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The principles of primary school leadership – and seven top tips

The primary phase is unique and as such leading a primary school requires a specific leadership approach. Emma Turner considers some principles of great primary leadership and seven practical tips for leadership success

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Professional development: Thinking schools and thinking teachers

The learning environment for your staff really matters. Dr Kulvarn Atwal introduces his recipe for creating thinking schools and developing thinking teachers – offering us five concrete strategies

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Building a ‘fossil-free’ school

A new school build? Powered only by clean, community-led renewable energy? Matthew Shotton describes an ambitious project to build a fossil-free all-through school

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Cultures and actions to drive leadership diversity

As part of anti-racism work, the diversity of our staff and senior leadership matters. Orlene Badu says this work begins with a focus on retention and creating cultures to challenge racism and inequality

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School leadership: How to respond to and solve problems

As a school leader, problem or cause analysis is important and it can be worth taking time to understand a problem’s root causes before springing into action. Sean Harris considers two models for moving from reactive to responsive problem-solving

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School-to-school improvement: Peer review with a purpose

Following the nine principles of effective school-to-school peer review, two south London primary schools have embarked on a new collaboration focused on behaviour. Laura McPhee reports

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Are your pupils ready for Ofsted’s deep dives?

Deep dives are intended to give Ofsted insight into how subjects are taught and are now a key tool for inspectors. But how well can pupils contribute to the discussion? Suzanne O'Connell spoke to one school about its recent experience...

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Women in leadership: Smashing the glass ceiling

Despite teaching being female dominated, men remain twice as likely to hold leadership positions. Headteacher Erika Eisele considers why this is and reflects on her own experiences as a school leader

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Five lessons of primary leadership

After 10 years as a headteacher in east London, Tom Panagiotopoulos has written a book chronicling his experiences. We asked him to give us five lessons for successful primary school leadership

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A culture of ethical leadership: Five approaches

As we emerge from the pandemic, ethical leadership has never been more important. But what does it look like? Primary school head Jim Mepham looks at five main approaches and the principles of ethical decision-making

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Always asking why: Placing pupils at the heart of your school

Learning happens when learning is the focus, when learning is valued and when learning is modelled. Everyone at Sherborne House School is on an educational journey – pupils and staff – and they share a common language of learning. Fiona Aubrey-Smith paid a visit

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Twelve ways to lead like a turtle

Do you lead like a turtle? John Dabell explains why turtles can teach us a lot about effective school leadership

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A case study of inspection during Covid

Ofsted’s inspection schedule is back in full swing but there have been accusations that inspectors are not taking account of the pandemic hardships that schools have faced. Suzanne O’Connell caught up with executive headteacher Joe Roberts following a recent Ofsted

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School culture & values: An unwritten ethos

Do you use your school’s values? Or are they positive-sounding aphorisms which are rarely dusted off in the heat of battle? Bill Holledge considers how we create and use school values and discusses the Paradigm Trust’s ‘Unwritten Ethos’

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Case study: Developing an Early Help offer in response to Covid

Given the impact of the pandemic on families and children’s lives, work is on-going in Lambeth to revisit and revamp intervention and support via the Early Help offer. Headteacher Laura McPhee explains

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Case study: Keeping the MFL flag flying

Languages education has been hit hard during the pandemic, while an Ofsted subject report has indicated varied quality in MFL delivery at primary level. Suzanne O’Connell finds out how Hounslow Heath Junior School is maintaining languages as a priority

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Animal therapy: Down on the school farm

From lambs to donkeys to pigs, the animals at York House School are helping pupils to adopt and model positive behaviour. Head Jon Gray explains why all schools should consider ‘animal therapy’

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Case study: Teaching Mandarin and a virtual trip to China

The LEO Academy Trust launched its immersive Mandarin programme three years ago and recently held a virtual trip to China to give pupils further opportunities to practise speaking. Chris Ansell explains

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Effective in-school SEMH and counselling support

The pandemic has brought pastoral and social, emotional and mental health support to the fore. Sarah May discusses her role as an SEMH support worker across a primary and secondary setting

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Three principles for an inclusive school environment

Ensuring an inclusive school environment which supports every pupil to be their best is a priority for school leader Bavaani Nanthabalan. She discusses three core principles for achieving this

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Flexible working: How to job-share the role of primary headteacher

Job-sharing the role of headteacher is an increasingly popular option. Co-heads Alison Fitch and Rebecca Stacey explain how their role works, why it is effective and why job-sharing could be a key factor in retaining more teachers

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The First 100 Days: School leadership lessons from football

Headteacher Phil Denton has spent the last 30 months talking to Premier League managers about the lessons that school leaders – and teachers – can draw from the high-pressure, unforgiving world of football management, especially when it comes to handling the first 100 days in post...

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Anti-racism & diversity: Curriculum, policy and practice

Decolonising the primary curriculum, embedding diversity, and becoming an anti-racist school is a challenging and at times difficult process. Headteacher Laura McPhee describes how her school reviewed and reformed its curriculum, policy and practice

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No Silver Bullets: Day-in, day-out school improvement

School improvement is not about silver bullets. Rather it is about making small incremental gains day-in, day-out. A new book is offering 89 such gains to help focus the mind. Author Paul K Ainsworth dissects four of them here…

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CPD at the heart of school improvement

A small primary school in Cornwall has become a CPD powerhouse after placing professional development at the heart of its school improvement plans. Yvonne Gandy takes a look

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