Category Archives: Children

31/08/2025
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Authentic Leadership, Children, Education, Leadership

Party Fears Two: The UK’s Crisis of Connection

There was always going to be a point where the dual blogs would find a beautiful intersection. This is a piece that started for ‘The Authentic Leader’, and then changed. Initially published on ‘The Centre Cannot Hold’, I offer it to a different audience here.

You can find https://thecentrecannothold1.wordpress.com/ here.

In 2025, the United Kingdom is grappling with a profound and multifaceted sense of alienation, a feeling of being disconnected from one’s community, institutions, and even one’s own potential. This disassociation is not a singular phenomenon but rather a tangled web of socio-economic and political forces that manifest across three seemingly distinct domains: the classroom, the concert hall, and the political arena. By examining the education crisis, the artistic legacy of Billy Mackenzie, and the weaponisation of misinformation in political debate, a clear picture emerges of a nation grappling with a collective sense of profound disconnection.

An Analysis of the Interplay between Parental Engagement, Student Conduct, and Socioeconomic Disadvantage in the UK Education System

The UK’s education system is currently facing a significant challenge characterized by a reported behaviour and attendance crisis. This issue has moved to the forefront of political and public discourse, with government officials, including the Education Secretary, calling for a united effort involving parents, carers, and schools to get children, “at their desks and ready to learn”. While the government’s “Plan for Change” and other policy initiatives are framed as a direct response to this perceived crisis, this report deconstructs the complex and often misunderstood relationship between parental involvement, student behaviour, and social class in the UK. It moves beyond a simplistic narrative of individual responsibility to examine the deep-seated, structural factors that shape these dynamics.

The public narrative places the onus on schools and parents, yet it conveniently overlooks the systemic barriers that prevent genuine parental engagement. For many disadvantaged families, the psychological, financial, and time constraints of poverty create a profound disconnect from the school system. Parents with inflexible jobs or who are themselves products of a difficult school experience often feel like outsiders, unable to navigate the “daunting” institutional environment. This sense of alienation from the education system is then passed down to their children, who, as a result, are nearly six times more likely to be excluded. The consequence is a cycle of academic failure and social exclusion, where a child’s background becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of being left behind. In this sense, the classroom is not a place of connection and opportunity, but a field of systemic disengagement, mirroring broader societal inequalities.

This sense of disassociation and being fundamentally misunderstood is powerfully reflected in the tragic life and art of Billy Mackenzie. His hit song, “Party Fears Two,” is a masterful exploration of feeling like an imposter, a feeling of being in a room where one does not belong. The song’s beautiful, commercially successful veneer belied a deep personal struggle with anxiety and a profound aversion to the very fame it brought him. Mackenzie’s self-destructive refusal to embrace a world tour was the ultimate act of alienation—a conscious choice to reject the very system he had successfully infiltrated. His story serves as a poignant artistic mirror to a wider, national sentiment of being an outsider. In a society that often promises success and inclusion through conformity, his is a powerful example of the deep psychological cost of pretending to fit in, and the alienation that can result when one’s inner reality clashes with their public persona.

“The party fears are going to get you” From an early age, Billy Mackenzie was an outsider. Growing up in Dundee, his flamboyant style and unique vocal talent made him stand out but also made him a target. He was a flamboyant artist in a city known for its industrial grit. The “party fears” in his lyrics were not just abstract anxieties; they were a direct reflection of a deep-seated fear of social conformity and an intuitive understanding that true individuality would always be at odds with the mainstream. His artistic process itself was an act of alienation—he often worked in a hermetically sealed creative bubble, eschewing commercial advice and producing music on his own terms. This deliberate creative isolation was a protective measure, a way of ensuring his artistic vision was never compromised by the very “wolves” he would later sing about.

“I’ll buy you a drink, and then I’ll leave you for the wolves” This lyric captures the paradox of Mackenzie’s relationship with the music industry and fame. The drink is the temporary comfort of success, the brief moment of commercial validation. However, the “wolves” represent the insatiable demands of the industry—the relentless touring, the invasive media, and the pressure to conform to a pre-packaged public persona. For Mackenzie, this was a form of psychological predation that he couldn’t bear. His refusal to tour the United States after the success of “Party Fears Two” was not an act of professional incompetence but a radical statement of self-preservation, a rejection of the very system that had granted him a taste of success. He preferred to be an outsider rather than be consumed by a world that felt fundamentally inauthentic.

“I am not the one who knows you” This final line is perhaps the most devastatingly honest. It speaks to the ultimate alienation—the disconnect from oneself that comes from living an inauthentic life. It’s the moment of recognition that the person you present to the world is not who you are, a feeling of being a stranger to your own identity. For Mackenzie, who wrestled with depression and anxiety throughout his life, this lyric captures the tragic essence of his story. His art gave him a platform to be seen, but he felt unseen and unknown by the very people who celebrated him. His life, and his tragic death, is a powerful reminder that while we can connect through art, we still must do the work of connecting with each other and with ourselves to combat the corrosive effects of alienation.

Political discourse in the UK has become a primary engine of collective alienation. Political figures like Nigel Farage, through the cynical weaponisation of misinformation, actively work to sever citizens’ trust in their own institutions. By taking complex legal and political events and reframing them as personal betrayals by a faceless elite, they alienate citizens from the very systems designed to serve them. This tactic creates an environment where patriotism is no longer about a shared love of country, but a tribal loyalty test based on a hatred of “the other.” The result is a toxic form of political alienation where facts are irrelevant, institutions are illegitimate, and civil discourse is impossible. In this environment, citizens are forced to retreat from public life, further isolating themselves and losing faith in the very concept of a shared national identity.

Weaponisation of Legal Cases The cynical use of legal and political events is a key component of this alienation. A figure like Nigel Farage, for example, can seize upon a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights on the Rwanda policy. He can then deliberately misrepresent the details, framing the court as an unaccountable foreign power actively working against the British people. This is a deliberate and repeated manipulation that takes a grain of legitimate concern, wraps it in false claims, and points the finger at a convenient scapegoat. His past actions, like the £350 million bus claim for the NHS or the misinformation about EU army conscription, follow the same pattern. It is a calculated strategy to sow distrust and make people feel that their country is under siege by unseen and malicious forces.

Patriotism as Performance, Not Principle What makes this tactic particularly insidious is how it’s wrapped in a veneer of patriotism. This performative brand of nationalism is a weapon of choice for many authoritarian populists. It repackages complex policy questions as tribal loyalty tests, insisting that being patriotic means believing a politician’s lies. In this distorted view, respecting facts and the rule of law is reframed as an elite betrayal. The irony is that this manufactured narrative of betrayal is the real betrayal. When political leaders spread false information about the very institutions that protect our rights, they are attacking the foundations of democratic governance. They are teaching people to distrust the systems designed to serve them, turning patriotism from a love of country into a hatred of one’s neighbours’.

This is a mindset that manifests in tangible, public ways, perhaps most visibly in the proliferation of St. George’s flags. What was once a symbol of national pride during international sporting events is now being co-opted and stripped of its context, painted on roundabouts, or hung from windows, often in a way that feels more like a territorial marker than a unifying emblem. Similarly, The Associates’ defiant cover of David Bowie’s “Boys Keep Swinging” serves as a powerful artistic counterpoint to this. Bowie’s original was a joyful, flamboyant embrace of queer identity and self-expression. The Associates, led by the equally theatrical Billy Mackenzie, re-interpreted the song with a stark, unsettling beauty. The cover wasn’t just a tribute; it was a reassertion of the very individuality that the new, jingoistic patriotism seeks to erase. It stands in direct opposition to the simplistic, one-dimensional identity of flags on roundabouts, reminding us that true British culture is complex, rebellious, and deeply personal, not a flag to be waved in tribal displays of feigned unity.

Ultimately, the UK in 2025 is defined by a crisis of connection. From the classroom where children are left behind, to the world of art where success leads to retreat, and to the political sphere where citizens are deliberately pitted against one another, a deep sense of alienation permeates modern British life. The education crisis reveals a socio-economic alienation, the story of Billy Mackenzie highlights a psychological and artistic alienation, and the state of political discourse exposes a civic alienation. Recognizing these interconnected forms is the first step toward addressing the profound sense of disconnection that threatens to pull the nation apart.

A Checklist for a More Connected UK in 2026

As we move into 2026, here is a checklist of actionable steps that society can take to make things better for all citizens of the UK and combat the crisis of alienation, framed by a new set of guiding principles.

Elevate Intentionality

  • Implement targeted, home-based support programs for disadvantaged parents to help them actively engage in their children’s learning.
  • Prioritise funding for school mental health services to address the underlying causes of behavioural issues and provide support for both students and families.
  • Encourage schools to use clear, jargon-free communication and build stronger, more personal relationships with parents.
  • Advocate for stronger media literacy education in schools to equip citizens with the tools to identify and resist misinformation.

Combat Complacency

  • Invest in community transport and public spaces to combat social and physical isolation, particularly for older citizens and those in rural areas.
  • Support and amplify organisations dedicated to promoting civil and empathetic political discourse, such as Compassion in Politics.
  • Promote local community initiatives that encourage face-to-face interaction and build a sense of shared purpose and identity beyond online echo chambers.

Champion Growth

  • Prioritise funding for school mental health services to address the underlying causes of behavioural issues and provide support for both students and families.
  • Support arts and cultural programs that celebrate diversity and provide platforms for genuine human expression, offering alternatives to the commercialized and isolating aspects of mainstream culture.
  • Encourage intergenerational projects that bring different age groups together to share skills and experiences, fostering a greater sense of connection and mutual understanding.

Create Deeper Connections

  • Encourage schools to build stronger, more personal relationships with parents.
  • Promote local community initiatives that encourage face-to-face interaction and build a sense of shared purpose and identity beyond online echo chambers.
  • Encourage intergenerational projects that bring different age groups together to share skills and experiences, fostering a greater sense of connection and mutual understanding.
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19/08/2025
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Authentic Leadership, Children, Education, Leadership, Professionalism, Training

The Authentic Leader’s Playbook for 2025/26 – pre-GCSE results.

In the dynamic and sometimes dizzying world of education, change is constant. For the 2025/26 academic year, a number of significant shifts are on the horizon, from updated inspection frameworks to new safeguarding guidance and changes in staff pay. While some leaders may view these updates as a series of reactive hurdles, authentic leadership must be defined by a proactive stance, the ability to look ahead, anticipate new challenges, and prepare the school community for what is to come. This approach transforms potential disruptions into opportunities for strategic growth and collaborative adaptation. Staying ahead of the curve, scoping the possibilities and pitfalls allows a level of confidence, a sense of control and the beginnings of a playbook of approaches.

One of the most prominent changes is the impending new Ofsted inspection framework, expected to take effect in November 2025. This framework will replace the current single-grade judgments with a more detailed report card system and a new five-point grading scale. For the authentic leader, this isn’t just a matter of waiting for the new rules to be published. It’s a chance to elevate intentionality by beginning conversations with staff now, analysing the proposed “evaluation areas” and identifying where current practices align and where improvements can be made. By using the consultation outcomes as a guide for ongoing self-evaluation, a proactive leader ensures their school is already operating with the new standards in mind, making any future inspections less of an event and more of a confirmation of existing good practice.

Equally critical are the financial and staffing updates, most notably the 4% pay award for teachers and support staff. While the DfE will cover a portion of this, schools are responsible for the remainder, a detail that requires meticulous financial planning. Authentic leaders, understanding that stability is built on transparency, have already factored this into their budgets and have begun transparent conversations with their teams about how the increase will be managed. They recognize that a leader who is “on the horizon” understands that financial decisions directly impact staff morale and retention, and they will use this opportunity to champion growth and evolution by showing their team that they are valued and supported.

Furthermore, a series of important updates to statutory guidance, including Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and the new rules on the use of reasonable force, demand more than a last-minute policy review. The authentic leader sees these as a mandate to deepen the school’s commitment to safety and wellbeing. They will ensure that their staff receive comprehensive training on the new requirements—such as the need to record significant incidents of force—long before the September deadline. By embracing the spirit of the updated guidance, a leader doesn’t just meet a minimum standard; they foster a culture where student and staff safety is a continuous priority, not a box-ticking exercise. The updated RSE guidance, which can be adopted from September 2025, also falls into this category, requiring thoughtful consultation and proactive curriculum development to support pupils appropriately. This process helps to combat complacency by moving beyond rote compliance and fostering a genuine sense of purpose.

Ofsted’s New Inspection Framework

One of the most prominent changes is the new Ofsted inspection framework, expected to take effect in November 2025. It replaces single-word judgments with a detailed report card system and a five-point grading scale ranging from causing concern to exemplary. For authentic leaders, this is a call to initiate staff discussions now—reviewing proposed evaluation areas and aligning current practices with future expectations.

Using the consultation outcomes as a guide for ongoing self-evaluation ensures that the school is already operating in line with the new standards, making future inspections less disruptive and more confirmation of existing good practice.

Staff Pay and Financial Planning

Equally critical are the financial and staffing updates, notably the 4% pay award for teachers and support staff. The Department for Education (DfE) will fund part of this increase, but schools must cover the remainder. Details are available via the DfE’s funding update.

Authentic leaders will have already factored this into their budgets and begun transparent conversations with staff about how the increase will be managed. They understand that financial decisions directly affect morale and retention and use this moment to reinforce that staff are valued and supported.

Safeguarding and Statutory Guidance

The updated Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, effective from September 2025, introduces new expectations, including the requirement to record significant incidents involving the use of force. This is supported by revised guidance on reasonable force, which outlines statutory duties for schools.

Authentic leaders will ensure staff receive comprehensive training well ahead of the deadline. They embrace the spirit of guidance not just to meet minimum standards, but to cultivate a culture where safety and wellbeing are continuous priorities.

School Uniform: Affordability and Policy Reform

The cost of school uniform has come under renewed scrutiny. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has urged schools to immediately limit the number of branded items required, ahead of a statutory cap due in September 2026. The proposed cap will limit branded items to three at primary and four at secondary, including PE kit and ties.

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), responded by affirming that schools are already mindful of financial pressures on families. He supported the intent behind the policy but suggested that a cap on total uniform cost might be a more effective solution. He also highlighted the broader issue of child poverty, calling for a meaningful government strategy to address it.

Authentic leaders will take this moment to review their uniform policies, engage in consultation with families, and ensure that affordability is central to their approach. This is not just about compliance, it is about equity, dignity, and ensuring every child can attend school without financial strain. One less barrier, one less excuse; one less concern.

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Updates

The updated RSE statutory guidance, published in July 2025, can be adopted from September 2025, with full implementation expected by September 2026. This guidance calls for thoughtful curriculum development and meaningful consultation with parents and pupils.

Authentic leaders will treat this as an opportunity to strengthen the school’s approach to personal development, ensuring that RSE is inclusive, age-appropriate, and aligned with the school’s values.

Authentic leader’s understands that the educational landscape is constantly shifting. They do not merely react to government bills and guidance as they come into force but rather anticipate their arrival. By paying close attention to upcoming changes in inspection, staffing, and safeguarding, they can strategically prepare their school, ensuring that policies, practices, and people are all aligned. This foresight creates a stable and resilient school community, transforming external mandates into internal, collaborative opportunities for improvement and allowing them to inspire deeper connections with their staff and children.

The authentic leader, in every interaction, acts as an architect of their school’s future.

26/07/2025
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Aldous Huxley, Authentic Leadership, Children, GCSEs, National Curriculum, Uncategorized

Scoping What’s Coming Over the Hill: A Call to Action for Education Leaders

In March 2025, the government released their initial findings on the Curriculum and Assessment Review, a link to my synthesis written in March is here: C&A interim educational landscape the current provision March 2025.pdf The UK government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review is being led by Professor Becky Francis CBE.

She is the Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation and an expert in education policy, particularly regarding curriculum and social inequality. She chairs a panel of experts who are working on the review. An interim report was published in March 2025, with the final report and recommendations expected in autumn 2025.

As July gentle fades into August and the beginning of a proper shutdown for this authentic leader – this is me attempting to be more Lyme Regis, it feels like I must get a few matters out of my mind, partly to allow the Lyme Regis and partly to lay down some plans on what we must do next.

Strategic Priorities

The recent Educational Landscape Review has illuminated critical areas demanding urgent attention from education leaders. Far from being a mere critique, the review serves as a roadmap for future-proofing our educational system, ensuring it remains equitable, relevant, and effective for all learners. In the coming months, leaders must proactively address the identified disparities, curriculum imbalances, and structural weaknesses to prepare for the inevitable changes these insights will precipitate. This involves a multi-faceted approach focused on fostering equitable access, refining curriculum, enhancing future relevance, and strengthening post-16 provisions, all while cultivating a culture of adaptability and continuous improvement.

Firstly, addressing the persistent disparities in equitable access and outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged and SEND learners, must be paramount. While the knowledge-rich curriculum has yielded overall attainment improvements, its impact has not been uniformly positive. Education leaders need to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and embed a robust social justice lens across all educational practices. This means scrutinising existing support systems and designing targeted interventions that genuinely elevate aspirations and equip every learner with the skills and confidence for life and work. In the coming months, this will entail a thorough audit of current provisions for these groups, engaging with their families and communities to understand their unique needs, and allocating resources strategically to bridge attainment gaps. Professional development for staff on inclusive pedagogies and differentiated instruction will be crucial to ensure all teachers are equipped to support diverse learners effectively.

Secondly, the review’s findings on curriculum structure and content necessitate a bold re-evaluation of what and how we teach. The tension between breadth and depth, the primary curriculum overload, and the premature narrowing of KS3 due to early GCSE preparation are undermining foundational learning and fostering disengagement. Education leaders must initiate a comprehensive review of curriculum sequencing across all key stages, prioritising mastery of core concepts over superficial coverage. For Key Stages 1 and 2, this means advocating for a streamlined curriculum that allows for deeper exploration of foundational literacy and numeracy. At Key Stage 3, leaders must champion a curriculum that maintains its breadth, encourages intellectual curiosity, and avoids rote repetition, allowing students to genuinely engage with subjects before specialization. The ongoing review of EBacc constraints demands close attention, and leaders should be prepared to advocate for reforms that promote a child’s choice and a more balanced curriculum. I would go further and argue that the curriculum from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4 must evolve from broad and balanced and become ‘Developed and Divergent’.

[see https://theauthenticleader.uk/2025/07/24/crafting-excellence-a-four-movement-symphony-of-the-key-stage-4-curriculum-in-england/]

This period requires proactive collaboration with teachers to identify areas for curriculum refinement and to pilot new approaches that foster deeper learning.

Thirdly, ensuring curriculum relevance for future needs is no longer an option but a necessity. The call for modernisation to reflect digital literacy, sustainability, and global challenges, alongside addressing subject-specific imbalances and vagueness, signals a need for significant curricular evolution. Education leaders must champion the integration of 21st-century skills and global competencies across all subjects, moving beyond outdated content. This will require investing in teacher training for new pedagogical approaches and digital tools. Furthermore, the imperative to reflect diverse identities and broaden pupils’ horizons within the curriculum must be taken seriously. This is not just about representation but about fostering a more inclusive and globally aware citizenry. In the coming months, engaging with external experts, industry leaders, and community groups will be vital to inform these curricular updates and ensure their practical relevance.

Finally, the review’s insights into 16-19 provisions and qualifications highlight systemic issues that demand immediate attention. While A-levels retain their strength, the lack of clarity and instability in vocational pathways are causing poor outcomes for a significant cohort of learners. Education leaders must work collaboratively with further education colleges, employers, and policymakers to establish clearer, more valued vocational routes that genuinely prepare students for the workforce. The acknowledged failure of the GCSE re-sit policy for English and Maths underscores the need for a more nuanced approach to supporting these learners. Furthermore, while SATs have value, concerns about grammar and writing assessments impacting literacy development warrant a careful re-evaluation. The impending review of GCSE reform, particularly regarding exam stress and assessment volume, offers an opportunity for leaders to advocate for a more holistic and less high-stakes assessment system that genuinely measures learning. This period calls for strong advocacy and practical solutions to create a more diverse and effective post-16 landscape.

The Educational Landscape Review presents a formidable yet exciting challenge for education leaders in the coming months. The identified key points are not isolated issues but interconnected threads that weave the fabric of our educational system. By prioritising equitable access, rigorously refining curriculum, championing future relevance, and strengthening post-16 provisions, leaders can proactively shape the evolution of education. This will require courageous decision-making, collaborative spirit, and an unwavering commitment to putting the needs of all learners at the heart of every reform. The coming months are a crucial period for laying the groundwork for a more just, responsive, and effective education system for generations to come.

Leadership Reflections

Our first, and perhaps most resonant, chord must be struck in the realm of equitable access and outcomes. The knowledge-rich curriculum, while yielding overall attainment improvements, has revealed persistent disparities, casting a spotlight on our disadvantaged and SEND learners. This is a call to “truly see” beyond the metrics to the human stories. Leaders must move beyond programmatic fixes, embedding a social justice lens so deeply that it becomes an intrinsic part of our educational DNA. This means a daily recommitment, a “fall in love with you every day” philosophy, to the vital connections with every student, ensuring high aspirations are not just words but lived realities. In the coming months, this demands a self-reflective audit of current support systems, engaging in open dialogue with families and communities to understand their unique needs, and allocating resources with discerning strategic patience. Professional development must become a crucible for inclusive pedagogies, empowering every educator to navigate the intricate emotional landscapes of their classrooms.

Secondly, the very architecture of our curriculum, its structure and content, demands an intellectual alchemy. The tension between breadth and depth, the overwhelming deluge of the primary curriculum, and the premature narrowing of Key Stage 3 are not mere administrative challenges; they are impediments to genuine mastery and intellectual curiosity. Education leaders must orchestrate a dynamic interplay of intention and action. This means meticulously planning and defining a culture where foundational concepts are mastered, not merely touched upon. For Key Stages 1 and 2, the imperative is a streamlined curriculum that allows for deeper exploration, much like the thoughtful cultivation envisioned in Huxley’s “Island”. At Key Stage 3, we must champion a curriculum that resists the pull of early specialization, preserving its breadth and fostering engagement. The ongoing review of EBacc constraints offers an opportunity for leaders to advocate for reforms that prioritise children’s choice and curriculum balance, recognising that a truly rich education is a symphony, not a monotone. This period requires proactive collaboration with teachers, nurturing their potential, and empowering them as the “lifeboats” of the school.

Thirdly, the relevance of our curriculum for future needs is a profound imperative. A knowledge-rich foundation remains vital, but it must be a living, evolving entity, reflecting the digital complexities, the sustainability challenges, and the global interconnectedness of our world. Leaders must relentlessly combat complacency, challenging the status quo by integrating 21st-century skills and global competencies across all subjects. This is about enriching the soil of our educational landscape so that diverse identities can flourish and childrens’ horizons are broadened beyond measure.

In essence, the Educational Landscape Review is a perpetual overture to ongoing work, a deepening commitment to educational justice. For education leaders in the coming months, it is a call to embody authentic leadership: to elevate intentionality, combat complacency, champion growth, and inspire deeper connection. By embracing these movements, we can ensure that the “Alchemy of Belief” continues to transform lives, one intentional act at a time, building a resilient, compassionate, and truly authentic education system.

Authentic Action Pathways

  • Recommit Daily to Your Purpose: Adopt the mantra, “I Fall in Love with You Every Day”. This isn’t a romantic ideal, but a conscious, deliberate choice to revitalise essential bonds with children, colleagues, families, and the fundamental mission of education itself. It’s a philosophical stance against complacency, ensuring you remain connected to the “why” behind your work.
  • Cultivate Emotional Intelligence as a Survival Mechanism: Draw lessons from the “crucible” of challenging experiences. Understand that self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management are not just theories, but practical tools “forged in the fires of continuous crisis”. Embrace your “scars” as sources of profound self-awareness, enabling you to map the intricate emotional landscapes of schools.
  • Transform Weaknesses into Strengths: Confront perceived weaknesses head-on, just as the author transformed impatience into strategic patience and a need for control into deep trust. This journey of strengthening oneself through challenging experiences is central to authentic leadership, embracing imperfections to deepen empathy and wisdom.
  • See Beyond the Metrics – “Truly See”: As inspired by John Berger’s “Ways of Seeing,” strive to “truly see” beyond superficial data points to the human stories and individual complexities within your school. This holistic view is essential for understanding the nuances of equitable access and outcomes.
  • Champion Intentionality: Meticulously plan and define the culture you wish to cultivate, much like the author’s articulation of “Belonging, Connection, and Purpose”. Intentionality elevates every action, ensuring alignment with your core values and desired outcomes.
  • Combat Complacency with Healthy Disruption: Don’t shy away from challenging the status quo. Use tools like anonymized student narratives to highlight the human cost of insufficient systems, fostering a healthy disruption that leads to improvement.
  • Empower Middle Leaders – Your “Lifeboats”: Actively cultivate the potential of your middle leaders, whom the blog affectionately terms the “lifeboats” of the school. This distributed leadership, informed by Alma Harris’s insights, empowers others and builds collective capacity.
  • Inspire Deeper Connection and Resonant Harmony: Foster empathetic listening and consistent adult behaviour. Remember Paul Dix’s principle, “When the Adults Change, Everything Changes,” and strive to build a community where belonging is fostered through fairness and mutual respect, guided by the “unseen contract” of Tim Scanlon.
  • Foster Open Dialogue and Collective Wisdom: Encourage open dialogue about both achievements and challenges. This fosters a culture where collective wisdom can flourish, leading to continuous improvement and a shared sense of ownership.

Authentic Pathways

Pathway 1: Be Clear About What We’re Doing – Our School’s Heartbeat

  • This is about making sure everyone knows why we’re teaching what we’re teaching, and how it connects to our school’s values and goals.
  • Define Our School’s Culture: Let’s work together (teachers, leaders, maybe even students and parents) to decide what makes our school special – like feeling like you belong, having good connections, and understanding our purpose. This will guide everything we do.
  • Check Our Lesson Plans: Look at our subject plans. Do they show how we help students feel like they belong, connect with others, and find their purpose? Do they push students to aim high?
  • Understand Why We Test: For every test or assessment, let’s be clear about its reason. Is it to help students learn, to see what they know, or to find out where they need help? How does each test help students feel connected to their learning journey?
  • Listen to Everyone: Make sure we have ways to hear from everyone involved – teachers, students, parents, and school leaders – as we go through this review.

Pathway 2: Don’t Just Stick to the Old Ways – Look for What’s Missing

  • This pathway is about honestly looking at what we’re doing now and finding ways to make it better, even if it means trying new things.
  • Hear From Students: Let’s find ways to collect honest, anonymous feedback from students about what they like (or don’t like) in their lessons and tests. This helps us see the real impact of our system.
  • Map Our Lessons: Let’s look at all our lesson plans across different years. Are we repeating too much? Are there big gaps? Are we forcing younger students to focus too early on exam subjects, making them bored later?
  • Check How Many Tests We Do: Let’s count all the tests and assignments students have, especially older ones. Ask students and teachers if they feel too much stress from tests, and if every test is truly useful.
  • Talk About Why Students Zone Out: Get teachers together to talk openly about why students might lose interest in lessons or tests. Let’s not be afraid to shake things up a bit if needed.

Pathway 3: Help Everyone Grow – Empowering Our Key People

  • This pathway is about helping our colleagues, especially our subject leaders, get better at what they do and lead improvements.
  • Train Our Subject Leaders: Give special training and support to our subject leaders. Teach them how to develop lessons and design tests, and how to lead their teams effectively. They are like the “lifeboats” of our school, guiding us.
  • Update Our Lessons: Ask our subject leaders and teachers to brainstorm ideas for making our lessons more modern. How can we include topics like digital skills, caring for the planet, world issues, and show different cultures and viewpoints?
  • Invent Better Tests: Encourage our subject leaders and teachers to come up with new, creative ways to test students. The aim is to make tests less stressful but still show what students have learned and really help with reading and writing skills.
  • Learn Together: Start or restart groups where teachers can learn from each other about the best ways to teach. Focus on helping all students learn deeply and get the support they need, especially those who find learning harder.

Pathway 4: Build Stronger Connections – Creating a Supportive Community

  • This pathway is about making our school a place where everyone feels connected and respected, and where decisions are made together.
  • Listen and Get Feedback: Set up ways for teachers and students to regularly give feedback on new lesson ideas or test changes. Listen carefully and openly to everyone, remembering that “When the Adults Change, Everything Changes.”
  • Agree on Fair Testing: Have discussions to make sure everyone agrees on what fair and respectful testing looks like. This is about building trust and making sure everyone feels like they belong, based on an “unseen agreement” of fairness.
  • Try Out New Ideas: Pick a few key areas or subjects to try out new lesson plans or test methods first. See how they work, get feedback, and make changes as needed. We don’t have to get it perfect right away.
  • Share Our Progress: Clearly tell everyone – students, parents, staff, and school leaders – about the changes we’re making and why they’re good. Celebrate our successes and show that we’re all working together to make our school better and fairer for everyone. This is a continuous journey towards fairness in education.

Finally, embrace the “Perpetual Overture”: Recognise that leadership is not about a final destination, but a “perpetual overture” to ongoing work. This mindset encourages continuous improvement and a deepening commitment, allowing for adaptability in the face of evolving challenges.

And with that, there will be a round up for subscribers in the next couple of days and I will be back around results week. In many respects I hope you are re-visiting this after a good, restful and well-earned break. For me, the rest comes when I have cleared and sorted my mind into the right boxes, ready for moving onto the next academic year.

Requiesce et otium sume.

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