WE NEED GREAT LEADERS!

We all want every school and every classroom to be outstanding, extraordinary, world class …but what does it take to build brilliant? The answer is leadership but we are sadly short of great leaders... 

"MAKING THE WHOLE WORLD WONDER"

Tim Brighouse and I talked today about Sir Alec Clegg and the sad focus today on management rather than leadership. I found this after dinner speech which captures a little bit of what made him so extraordinary as a leader and wouldn't it be simply wonderful to have a Secretary of State for Education who focused on these four points:

• what are the qualities which great teachers have in common;
• 'What do we do that those who come after us will think odd or absurd?';
• the wisdom of some of our distinguished forbears;
• the division that exists between the education of the mind and the education of the spirit.

SIR TIM BRIGHOUSE!

I was in Doncaster this morning catching up with an old friend. Tim Brighouse, who was Director of Education in Birmingham before leading the London Challenge, is now working on the Doncaster Education and Skills Commission. 

HAPPY SUNNY SUNDAY!

"It's a lovely day today

So whatever you've got to do

You've got a lovely day to do it in, that's true...

LEADERSHIP IS...

 

SO BUILD BRIDGES!

WHAT MAKES A LEADER?

LEADERSHIP NEEDED!

It's a sad reflection on these fragmented times that the leaders, across the educational landscape, aren't all pulling in the same direction. Of course, I know that in today's crazy pressured world, school leaders are juggling multiple agendas and managing tight deadlines and there is barely time to talk, much less agree about a common purpose. It's challenging enough just keeping up with today's demands from governors, DfE and OFSTED!

WE NEED A SHARED PURPOSE!

Looking around at the fragmented organisation, the lack of leadership, coherence and purpose all I see is that there's a distinct lack of shared purpose and vision. Leaders are pulling in different directions and individuals are reluctant to share their successes and concerns. Understandably then, leaders feel alone in their efforts to get things done and team members are frustrated about the decision-making process.

LEADERSHIP MATTERS!

Strong learning leadership is still one of the keys to building brilliant learning and the RSA and the Innovation Unit have produced this report describing how school leaders can create the conditions for system-wide innovation.

WE MUST FOCUS ON MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

Our systems and mechanisms must foster on impact and outcomes and nurture trust, autonomy and accountability: between teachers and students, between teachers and headteachers, between educators and employers, between educators and politicians, and between educators, parents and the wider community.

BEAUTIFUL SYSTEMS MATTER!

We must build beautiful systems, processes and procedures to support our culture and our work. 

Systems, processes and procedures must focus on impact and outcomes and reinforce and support the way we do things around here. They must naturally fit and complement the vision, values, beliefs and behaviours we are developing and fostering.

DOES BETTER LEARNERS, BETTER WORKERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?... JUST LOOK AT OUR IMPACT AND OUTCOMES!

Budgets are being squeezed again and schools are facing huge challenges. A colleague asked me today, how do you measure the cost of a teacher or teaching assistant against the cost of putting a targeted group of young people on the Cutlers' 'Better Learners, Better Workers' programme.