Leadership isn’t confined to the headteacher’s office; it weaves through every corridor, classroom, and assembly hall, building a vibrant, collaborative school environment. When individuals at all levels are encouraged to develop and express leadership qualities, the school community as a whole becomes stronger and more dynamic. Identifying those with untapped potential, however, requires a keen eye for those who take initiative, inspire their colleagues, or go beyond their roles to support the school’s mission.

Leadership potential shows itself in many ways, not always tied to a formal title. It might be someone mentoring a new teacher, leading a project to success, or constantly pushing for improvements. Recognising these qualities is essential, and a positive step could be hosting quarterly or annual awards ceremonies to celebrate exceptional contributions to leadership. A peer-to-peer recognition system could further encourage staff members to acknowledge each other’s strengths, fostering a supportive and appreciative environment.

A simple step towards uncovering this potential might be an anonymous suggestion box or regular forum where staff can nominate peers who display leadership qualities. Outlining a leadership profile with key characteristics can make these qualities more visible and encourage people to recognise their own strengths.

Leadership isn’t static; it thrives in a setting that encourages continuous growth. Providing learning and development opportunities for all staff members is crucial. Offering a range of professional development options, such as workshops, conferences, and mentorship programs, can support ongoing learning and open pathways to leadership. A clear and transparent process for expressing interest in leadership roles ensures that these opportunities are accessible and inclusive, supporting a diverse pool of emerging leaders.

Additionally, fostering collaboration through work shadowing across different schools can broaden perspectives and counter the potential insularity of individual settings. A strong leader should be able to demonstrate breadth of experience—identifying a partner school to work with can provide invaluable insights, encourage innovation, and strengthen professional networks. The HFL Leadership Bites Programme and local Teaching School Hubs may also be able to offer valuable support.

Leadership transitions are inevitable, and thoughtful succession planning is essential for ensuring stability and excellence in the school community. Developing a mentorship program that pairs experienced leaders with potential successors can be a powerful way to transfer knowledge and skills, while a roadmap for succession planning can support structured training and phased transitions for key roles. This helps the school maintain a steady foundation and ensures continuity in leadership.

Effective leadership comes in various styles, each adding a unique dimension to the school’s success. Recognising and celebrating this diversity creates an inclusive culture that values different perspectives. In Hertfordshire, where 81.8% of the population identifies as White*, the lack of diversity underscores the need for proactive change. As identified by Schools Week, 2022, nationally, non-White teachers are 18% less likely to be promoted to middle leadership and 21% less likely to progress to headship. Furthermore, only 7% of primary headteachers and 9% of secondary headteachers come from ethnic minority backgrounds. To address these disparities, many local schools are actively seeking to promote leadership development for staff from underrepresented backgrounds as part of our groundbreaking Great Representations programme. In so doing, schools can foster more inclusive environments that reflect the diversity of the community they serve, as well as unlock the potential for innovative ideas and equitable representation in leadership.

Cultivating leadership within a school is a continuous journey, requiring dedication, open-mindedness, and a commitment to growth. When headteachers, governors and trustees invest in building a strong leadership culture, they create an environment where staff feel valued, inspired, and motivated to stay, contributing to the long-term success and stability of the school community.

On my first visit to the school, I was shown into the dining/P.E./assembly hall where two classrooms with bi-fold doors were opened wide. The Headteacher at the time proudly opened their arms and said “This is yours.” If successful in the application and interview I would be teaching a mixed-aged EYFS and Key Stage 1 (Nursery, Reception and Year 1) cohort. I had never considered a mixed-age cohort before. All of my experience had been in primary and infant schools but I knew this was the place for me as soon as I entered. I was filled with both excitement and apprehension but I am not one to shy from a challenge for which I recognised this was possibly going to be.

As with all NQT years, I did a lot of learning on the job. The uniqueness of working in a small school with mixed-aged cohorts became all too clear when talking to friends working in single or two form entry schools. The teamwork, the planning, the day-to-day running of the school. What did they mean that they didn’t need to lock up and clear the bins on the way out? Honestly, these ‘extra’ responsibilities did not phase me. I loved the job, my colleagues and the children. But… it was lonely. It was lonely for the time that I worked there. Not a ‘sad’ lonely but more of an ‘am I doing this right?’ lonely.

I had wonderful, reliable, experienced practitioners to work with and a very understanding and supportive partner (did a lot of cutting and sticking for me) but at the end of the day, I was the key person for all of the children and was responsible for the planning, assessment and ensuring progress for every child. These things are what made my nights long and weekends short. Ensuring I was meeting the needs of every child ranging from 3 to 6 years old, planning topics, displays and enhancements, more planning of phonics, maths and English, even more planning for the outdoor environment. I spent money on resources weekly because budgets were tight and the interests of my children were veering away from my plans. Although, I’m sure none of this sounds unusual for teachers in any school or year group. 

Even with all the challenges there were a huge number of things I enjoyed about teaching mixed-aged classes.

• I knew my children and families extremely well. The parents/carers trusted me to provide their children with care and education they deserved and were happy when the younger siblings would be joining in subsequent years. They felt comfortable to tell me sensitive information which could impact on their child’s education such as family break ups. I had the joy to support some families for the entire time I was at the school.
• I could ensure that all of my children’s needs were met appropriately. The summer born child in Year 1 who required real, hands-on experiences and more play could access this through the provision and the child in Reception who was already reading fluently could access more challenging reading opportunities. Children could learn at their own rate of development.
• I had full ownership over my learning environment, including being allowed to dismantle built in units that were taking up too much space. My environment changed frequently in line with themes and linked to children’s interests. I once turned the whole classroom into the ocean at the request of the children. We had undersea creatures, pirates and surfing! This all culminated with a trip to the Sea-Life Centre and a day at the seaside. Having worked in much larger schools, I now fully value how much freedom I had to provide these opportunities when working in a small school.
• My class represented 25% of the school’s pupils (a third in my first year when there were only three classes in the school). This could not be said in the larger primary schools I have worked in. This meant that we were never ‘overlooked’ by senior leaders during planning for school developments and were always involved within wider community events. I even manged to negotiate swimming lessons for my Reception aged children due to our low numbers compared to other schools!

Possibly a personal opinion but I felt that the children I taught in a mixed-aged class developed skills in independence more thoroughly. This could be due to the small scale of the building and closer relationships that had been established but I could rely on children to deliver messages to other teachers or collect items for me without fear of them not returning. The older children also became role-models for the younger children which was a huge benefit when working in pairs or out on trips. 

It is true that there are also tricky aspects to teaching multiple and mixed ages together.  Routines, planning and assessment can cause elevated levels of stress, especially when working across EYFS and KS1 curriculum expectations. If we keep child development at the forefront of everything we do, teaching children in mixed-aged cohorts could be a blessing to those that require increased access to play and child led learning as well as those that enjoy a challenge. The real joy can come from watching children learn from one another and develop skills that they will require throughout life such as empathy, patience and independence. 

Ofsted

If you are in the window for an inspection this academic year then any inspection will be under the current September 2024 Education Inspection Framework (EIF) where the single word judgement has been removed. Simply put if you are due an ungraded inspection the focus will be on whether you have taken effective action to maintain standards since the last inspection. The report will explain whether you have maintained standards since, improved significantly since  or may not be as strong as at the time of the last inspection (a fourth covers where a school is deemed inadequate in one or more judgement areas or there are serious concerns). Schools would use the full wording of these 4 possible outcomes to communicate their inspection outcome.  Alternatively, if you are due a graded inspection, then you will receive a new set of 4 judgements (Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development and Leadership & management + where applicable EYFS and sixth form provision) which will replace your previous single word judgement, which you will no longer be able to use. Meanwhile Ofsted are working on a new EIF for September ’25, this will be subject to consultation (we think in the new year) and may centre around a new colour coded ‘evaluation scale’ from ‘causing concern’ through to ‘exemplary’ based on a report card that will possibly look at 10 judgement criteria. 

This is a useful summary of the current EIF changes: Gov.UK: summary of changes

SEND provision

There is now a national debate, led by the DfE, looking into the multiple challenges, failings and blockers that are daily impacting on the lives, and life chances, of our most vulnerable students and what the solutions may be. As governors we are all too aware of the impact this has in our own schools and now is at least a chance to challenge the thinking and practice regarding SEND provision, though one thing that pretty much all are agreed upon is that it will take well targeted and new resource to even begin to right this particular ship. I think it’s fair to say that most, if not all, local authorities are facing huge challenges around SEND provision, and as demand inexorably rises for specialist provision and EHCPs, time is running out to address this. 

A useful article from the Local Government Association covers the parliamentary debate on SEND in September and their plans for reform: Local Government Association: debate on SEND provision, House of Commons, 5 September 2024

Curriculum review

The call for evidence has now closed but earlier this term the DfE launched a review seeking the views of education sector experts and teachers as well as parents and pupils. The review spans Key Stages 1 to 5 and aims to ensure ‘the curriculum balances ambition, relevance, flexibility and inclusivity for all children and young people.’ An interim report will be published early in 2025, presumably for a further period of consultation, with the final report expected autumn 2025. As governors we will need to be alert to this and hopefully will be part of any interim consultation – our role in ensuring, not only that our schools meet the statutory requirements for delivering the curriculum, but also that it’s relevant to our setting and its vision and meets the needs of all pupils. 

A bit more behind the thinking of the review: Gov.UK: What is the Curriculum and Assessment Review and how will it impact my child's education?  

Suspensions

It’s very clear from national data that exclusions and suspensions are on the rise with significant increases in primary schools as well. Recent data from the DfE, analysed by the BBC, shows that there were 37,000 suspensions in primary schools in the autumn term 2023 which is almost as many as there were in the entire academic year 2012/13. This rise in school suspensions is clearly of great concern nationally but also at a school level where school leaders grapple with suspension decisions and governors try to understand the trends, what mitigations are in place to manage and reduce suspensions plus dealing with an increasing number of parental representations leading to an increase workload for governors having to consider these. The pupils affected are disproportionately those from vulnerable groups including those with SEND, from disadvantaged backgrounds and those who receive free school meals – the link between suspensions & exclusions and poor outcomes and life opportunities, often with unmet mental health conditions, just compounds the challenge for governors and school leaders. For all governors and trustees, being trained is an essential prerequisite to be able to effectively challenge and support your schools and affected pupils, make it a new year’s resolution to enrol on some training!

Internal alternative provision

Many of you will be aware of the importance of considering alternatives to suspension or exclusion Part 4 of the DfE’s Exclusion Guidance. These can include managed moves, offsite or alternative provision. Whilst not going into the details of these here an emerging school of thought is around providing internal alternative provision, particularly in secondary schools. 

If you would like to understand a bit more about this the Education Endowment Foundation are undertaking a project looking into this in more detail: Education Endowment Foundation: Understanding the use of internal alternative provision for pupils at risk of persistent absence or exclusion

So, as we approach the end of 2024, we will no doubt hear a lot more about the above as the DfE works to deliver the new government’s education priorities. Hopefully we will see some positive outcomes and guidance emerging from the various reviews that have taken place over the recent period as well, we will try to cover all of these in future blogs.

As we move into the new year and the spring term, we need to remain focussed on our schools and pupils whilst being mindful of the many and ongoing changes and challenges that seem to be baked into our system of education.

At a recent governor conference, I was really struck by the words of our CEO Carole Bennett, when reflecting on her education journey and upbringing she suggested two things for governors to live by – if nothing else ‘be useful’ and ‘challenge your school leaders with positive intent’ – I think that’s a great summary of two key roles we play as governors!

Does finding the right teachers and support staff feels like searching for a needle in a haystack? We know there are no great schools without great staff and leaders and whilst there is currently a recruitment crisis in education, is it time rethink your approach?

Individuals train to teach and enter the profession motivated by the chance to change lives, but is that motivation being harnessed to ensure that careers in teaching are attractive, sustainable, and rewarding? Instead of focusing on the recruitment crisis, should we be looking at this through a different lens… retaining staff?

Creating the right culture

A teacher's working life is significantly influenced by the culture within their own school. A positive and inspiring school culture not only makes teaching a rewarding job but also plays a crucial role in staff retention. Whilst the government is responsible for the wider climate in which schools operates, school leaders are responsible for shaping the culture in their school.

Regardless of the profession, people are motivated by results. For some, that may be financial and if that’s the case, chances are, they are not teachers. For those who find themselves in the education vocation, work hard when they can see the difference they are making. When their efforts align with the moral purpose that brought them into the profession, when the support and professional development they receive helps them do their job better, when they feel their work supports pupils/students to progress – then teachers love what they do.

Being a school leader can be a difficult and lonely role. Having to navigate the external pressures of accountability, change and managing challenging pupil/student behaviour can pose significant challenges. These pressures may trickle down to teachers as leaders make decisions that result in increased workload and stress. These actions often arise when headteachers feel compelled to take certain actions, leaving them with limited choices. Consequently, they may resort to over-controlling, excessive data tracking, and generating defensive evidence as a means to safeguard their school.

Does that sound familiar? Is there any wonder why teachers are leaving the profession.

But does it have to be this way? Let’s look at it through another lens and focus on using the appraisal process to reduce attrition and enhance retention, of the right people.

Create a culture of recognition

Easier said than done. There are never enough hours in the day, especially in schools when there is always firefighting to be done and as a leader, you may not have seen firsthand or even heard about something that has been done well and it may even feel minor and insignificant when looking at the big picture. However, it’s important to recognise when staff do a great job, and that’s all staff, your mid-day supervisors, site managers, office staff as well as TA’s and teachers. Every team member is responsible for creating a positive working environment for pupils/students and each other. We’re not talking ruinous empathy here but more radical candour. More on this later.

Think of a well-structured appraisal process is like a VIP pass to a culture of recognition. It's not just about evaluating performance; it's about giving our teachers and support staff a chance to shine. It’s about achievements, contributions, and continuous professional development – the whole shebang! This isn't just a boost for individual morale; it's a celebration that sparks a commitment to excellence among the entire school community.

Demonstrating value and investment

Imagine this: As the leader, you raise a flag that says, "We're fully committed to your development!" Effective appraisal processes do just that. In a time where finding top-notch teachers is like finding a four-leaf clover, showing that the school is invested in its staff is a golden ticket. Valued and supported teachers stick around, creating a dream team crucial to the schools’ success. It’s less training courses and CPD, more personal growth and time to reflect.

Linking appraisal to professional development

Does your current appraisal process merely assess? It shouldn’t be just a checklist but more of a roadmap for professional development that propels growth. Goals should be aligned with tailored development opportunities. The result? A school that's not just keeping up but leading the innovation charge.

Boosting staff morale through constructive feedback

Understanding ruinous empathy, manipulative insincerity, obnoxious aggression, and radical candour is crucial for shaking up the traditional approach to appraisals. Ruinous empathy, where you're overly understanding to the point of avoiding necessary criticism, can hold back professional growth. Manipulative insincerity involves giving insincere praise or feedback with hidden motives, which undermines the authenticity of the appraisal process. Obnoxious aggression is about delivering blunt and harsh criticism without any constructive intent, creating a hostile environment. Meanwhile, radical candour encourages honest and direct communication while genuinely caring about an individual's development.

Throw out the notion that appraisals are all about pointing fingers and ticking a box. A constructive appraisal process changes the game by focusing on and recognising strengths, offering thoughtful guidance, and building a growth mindset. In a world where teacher burnout looms like a dark cloud, positive reinforcement is the superhero cape every staff member needs. Instead of solely pointing out weaknesses, the appraisal process becomes a platform for acknowledging and leveraging strengths. This shift might not just boost morale but could also instil a sense of accomplishment and motivation.

The connection between happy teachers and a thriving school environment is undeniable. Positive reinforcement not only benefits individuals but also contributes to a shared sense of well-being within the school community. Happy teachers are more likely to be engaged, creative, and dedicated, creating a positive influence that permeates the entire school and community. Essentially, a constructive appraisal process aligns with the philosophy of a win-win situation – uplifting teachers and, consequently, enhancing the overall quality of the school environment.

Enhanced staff engagement

Engagement isn't just a buzzword; it's the secret ingredient for a vibrant learning environment. An effective appraisal process isn't a one-time pat on the back; it's a constant cheerleader for staff. When teachers feel acknowledged and supported, they're not just clocking in; they're diving in with all their passion. And guess what? That enthusiasm creates a ripple effect that touches every corner of the school community.

The ripple effect on staff retention

Retaining staff is a significant challenge in education. However, a well-executed appraisal process can help address this issue. Creating an environment where each staff member feels valued and essential leads to a substantial reduction in turnover rates. It goes beyond just having a job; it involves a deep commitment. Professional growth, recognition, and positive vibes play crucial roles in achieving this.

Conclusion

In the complex landscape of education challenges, could the appraisal process be the answer to the recruitment issues we currently face? It doesn’t have to be used as a mere tick box tool; it plays a vital role in fostering a culture of recognition, professional development, and positive engagement. School leaders take note! By investing in the growth and well-being of your staff, you're not just addressing today's needs; you're laying the foundation for a future where talent is nurtured and grown, creating succession.