I can live for two months on a good compliment - Mark Twain December is the point in the year when we reflect on the year nearly done, and think about colleagues we worked closely with and to whom we owe a great deal. School leaders do a lot of asking all year long, and … Continue reading Praising your team (10 ways to do it better)

There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves. Lyndon Johnson Belonging goes to the heart of our existence as humans. It’s a foundational layer of the Maslow hierarchy and it explains why Covid was so hard for so many. We know the WhatsApp groups to which … Continue reading 4 steps to build belonging

A house without books is like a room without windows - Heinrich Mann #1 The Why? Why we have to raise reading age#2 The What? The Reading Canon#3 The How? The routines which make morning reading work Whether barricading the blockade with Jim Hawkins, sensing disaster through Piggy’s spectacles or helping Liesel Meminger hide a Jewish accordion … Continue reading How to run a Tutor Time Reading Programme (TTRP)

There are schools that draw teachers into the profession, develop them and retain them, and those that drive teachers away. Jonny Uttley Hiring great staff is not easy. But how do we unearth real talent and hold onto it? Some say there are fewer people in the recruitment pool with the right blend of knowledge … Continue reading Fishing from a smaller pool

I've written hundreds of SDPs (or SIPs). Many bad ones, and some good ones. I've written some really clever, smart-looking ones alone that were hardly touched, and a few really simple ones together that we used daily. I know what it feels like to pour in hours of planning only for an SDP to gather … Continue reading How to write (and get more out of) your school development plan

It’s been a difficult few weeks for school leaders, especially reflecting on recent news, and seeing the national reaction. It is a moment of pause to reflect on a national inspection system which is not designed to support headteachers, but within which they are called to work. It's no wonder being a headteacher feels as … Continue reading Whose yardstick?

The sculpture is already complete within the marble block before I start my work. It is already there. I just have to chisel away all the surplus material - Michelangelo The Opera del Duomo – the committee in charge of decorating the cathedral in Florence – had an unfinished project on their hands. A document … Continue reading What’s your news?

The meeting paradoxMost meetings are unnecessary, badly run, involve the wrong people, the wrong things, are dominated by loud people, or are just boring. But the interesting thing is that some of our most creative and productive work comes when we collaborate closely with others. Meetings absorb more time and drain morale more than almost anything … Continue reading Running better meetings

‘To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself.’ Soren Kierkegaard We met with our headteachers a couple of weeks ago and ‘Have Courage’ was the theme of my reflection. Right now it’s a tough time being a school leader trying to be courageous. I thanked people who had … Continue reading Have Courage

The purpose of a difficult conversation is to honestly address a colleague’s performance, behaviour or relationships, so that you can help them improve. Done well, it is a timely, professional and a kind conversation, which provides an opportunity for reflection and impetus for changed behaviour. As I wrote in my series on confidence, school leaders … Continue reading Leading Difficult Conversations