“The staff really aren’t happy…” I looked around the SLT. My most trusted and candid colleagues. They looked uneasy. Luckily, I have/ had a team of leaders who have no problem voicing their thoughts. “It’s just…well… a lot” chimed one. “Morale has taken a hit for sure” added another. I couldn’t deny it was hard […]
After seven years of waiting, OFSTED finally inspected Blackhorse Primary on 25th November – the final week of the ‘early volunteer’ group of schools who had put themselves forward to be first under this new toolkit. My other school, Emersons Green Primary, which has also been waiting seven years and also put itself up to […]
Reflections on the new inspection framework: 1742 days under the lottery finger My school and I have spent 1742 days in the OFSTED window (our last inspection was Feb 2018). 1742 days where, on any idle Monday (and until recently Tuesday and Wednesday) the phone could ring and inspectors could arrive at my door. Four […]
There are some days where I as a leader absolutely smash it, endlessly ticking off those big and important jobs on the ‘to do’ list. I am strategic. I am purposeful. There are other days when I achieve literally nothing, have been insanely busy from the moment I arrive until the moment I leave. I’ve […]
22nd March 2020. The younger children skipped out to their parents as usual, blissfully unaware of the water rising up the school drive. First mentioned on distant shores. Then on Italian slopes. And now at our door. The older children were more frenetic, understanding the strangeness, but with no reference point with which to anchor […]
