Reflections on school leadership

In three years at The Future Leaders Trust (TFLT) I have been fortunate to visit scores of “challenging” schools and to work with hundreds of inspirational school leaders. Each has brought their own experiences and perspective, but all have been united by a shared commitment to transforming schools and closing the achievement gap – a commitment I will always share. As I leave TFLT to take up post as Director of Southwark Teaching School Alliance, I can think of no better tribute to the incredible leaders I've worked with than to capture and share some of what they’ve taught me. There are no great revelations here. As is often said, improving schools isn’t rocket science; it’s about simple things done consistently and well. The challenge is that that simple isn’t necessarily easy! Lesson 1: Great leadership starts with a compelling vision and values The most powerful leaders are driven by a moral purpose and passion that recognises and addresses the needs and aspirations of every ch

Superman fans may recall the scene where the pant-sporting hero flies up to catch Lois Lane as she falls from a skyscraper. He reassures the distressed damsel, “Easy, miss. I’ve got you.” Lane stammers “You – you’ve got me? Who’s got you?” I’ve been wondering the same about multi-academy trust (MAT) boards. Since becoming a trustee in the autumn, I’ve been trying to understand how accountability for pupil outcomes flows through the MAT and how the Standards Committee I chair fits in. I was lucky to join a trust that had recently undertaken a governance review and already had a clear scheme of delegation, but the visual learner in me needed to see it in diagram form to really understand it. It’s taken us a few months, but a diagram now exists which shows a ‘golden thread’ of accountability from headteachers to the board of trustees. I would urge anyone involved in MAT governance to attempt this task, as the process led us to some useful streamlining and refinement of ro

Our boys don't need Carnegie Library. We've been going since they were babies enjoying Wriggle and Rhyme, but they could probably live without it. Our shelves are bursting with books which they devour at such a rate that we've had to get a Kindle as well. We also have a variety of ways to connect to the internet, and a computer and quiet space for homework. We are lucky. Other children and families are not as lucky. I'm acutely aware of this because throughout my career I have worked with some of the country's most deprived schools, including a number in Lambeth. For some of the children in these schools, homes are filled not with books, but with chaos. It can be difficult for these children to find a quiet space to read, think and do school work, or an adult with the time and inclination to encourage them to do so. Sometimes home is not a safe place to be, the lives of those in them blighted by abuse, violence and addiction. That is why libraries, like Carn