When did you last walk around your school like a child?

“I’d stopped seeing it.” A head said this to me about her school environment. Not because she didn’t care. Not because standards had dropped. She’d just been there a long time. Same corridors. Same classrooms. Every day. And over time, things had become… normal.

What is your school environment saying right now?

What is your school environment saying right now? Not what you intend it to say. What is it actually communicating — to pupils, staff and visitors? Because environment is never neutral. It’s always telling a story: • what matters • what’s expected • what’s tolerated And the challenge? We get used to it.

You can’t control who leaves. But you can control how you respond.

It’s half term. Resignation season is here. Some notices may have landed. Others you’re still waiting on. If it feels a bit heavy, that’s normal. But movement in schools isn’t new — what matters is how we respond.

When your strongest teacher leaves… what then?

When your strongest teacher leaves… what then? Every school has that person. The one who carries huge knowledge. The one you hope doesn’t hand their notice in. But here’s a leadership question: If they left tomorrow, would the school wobble? Or would it carry on calmly? I’ve written about a simple shift that turns dependency into strength — without undermining the brilliant people you value.

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…

What this term proved about your strength, courage and heart

A comforting perspective for the child you carry home in your heart.

Every head has that one child who keeps them awake at night. The one you carry home in your heart. The one you wish you could do more for. I was speaking to Sian recently about Tia — a bright, funny Year 4 girl with learning differences that sometimes spill into frustration.

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.

Sickness rates creeping up? Here’s how to stay calm and in control.

It’s that time of year again. The bit between half term and Christmas — when coughs, colds, and viruses seem to sweep through schools (it even got me!). And while most absences are completely genuine, it can still feel frustrating and exhausting — especially when you’re already running on fumes.

Tag: Headteacher tips

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