I recently attended a presentation delivered by the CEO of a multi-academy trust in a neighbouring county. Here in Hampshire, virtually all of the 450 primary schools have remained with the local authority.
That said, the future under our new prime minister does still look likely to heavily involve academies – even despite the recent furore over the grammar school policy.
The CEO came across as a good guy. As a former PE teacher, he and I had that in common so I was a little bit onside from the outset. He was the head of the school that originally formed the small academy chain and he has subsequently overseen the fairly rapid and dramatic growth of the MAT. He delivered an honest “warts and all” view of leading a MAT and was not in any way trying to hard sell to the assembled heads.
As he described the MAT and how it works on an operational basis, I couldn’t help but think that it sounded like a small and less powerful local authority. I have worked for Hampshire for 25 years and they have served my career well. Like any big organisation there are outstanding individuals with lots to offer and there are some that you wouldn’t choose to work with. Yes, there are occasional frustrations but I can’t imagine that becoming an academy makes all such frustrations magically disappear.
Afterwards I was reflecting on his role as a CEO and I started to wonder if maybe I am now in a minority as a school leader – someone who likes leading only one school. I love being at Anton, my happiest days are the ones I spend here. Whether we are talking about a large MAT or even a small federation, leading a group of schools does not have the appeal for me that it seems to have for many of my colleagues.
Why is this the case? I am definitely not lazy or work shy and would also say that I am not afraid of a challenge. I think maybe it comes down to the influence that my previous headteachers have had on me in my early career. I worked for several heads who I had tremendous admiration for and one of the main reasons I admired them is that they always had time for me – they invested time in me; they took a genuine interest and they wanted to help and support my professional development and to help me achieve my career ambitions.
And do you know what as well? They took an interest in me as Tom, as a dad, as a husband, as a son, as a Celtic fan! They took an interest in me and they made me feel important. They made me feel valued and because of that I would have run through brick walls for them.
I think what worries me is that if I am responsible for five schools and five staff teams, I am not going to be able to take an interest in each of the individuals in those teams. I know that those schools will have heads of school and that it is probably not the role of the executive head or CEO or whatever the title is. But that’s my point – that’s my stumbling block that is the part of the job that I enjoy, that interaction with staff.
I am not naïve. I know this agenda is not going to change. It is unlikely that I will get through the last 15 years of my career without having to consider it – maybe even in the next 15 months! One thing I have learnt and have come to accept in recent years is that the only thing that stays the same in education these days is the constant change!
I guess if this particular change comes to Anton, then I will have to shape the role so that I still get to do the bits that I enjoy and that I believe I am good at.
At lunchtime yesterday, after heading out onto the field to see some children and get some fresh air, I was asked first to watch a gym display that four pupils had just created, then a dance that a different group had choreographed, and then a song that three girls had just learnt. I headed back to my office with my heart smiling, how many CEOs get that in their lunchtime?
- Tom Donohoe is the headteacher of Anton Junior School in Hampshire.