Tag: learning
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Leading data conversations with compassion and clarity
A personal reflection I still remember the first time I led a pupil progress meeting as a new headteacher. I had spreadsheets, graphs, and color-coded charts ready to go. What I didn’t have, however, was a plan for the silence that followed when I showed those numbers. The teachers weren’t seeing data — they were…
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Building strong foundations: the importance of quality phonics and early reading in primary schools
Since the start of my teaching career, I’ve spent most of my time in Early Years and Key Stage 1. It’s fair to say that much of my day — and sometimes even my dreams revolves around phonics! Many education professionals still view phonics as an EYFS or KS1 skill, but increasingly, both the reading…
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Why attendance matters more than ever in schools
For too long, attendance has been a growing concern not just for school offices or senior leadership teams, but for the entire school community. We all know that regular attendance plays a crucial role in children’s learning, safeguarding and overall development. It’s no surprise that attendance — and particularly term-time holidays — remains a frequent…
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Beyond the Try Line: what women’s rugby and the Red Roses teach us about teamwork and trust
It has been an amazing few weeks enjoying watching women’s rugby taking centre stage. I have enjoyed travelling up and down the country from Sunderland, to Northampton, to Brighton, to Bristol and finally to Twickenham, London to follow the incredible Red Roses. In sporting terms their journey has been fairly smooth, they have dominated the…
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Infallibility fallacy and self-correcting mechanisms in school leadership
Well done to everyone for navigating the last week of summer terrors, training days and the mammoth piles of pre-term prep. The relaxing summer will be far behind in the rear-view mirror by now. For me, the summer also brings the chance to read something a little more demanding. This year, I chose Yuval Noah…
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A Retirement Tale
Time to Go – And Yes, Apparently I’m Now “Legacy Tech” A wise and much-loved colleague once told me that every teacher has an innovation that signals it’s time to hang up the lanyard. I asked him, on the cusp of retirement, what finally tipped him over the edge. He smiled and said: “Interactive Whiteboard.” Not…
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Leadership Lessons from Lego
I have been a fan of Lego from the age of six when my parents bought me a second-hand London Bus model from the village jumble sale. It was the best present ever and I was gripped for life. Now I am 55, I have the means to indulge my hobby/habit/obsession again. My dream set……
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Leading Like a Crow
Surprising Leadership Lessons from Nature Fact 1: The Northwestern Crow is from the Mandarte Island, Canada Fact 2: The Northwestern Crows’ favourite food are whelks Fact 3: Northwestern Crows drop whelks from height to break open their hard shells Sounds simple but carefully considered decisions need to be made: The decision-making process of the Northwestern…
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Leadership Lessons from the London Tube Map – Simplifying Educational Leadership
Effective educational leadership is crucial to fostering an environment where pupils, teachers, and the entire school community can thrive. However, much like navigating a complex city, leading an educational institution can often feel like trying to decode a labyrinth of challenges, decisions, and competing priorities. In such an environment, leaders can benefit from applying the…
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New Beginnings
New beginnings and lifelong learning are increasingly recognised as essential in today’s rapidly evolving world. In educational leadership, every day is a learning day. That has certainly been the case as I launch my new business Antwis Collaborative. https://www.antwiscollaborative.co.uk/ Adapting to Change The prospect of redundancy has been scary! Yes – I am worried about…
AntwisCollaborative 