I was blown away by the National Apprenticeship Awards this year. The 'Bright Future' tag line hit me more than in any other year as being a 'real' alternative to the stale old routes of university. I sat through the... Continue Reading →
Every now and then being a school leader means you have to stand up to, or unwillingly meet, the gaze of heartache and conflict. In school leadership you become part of other peoples battles. No one faces this willingly. These... Continue Reading →
Why is it that Ofsted makes so many head teachers go on the immediate defensive? It seems to me that no matter your standing in the Ofsted hierarchy most head teachers or teachers I meet would, if they could, do... Continue Reading →
I have been a head teacher for 16 years. At my Performance Management this week my governors asked about my well being. EVERY governing body should be asking that question right now because headship has become toxic. That is not... Continue Reading →
Yesterday I was a delegate at The Beach Teaching School Alliance (@theBeachTSA) conference called Understanding the Gap. I have a Jeremy Deller print in the loo (rather than toilet- middle class head teacher alert!) It is a print of a... Continue Reading →
Sometimes in life things can feel unfair. That the die is loaded against you and no matter what you do you are doomed to a predetermined fate. This is no different for me when thinking about school leadership. Therefore, you... Continue Reading →
The best head teacher I ever worked with died suddenly last week. Neil Tuttiett was the single most important person in my teaching career. As an NQT it was his calm, often funny and passionate leadership approach that helped me... Continue Reading →
I want to see you sweating facts and sh*itting stats – Johnson (Peep Show) I have been contacted by so many heads (well over 100) about doing something about SATs but I feel we need to gather our facts and... Continue Reading →
I wrote a tweet on Friday that echoed my concerns regarding SATs. I have always been concerned about SATs but these last two years have highlighted these concerns to a point at which I feel that I can no longer... Continue Reading →
Old Primary Head 