So, you’ve spent years in the classroom surviving glitter explosions and the dreaded wet playtime. You have mastered the “teacher look” that stops a Year 9 riot in its tracks. Now, a little voice in your head is whispering that maybe you could run the whole show. Or maybe that voice is actually your Headteacher … Read more
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
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
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
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
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
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
RACI Matrix Tool User Guide I wrote this tool to support my MBA project which was based on education and school leadership. It is versatile enough to be used for any project in or out of education. What is a RACI Matrix? A RACI matrix (a responsibility assignment matrix) is a simple yet powerful tool … Read more
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
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
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: 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
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
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
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
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
Understanding Standardised Testing in Education Standardised tests, also known as standardised assessments or standardised examinations, represent structured evaluation methods administered and scored consistently across all test-takers. These assessments measure students’ academic capabilities, knowledge, and skills against predetermined criteria, ensuring that testing conditions, questions, and marking schemes remain uniform for all participants. What Defines a Standardised … Read more
Mastering Difficult Conversations: A School Leader’s Guide Whether addressing concerned parents, managing staff conflicts, or implementing controversial policies, the ability to handle these discussions effectively can make or break a headteacher or school leader’s success. Drawing inspiration from the techniques of seasoned trial lawyer Jefferson Fisher, we’ve compiled a guide to help school leaders turn … Read more
A3 Thinking for School Leaders: A Problem Solving Solution I discovered A3 Thinking during a session for my Senior Leader Apprenticeship. School leaders face complex challenges that require innovative approaches to problem-solving and decision-making. I am cynical about things that are too complex. Once I realised A3 Thinking purely meant using A3 paper (which I … Read more
Knowledge Sharing in Schools Using Evolvable Scripts As school leaders in the UK, we face numerous challenges in improving our schools, developing our staff, and managing workloads. This guide introduces the concept of ‘evolvable scripts’ and explores how it can be applied in UK schools to enhance teaching and learning, support staff development, and streamline … Read more
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