Headteacher Standards: What makes a great executive head?
A quick scan reveals at least two multi-academy trust (MAT) CEOs and four executive heads on the Queen's birthday honours list . The past decade has seen a huge increase in such roles, though executive headships aren't counted in the annual workforce survey , so it's difficult to quantify. But what is an executive head and what makes a successful one? Earlier this week, I attended a National Education Trust-hosted event in London on the Headteacher Standards . The Standards are being reviewed for the first time in ten years and the consultation closes on 16 June. There was broad agreement on the need for the Standards to be aspirational (rather than a tick-list). There was consensus too that they should reflect the moral imperatives of headship and the key competencies required, as well as broad skill areas. There was less agreement on whether the Standards should seek to cover executive heads. There were two sticking points. The first was the variety in executi