I've been grappling with the question of subject learning communities throughout this academic year and I've come to the conclusion that collaborative subject-based groups that operate across Multi-Academy Trusts pose Trust leaders (and the leaders of these groups) with a series of 'wicked problems'.  The term 'wicked problem' was first coined by Horst Rittel and … Continue reading The Wicked Problem of Trust-Wide Subject Communities →

I’d like to share something with you- around 13 years ago, I won the lottery. I know you’re probably looking at me and thinking either the money’s run out or she’s talking about a different lottery and you’d be right- I'm talking about the school leadership lottery. In 2010, I qualified as a secondary English … Continue reading Developing Future Female Leaders through Coaching and Profiling- #WomenEd at The Festival of Education →

As I started reading Sonia Thompson's Berger's An Ethic of Excellence in Action, this quotation really reasonated: It reminded me about how important it is to provide opportunities for crafting, drafting and redrafting in the classroom and reminded me how important it was to give learners the time and space to create something that they're … Continue reading The Power of Something Polished! Creative Writing →

We are nearing the end of a challenging and taxing half term- we all know the score by now: the dark mornings and afternoons and the feeling that time, instead of being on our side, is actually our enemy. There's just never enough of it. For senior leaders, this pinch point is all too clear- … Continue reading ‘ I haven’t eaten today. I’ve got no time for lunch’ Senior Leader Wellbeing: Headsup4HTs Thinkpiece (Published October 2021) →

6 Considerations for Classroom Teachers Discussing their Teaching If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ll be teaching in a school where you have co-constructed a statement of intent for your department’s curriculum. In these departments, everybody teaching the subject is an equal stake-holder in the design of a curriculum that is best suited for … Continue reading Discussing Curriculum Intent and Implementation with Clarity →

I'm sure our students can't wait for this school year to end, but I'm also sure it'll feel bittersweet for them -- they've had to contend with yo-yo schooling and a significant dose of uncertainty thrown into the mix. They've had the security of normality stripped from them, reduced contact with their closest friends, they've … Continue reading Models of Excellence- Creative Writing →

We have just come to the end of our Virtual Transition Week for our 2021 cohort and we are happy to share our approach, to support schools completing similar events this year.  Birmingham City Council made an announcement in late June and made the decision, due to rising cases of the Delta variant of COVID … Continue reading Transition 2021: Account of Practice →

Having now worked for over 15 years in secondary education, I have come to realise how insular it is in danger of being. I often make generalisations to pupils about business leaders or entrepreneurs without fully understanding their working lives, their motivations, their modes of thinking and perhaps most importantly, their approaches to leadership. So, … Continue reading Book Review: The Magic of the Space Between- How a unique mentoring programme is transforming women’s leadership →

Creating a physical space in school for staff to read, research and hone their craft is a great way to elevate the importance of continued professional learning.  Around 2 years ago, I was fortunate enough to have been given a small budget by my headteacher and was given a space in the school to allocate … Continue reading A quick guide on how to create a Staff CPD Library and ‘Hot Desk’ Research Room →