The We Lead Well Podcast: Recent Episodes
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The wellbeing of staff in schools has never been more important. With almost a third of new staff leaving the profession after just five years and 26% of teachers saying they are thinking of leaving in the next 12 months (National Foundation for Educational Research), we are facing a teacher retention crisis. The We Lead Well Podcast has been created in response to this crisis, to encourage and support schools to create places where people love to work. We support leaders to enhance the wellbeing of all staff in schools. Each week, leading educationalists share their experience, views and tips on how other school leaders can promote wellbeing in their organisations for the benefit of all staff.
In this episode Kimberly Evans of Nourish the Workplace joins us to discuss practical, low-cost strategies to improve staff wellbeing in schools. We explore building trust, intentional connections, flexible working, and simple systems improvements (like extra microwaves or reliable Wi-Fi) that reduce daily stress and help retain teachers.
Kimberly emphasises courageous, empathetic leadership: asking the right questions, listening with grace, delegating wellbeing roles, and creating a rolling plan of quick wins, medium-term changes, and larger projects. The conversation focuses on relationships, culture, and creating positive experiences that make staff feel valued and supported.
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vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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For the latest episode of the We Lead Well podcast, I interviewed the exceptional Bridget Harrison about making school leadership sustainable; she shares experience from headship and trust director roles to show why boundaries, reflection and trust matter for leaders and pupils.
In our conversation we covered clarity of purpose, calm decision-making, intentional communication, the importance of pupil and parent voice, and how strong relationships create healthier school cultures.
Practical takeaways include creating conditions where leaders can thrive, prioritising wellbeing and reflection, and embedding purposeful, inclusive routines that support staff and pupils alike.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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In the second episode of our conversation with Dr. Jeremy Hannay we discussed compassionate, curiosity-driven school leadership that prioritises staff wellbeing and creates systems for teacher-led improvement.
We talked about how leaders can replace high‑stakes observations with collaborative inquiry, the moral purpose of supporting adults to improve outcomes for pupils, and practical habits like slowing down, coaching, and building psychologically safe teams.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
www.weleadwell.co.uk
www.leadershipinschools.uk
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In this episode I had the absolute privilege of talking to Dr Jeremy Hannay who shared his knowledge and understanding of how to lead schools differently by prioritising staff well‑being, having a clear moral purpose, and relationship‑based leadership instead of heavy monitoring and formal lesson observations.
Jeremy shares practical ideas for reducing workload, repurposing quality‑assurance time to develop people, and the leadership practices that have helped Three Bridges achieve sustained excellence while supporting teachers’ health and professional growth.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
hello@leadershipinschools.uk
www.weleadwell.co.uk
@WeLeadWellPodc1
www.leadershipinschools.uk
www.headteacherchat.com
www.progressivemasculinity.co.uk
In this episode, I had a conversation with Jaycee Ward, a passionate Key Stage 1 phase leader and SLT member, about her leadership journey. We explored expectation versus reality in leadership, the values that guide Jaycee: kindness, honesty and respect, and practical approaches to communication, mentoring and holding difficult conversations.
Jaycee offers encouragement to leaders regardless of age, tips for adapting your management style to individual needs, and the importance of serving your team to create trust and growth. A concise, uplifting episode full of actionable insight for school leaders at any stage.
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vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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In this episode Sarah Brown from International Schools Partnership talks about restoring joy and meaning in teaching through coaching, learning visits and a focus on student learning rather than teacher performance.
We explore emotional resilience, psychological safety, the concept of the “good struggle,” involving students in real-time evidence-gathering, and how leaders can create cultures that support vulnerability, professional growth and deeper learning.
As always, I'd love to hear from you if you want to have a chat about coaching and how it could benefit your staff and school. You can find out more and get in touch by using the links below.
www.weleadwell.co.uk
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vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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In this episode we explore teacher wellbeing, autonomy and co-creation with guest Sarah Brown. We discuss practical ways to give staff a voice, build psychological safety and develop a culture of thinking around curriculum, pedagogy and learning.
Sarah talks about Learning First approaches, learning visits, a shared language of learning, and how encouraging the “good struggle” and teacher agency can reignite joy and improve outcomes across a school.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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www.leadershipinschools.uk
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In the latest episode of the podcast, we are honoured to have renowned education leader Evelyn Ford, join us for an in-depth discussion about leadership, diversity, and challenges within the educational system.
We explore Evelyn's remarkable journey towards becoming a headteacher, including the obstacles she faced due to prejudice in the educational landscape. Evelyn shares her experiences, highlighting the importance of diversifying leadership teams in schools to reflect the communities they serve.
Through this candid conversation, Evelyn sheds light on the unconscious biases that persist within recruitment processes and the impact of race in the educational sector. She passionately advocates for the proactive creation of inclusive and diverse leadership environments.
Listen in to gain insight into the pressing need for equality, empathy, and systemic change in education. Evelyn's story is not only inspiring but also a wake-up call for leaders and educators to make a tangible difference. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most influential voices in education today.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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In this episode of the We Lead Well podcast, we explore the importance of understanding not just the skills needed in leadership, but also the essence of being a resilient leader. Joined by Jacqui Frost, we delve into the pressures often felt by headteachers and school leaders, focusing on the personal well-being and self-awareness required to lead effectively.
Jacqui shares her personal story about the dangers of equating resilience with simply 'pushing through' stress, detailing her own journey of overcoming burnout by realising the necessity of balancing professional duties with self-care. Together, we discuss leadership programmes designed to foster resilient leadership that balance who you are with what you do, and help to reduce stress and enhance leadership presence.
This episode provides valuable insights for educational leaders on creating healthier work environments through strategic support and investment in their personal development.
Email me for a chat about coaching and/or our leadership programmes:
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
Or visit the websites:
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In this latest episode of the We Lead Well podcast, I engaged in a thought-provoking discussion with Audrey Pantelis, ex-headteacher and founder of Elevation Coaching and Consulting. The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities in educational leadership, focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and the importance of creating coaching communities within schools.
In this conversation, we explore the distinction between kind and direct leadership, and discover the characteristics of resilient leaders, learn how the geopolitical climate is impacting DEI efforts in education and why ongoing professional development is crucial for aspiring school leaders. This episode also highlights strategies for advocating for greater representation of women and diverse leaders in the education sector.
If you're looking to empower yourself and others in educational leadership, don't miss this insightful conversation.
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In this episode of the We Lead Well podcast, I chatted with Krissi Carter, a former headteacher who shares her inspirational story of overcoming mental health challenges. Krissi discusses her experiences with complex PTSD and the journey she undertook to regain her mental fitness, utilising mindfulness, journalling, and the Positive Intelligence programme.
Krissi's story highlights the pressures faced by educators and the critical need for mental health support and training in schools. She emphasises the importance of pastoral care, mental fitness, and creating a supportive school culture where both staff and students feel valued and understood.
Listeners will gain insights into practical strategies for improving wellbeing in educational settings, promoting teacher mental fitness, and the positive impact of restructuring school pastoral systems. Krissi also shares her vision for coaching and mental fitness work that supports both educators and students.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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www.leadershipinschools.uk
@WeLeadWellPodc1
For this episode, I interviewed Paddy Russell, the headteacher of Ladybridge High School in Bolton. Paddy shares his passion for innovative education and staff well-being, discussing how his school has embraced co-construction in developing leadership programmes beyond the NPQ.
Discover the unique approaches Ladybridge High has implemented, such as project-based learning and an inclusive use of their school farm to enhance the curriculum. Paddy delves into the importance of fostering a culture in which staff and students can learn together, emphasising autonomy, reflection, and the balance between traditional and modern educational practices.
Learn how Ladybridge’s commitment to staff well-being, professional development, and flexible working conditions creates a vibrant and supportive school environment. Whether you're an educator, leader, or passionate about well-being in education, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiring practices to consider implementing in your own educational context.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
prussell@ladybridgehighschool.co.uk
www.stephanie-carlin.com
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In this enlightening episode of We Lead Well, we explore the innovative changes happening in middle schools with Eli Jones, the Director of Academic Innovation at Burris Laboratory School. Eli shares his revolutionary approach to curriculum redesign, where traditional teaching boundaries are expanded to meet the individual interests and needs of each student.
Discover how Eli is transforming the educational landscape by prioritising student engagement, individualised learning experiences, and real-world applications. Learn about the impact of these unconventional methods on student performance, well-being, and future readiness, as Eli discusses measurable improvements in test scores and student growth.
Dive into a conversation about the potential for educational reform, the role of teachers in facilitating diverse learning paths, and the importance of preparing students for modern challenges. Whether you're an educator, school leader, or someone passionate about education, this episode offers valuable insights into making schools a place students love and where true learning thrives.
If you are interested in any of the services we can provide at We Lead Well, one to one coaching for school leaders (aspiring, middle, senior, heateacher, trust leaders), coach training for school leaders, Women Lead Well group coaching programme, Leadership in Schools Powered by RLE 12 month leadership development programme, email me at: vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
Find out more details about what we offer at:
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Thank you to the shows amazing partners:
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In this episode of the We Lead Well podcast, I talk to Ben White, the Director of School Improvement for Life Multi-Academy Trusts in Leicestershire. Ben shares his experiences in supporting leaders and headteachers across a diverse group of secondary and primary schools, focusing on enhancing teaching and learning environments.
We discussed the significance of developing a holistic leadership approach through programs like Resilient Leaders Elements and the challenges and benefits of creating a culture rooted in clear values and expectations. We talk about the complexities of aligning school policies with a school's unique culture and how a flexible framework can empower teachers.
Ben also shares insights from his work on diversity and anti-racist initiatives within the education sector, emphasising the importance of seeking external expertise and engaging in uncomfortable but necessary conversations to foster inclusivity and equity.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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Welcome to the latest episode of the We Lead Well podcast in which we explore the critical connection between well-being and effective leadership in schools. In this episode, we delve into the topic of resilience in education with special guest Dr. Steph Ainsworth, an expert in teacher resilience research.
Discover the insights from Dr. Ainsworth's extensive research, highlighting the importance of creating supportive environments in schools to enhance resilience among teachers and staff. Learn how environmental factors often outweigh individual predictors in fostering resilience and how school culture plays a pivotal role in teacher well-being.
We discuss the challenges faced by educators, the systemic issues impacting teacher retention, and practical strategies to improve well-being and job satisfaction. Gain valuable knowledge on how to build a positive school culture, support staff, and develop resilience for a more effective educational environment.
Don't miss this enlightening episode that offers actionable insights to help school leaders and educators create healthier, more resilient school communities.
If you'd like to find out more about the new 12 month Leadership in Schools Programme Powered by RLE, get in touch with me: vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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Welcome to the 100th episode of the We Lead Well podcast, on which we're joined by special guest Michael Sonbert. Michael is a bestselling author, speaker, performance coach, and founder and CEO of Skyrocket Education and Rebel Culture. In this celebratory episode, Michael shares his journey from teaching to global educational reform and leadership transformation.
We delve into the importance of effective coaching, building a strong school culture, and the role of leaders in creating environments conducive to success. Michael emphasises the significance of clear communication, accountability, and the distinction between support and true coaching. He also introduces his upcoming book, Rebel Culture, and discusses how simple frameworks can lead to profound changes in organisational effectiveness.
This episode is packed with valuable insights for educators and leaders alike, highlighting the need for intentional leadership and the power of a well-defined vision. Listen in to learn how to enhance your leadership skills and create a thriving culture in your organisation.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
www.weleadwell.co.uk
www.skyrocketed.org
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Welcome to the We Lead Well podcast! In this episode, we are thrilled to that Lee Elliot Major, the UK's first Professor of Social Mobility, was able to join us for an insightful and inspirational conversation. Lee discusses his latest book, "Equity in Education," and delves into critical issues surrounding educational inequalities, unconscious biases, and the language we use to describe children from under-resourced backgrounds.
Lee shares his thoughts on the importance of early years interventions, the impact of cultural capital, and the challenges faced by children from different socio-economic backgrounds. He also offers practical advice for educators on how to create a more equitable learning environment, including rethinking setting practices and improving teacher-parent interactions.
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vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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Don't miss this thought-provoking episode that aims to inspire educators to reflect on their practices and consider new approaches to foster equity in education.
In this episode of the We Lead Well podcast, we welcome Kevin Holland, CEO of Global Spirit Ed, to discuss the transformative power of coaching in education. Kevin shares his extensive journey from being a PE teacher to leading a community interest company that works with schools globally. In our conversation, we explore the impact of coaching on school culture, teacher development, and pupil/student well-being, highlighting successful case studies and practical strategies for implementation. This insightful conversation explores the importance of reflective practice, intrinsic motivation, and creating a supportive environment for both staff and students.
Listen to this episode to uncover how a coaching approach can lead to sustainable, long-term improvements in schools, and why investing in this methodology is crucial for educational success.
Vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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www.headteacherchat.com
www.progressivemasculinity.co.uk
kevin@globalspirited.com
www.globalspirited.com
Welcome to the latest episode of the We Lead Well podcast, in which I'm joined by Shelley Baker, the head teacher at Varndean School in Brighton. This episode is packed with insights on enhancing well-being and leadership within schools; Shelley shares her career journey, the importance of creating a vibrant school culture, and the unique small school system at Varndean School. She also discusses the challenges and strategies for managing the demanding role of a head teacher while maintaining personal well-being.
The conversation delves into the crucial need for more female head teachers and how to support women in leadership roles. Shelley offers practical advice on networking, clear communication, and fostering strong relationships with parents and staff.
Don't miss this inspiring episode that highlights the power of coaching, leadership training, and the collective effort needed to transform schools. Tune in to learn from Shelley's experience and discover new ways to lead well in education.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
www.weleadwell.co.uk
www.headteacherchat.com
www.progressivemasculinity.co.uk
www.schoolsuk.com
This episode of the podcast delves into the importance of building strong relationships in educational organisations to foster a positive culture and enhance leadership effectiveness.
Reflecting on my journey from teaching to coaching, I share insights on how a supportive network can prevent burnout and help female school leaders achieve their aspirations. Discover the power of the Women Lead Well coaching network, offering free membership to support female leaders in education.
Today, we welcome back Neil Jurd, a leadership expert and founder of Leader Connect. Neil shares his wisdom on how leadership can be made easy by focusing on direction and connection. Learn about the Leader Connect platform, a valuable resource for professional development, providing curated leadership videos and podcasts to empower your staff.
Explore the key takeaway from Neil’s approach: the significance of building relationships with your team before pushing for performance. Join us as we discuss practical strategies to create a supportive, dynamic, and empowered school environment.
Whether you're looking to enhance staff CPD, foster a coaching culture, or simply become a better leader, this episode is packed with valuable insights and actionable advice. Tune in and transform your leadership journey!
Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow educators. Let's lead well together!
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Welcome to the latest episode of the We Lead Well podcast. In partnership with Progressive Masculinity and HeadTeacherChat.com, this episode offers invaluable insights for school leaders in a compelling interview with Dr. Kulvan Atwal, the head teacher of two innovative schools in London.
Dr. Atwal discusses his unique and successful approaches to leadership that prioritise staff well-being and professional development. Learn how investing in staff can reduce sickness rates, supply budgets, and recruitment costs while fostering a positive and productive school environment.
Don't miss this enlightening conversation that could inspire you to lead in new and effective ways, ultimately benefiting both staff and students. Tune in to hear more from Dr. Kulvan Atwal and discover how you can make a significant impact in your educational community.
For additional support and resources, visit HeadTeacherChat.com or follow them on social media. If you want to find out more about Progressive Masculinity visit the website progressivemasculinity.co.uk To connect with Vicki to find out more about coaching or to join the Women Lead Well Network, visit We Lead Well or email her at vicki@weleadwell.co.uk.
Enjoy the show!
In this insightful episode of the 'We Lead Well' podcast, I talked with Yasmin Arif, a former teacher and school leader turned coach, recounting her journey from burnout to empowering school leaders.
The episode takes a deep dive into the challenges faced by school leaders and how effective coaching can be instrumental in overcoming them. It underscores the need for transitioning from mere instructive approaches towards empowering a thinking environment within schools focusing on the work of author Nancy Klein in promoting effective thinking environments in schools.
As the episode progresses, it lays emphasis on the pivotal role of senior leadership in establishing a coaching culture within schools. It highlights how coaching can boost staff retention rates and foster autonomy, all while battling the pervasive issue of learned helplessness in high-stakes academic settings. Importantly, the episode also navigates the potential of coaching in facilitating difficult conversations, conflict management, and personal accountability.
The episode concludes with the exploration of effective, cost-friendly coaching solutions, including apprenticeships. It dismisses some of the stigmas about apprenticeships, painting them as practical, academically rigorous approaches to training. This conversation will support leaders seeking to improve their culture, staff wellbeing, and overall satisfaction in their schools.
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Bukky Yusuf is a Deputy Headteacher, Consultant and Qualified Coach.
Bukky has worked in education for over two decades and has undertaken a number of leadership roles within mainstream and special schools, centring around professional development programmes, quality first teaching and effective implementations of Educational Technology.
As part of her commitment to increase diverse leadership within education, Bukky participates with a number of initiatives including WomenEd and BAMEed.
Bukky’s keenness for education and the impact that educators can make is reflected in the presentations that she delivers at local and national levels. Furthermore, Bukky supports the development of educators at all levels and promotes projects that help colleagues to maintain their well-being.
On this episode, Bukky and I talked all things education with a focus on change management and building relationships.
If you would like to explore how 1-1 coaching, group coaching or team coaching could support your wellbeing and that of the leaders in your school and support leadership development, let's have a chat. I can also provide coach training and difficult conversations training and help you to create a coaching culture in your school. Email me: vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
www.weleadwell.co.uk
@WeLeadWellPodc1
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Annabel is a work-life balance coach from London. Years ago she would write to-do lists as long as her arm and kick herself each day when she didn't get through them. She would put in the extra hours yet always felt like she was chasing.
She was so focused on getting things right that her life was a constant cycle of 'all or nothing'. She felt like no matter what she did she was never enough. As soon as she felt like she was getting on top of things something else would be added to her workload.
Eventually, Annabel was hospitalised with burnout.
Annabel's experiences and her well developed knowledge and understanding of fitness and nutrition, have helped her to understand how teachers and school leaders can create more balance in their lives and she now works as a coach to support teachers to confidently set boundaries.
In our conversation, Annabel and I talk about the importance of knowing yourself and what you can cope with and using your knowledge of yourself, including your menstrual cycle, to effectively manage you work and your personal life so that you can live a life of balance without feeling guilt.
Use the code WELEADWELLPODCAST for 10% off your supply cover premium at Schools UK
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After many years in school leadership including positions as Headteacher, Deputy Head, Assistant Head and Head of History, Phil is now a leader for education companies based in Manchester and London. He speaks widely to education, public sector and corporate audiences working with teams to create impactful plans that realise ambitious priorities. He is the author of The First 100 Days with Micky Mellon.
Phil has worked across schools in the North of England and Saudi Arabia. In addition, he is an experienced sports coach although my attention is directed solely at his son’s junior football team! He has had several articles published in the SecEd magazine, TES and other education publications.
In this episode, Phil and I chat about the importance of self evaluation and how you can make the whole process simple.
You can get 10% off your supply cover premium with the code WELEADWELLPODCAST at Schools UK - www.schoolsuk.com
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In this episode of the podcast, I chatted with Lead Happiness Consultant, Dave ‘Billy Elliot’ Keeling. Dave grew up in a pit village in Nottinghamshire and was tap dancing three times a week by the age of ten. Never one to shy away from challenge and risk, he then moved into the world of acting and trained at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Dave has worked extensively in theatre and television. His credits include:
- Downton Abbey,
- Eastenders,
- Coronation Street and
- Blood Brothers in the West End.
Dave also has a background in stand-up comedy and has gigged up and down the country, enjoying laughs, cuddles and salty snacks with anyone who cared to join him.
Dave has been Laughologist since 2008. Highly engaging, dynamic, fast-paced and quick-witted, he has been delivering workshops and programmes for Laughology in education, health and business.
As a facilitator, presenter and trainer, Dave has worked nationally and internationally in business and education for the last 20 years. He specialises in change management, improving teamwork and communication, developing creativity and enhancing wellbeing.
He has worked with:
- Sotheby’s
- Liverpool Victoria,
- BP,
- Regus,
- Hewlett Packard,
- British Aerospace,
- Metropolitan Police,
- Royal Bank of Scotland,
- BNP Parribas.
In education, he has worked with students, parents, NQTs, teachers, SLTs and headteachers, delivering outstanding training on topics as wide-ranging as risk-taking, curiosity, managing change, leadership, thinking skills, memory, P4C and the brain. Dave has also worked on Laughology’s Happy-centred schools programme.
For 10% off your supply cover insurance at www.schoolsuk.com use the code WELEADWELLPODCAST.
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In this episode, I talked with David Harking of 8 Billionideas. David is the Founder and CEO of this EdTech and services company and is on a mission to give every student the skills and belief to change the world. Centred around five pillars, 8billionideas focuses on teaching entrepreneurship, career education, wellbeing, health and performance, as well as life skills to students of all ages. In 2022, David was ranked 8th in the world by ISC Research as one of the top influencers globally positively disrupting the education sector and published his first book, 'The Ripple Effect: How surprisingly small changes in mindset can make big things happen' with endorsers from the world of education, business, and journalism.
www.8billionideas.com
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vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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Michelle Hague is the Founder of HEYD. She is an accomplished and inspirational school leader with a track record of developing high-performing cultures, systems, and strategies to enhance academic standards. With experience as a Rapid School Improvement Partner, Head of School Development, Head of an outstanding school, Teaching School Alliance, Interim Head, Ofsted Inspector (Early Years), and coach, Michelle has established her credibility and delivered tangible results. The HEYD Approach, partnered with EuHu, driven by Michelle's passion for excellence, enables organisations to unlock their full potential and achieve early years success consistently.
Use the code WELEADWELLPODCAST for 10% off your supply cover premium with www.schoolsuk.com
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SuperKind is an award-winning, free platform for schools to bring social action and philanthropy into the classroom. Their website and free resources can help you to create the next generation of change-makers in the easiest and most engaging way. Superkind's Co-founder Keren Mitchell joined us for this episode to tell us about the ways in which Superkind are supporting schools to help children engage in social action and philanthropy and the impact that this is having on not only the mental health and wellbeing of our young people but also their educational outcomes. Superkind also runs the Social Impact Schools Award which recognises the dedication of schools and their students in having a positive impact on the world. The Award provides independent recognition of schools who are taking amazing social action. It is designed to be light-touch for teachers, and schools who take part will get access to a host of resources such as lesson plans, worksheets, assembly plans, fundraising guides, and certificates.
SuperKind are offering an exclusive 50% discount to schools who heard about the award through WeLeadWell - reducing the registration fee to just £50+VAT! Simply type 'WeLeadWell' in the 'How did you hear about us?' question in the registration form.
For more information on the award (& to register), please visit the website here: https://superkind.org/social-impact-schools-award Email Vicki at: vicki@weleadwell.co.ukFollow us on X (formerly Twitter) @WeLeadWellPodc1Visit our website at: www.weleadwell.co.ukwww.schoolsuk.comwww.headteacherchat.comwww.progressivemasculinity.co.uk
In this episode of the show I'm joined by the brilliant John Cosgrove. After almost 40 years’ teaching John retired in the summer of 2019. He still contributes significantly to the world of education and has so much to share and teach about the importance of compassion in leadership.
John is a firm believer in inclusion, having taught pupils of all ages from 3 – 18 in Cornwall, London, Lancashire and Reading. John is also a prolific writer; he has written: articles, news items, plays and books, both fiction and non-fiction. Most, though not all, of his writing has been about schools and education, and amongst other places it has been published in the TES, The Tablet, The Catholic Herald, The Daily Telegraph, Schools Week and The Universe.
John speaks with passion about the importance of kindness in leadership and shares his experiences in both primary and secondary education and as a headteacher.
www.weleadwell.co.uk
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vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
https://johncosgrove55.wordpress.com
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In this episode of the podcast it was a pleasure and a privilege to interview the CEO of Big Education, Liz Robinson. Liz’s motivation comes from a profound belief that schools can play a transformative role in children’s lives, but also in shaping whole communities. Social justice and wider change underpin her views that school simply must be about the whole child, the whole family and the whole community. As the head at Surrey Square for many years, Liz used values as a key driver to redefine the purpose of the school and radically reshape the culture and approaches. She is exceptionally proud of how the school continues to develop and innovate. Liz has deep expertise and a particular interest in capacity development and growing leadership. Her philosophy is based on a client-centred approach, actively empowering others into thoughtful action. She created The Big Leadership Adventure, our flagship programme supporting changemaker leaders in the sector. Liz co-founded Big Education to be a place where those who believe in more radical change in the sector can come together; to collaborate, share, challenge and encourage one another. Let’s do more, together. As mum to two young girls, Liz works flexibly to manage her role. She advocates for and seeks to model an authentic, reflective and relational approach to leadership.
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vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
bigeducation.org
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In this episode, I talk to Jenny Bowers, supervisor and safeguarding expert and CEO of Purplemoon. Jenny has worked in numerous leadership roles in which she has been responsible for safeguarding and SEN. Her expertise has been developed over many years and she shares this with us in the episode. If you're responsible for safeguarding or you want to be a safeguarding lead or senior leader, this episode is a must listen.
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Kate has been in primary teaching since 1993, and leadership since 1997. She first became a head in 2004, and has now been head in three schools, an executive head in a fourth, and supported two others in an interim capacity, both Church and Community schools, across four different LAs, and three Dioceses. From inner city Lambeth and Southwark to the London suburbs, and the market towns and villages of East Sussex, there is very little that Kate hasn’t experienced as a school leader. She is keen to share this experience with others to grow leaders for the future, and does this already through consultant head work and OfSTED inspecting. Kate and I talked about what it really means to be a headteacher and why you should aspire to headship if you're a woman in leadership.
If you're looking for supply cover insurance, make sure you get a quote from Schools Uk who have been providing insurance to schools for the last 24 years. Their wellbeing package that is available to all staff in your school is second to none and provides, amongst many other benefits, access to a GP on the same day. Use the discount code WELEADWELLPODCAST for a 10% discount on your premium.
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Ruth is an MCC (Master) level coach with over 10,000 hours of coaching experience with a wide variety of clients.
She left her role as a high school deputy headteacher and set up Optimus Coach Academy where she trains people to become professional coaches alongside running her own private coaching practice.
Ruth is a twice best-selling author and podcaster and an expert in Positive Psychology and Neuroscience.
optimuscoachacademy.com
ruthkudzi.com
This episode is sponsored by Schools UK who have been providing supply cover insurance to schools for 24 years. For a 10% discount on your premium, use the code WELEADWELLPODCAST.
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Stephanie Shaldas is a Deputy Headteacher in a secondary school in South East London with 20 years experience in education. She is a French and Spanish teacher who has been Head of Department, Head of Year and an Assistant Headteacher in a variety of schools across Essex and East London. In her current role, she is responsible for all things inclusion and pastoral care as well as diversity and equality. In this episode, Stephanie and I explore lots of different topics with a focus on inclusion and school values. Stephanie is great to listen to and has a wealth of knowledge. You will learn so much from this episode!
For a 10% discount on your school's supply cover insurance, go to www.schoolsuk.com and use the discount code WELEADWELLPODCAST.
@StephanieShald1 @WeLeadWellPodc1 www.weleadwell.co.uk www.headteacherchat.com www.progressivemasculinity.com vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
In this episode, I talked to Emma Sheppard who founded The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project, the UK's charity for parent-teachers, whilst on maternity leave with her son in 2016. Having trained through Teach First as an English teacher in 2010, she continued to teach in the British International School, Ho Chi Minh, acting as Head of House, before returning to the UK as Lead Practitioner at an academy in South London. Here, she held responsibility for ITT provision, teaching and learning, and line managed the EAL department. In 2020, Emma began training as a coach with The Coaching Academy, and then relocated to the south of France with her family in 2021 to coach and run The MTPT Project full time.
The MTPT Project is the UK's charity for parent-teachers. From humble beginnings as a blog and a Twitter handle, inspiring, empowering and connecting teachers choosing to complete personal and professional development whilst on parental leave, The MTPT Project has grown into the voice of parent-teachers in the UK.
The charity runs training and networking events, provides 1:1 and group coaching to teachers on leave, and is the only organisation completing research into women aged 30-39 - the largest demographic to leave teaching every year. Since 2016, The MTPT Project has worked to tackle the motherhood penalty in education, to transform education into a sustainable and "life-friendly" career choice for all.
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For a 10% discount on your supply cover insurance with Schools UK, use the code WELEADWELLPODCAST
In this episode, I speak with Catrina Lowri the founder of Neuroteachers. Catrina is a neurodivergent teacher with dyslexia and bipolar condition. She has over 20 years experience as a SENCO and special needs teacher. Catrina is passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people, and adults with Autism and neurodiversity. She works with schools, colleges, nurseries, parents and businesses to improve inclusion for neurodivergent people by providing a bespoke mix of online resources, training, mentoring and action research projects to enable educational settings, families and employers to provide equity of opportunity for unique, neurodivergent, minds.
Schoolsuk.com - Having served schools and academies for the past 23 years, Schools UK is now one of the longest-serving and leading providers of staff absence insurance within the education sector.
Their philosophy is simple: to provide coverage to accommodate every eventuality, which is why their Schools UK insurance includes a 5-in-1 policy to ensure they are adequately supporting your staff through all incidents of both physical and mental health challenges.
For a 10% discount on your premium, use the code WELEADWELLPODCAST
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With over 12 years of experience in educational leadership positions in the UK and overseas, Stephanie is committed to fostering a whole-school approach to the development of process over performance, in order for students and staff to thrive. Through her work on mindset and metacognition in her early career she has embedded this into her classroom practice and leadership approach to ensure that all stakeholders are committed to preparing students beyond the curriculum and providing them with opportunities to develop skills in order to flourish in an ever changing future.
In her current role as Deputy Headteacher at the British International School, Hanoi, Stephanie is firmly committed to growing others and is always seeking new opportunities for staff in the school. She reflects this in her own practice and is always looking to be up to date with the latest developments in educational and leadership practice. Most recently she has been exploring how to apply her commitment to a focus on process with coaching, as a vehicle to develop her own leadership practice and that of others. She is a keen listener of We Lead Well and is extremely excited to have been involved in this episode!
The We Lead Well Podcast is sponsored by School UK: providing staff absence insurance. Get a quote at https://www.schoolsuk.com/get-a-quote/staff-absence-quote/ and use the discount code WELEADWELLPODCAST for a 10% discount on purchase.
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After four years in Retail Management, Ben graduated from Birmingham City University with a first-class honours degree in Primary Education. With a background in retail management and a deep passion for education, Ben has since held various roles, including learning mentor, unqualified teacher, class teacher, and middle leader. Ben is passionate about delivering an engaging and well-rounded curriculum, prioritising student well-being and building strong relationships to create a nurturing learning environment.
In addition to his primary role, Ben is committed to making a broader impact in the education sector. He has established networks for aspiring and early career educators, as well as aspiring and new leaders in education, which you can hear all about in this episode. He has also founded his own organizations, providing media, events, and administrative support to networks, coaching and training for early career professionals.
@MrBHobbis
@EdConnectNet @StepUpNet_Ed
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Catherine Hulme is an accomplished educator, leadership coach, and the CEO of Leadership Edge, an organisation dedicated to transforming education through coaching. With over two decades of experience in the field, Catherine is passionate about empowering students and educators to reach their full potential.
Catherine works tirelessly to promote the power of pure coaching in schools. She firmly believes that coaching can revolutionise education by fostering student-centered learning, self-discovery, and goal-setting. Catherine's expertise lies in guiding schools and educational leaders in implementing coaching practices that enhance student outcomes and promote holistic development.
Catherine's career in education began as a classroom teacher, where she witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of personalized coaching on student success. Her passion for coaching led her to pursue advanced certifications in leadership and coaching methodologies, equipping her with a deep understanding of the unique needs of students and educators.
Through her work with Leadership Edge, Catherine has collaborated with numerous schools providing professional development workshops, coaching programmes, and consultancy services.
Catherine's mission is to inspire educators, leaders and students to embrace coaching as a catalyst for personal and academic growth. With her unwavering dedication and commitment to excellence, she continues to make a significant impact on the education landscape, helping schools to create environments that nurture the potential of every student and member of staff.
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Patrick Ottley-O’Connor is a coach and education guru. He was a teacher for more than 34 years, including 27 years as a senior leader, and 17 years as a headteacher.
Patrick coaches many aspiring, new and experienced headteachers and CEOs, particularly those facing significant challenge both in the UK and internationally.
He leads and facilitates a variety of leadership programmes, ranging from middle leadership to executive leadership courses. Patrick is also a Trustee of the Wardle Trust and founding Director of Collaborative Leadership Ltd.
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weleadwell.co.uk
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In this episode of the podcast, I chatted to Alan Taylor, the headteacher at Newton College, part of the International Schools Partnership in Alicante. If you're wondering what it might be like to lead in an international school, or you're just interested to learn more about the experience of international leadership, this is the episode for you! Born and raised in Manchester in the UK, Alan first completed an aerospace engineering apprenticeship with British Airways before going on to attain a first-class honours degree in Secondary Science Education at The Manchester Metropolitan University. He went on to teaching and leadership positions across the North of England including North Tyneside and Trafford. Alan’s passion for creative learning experiences led to published work in the UK School Science Review Journal. He was later selected as one of five UK school leaders to research and re-design future science learning spaces as part of the National Project, ‘Project Faraday’ (part of the UK Building Schools for the future initiative). As part of his leadership development he successfully completed his National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). He moved to Laude British School of Vila-real as Headteacher in 2016 and in 2019 he began Headship at Laude Newton College where is currently enjoys leading the school of more than 1300 students and over 200 staff. He is also a registered Lead Inspector for The National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS) and has led training events at their National Conference.
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For this episode, I chatted to Neil Jurd all about leadership. Neil is a former army officer and RMA Sandhurst instructor. He served in several operational theatres, including the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Yemen. Since leaving the army he has worked in leadership development and coaching for more than a decade, a passion which has now developed into a small but busy training company delivering residential and online training courses to a number of clients.
Neil has an MA from Cranfield University, is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management and an Entrepreneur in Residence at Lancaster University. He was awarded the British Citizen Award in 2020, and appointed OBE in 2021. In his spare time Neil is Director Initial Officer Training for the Army Cadets UK, and is the Founder and Trustee of the Michelle Jurd Trust, a charity funding character education for young people.
https://neiljurd.com/
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On this week's episode, I chatted to John Magee AKA The Kindness Coach and Founder of Kindness Matters. John has been teaching kindness and wellbeing to school children and teachers since 2010.
His motivation and passion for education began after the credit crunch of 2008, when he lost my family business, his marriage broke down and he battled bankruptcy and consequently deep depression.
John was given the opportunity by Community Business Partner CIC CEO, Amanda Meachin, and Darwen Community Academy Headteacher, Brendan Loughran, to speak at an event called Inspiring Communities.
Looking back, he never could have imagined the impact this talk would have across the UK in raising awareness around mental health.
The talk gave John the visibility and opportunity to create an AQA accredited PSHE course, to quickly become a best-selling author of Kindness Matters, be recognised as an inspirational speaker and develop online courses that would go on to transform staff and pupils’ wellbeing with kindness at the heart of staff professional development and pupil interventions.
In 2012, John formed Kindness Matters to share that knowledge with others, to lead healthier and happier lives inside and outside of school.
www.kindnessmatters.co.uk
www.weleadwell.co.uk
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This week on the show, I chatted to Atyia and Rebecca who were participants on the very first cohort of the Women Lead Well group coaching programme. We talked about some of the challenges facing women in leadership and how the group coaching programme has helped both of them to develop both personally and professionally. If you're wondering whether the group coaching programme is for you, or if you have female school leaders in your school who you think might benefit from being part of the programme, this definitely the episode to listen to. It's also for you if you want to hear about the experiences of other women in school leadership, the challenges they have faced and how they have, through coaching, overcome them.
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Chloe de Jong is a deputy head at a high school in North London and mum of 2. I first heard Chloe on the Diverse Educators podcast talking about her experience of being a senior leader and mum and the challenges she had faced. This resonated with me and made me feel quite angry that things haven't moved forward that much since I was first pregnant 20 years ago. The good news is that Chloe now works in a school with a forward thinking head who has allowed Chloe the flexibility that supports her to be a mum and a deputy head. We talk about the challenges of being a mum and a school leader but also the ways in which it can work to the benefit of everyone involved - including the school.
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The findings from the 2022 Teacher Wellbeing Index were released on Friday and they are shocking! They are evidence that we are heading towards a catastrophe in the education sector. The number of staff in schools suffering from mental health issues is too high. The findings also suggest that there are too many toxic schools in which staff wellbeing and morale are at rock bottom and a staggering number of school staff are seriously considering leaving, with many of them currently actively looking for other roles outside education. So what can we do about it? In this episode, I summarise the key findings in this report and discuss how we can try to turn the tide. We can only do that with a concerted effort from all school leaders to do things differently, to really understand what good wellbeing is and create schools that focus on staff first.
https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/media/zoga2r13/teacher-wellbeing-index-2022.pdf
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Kate Smith works with the Heads Up network for headteachers. She is a coach and all round amazing human! She describes herself as an ethical and values-driven coach and leader who believes in the power of humanity; her core values are authenticity, connection and love! In this week's show, Kate and I have a conversation about the challenges of school leadership, intentional wellbeing and how you can overcome your limiting self-beliefs. Kate worked in education for over 15 years and is a former headteacher.
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https://www.livelovelearnlead.co.uk/
www.headsup4hts.co.uk/
@MrsKatieSmith
Helen was the deputy head at a school in Essex and was one of the first participants on the Women Lead Well group coaching programme. In this episode, Helen and I talk about leading as a woman, and as a human being. We also talk about how coaching, both one to one and group, have helped Helen's growth and development as a leader and led her to the point at which she has been able to leave her role and start her own business.
www.weleadwell.co.uk
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
@WeLeadWellPodc1
@essexsouthCIBY - to find out more about Helen's yoga in schools work @BakerHLC - to find out more about how Helen could support you through coaching www.progressivemasculinity.co.uk www.headteacherchat.com
Ben Solly is the Principal at Uppingham Community College in Rutland. He joined us on the podcast for the second time and we talked about how he role models wellbeing as a leader and how he has created a culture of trust in his school. It has been an absolute pleasure to have Ben join us on the show. He's a shining example of what a headteacher can be.
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Paula has 30 years experience of teaching and leadership in schools across London and the south of England. Formally, Paula was a Deputy head in two challenging schools giving her an insight to the demanding but rewarding role of leadership in school. Paula’s experience supports her belief that young people from all backgrounds and of all abilities deserve excellent teaching which comes from well led schools. Becoming involved in the City of London has opened her eyes to the great work that businesses and Livery companies undertake in support of education. This led to the idea of using these links or partnerships to support leaders in schools deliver great outcomes for students.
Paula leads on relationships with schools, supporting the school leaders, and on developing and implementing the programme. Contact Paula at paula@inspirationforall.org.uk
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Julia is a lifelong learner and leader of learning. She is the Director of Boundless Learning Ltd, specialising in bespoke consultancy support for leadership, learning and wellbeing, organisational development, staff development, coaching and supervision. Julia is also a committed and passionate School Governor.
Her extensive experience of research and development in education across a broad range of expertise is rooted in enabling emotional and cognitive development, oracy and communication, metacognition and the impact of a growth mindset on motivation and promoting self esteem so that everyone is a leader of their own learning.
Julia's research journey and learning have always been rooted in the promotion of EQ, developing motivation, oracy and language and the promotion of positively managing emotions and wellbeing across communities. She now works extensively in this area leading individual, organisational and group wellbeing provision across whole communities with Boundless Wellbeing.
https://boundlesslearning.org.uk/
@boundlesslimited
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www.teachwellalliance.com
@WeLeadWellpodc1
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www.teacherswell.com
In this episode of the podcast, I chatted to Megan Corcoran all the way from Australia! Megan is passionate about supporting schools and organisations to become wellbeing communities. She believes that all members of a workplace can contribute to the wellbeing of the organisation and Megan can guide teams through practices and processes to have the skills to do so. Megan’s practice is trauma-informed and grounded in Wellbeing Science. She is an experienced workshop facilitator, coach and consultant, and is open to consulting and collaborating with schools, organisations and Not For Profits. Megan is also Co-Founder and Lead Facilitator at Teachers' Well
Megan spent over eleven years teaching and leading in alternative schools for young people who have experienced trauma and/or significant disadvantage. During that time, Megan worked as a school leader in Australia’s largest alternative school, with an enrolment of 340 young people. As a leader, Megan prioritised staff wellbeing and professional practice, ensuring those choosing to do this work are well supported while developing and refining skills.
Megan spent time volunteering as an English teacher in the West Bank, Palestine. She studied a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology, investigating how belonging can provide healing and improve outcomes after experiences of childhood trauma. In 2020, she completed the Teach to Lead fellowship alongside twenty other Victorian school leaders.
Simon Antwis is an experienced head and Estyn inspector and in this episode we chat to him about the impact of the pandemic on our pupils and STEER and how it can help you identify the pupils who are the most vulnerable and at risk of facing mental health challenges.
steer.education
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On today's show, we welcome Dr Rachel Briggs. With over 30 years' experience as a class teacher, senior leader, in-service trainer and education researcher, Rachel has practical experience and a theoretical knowledge of the education system and the associated benefits and risks to educators’ wellbeing.
Rachel offers coaching and supervision (reflective and safeguarding), as supportive dialogue to improve practice/competence and wellbeing which buffer against burnout and compassion stress injuries. Her practice is informed by a ‘mobile-balance’ model of educator psychological wellbeing, developed utilising her doctoral and masters studies and research, as well as her teaching and leadership experience (SENCo, DSL, deputy/acting HT), mostly gained in mainstream schools in challenging circumstances.
She also offers training to school staff, governors/trustees and universities/ITEs where she shares the ‘mobile-balance’ framework to enhance understanding of workplace psychological wellbeing. This can facilitate more focused and informed conversations in schools, and individuals can be supported to identify personal stressors and wellbeing enhancers so that development and support opportunities can be tailored to individual needs.
Rachel can be found on Linked In and on Twitter at @drrachelbriggs
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www.transformeducationcoach.com
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Drew Povey is back! This time he's come to tell us all about his brilliant new book, 'When the Clouds Come' a book about how to overcome adversity and face all of the challenges that life and leadership present.
You can buy the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09THQYWTZ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
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@drewpovey
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It is one thing for a school to talk about values. It's another for a school to make them a living, breathing part of every aspect of school life in a way that transforms the entire community.
Such is the power of Values-based Education (VbE for short), something that Julie Rees brings to life in the schools she leads and why so many people flock to visit her school to see for themselves. And come away entirely moved by the experience.
Julie is an experienced and successful primary school leader who fully embraced the concept of Values-based education when she first came across it several years ago in her previous school. It totally transformed that school – a small village primary school – and she was then keen to apply such an approach in a more challenging environment, a large market town primary school with many issues relating to rural poverty and deprivation.
And it worked, transforming everything almost overnight.
The process in many ways is quite simple and starts with identifying seven core components to be followed across the school:
- Authentic modelling by adults of positive values
- Developing an 'inner curriculum' of thoughts, feelings and emotions
- Ongoing reflective practice
- The creation of the Values-based Education environment
- Building the Values-based Education curriculum
- Developing quality leadership
- The development of an ethical vocabulary
These components are embedded by taking any of a number of values - from honesty and friendship to trust and responsibility – and exploring them in depth and across the whole school on a month-by-month basis.
In this way they become embedded not only in the school but in every member of the community, making that community all the richer as a result.
@julierees100
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www.transformeducationcoach.com
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This week's episode sees the return of the brilliant Dan Edwards, Primary Executive Principal. Dan and I discuss many of the aspects of educational leadership and how we can do things differently in order to support the wellbeing of our staff, including quality assurance and CPD.
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DanEdwardsword@wordpress.com
SaturdayEdChat
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Jo Evans is CEO of St Christopher’s Multi Academy Trust, currently 18 primary schools across Plymouth, Torbay and Devon Local Authorities. Jo has been re-energising the organisation to work collaboratively, operate effectively and continue to grow in a sustainable way. Jo has a very strong research informed background, being part of the Cambridge Primary Review Board of Directors. She has been a leader in a range of rural and city schools, in which she has taken one school from Special Measures to Outstanding and the most recent from Good to Outstanding. This has been achieved through her resolve to provide a principled approach to education.
Jo has recently written a book chapter for Routledge, “Aims into Practice” and has been involved in the creation of the Church of England Professional Qualification for Headship.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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Alison Kriel was born in South Africa and educated around Africa and in Ireland and the UK.
She has worked in several schools, led two schools and have experienced all the education-related challenges and worked to transform the lives of thousands of children.
After completing her teacher training she taught infant classes for three years before becoming a Year 6 teacher and maths coordinator at Gayhurst School in Hackney. After one year she was appointed as Deputy Headteacher.
In 1999 I became the founder Headteacher of Betty Layward School, which was built in response to a sharp increase in the under-five population in Stoke Newington, London. The school grew to become a highly successful school, the most oversubscribed in the borough; noted for its dynamic curriculum and strong leadership.
Due to her success at Betty Layward, during 2008, Alison was asked to go to the Local Authority-managed Northwold School in Hackney to act as Executive Headteacher before a visit from Government school inspectors. The school was failing and had a high turnaround of leaders and teachers, with staffing attendance at just 64%.
Thanks to the hard work of the team, under Alison's leadership the school grew from a failing school in the bottom 1% of schools to a highly successful school in the top 0.1%. The school achieved high results and success throughout Alison's headship. One of the key reasons that the school was so successful was that Alison believed in supporting staff wellbeing and, as a result, could recruit a talented team and sustain staffing attendance at 97% and above.
When she left Northwold in 2017, after taking it through the academy conversion process, it was the highest performing school in the borough, third in London and 70th nationally.
Since leaving Northwold Alison has been working as a consultant and speaker. She founded Above & Beyond in 2017.
alisonkriel.com
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Mike Nicholson has over seventeen years experience in education as an English teacher and middle leader. Having worked in schools from every Ofsted category he has a wide range of experience across the educational spectrum and early in his career began to develop a reputation for his ability to have an impact on boys and young men deemed ‘difficult’ and ‘challenging’. Recognition of his work with this group led to a nomination for a Pearson National Teaching Award. In 2009 Mike took a sabbatical year to manage an education program called The English Language Improvement Centre in a rural area of Ethiopia, Africa. Whilst the conditions during this time were very challenging it provided Mike with a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience and a chance to change lives by developing the literacy skills of many who had previously been unable or denied the chance to learn.
Over the years Mike became increasingly interested in how our male pupils’ understanding of masculinity played such a pivotal role in their attitudes and behaviours. Researching, developing and piloting an early version of the Progressive Masculinity Program allowed him to see how so many of our young men put on a performance and a mask of what they think it means to be ‘a man’ gleaned from films, games, social media etc. The refined version of the Progressive Masculinity Program is Mike’s effort to give our young men the freedom and confidence to remove this mask and, through open dialogue and practical activities, reconstruct a healthier and more open-minded understanding of what it can mean to be ‘a man’.
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.progressivemasculinity.co.uk
www.teachwellalliance.com
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
@WeLeadWellPodc1
Dr. Carmen Bergmann is Managing Director for Challenging Learning. She is also co-creator for key aspects of online services, including book studies, conferences and lesson plan downloads. She is the host of an in-depth webinar series, co-author of School’s Out, Learning’s In and principal author of the Challenging Learning blog. Her excellent reputation for guiding and encouraging staff online and in-person has led to powerful cultural change in pedagogy and leadership around the world.
Before joining Challenging Learning, Carmen was the assistant superintendent for a Regional Office of Education, advising and supporting schools in 30 school districts in central Illinois. This followed 11 years as a teacher, nine years as a principal and three as Director of Elementary Education. She has a master’s degree in administration, a superintendent’s certificate and an EdD in Education Administration Foundations.
www.challenginglearning.com
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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This week on the show I chatted to Malarvilie Krishnasamy, educational leadership consultant, coach and trainer. We shared our thoughts on lots of things education including managing change, creating effective CPD and engaging staff. Malarvilie is full of energy and has a real passion for improving outcomes for young people through coaching in schools.
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
@WeLeadWellPodc1
https://www.malcpd.com/
www.transformeducationcoach.com
Will you help #breakthebias? Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias. Celebrate women's achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality. In this week's episode, I'm joined by Vivienne Porritt from WomenEd who shares the programme for International Women's Day.
@womenEd
@WeLeadWellPodc1
breakthebias
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
www.transformeducationcoach.com
In this, the 50th episode of the We Lead Well podcast, we welcome back the inimitable Drew Povey. Drew and I chatted about all things leadership including what he's learned about leading effectively, what he learned from the leaders he worked with and the advice he would give to aspiring leaders who listen to the show. He also recommended some leadership reading to help you to keep learning.
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@drewpovey
In this episode, I chatted with teaching and learning expert Kate Jones. As a blogger and writer she has written for many educational blogs and magazines including Teach Middle East magazine, Education Journal Middle East, UKEd magazine, Innovate My School and Teach Secondary. Kate is also an experienced coach and mentor and supports senior leaders with professional development. She has presented at various high profile events across the UK and overseas including a keynote presentation at the UAE University focusing on innovation across the curriculum and I am delighted to be the keynote speaker at the Abu Dhabi Teaching and Learning Conference in February 2020. She has also presented in Qatar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Hong Kong.
www.lovetoteach87.com
Retrieval Practice: Resource Guide: Ideas & activities for the classroom Retrieval Practice 2: Implementing, embedding & reflecting The Teaching Life: Professional Learning and Career Progression Love to Teach: Research And Resources For Every Classroom Retrieval Practice: Research & Resources for every classroom: Resources and research for every classroom Wiliam & Leahy's Five Formative Assessment Strategies in Action (In Action Series)
In this episode, I'm joined by teaching and learning expert, Kate Jones. As a blogger and writer Kate has written for many educational blogs and magazines including Teach Middle East magazine, Education Journal Middle East, UKEd magazine, Innovate My School and Teach Secondary. Kate is also an experienced coach and mentor. She also supports senior leaders and teachers with professional development. Kate has presented at various high profile events across the UK and overseas. Events in the UAE include a keynote presentation at the UAE University focusing on innovation across the curriculum and she was the keynote speaker at the Abu Dhabi Teaching and Learning Conference in February 2020. She has also presented in Qatar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Hong Kong.
Retrieval Practice: Resource Guide: Ideas & activities for the classroom
Retrieval Practice: Research & Resources for every classroom
Wiliam & Leahy's Five Formative Assessment Strategies in Action (In Action Series)
Retrieval Practice 2: Implementing, embedding & reflecting
Love to Teach: Research And Resources For Every Classroom
www.lovetoteach82.com
@katejones_teach
@WeLeadWellPodc1
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
In this episode, I'm joined by teaching and learning expert, Kate Jones. As a blogger and writer Kate has written for many educational blogs and magazines including Teach Middle East magazine, Education Journal Middle East, UKEd magazine, Innovate My School and Teach Secondary. Kate is also an experienced coach and mentor. She also supports senior leaders and teachers with professional development. Kate has presented at various high profile events across the UK and overseas. Events in the UAE include a keynote presentation at the UAE University focusing on innovation across the curriculum and she was the keynote speaker at the Abu Dhabi Teaching and Learning Conference in February 2020. She has also presented in Qatar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Hong Kong.
Retrieval Practice: Resource Guide: Ideas & activities for the classroom
Retrieval Practice: Research & Resources for every classroom
Wiliam & Leahy's Five Formative Assessment Strategies in Action (In Action Series)
Retrieval Practice 2: Implementing, embedding & reflecting
Love to Teach: Research And Resources For Every Classroom
www.lovetoteach82.com
@katejones_teach
@WeLeadWellPodc1
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
This week we are privileged to welcome Becky Allen to the show. Becky has spent the past 15 years researching and writing about schools. She is the co-founder and Chief Analyst at TeacherTapp, the daily survey and CPD tool. She is also a Professor of Education at the University of Brighton. From 2014-2017, I founded and led the highly successful independent research organisation, Education Datalab and was Professor of Education at UCL Institute of Education until December 2018.
In 2018, Becky published a book with Sam Sims called The Teacher Gap. Some of the ideas in the book were taken up by politicians, particularly in relation to the early years of a teacher’s career. She was then asked by the DfE to chair a working group which made recommendations about how data should be used in schools. In 2021, she publishing a book with Matt Evans and Ben White called The Next Big Thing in School Improvement.
Becky talks with insight and wisdom on the curriculum, data and school improvement and how we can make schools better places to learn.
You can read Becky's blogs here:
https://rebeccaallen.co.uk/
Her latest book, The Next Big Thing in School Improvement can be purchased here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Matthew-Evans/e/B07YXCXJQB?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1642759398&sr=8-1
@profbeckyallen
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In this week's episode I continue my conversation with Adrian McLean. We discuss lots of different aspects of leadership, creating impact, taking care of wellbeing and making a difference.
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This week I spoke to Adrian McLean, ex-headteacher and academy trust leader. Adrian is an expert on diversity, equity and inclusion and works as a governor and is a trustee for Governors for Schools; he is on the advisory board for Reach Out 2 Kids and Heads Up and has been a long time collaborator with DiverseEd and Aspiring Heads. He has more recently become a steering group member for the National Tutoring Programme. Adrian and I discussed all sort of topics and issues in this podcast from how to work effectively with disadvantaged pupils to how to deal with change as a leader. Adrian has just completed a masters degree in character education; his experience, knowledge, wisdom, compassion and humility make this a must listen!
@Character_guy
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In this week's episode, I chatted to Jacqui Frost ex-headteacher and leadership coach and consultant about resilience. What does it actually mean to be resilient? How can we be more resilient as leaders? And what happens when we don't have the resilience we need? This is a great interview with so much insight into what it means to be resilient.
Jacqui is a fully accredited Resilient Leaders Elements consultant and works with leaders to help them to become more effective in their roles.
https://www.jacquifrost.co.uk/
linkedin.com/in/jacqui-frost-the-leaders’-coach-™-80373679
@jkfrost1965
@WeLeadWellPodc1
vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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Kenny was a secondary headteacher for 17 years on the Isle of Dogs in London and has worked in schools for almost 40 years. She has a PhD from Brunel University on Teacher Rounds and is passionate about giving teachers a voice. Kenny is involved with the IQM Award and has been a governor in a large primary school, including as chair for the last 3 years. Kenny is currently an education consultant and spends a lot of time in schools. In this interview, Kenny and I talk about accountability and Ofsted and how we can work with staff to empower them and create trust and autonomy.
www.headrest.co.uk
@kennygfrederick
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vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
This week I interviewed Gemma Drinkall who takes us through her experience of burnout as a middle leader. It's so important, as leaders, to get to know our staff, to understand them, so that we can notice when things are not right. In the episode, Gemma shares her personal experience of how teaching affected her mental health in the hope that by sharing what she went through, school leaders can develop their awareness of others so that they are able to empathise with staff and support their wellbeing in the workplace. Gemma came out of the other side of her burnout and is now a coach supporting teachers to achieve a better balance in their lives.
Twitter: @Gemma_Drinkall
Email@ gemma@headsphere.co.uk
linktr.ee/GemmaDrinkall
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vicki@weleadwell.co.uk
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On this week’s episode, I chatted with Alec Jiggins. Alec is an experienced and resourceful coach and trainer who has worked in both the non-profit and corporate spaces in a range of leadership roles across seven countries. Alec is an expert coach and he and I talked about coaching: exactly what it is, how it can improve you personally, professionally and as a leader and how you can use coaching to improve relationships in every aspect of your career and your life.
https://alecjiggins.com/
@alecjiggins
vicki@womenleadwell.co.uk
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In this episode of the podcast, I interview Hannah Cotton FRSA. Frustrated by the pace of change for women despite the support of Male Allies, conscious of the scale of #MeToo, mindful of the male suicide epidemic and factoring in the future of automation, Hannah founded EquAllies to tie her passion for education, equality and mental health to the impact of individual authenticity on productivity. Keen to futureproof the workforce in the face of automation, Hannah offers a unique and inspirational view of how to unleash the potential of an inclusive society.
In the interview, we talk about a range of different issues and ideas amongst them the power of authentic leadership and leading yourself first.
@hannahcac79
vicki@womenleadwell.co.uk
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Book a chat with me here: https://calendly.com/educationcoaching/let-s-chat
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This week on the show I've got a brilliant interview with James Nottingham. James is the creator of The Learning Pit as well as a sought-after keynote speaker and author of 11 books about teaching, learning and leadership. He co-founded Challenging Learning in 2006 to share some of the best ways to strengthen learning in schools, preschools, and colleges. HIs company now employs 25 staff in six countries: the UK, the USA, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Australia.
James brings clarity and insight to research evidence; a breadth and depth of exemplar that connects with the reality of the classroom; and a sense of story and humour that ensures learning continues long into the future.
https://www.challenginglearning.com/
vicki@womenleadwell.co.uk
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Andrew Cowley is an expert on wellbeing. He has set up the @healthytoolkit twitter account where you can find lots of information, articles, tips and advice about wellbeing. He has also written countless blogs that you can access at http://healthyteachertoolkit.wordpress.com. He's also written two books - The Wellbeing Toolkit and The Wellbeing Curriculum. Both are highly recommended.
Join the growing numbers of female school leaders in the Women Lead Well Coaching Network by emailing vicki@womenleadwell.co.uk
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Thank you to our partners
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Daniel Bull is Assistant Headteacher at Summerhill School in Wolverhampton and produces and presents his own podcast - More Than a Job on which he and his 2 colleagues have interviewed Branwyn Jeffries, Mary Myatt and David Didau, to name but a few. In this episode, we chat about all things education including how to use podcasts to support your own or your school's CPD, vertical house systems and lots more.
@danielTBull
www.morethanajob.co.uk
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To find out more or join the Women Lead Well Coaching Network email me at:
vicki@womenleadwell.co.uk
If you want to have a chat about the group coaching programmes I offer, you can book in here:
https://calendly.com/educationcoaching/let-s-chat
Julia Skinner is an education consultant, trained coach and former primary headteacher. She is also an experienced governor and trustee who now supports governing bodies to get the best out of their relationships with headteachers to support them to provide the best for the children and young people in their schools. In this episode, Julia talks about what governors can do to improve the wellbeing of staff in their schools and how governors and headteachers can work more effectively to aid school improvement.
@theheadsoffice
jskinner675@gmail.com
www.transformeducationcoach.com
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Happy one year anniversary to the We Lead Well podcast. In this one year anniversary episode of the podcast, I interview Andrew Earl, restorative practice practitioner.
Andrew is currently the Restorative Apporaches Lead Practitioner for Stockport Local Authority. He has worked in primary education for the last 15 years, the last 5 of which he worked as the deputy headteacher and subsequently headteacher of a large, complex primary school in inner city Salford.
If you are not as familiar with the concept, Restorative Approaches is an ethos - or way of being - which places relationships at the core of everything an organisation does. It promotes active thinking about how we build our relationships, how we work to keep them healthy and how we can repair them when there has been conflict. Restorative Practice is relevant to us all. It supports us to connect with each other as fellow human beings, guiding us in our interactions. It can help us to consider how our actions and responses affect our relationships, whether these are relationships at work or at home.
I think you're going to love what Andrew has to say about how to build relationships, support pupils and staff with restorative approaches and how to approach challenging conversations more effectively.
@andrewearl0
www.transformeducationcoaching.com
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Haili is Head of Education at IRIS Connect, a senior lecturer at the University of Sunderland, a journalist, speaker and author of several well-renowned education books. In this episode, Haili talks about the new ECT framework and the Core Content Framework for ITE and the golden thread that runs through CPD from training through to the NPQs.
Haili's books (available in paperback):
Mentoring in Schools
Humans in the Classroom
Preserving Positivity
@HughesHaili
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Bianca Greenhalgh is in her first year as headteacher at The Gatwick School. In this interview, she is brutally honest about the reality of taking on your first headship and doing so with authenticity.
@BCGreenhalgh
www.transformeducationcoach.com
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aRYVrHCEpukFwDYshiJ7
Simon is the headteacher at Black Horse Primary near Bristol. He has written numerous blogs about leadership and what it is to be a head. You can find him on Twitter at @southgloshead and you can read his brilliant blogs at https://southgloshead.wordpress.com/
www.transformeducationcoach.com
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In this episode we welcome Vivienne Porritt, co-founder and one of the strategic leads of the WomenEd movement. She's the co-editor of '10% Braver: Inspiring Women to Lead Education'. Vivienne is also the Vice President of the Chartered College of Teaching and is a former secondary headteacher.
@ViviennePorritt
www.transformeducationcoach.com
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Yamina is an assistant head in a high school. She recently won the We Are the City Rising Star Award in Education and Academia for the amazing work she has done advocating for women Muslim leaders in education and coaching in schools. In the interview she talks about how coaching can support wellbeing in a school and how you can set up a coaching programme in your own school. Yamina is a pocket dynamo! She is a passionate educationalist and determined to make a difference in education.
In today's show, I asked you to support the bake sale and fundraising being done by my friend's daughter 6 year old Sophie who has been battling leukaemia for the last two years of her life. She is trying to raise money for the two charities that have supported her through her illness. You can donate here:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lisa-gamble-2?utm_term=YK4RYw3yn
missyb@wordpress
@msybibi
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Victoria is a primary school headteacher in the North West. She is a mum, of two teenagers. In her spare time she is a British Army reservist, in military intelligence, no less! Not only that, she has completed two MAs (in equality & diversity and educational Leadership) and a doctorate, and is currently studying for a third MA at Bucks New University in military history. She loves sport, and baking, and the outdoors. She recently presented a TEDx talk at Chester University on the power of language and how we can all be everyday heroes.
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
@happyhead74
@WeLeadWellPodc1
Peter is an experienced public speaker, teacher, trainer and coach with a wealth of experience, of leadership, management, personal development and education. He now works with businesses, organisations & schools to help develop the strategies and momentum to meet the challenge of change and achieve their goals. Peter is an accredited GCologist and works with leadership and staff teams to enable rapid growth and development.
In this episode, Peter tells the story of his burnout as a senior leader in a large comprehensive school, how he has bounced back from that and shares his knowledge and experience of how to improve your wellbeing as a teacher or senior leader.
https://www.beyondthis.co.uk/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Teaching-Keep-essential-well-being/dp/1785835033
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
With 16 years’ experience leading secondary education, including six years as a successful head teacher in a London secondary school; Diana works at the cutting edge of education and school improvement. She is known as a resilient school leader, skilled in urban leadership under challenging circumstances. Diana has substantial success in developing school wide models that strategically enhance the quality of teaching and learning across the curriculum and can couple sound strategic vision whilst giving clear operational direction. She lectures on a MEd in Educational Leadership for a UK university as well as teaching the Masters program in Educational Leadership for the National College of Education. Diana is also school inspector with developed expertise scrutinizing school wide systems.
With a proven track record of developing leaders via bespoke training programs, Diana specializes in supporting organisations to grow their leadership culture in order for leaders already established and those improving to flourish. She and has established capability in mentoring and supporting leaders facing challenging circumstances and change.
In this episode we finally meet the founder of our partner organisation Headteacher Chat. Jonathan talks about the importance of networking and why he set up the Headteacher Chat network to support headteachers and leaders in schools to feel part of a supportive community.
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
In this week's episode, we welcome back the amazing Julie Norman. Julie and I talk about how we can lead differently to support the wellbeing and happiness of the staff in our schools.
https://schoolomegasolutions.co.uk/about-the-quality-first-education-system/
@julienorman1970
www.transformeducationcoach.com
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www.teachwellalliance.com
In this week's episode, we discuss a really important issue when it comes to wellbeing in schools, and that's the menopause. With a majority of school staff being women, and a significant number of those over 40, the menopause has a major impact on the health and wellbeing of staff in schools and it's time to start talking about it and, more importantly, doing something about it. This episode is not just for women either. Male school leaders have a responsibility to look after their staff and this includes women experiencing the menopause or menopausal symptoms. So, I asked Nicky Bright, ex-head of Bruton School for Girls and leadership development consultant to join me for this episode.
John Tomsett is a nationally renowned school leader supporting schools to improve the quality of teaching and learning. He has 33 years of teaching experience, with 18 years as a headteacher. He led Huntington School in York, one of the country’s leading Research Schools, for 14 years. He offers consultancy on school leadership with a clear focus upon improving teaching and learning and curriculum development.
In this interview, John and I discuss how you can improve teaching and learning and the curriculum in your school whilst taking care of the wellbeing of your staff.
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
www.johntomsett.com
In this week's episode, we're joined by Leadership Consultant Drew Povey, most recognisable as the headteacher in Educating Greater Manchester.
In this week's episode, I interview Clemmie Stewart who I am sure you will love listening to! I first encountered her when I followed her on Twitter as I found her tweets so positive and uplifting. Clemmie has the privilege of being Senior Head of Prep Schools at Surbiton High School, 500 pupils across two Prep Schools in South West London. Prior to that she spent 4 years in a State Junior School, being part of the team who took the school from Special Measures to Good with Outstanding. Over ten years in the world of education, working across all sectors, has given Clemmie a great insight into the best leadership, pedagogy and approaches when delivering a world class education in the Primary years. Further to this, she is also on the governing body at two primary schools. The energy of this woman knows no bounds!
Skilled in Coaching, Classroom Management, Curriculum Development, Staff Development, and Educational Leadership, Clemmie has a BA (Hons) English and Education Studies. Outside of her role at Surbiton High School, Clemmie is a prolific tweeter, often collaborating with many well-regarded educationalists across the country. A recent project is the Podcast Clem and Em that she co-hosts with Dr Emma Kell. Along with her Principal, Rebecca Glover, Clemmie recently delivered a TedX talk, entitled ‘Do Snowplough Parents Remove Essential Grit’?
This week, I am delighted to be joined by Dame Alison Peacock. Dame Alison has had an illustrious career in education and is now the CEO of The Chartered College of Teaching. In an inspirational interview, she talks about how to support staff to be their best. Dame Alison exudes kindness and compassion and talks about herself and the roles she has undertaken with humility and passion. She is a champion for teachers and teaching and you are going to love this interview and love Dame Alison!
This week's interview is with Dr Christian Van Nieuwerburgh. Christian is a highly regarded executive coach, leadership consultant and academic with an international reputation. He is a thought leader in the areas of coaching in educational settings, interculturally-sensitive coaching and the integration of coaching and positive psychology in professional contexts. In addition to significant experience of delivering consultancy and executive coaching to clients in the UK and internationally, Christian is recognised as a leading academic in the field of coaching psychology. He is the Editor in Chief of Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice.
If you're thinking about introducing coaching in your school, this is the episode to listen to. Christian talks about the impact and benefits of coaching in education that are soundly based in research and the four quadrants of the Global Framework for Coaching and Mentoring in Education.
www.growthcoaching.com.au
www.uel.ac.uk
www.transformeducationcoach.com
Find the We Lead Well Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/759022258015887
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Bennie Kara is an English teacher and deputy headteacher responsible for teaching and learning at a secondary school in Derby. She is a speaker, coach and trainer on topics such as language, literature, leadership, diversity, curriculum, assessment and teaching & learning. She is a Teach First ambassador from the inaugural cohort of Teach First and a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching. She is also the author of The Little Guide for Teachers: Diversity in Schools.
You can buy a copy of Bennie's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Guide-Teachers-Diversity-Schools-ebook/dp/B0895XHTW1#ace-g0979249316
Bennie also referred to Sway by Pragya Agarwal: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sway-Unravelling-Unconscious-Pragya-Agarwal-ebook/dp/B0844LQQL1/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=sway+by+dr&qid=1613485655&s=digital-text&sr=1-1
@benniekara
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
Ben Solly is the principal at Uppingham Community College in Rutland where he is in his fourth year. He spent his first three years as a headteacher at Lutterworth College in Leicester. Ben regularly writes articles for the Sec Ed Bulletin. In this episode, Ben and I talk about how you can create a culture of wellbeing in your school and how you can prioritise your own wellbeing and be a role model for your staff.
Ben and I talked about the wellbeing charter that they have developed at the school. You can find a copy of it here: https://uppinghamccacademy-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/solly_b_ucc_rutland_sch_uk/EaUp7F0XwM5HsJ48Zz2wVu4Bnif_r6BcRDawIeVvzzAOcA?e=F769xD
Ben also refers to the Embedding Formative Assessment project that the school was part of; you can find the case study here: https://www.ssatuk.co.uk/blog/case-study-the-impacts-of-efa-on-uppingham-community-college/ and the blog here: https://www.ssatuk.co.uk/blog/case-study-the-impacts-of-efa-on-uppingham-community-college/
@ben_solly
www.transformeducationcoach.com
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www.teachwellalliance.com
Rachel Lofthouse is Professor of Teacher Education in the Carnegie School of Education. She has a specific research interest in professional learning, exploring how teachers learn and how they can be supported to put that learning into practice.
Rachel is a teaching educator and researcher. Her interest starts with student teachers, but extends to teachers and educators at all career stages and in all sectors. Ensuring that teachers keep learning is critical when the policy and practice landscapes of education keep shifting. Rachel has a particular interest in how teachers learn through approaches such as coaching, mentoring, lesson study, professional enquiry and inter-professional practice. She marries these interests with a concern for the development of innovative pedagogies and curriculum design. Key to all of these are the opportunities for that professionals at all stages of their career and in all roles have for dialogue and creative and critical thinking.
This week I spoke with the inimitable Andy Buck, who generously shared his knowledge, experience and wisdom on all things wellbeing and coaching. A geography teacher by trade, Andy was a headteacher for thirteen years at two schools in east London. In his last year of headship, his school was judged outstanding in all categories and Andy was designated a National Leader of Education. In 2009 he became a Director at the National College for School Leadership, leading on the London Challenge programme. He was subsequently responsible for setting up the government’s flagship Teaching Schools programme before being appointed as Managing Director at United Learning, one of the country’s largest academy groups.
Since 2014, Andy has founded Leadership Matters which aims to improve the educational outcomes for pupils by supporting great leadership development. Leadership Matters is a web-based membership organisation that offers school leaders access to high quality online development tools and other leadership articles, videos and blogs.
Andy was invited to become a Fellow of the RSA in 2015 and was made a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching in 2018. He is also Honorary Vice President at the Geographical Association and Honorary Education Adviser to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
www.andybuck.org.uk
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@weleadwellpodc1
This week on the show I'm joined by Dan Edwards. Dan is the headteacher of the Woodstock Primary Academy in Leicester and I first came across him when I read his blog 'Acknowledging the empty cup' in which he writes about how he took up running. Dan has now run three half-marathons, nine marathons and four ultra-marathons and has a plan to run five marathons in five days for charity. As a runner myself, and someone who understands how important exercise is to a healthy mind, I was really interested in how while working as a headteacher, he fit in the running. In this interview, Dan tells us exactly how he fits in running and how you can make time for a pastime too. (It doesn't have to be running but I'm hoping that Dan's story might make you more likely to give it a try.) Dan also explained what he is referring to in his blog 'Repositioning the doughnuts'.
@DanEdwards_77
www.leadinginthenow.org
www.transformeducationcoaching.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
In this episode of the show I'm joined by Jonny Uttley. Jonny is the CEO of the Education Alliance trust. He has extensive school leadership experience having worked in senior leadership teams in good and outstanding schools for the last 15 years and he is an accredited National Leader of Education. Under Jonny’s leadership, South Hunsley School was in the top 5% of all schools nationally for progress at Key Stage 4 in each of the last 4 years. The sixth form is also in the top 10% of all providers across the country. South Hunsley School has won the Pupil Premium Award for Yorkshire and the Humber twice in the last 4 years in recognition of the outstanding progress made by disadvantaged students.
Jonny co-authored the book 'Putting Teachers First' a seminal book that provides a blueprint for creating a culture of wellbeing in schools by focusing on staff.
Helen Kelly is a researcher, writer and consultant in the field of school wellbeing. Between 2006 and 2020 she led international schools in Bangkok, Berlin and Hong Kong. Prior to this Helen was member of the English legal profession, representing workers in the area of health and safety at work.
Helen is most known for her work on school leader stress and wellbeing. She was awarded an Ed.D from the University of Birmingham, UK in 2017 with a thesis entitled “International Schools as Emotional Arenas: Facing the Leadership Challenges in a German Context”. She also holds a Masters in Educational Leadership and a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology.
Helen is well-known on the conference circuit in Asia. She has consulted with schools and delivered professional development workshops on both school leader and teacher wellbeing across three continents. She also advises a number of UK organisations that support school leaders and governors. Helen writes for several well-known educational publications and is a regular guest blogger and podcaster. Through her work as The Positive Principal, Helen aims to provide practical support to teachers, school leaders and those responsible for running and supporting schools to enhance wellbeing and maximise the potential of the whole school community.
Helen is a qualified yoga teacher and has taught on 200 hour yoga teacher training courses. She has travelled hundreds of thousands of miles in over 50 countries on a motorbike with her husband. Helen retired from her work in schools in June 2020 and is currently based in beautiful North Wales.
Dr Jill Berry is the formerHead of Dame Alice Harpur School in Bedford. Since leaving headship in 2010, she has worked as an Associate for the National College for Teaching and Leadership, carried out a range of educational consultancy work and completed a part-time Doctorate in Education, researching the transition from deputy headship to headship.
Jill has been involved in #WomenEd, a network designed to support aspiring and serving women leaders in education, since its inception in 2015. She has conducted academic research on the development of the initiative with Dr Kay Fuller from Nottingham University; spoken at several #WomenEd events, and contributed a chapter to the #WomenEd book:‘10% Braver – Inspiring Women to Lead Education’.
In this episode Jill and I have a great discussion about how we can recognise our unconscious biases as leaders and adapt our working processes to address them and make a commitment to leading more diverse schools and organisations. We also explore how supporting diversity can create better wellbeing.
Jill is an advocate for the opportunities presented by social media for networking and professional development, tweeting @jill berry102 and blogging jillberry102.blog
Liz is a leading expert in Positive Education in the UK. She has developed several pioneering approaches to early intervention and prevention through her professional practice and research. As a practising Positive and Organisational Psychologist, she has led Worth-it in its work supporting hundreds of schools and organisations and over 3,000 professionals to develop the mental health, wellbeing and resilience of children and young people. Liz is a Teaching Fellow at Loughborough University teaching Applied Positive Psychology and Organisational Psychology. She previously taught at Bucks New University and also sat on the advisory board for the Leeds Becket University, Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools.
Liz was amongst the first people in the world to obtain the dual MSc Qualification in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology (MAPPCP). Her masters project research, exploring how Coaching and Positive Psychology can help vulnerable young people prevent mental health problems was published in 2016. She has since built on this work in developing whole school and organisational approaches to preventing mental health problems in children and young people. Within whole school or organisational approaches, Liz has developed a specialism in staff wellbeing. She is Module Leader on the BPS Accredited, MSc Work Psychology Module in Wellbeing and Work, at Loughborough University. She is also a peer reviewer for the European Journal of Applied Positive Psychology. Liz has over 10 years’ experience applying Coaching Psychology, gaining a PG Certificate in Coaching in 2009. She is also a qualified careers advisor, with a background in training and development, and preventing social disadvantage.
Suneta has worked in primary schools for over 20 years and has been headteacher in a number of primary schools in different contexts and circumstances. She now works to support wellbeing in school in response to the current retention crisis and the focus on wellbeing. Suneta runs the Cultivate, Coaching and Consulting company along with the Every Teacher Matters project. She is dedicated to teachers' and leaders' happiness. I'm sure you'll be inspired by this conversation in which she says we are people first and professionals second. Suneta is also a mum to three children, one of whom has complex disabilities. She has shown resilience and tenacity to support her son whilst also going back to work as a headteacher. Hearing about how she has coped (and sometimes not coped!) under pressure is awe-inspiring! Suneta also talks in this episode about setting boundaries and knowing yourself better in order to do so. She believes that saying no to others is saying yes to yourself. The mental health of staff in schools has never been more important and Suneta shares her experience of supporting mental health in schools and what you can do to ensure this is at the top of your list of wellbeing priorities.
Phil Sharrocks joined me for this week's episode. He's an ex-headteacher, consultant and foster carer and he says it like it is! He worked in four schools that he supported to improve rapidly. He took one school from inadequate to good in fifteen months and moved it from the bottom 20% to the top 15% of schools for progress. He's an influencer on Linked in which is where I first encountered him and his message about allowing teachers to teach really resonated with me. Phil really cares about teachers and teaching and is particularly passionate about making learning fun - for teachers and pupils. His aim as a headteacher was always to create happy, engaged teachers and learners. Ofsted described Phil as inspirational. I'm sure you'll find him an inspiration too.
You can find Phil on Linked In and Twitter @philsharrock
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
This week we have an interview with education and leadership coach and consultant Hannah Wilson. Hannah specialises in a broad range of areas including diversity, inclusion and equality and mental health and wellbeing. Hannah is an ex-headteacher and English teacher and co-founder of #WomenEd. In the interview we focus on leading from your values and how you can become a more resilient leader. Hannah also talks about how she created a wellbeing culture as a founding headteacher and about how all of her decisions as a headteacher were values based, including the recruitment process. Hannah was able to offer flexible and part time working for all of the roles in her school including senior leadership roles. She is a great role model for how leaders in schools can take a fresh approach to leadership and do things differently. Hannah and I discuss the importance of coaching for leadership and for wellbeing and how it can contribute to the ability of leaders to lead with authenticity.
@Ethical_Leader
www.hannah-wilson.co.uk
www.diverseeducators.co.uk/
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
In this week's episode, Chris Foley has joined us to talk about how he has taken St Monica's RC High School in Prestwich near Manchester out of special measures whilst focusing on the well-being of staff. Chris emphasises the importance of strong structures, systems and processes in creating a culture of well-being in a school, which may not be the first thing you think of when you consider what well-being encompasses. However, Chris provides this perspective and we discuss the certainty and security staff gain from knowing exactly what is expected of them and how they fit into the broader structure of the school. Leading a Catholic school is something else that Chris and I discuss in this episode and how that brings a uniqueness to the school but also brings challenges at the same time. Chris uses the expression 'on the bus' (he also uses it as the title of his blog) to describe the challenge of creating a sense of community and collegiateness in his school. He stresses the importance of having a vision and ensuring staff buy into it so that everyone is heading in the right direction. Chris talks bluntly about his experience as a headteacher. I'm sure you will enjoy listening to his experiences.
www.onthebuseducation.wordpress.com
@HT_StMonicas
@WeLeadWellPodc1
www.transformeducationcoaching.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
Sue is the Head of School at John Taylor Free School. She has worked in education for the last 23 years with experience of a wide range of schools and different settings. Her extensive leadership experience spans 2 highly successful Multi Academy Trusts based in the East Midlands. She has established a Teaching School Alliance and School Centre for Initial Teacher Training and understands the importance of professional learning for teachers and leaders. Sue is also a huge supporter of part time and flexible working - every job advert for roles in her school is advertised with the line 'applications are welcome from candidates who want to work flexibly'. Her experiences of being a full time working single mum have ensured she is able to understand that family life has a major impact on working life and she is quite prepared to support her staff by making adjustments that support them and their well-being in work. As a result, she has created a positive culture of well-being in the school; this is supported by a culture of coaching to support staff development and to create autonomy, respect and trust amongst the staff who work for her. Sue is a truly empathetic leader; she clearly cares about her staff and their differing individual needs and she sums this up in the interview when she refers to leading with kindness.
@plant4sue
www.johntaylorfreeschool.co.uk
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
For the latest COVID special edition, I spoke to Sean Trimble, CEO of the Larwood Academy Trust and Headteacher of Larwood School in Stevenage, which is a primary SEMH special school. Sean and I discuss the difficulties he's faced leading such a school in such extraordinarily challenging times and how he has had to draw on all his resilience as a leader to get through it. And get through it he has, by staying positive. Sean's pragmatic and optimistic approach are so inspiring to listen to. He's taken control when necessary and done his utmost to reduce anxiety for his staff and pupils. Sean is emphatic in his advice to take some time out for yourself as a leader. Sean is a triathlete who has competed as an age grouper at many triathlon distances and he's kept this up throughout the COVID crisis. Sean sums up in the interview what leaders need to in challenging circumstances: challenge, adapt, change.
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
@leadwellpodca1
In this episode, I talk to Julie Norman, an executive headteacher from Somerset who is leading in a different way with brilliant results. Julie took over schools in an area that was well below the national average for performance. All of the schools had been good previously but were now in serious decline and heading for RI judgements from Ofsted.
Out of all the schools in the area, only the ones led and supported by Julie showed any improvement and the improvement in Julie's schools was remarkable.
Julie is responsible for developing the Character Curriculum - listen to the episode and she'll tell you all about it. Workload for teachers is significantly reduced when this curriculum is introduced into a school. Assessment is carried out through careful questioning, listening and observing the children. Teachers don't plan individual lessons so they have time to spend on their passion - helping children to love their learning.
Julie has gone on to set up her own consultancy company SOS so that she can help more schools' transformations.
https://schoolomegasolutions.co.uk/
https://www.transformeducationcoach.com/
https://www.headteacherchat.com
https://www.teachwellalliance.com
@weleadwellpodc1
Being a school leader is a challenging and demanding job at the best of times. The COVID pandemic has increased the stress on leaders, who are at breaking point. Heads are feeling isolated and under pressure to take decisions about the health and welfare of their staff and pupils daily. In this series of COVID specials of the podcast, heads, executive heads and school leaders share their experiences of the pandemic. David Waugh will start us off in this episode with his pragmatic approach to leading from the top and supporting his senior team. You'll get insight into how David has looked after the wellbeing of his staff and some advice on practical strategies you can put in place in your school to ease the pressure on everyone. David is currently the trust leader of The True Learning Partnership, a MAT consisting of 2 high schools and 3 primary schools in Cheshire. He was also previously the Vice President of ASCL.
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com
www.teachwellalliance.com
In this first series of the podcast we'll hear from a number of headteachers and wellbeing advocates who are making a difference to the wellbeing of staff in schools and who are finding new ways of leading schools differently. We're currently in a recruitment and retention crisis with almost a third of teachers leaving the profession within five years of entering it. Moreover, 26% of teachers are thinking of leaving the profession within the next 12 months. One of the actions we can take in response to this is to start to take the wellbeing of the staff in our schools serious. In this first episode of the podcast, I talk to Steve Waters, founders and CEO of the Teach Well Alliance. Steve and I explore exactly what the term wellbeing means, and its implications in the workplace. We discuss how, as a leader, you can gain a clearer insight into the wellbeing climate in your organisation and what you can do to start improving it to benefit your staff.
Email: steve@teachwellalliance.com
Twitter: @teachwellall
Internet: teachwellalliance.com
This episode was brought to you in partnership with Transform Education Coaching - Coaching to change lives, Headteacherchat.com and the Teach Well Alliance.
www.transformeducationcoach.com
www.headteacherchat.com