It seems to me that we all use leadership skills and strategies within the classroom, for example we organise, inspire, coach, cajole, motivate and direct as we attempt to help each learner be their best.  If we move into a formal leadership role, we continue to build these skills as we begin to focus on getting the best from our colleagues, in addition to our pupils.  By working with and through other staff we are able to make a positive difference to the school experience of more pupils, which is a privilege and a thrill.

Read More #TLCWorcs18 – Confident leadership and its impact on teaching

I’m sat in ‘my’ office. It’s day one. I’m in charge. The sounds of children, parents and teachers reverberate through the solid wooden door emblazoned with engraved plaque: ‘HEADTEACHER’. Why haven’t I got any bloody trousers on?

Read More Day 1: All Mouth and No Trousers

That reality to me, as far as the curriculum is concerned, is that great teachers in great relationships with their pupils and their colleagues will find great ways to teach key content. The great school in this picture will have established that the content will be packaged up in a curriculum that is centred on developing the personal skills and qualities of the learners and is relevant to the pupils themselves (I think that this has become known as ‘personalised education’ for some reason in the past ten years…I prefer the term ‘knowing the kids’). 

Read More ‘Great schools will find ways to teach key content that is relevant to the school’ by Lee Card

So says the ‘first commandment of leadership’, according to Harvard Business Review, but what does it mean to ‘know thyself’ as a leader? 

Read More Leaders: Know Thyself!