School leadership moves at breakneck speed, doesn’t it?
Some days it’s all firefighting — cover issues, safeguarding, a parent at the gate, behaviour flaring up. By the time the urgent is dealt with, the important has been bumped to tomorrow. And then the next day.
When was the last time your SLT had space to think together?
Why reflection matters
What I’ve noticed from over a decade of working with high-performing, fantastic schools:
Without reflection, schools drift. With it, they grow.
Reflection isn’t sitting around staring at your shoes.
And you’ve definitely had it before. Maybe on a train journey to a conference, where the conversation flows there and back. Or on a precious SLT away day, where the fog lifts and you leave buzzing with ideas.
And at some point you’ve said: “We should do this more often.”
Reflection is the pause that lets you:
- make deliberate choices instead of reactive ones,
- notice what’s been hidden in the busyness of school life,
- move as a joined-up team rather than a collection of hard working individuals,
- and breathe a little easier — because stopping together lowers the pressure, it doesn’t raise it.
And doesn’t it feel good? Doesn’t it leave you buzzing?
Because the alternative — fragmentation, duplication, stress — is all too familiar.
As I often say (and remind myself): “Reflection isn’t a luxury. It’s leadership.”
Which begs the question: if it’s that powerful, why don’t we do it more?
Because the day-to-day always wins.
Because “thinking time” feels indulgent when your inbox is groaning.
Because sometimes it feels easier just to keep your head down and get on with it.
And so the urgent always squeezes out the important.
Why this conference helps
That’s exactly why we’ve built reflection into our Outstanding Against the Odds conference.
It’s not just about listening, getting great ideas and being inspired. It’s about giving you and your team quality leadership time:
- A shared spark — serving heads telling their stories, which get you talking.
- Space to pause — guided sessions where you stop, reflect, and align.
- A common focus — so you all leave with the same language and reference points.
- And something to take back — recordings and slides to keep the reflection going and share with your school team.
This isn’t theory. It’s about creating the conditions for your SLT to think — together.
It’s designed for SLTs
We’ve made this conference with senior leadership teams in mind.
You’ll hear from heads who’ve led schools to Outstanding in the toughest conditions, talking about real issues: curriculum depth, behaviour culture, community engagement, relentless improvement.
But crucially, we’ve built in the space to reflect — so you don’t just leave with a notebook of ideas, you leave with clarity.
And you’ll see you’re not alone. Other leaders are facing the same challenges, and overcoming them – and they’ll tell you how.
Turning reflection into action
Reflection isn’t optional if you want excellence. It’s what keeps leaders aligned, focused, and able to thrive.
This conference makes it possible — even in the busiest term.
So maybe it’s time to give your SLT what they rarely get: the space to think, reflect, and reset.
👉 Book your place for Tuesday 18th November 2025: Outstanding Against the Odds Conference