the moment — but they fade fast. Lasting morale comes from tiny moments of care, consistently given. Things that tell your team: “I see you, I value you, and I’m here with you.”

Why everything suddenly feels harder right now (and what to do about it)

Feeling like things have gone a bit wobbly lately? Maybe your team isn’t clicking quite as well as they were before half-term? Staff are a bit more tired, a bit more tense. Behaviour feels trickier. Parents are knocking a little louder. It can feel like the wheels are starting to come loose — but there’s a reason this happens every year around now.

Category: Team culture

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