AntwisCollaborative

Musings from a school and MAT leader

  • Effective School Self-Evaluation Recently, while watching Dear England—the television adaptation charting Gareth Southgate’s journey as England manager—we were struck by how many parallels exist between elite sport and educational leadership. As a family of both Scottish and English football supporters, conversations around recent tournaments, qualification campaigns and hopes for the 2026 World Cup are never…

  • Why purpose matters in schools and in life When our son and his girlfriend shared their latest project, it made us pause. . @lewisandkelly are completing the viral 75 Hard challenge which has captured so many people.  They explained: “When you think of a goal or resolutions, a 75-day workout might not top the list.…

  • School improvement is rarely held back by a lack of effort. In most schools, staff work incredibly hard, leaders care deeply, and there is no shortage of ideas, initiatives, strategies, interventions, data points and action plans. The challenge is not usually whether we are doing enough. The challenge is whether we are doing the right…

  • What really changes – and what stays the same – for schools and trusts The publication of Every Child Achieving and Thriving marks the most significant statement of direction for schools and SEND in England for several years. As with any major white paper, it has prompted both hope and anxiety across the sector. From…

  • One thing that really gets our goat is bad data. Data that fails to tell the right story, or provide valid and reliable evidence, can leave school leaders bewildered rather than informed. Nicki has recently served as a Trustee and Chair of Governors during inspections under the new Ofsted framework, seeing firsthand how these changes…