Each year as a HT I would - sometime between May half term and September 1st - pull out my old SEF from a cupboard or laptop folder, and summon up the courage to rewrite it. Yesterday I met with five experienced current and past school leaders and, with a pile of our school’s SEFs … Continue reading How to write your SEF (reflections on school self-evaluation)
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A positive way of giving a negative message
The way you treat people is what they become. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. When we sit down with a teacher after observing their lesson, we think carefully about all the myriad elements we might choose to feedback. And mostly we know to only select the one or two elements which are helpful for them to work on right at … Continue reading A positive way of giving a negative message
10 tips for more effective one-to-ones
Image - Gregor Cresnar One to ones are quiet, focused collaboration time for employees and bosses to connect. It’s their time, not yours. Kim Scott - Radical Candor We can all point to memories we have of great and terrible line managers we’ve experienced, and the shape of the clumsy boot-print or lifelong inspiration they … Continue reading 10 tips for more effective one-to-ones
Mountains
Mountains are the cathedral where I practice my religion. Anatoli Boukreev.I like walking in mountains and spending time in them. I am drawn back by a kind of gravitational pull every month or so, even to those I’ve climbed before. I’ll head off on a Saturday morning alone or with a close friend or one … Continue reading Mountains
The paradoxes of teaching
A paradox is an odd or self-contradictory statement which has about it the ring of truth. (Greek – para = contrary to; doxa = opinion). Maybe it’s the natural cynic in me, but I enjoy looking for paradoxes at work. It offers a sideways look and alternative perspective to the daily grind. What seems at … Continue reading The paradoxes of teaching
Small is beautiful – 10 ways Trusts can support small schools
How do we support and celebrate our smallest schools in challenging times? In our family of schools we have a large number of brilliant small schools. Fourteen of our forty-three members of the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust educate fewer than 150 pupils. And so, while we definitely don’t pretend to have all the answers, here … Continue reading Small is beautiful – 10 ways Trusts can support small schools
To do or not to do
One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done. Marie Curie We all use to do lists. For food shopping, reminders for our children, holiday packing and of course at work. From the back of an envelope to a computer screen, this most simple of reminders seems to … Continue reading To do or not to do
Being authentic
“Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others.” Desiderata - Max Ehrmann I spoke with our school leaders last week about why I believe that being authentic is key to how we forge relationships and work as a team. In July, I discussed with our chairs of governors how we could better support … Continue reading Being authentic
5 ways to build trust
Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair. Amy Rees Anderson When employees have confidence in their leaders, they feel mutual respect, a sense of belonging and are less likely to leave. Research shows that employees at high trust companies report less stress, higher productivity, and more energy at work. Where it … Continue reading 5 ways to build trust
When things go wrong
‘We learn from failure, not from success.’ Bram Stoker There are times in our working lives when we all feel a little bit lost. A project goes wrong, we feel we’re losing the class or a job ends badly. When we are going through this we feel pain, frustration or disappointment. This creates a sense … Continue reading When things go wrong
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