The Visible Headteacher: A Real-World Guide to Improving School Culture

The Visible Headteacher: A Real-World Guide to Improving School Culture 1

Improving School Culture Through Walking The Corridors You know what? It is incredibly tempting to hide in the office. The paperwork never ends. The inbox is always full. The coffee in the staff room is usually cold. Sometimes, the office feels like the only safe space in the entire building. It is quiet there. You … Read more

Navigating the Ofsted 2025 Report Card: Why Reactive Overhaul Could Cost You More Than a Bad Grade

Navigating the Ofsted 2025 Report Card: Why Reactive Overhaul Could Cost You More Than a Bad Grade 2

As a deputy headteacher in a special school we’ve just endured (I spent a while searching for th eright word here) an Ofsted inspection under the old framework. That high-stakes, machine can make or break a teacher’s passion for the job or even career overnight. Lots of prep, a consultant, simulated deep dives, policy rewrites, … Read more

Leadership Lessons from “The Chit Show”: How Viral Comedy Reveals Real Workplace Solutions

Leadership Lessons from "The Chit Show": How Viral Comedy Reveals Real Workplace Solutions 3

Turning employee disengagement insights from TikTok’s most beloved office chaos into actionable leadership strategies The Phenomenon Meet Chit, the viral TikTok sensation who’s accidentally become the poster child for workplace disengagement. With his signature bowl cut, oversized glasses, and talent for turning simple office interactions into pure chaos, this character from Jay Renshaw’s “The Chit … Read more

The Visible Headteacher: How to Improve School Culture (Without Burnout)

The Visible Headteacher: How to Improve School Culture (Without Burnout) 4

The Headteacher’s Guide to Strategic Visibility: Transform Your School Through Purposeful Presence You know what? The best headteachers aren’t the ones hiding behind a stack of paperwork. They are the ones out in the corridor. They are the ones freezing at the school gate. Leadership isn’t about clearing your inbox. It’s about being seen. If … Read more

The School Leader’s Guide to a New School Term

The School Leader's Guide to a New School Term 5

Sarah stepped through the doors of Millfield Primary at 6:30 AM, two hours before the first students would arrive for the new autumn term. As she walked through the empty corridors, adjusting a crooked welcome poster and mentally rehearsing her morning greeting, she reflected on her first day as a headteacher three years earlier. Back … Read more

Unbothered Leadership: Lessons from ‘Chit’ for School Leaders

Unbothered Leadership: Lessons from 'Chit' for School Leaders 6

The Zen of the Staff Room: How “Chit” Can Teach School Leaders to Be Gloriously Unbothered In the bustling, glitter-strewn, and occasionally chaotic world of school leadership, there’s a certain TikTok character who holds a secret superpower we could all learn from: “Chit” from Jay Renshaw’s viral sketches. You know “Chit”—the office legend who remains … Read more

School Leadership: Implementing Borrowed Ideas

School Leadership: Implementing Borrowed Ideas 7

Innovation: When Ideas Travel Without Their Creator Ideas travel freely but often arrive missing their soul. Borrowed ideas and concepts are our most recyclable resource in leadership. Whether you’re a CEO or a classroom teacher, we all borrow and adapt ideas from others. I borrowed so many ideas from other companies last week that my … Read more

The Opportune Moment: A School Leader’s Guide to Time

The Opportune Moment: A School Leader's Guide to Time 8

Time seizes opportunities and time in education builds your legacy. Time is our most precious resource in schools. Whether you’re a Headteacher or a new teacher, we all have 24 hours each day. How you allocate your minutes determines your impact on students and staff alike. Using your time strategically leads to transformative results in … Read more

Unpacking Teacher Agency and Autonomy

Respecting Teacher Professionalism: Unpacking Agency and Autonomy in Today’s Classrooms Teachers are not merely implementers of policy; they are professionals whose expertise, insight, and commitment shape the future. In today’s education system, however, the lines between agency and autonomy have blurred, often leading to misconceptions that undermine the very foundation of teacher professionalism. This article … Read more

Transforming Schools with FastInnovation Strategy

Transforming Schools with FastInnovation Strategy 10

As a school leader, you constantly seek effective strategies to drive meaningful change in your school. The FastInnovation process, developed by Fujitsu’s Open Innovation Gateway, offers a structured, cyclical approach to innovation that can be adapted to the educational sector. By understanding and applying its four phases—Discover, Define, Refine, and Scale—you can build a culture … Read more

5 Ways to Use Communication to Improve Your School’s Reputation

5 Ways to Use Communication to Improve Your School's Reputation 11

Improving Communication with Stakeholders to Improve a School’s Reputation Communication has become one of the most powerful tools in shaping a school’s reputation. Whether it’s through social media, networking with other educational settings, or building partnerships, the way a school communicates internally and externally can significantly influence public perception. A school with a strong communication … Read more

Leading Transformation in UK Schools: 2025

Leading Transformation in UK Schools: 2025 12

Leading Transformation: A Guide for UK School Leaders in 2025 I imagine most generations think that they are going through the most challenging time. The 2020’s post-covid educational landscape must surely count. It is ever-shifting, politicised, divided and the focus of dissent from many sources, parents, and advisors. School leaders in the UK face the … Read more

Boosting School Reputation with the Ansoff Matrix

Boosting School Reputation with the Ansoff Matrix 13

Enhancing School Reputation: A Strategic Approach Using the Ansoff Matrix A school’s reputation isn’t just important—it’s the cornerstone of its success. It shapes student enrolment trends, attracts top-tier teachers to fill vacancies in what is becoming an increasingly competitive space, and garners essential community backing. To strategically elevate this reputation, school leaders can harness the … Read more

Transforming Special Schools With Blue Ocean Strategy

Transforming Special Schools With Blue Ocean Strategy 14

Blue Ocean Strategy: Transforming Special Schools into Hubs of Unique Value The education sector is no stranger to the concept of competition. Special schools, in particular, operate within a challenging framework, often constrained by limited resources, rigid structures, and high expectations. However, there lies a remarkable opportunity for special schools to break away from traditional … Read more

Tips to Managing your School’s Reputation: Lessons from Disney

Tips to Managing your School's Reputation: Lessons from Disney 15

Building Your School’s Reputation: The Power of Evolution Over Revolution When you’re looking to make a real impact at your school, here’s a simple trick to remember… (keep reading till the end) I’ve just come back from a trip where I got a front-row seat to some of the most impressive systems and practices in … Read more

Supporting Students with Medical Conditions: A Guide for UK Schools

Supporting Students with Medical Conditions: A Guide for UK Schools 16

A Guide for School Leaders on Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions In the UK, schools have a legal obligation under the Children and Families Act 2014 to ensure that pupils with medical conditions are supported effectively to participate fully in school life. This not only aids in their educational progress but also ensures their health … Read more

Transformative Leadership: Corporate Insights for School Success

Transformative Leadership: Corporate Insights for School Success 17

How School Leaders Can Transform Education Through Corporate Leadership Insights A Headteacher faces a unique challenge that parallels the corporate world: managing performance, holding people to account, and cultivating a cohesive school culture grounded in trust. Although school leadership operates differently from corporate management, key lessons from successful executive teams can be remarkably effective in … Read more

4 Ways to Build Teaching Staff Buy-In Through Coaching

4 Ways to Build Teaching Staff Buy-In Through Coaching 18

Building Staff Buy-In Through Coaching: A Guide for School Leaders For school leaders, ensuring that staff are fully committed to shared goals is crucial for creating a thriving, positive school culture. When teachers and support staff feel invested in the school’s vision, they bring a higher level of engagement and dedication to their work with … Read more

Weighing the pros and cons of advanced business education for the future 

Weighing the pros and cons of advanced business education for the future  19

Since business touches every aspect of the modern world, pursuing this stream opens up a wide range of professional opportunities, providing it aligns with your skills, strengths and interests and what you are seeking from the rest of your career. In order to lay the foundation of a successful career, it is necessary to have … Read more