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The Educational Golden Ratio revisited: Authentic Leadership in the Face of a New OFSTED Framework
The upcoming OFSTED framework, slated for November 2025, represents a fundamental shift in educational evaluation. It replaces the single, high-stakes judgement with a more nuanced “report card” and a five-point grading scale for key areas. This change moves from a “best fit” to a “secure fit” methodology, demanding that schools consistently meet the standards for… — read more
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Authentic Leadership: Endurance, Growth, and the Wobble Zone
To anyone who works with me—this is for you. This past week—beginning with my well-planned start to the year unravelling spectacularly at 7:05 a.m. on Monday, September 1st—has been a whirlwind of unexpected challenges. It’s been a series of unfortunate incidents that make this job both compelling and, at times, maddening. But amidst the chaos,… — read more
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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… — read more
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Jacob’s Ladder – the climb into 2026.
Foreword: The Path of Jacob’s Ladder The final weekend of the school holiday is always a time of transition, often packed with the last-minute preparations for the new academic year. To find a moment of calm before the new term’s demands began, my family and I escaped to Wales, where the sea—which we treat as… — read more
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Blatant Plug…
From my other site: https://thecentrecannothold1.wordpress.com/2025/08/22/unfurling-the-flags-the-performance-of-englishness-and-a-summer-of-discontent/ It might be of interest. If you are interested in flags and David Bowie, this might be your lucky day. — read more
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The Subtleties of a ‘Stable’ System – commentary following the GCSE results for the ‘COVID’ cohort.
The GCSE results for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland were released today, Thursday 21st August 2025. This cohort of children was in Year 6 when the first COVID-19 lockdown occurred, and their transition to secondary school and early secondary education was significantly disrupted. I write in the capacity about this situation as a deputy head… — read more
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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… — read more
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Subscribers’ Round-Up
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Scoping What’s Coming Over the Hill: A Call to Action for Education Leaders
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… — read more
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The Restorative Power of a Day at the Seaside: A Lyme Regis Perspective
Sometimes, the most profound acts of self-care are born from unexpected, spur-of-the-moment decisions. A sudden break from the relentless demands of school leadership, a spontaneous turn towards the coast, can be more than just a vacation; it can be a declaration of freedom, a desire for change, and a fundamental need for rest. Such was… — read more
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