Principal

Responsible for setting the vision, overall direction, and managing all aspects of the school/academy.

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"Leadership: Being, Knowing, Doing"

June 1, 2023

"Leadership: Being, Knowing, Doing" by Stephen Tierney is a book that talks about how to be a good leader in education. It explains the ideas of practical wisdom and good judgment, which are important for making the right decisions. The book is divided into three parts: Ways of Being, Ways of Knowing, and Ways of Doing. Each part has different aspects that are necessary for effective leadership. The author shares examples from his own experience to show how these ideas can be applied in real life. The book aims to help leaders improve their skills and inspire future leaders to grow.  Favourite quote: ‘Phronesis is an Ancient Greek word for a type of wisdom associated with practical action. It is about good judgment and good character. At its core, it is about the ability to discern how best to act. Practical wisdom involves acting thoughtfully and virtuously and encouraging others to do the same. Virtue, thought and action, which coalesce in effective leadership, I have termed the Way of Being, Way of Knowing, and Way of Doing.’ What do we think? "Leadership: Being, Knowing, Doing" by Stephen Tierney is a book that explores the principles and practices of effective leadership in the education sector. The book covers a range of topics, including the importance of being an authentic and ethical leader, the role of knowledge and expertise in leadership, and the skills and strategies needed to effectively lead and manage schools.

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Creating a Strong Culture: A Positive Climate for Schools

June 2, 2023

If there is one thing that school leaders need to get right, it is school culture. When they do, children learn more and colleagues have a stronger sense of purpose - they are more motivated and ultimately more fulfilled. Creating a strong culture and a positive climate requires an understanding of the complexity of school life and this begins by building knowledge. This book supports leaders to do just that. Drawing on ideas from different domains, this insightful book reveals the role of concepts such as autonomy and trust in school improvement. Each chapter sets out the specific knowledge and expertise required by school leaders for great cultural leadership and offers practical examples and case studies to show how they can be applied in different school contexts. Creating a Strong Culture and Positive Climate in Schools is an essential lens through which to examine the common problems faced by school leaders. It is invaluable reading for all those wanting to become more expert in school leadership and to better solve the everyday problems that arise from leading a school. What do we think? "Creating a Culture" is a must-read book. It offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the factors that shape school culture and provides practical strategies for building a positive and supportive climate for all students and staff." Quotes from the book "Culture is the underlying set of beliefs, values, and assumptions that shape the behavior of a group of people." "A positive school culture is one in which staff and students feel safe, respected, and valued, and are committed to achieving high standards of excellence." "Effective communication is essential to building trust, fostering collaboration, and creating a positive school culture."

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Lighting the Way: The case for ethical leadership in schools

June 1, 2023

Amidst the voices questioning the efficacy and morality of the UK's current education system comes a compelling book by Angela Browne, star of the BBC2 documentary series School, offering a new, positive, ground-up approach to leading a school in times of challenge. This essential guide presents a crucial approach to ethical school leadership that places primary and secondary school leaders at the forefront of change in the education system. It provides an in-depth, realistic look at the current system, enabling school leaders to understand and contextualise their roles, before offering practical solutions to help them develop their leadership style, navigate the challenges they face and have a significant impact on their school and wider community. Written in the context of an education system on the edge of a crisis, with students burning out, staff walking out and schools under increasing pressure to singlehandedly provide the social care so many young people desperately need, Lighting the Way argues that schools stand on the threshold of a new way forward. Angela uses her wealth of experience to show school leaders the path to being torchbearers, leading children with purpose, staff with integrity and the community towards wisdom with practical strategies, optimism and guidance. What do we think? The book provides a compelling argument for the importance of ethical leadership in schools, emphasising the positive impact it can have on both students and staff. Angela draws on a wealth of research and real-world examples to demonstrate how ethical leadership can improve school culture, foster trust and respect among stakeholders, and ultimately lead to better outcomes for students. With practical advice and strategies for leaders to develop their ethical leadership skills, including how to build relationships, make tough decisions, and create a values-driven school culture.

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My Secret #EdTech Diary

June 1, 2023

With 30+ years' experience developing and using EdTech products, distilled down into an easy-to-read format, My Secret EdTech Diary aims to get you thinking about the past, present and future role of educational technology and how it influences and shapes our education system. My Secret EdTech Diary reflects on the history of EdTech, lessons learned pre and post-Covid, best practice suggestions, how to select the right solutions and the questions you need to consider before pursuing your digital ambitions. With unique insights from an Educators' and Vendors' perspective, advice for budding EduPreneurs, guidance for schools considering how to co-produce technology solutions with vendors and how to make the right choices, Al aims to shine a light on Educational Technology through the widest possible lens. With links to research, insights from trusted peers, quick ready-reckoner checklists, questions you need to be asking, alongside voices aligned from the sector, this book aims to get you up to speed and thinking big picture EdTech. What do we think? ‘My Secret #Edtech Diary explains the history of EdTech, and the great potential that is the future. It is an easy-to-read book, with lots of practical ideas to use in schools, and many time and money saving tips.   The book is divided into six sections, it guides you through ‘Unpicking Edtech’, ‘ Lessons learned with Edtech’, ‘Edtech from a vendor’s perspective’, ‘Planning ahead with your digital strategy’, ‘Voices Aligned’ and ‘Places to learn from - my top 10’s’ Kingsley sets the scene with an introduction to the Unpicking EdTech and brings it into context of today’s climate, which the book addresses remote learning. I really love the ‘Voices Aligned’ which asks key voices in the education world key questions like; ‘To me, EdTech means …’ and ‘What should EdTech vendors be doing to support schools?’ The answers are very insightful. “This is an interesting book which has lots of thoughtful and valuable information for school leaders from a range of different sources. If you are interested in everything about EdTech, then this is the book for you."

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Education Exposed 2: In pursuit of the halcyon dream: The curriculum is God, so make it

June 1, 2023

Education Exposed 2 follows on from Sam Strickland's first book, Education Exposed. The book is a pacy, punchy and forthright critique of how to drive the curriculum, behaviour and teaching within a school and the pivotal role that leadership plays in pursuing the halcyon dream. The book is neatly laid out, with each chapter identifying common curricular misconceptions, posing lots of key questions to consider and offering multiple practical ideas that you can take away. Every chapter ends with five key takeaway points for you to carefully consider. The book neatly interplays theory, research, Sam's expertise and experience coupled with a practical and real world approach. The first section of the book champions the importance of the curriculum and knowledge. The second section examines behaviour and how this can be driven by senior leaders coupled routine driven approach to learning. This section also takes you through a series of curriculum tools and teaching approaches that will assist you in thinking about how to implement and drive the curriculum. The third section of the book examines leadership; how leaders can champion the teacher as the expert and how a school culture can be supported and monitored carefully. Education Exposed 2 is relevant for anyone working in a school, irrespective of their position or role. It is designed to be an accessible, versatile and quick read. Equally, it can be used as a dip-in and dip-out guide. Multiple practical approaches and strategies are offered as key take-away points. What do we think? Sam's ideas are based on his extensive experience as an educator and school leader, giving him a grounded and realistic perspective which reflects in the book. It's a must-read for anyone interested in improving the curriculum, behaviour and teaching within a school, as it provides insightful analysis and practical recommendations for addressing the challenges facing the education system today. Strickland's writing style is engaging and accessible, making complex concepts easy to understand.

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Putting Staff First

June 1, 2023

If we do not ensure, first and foremost, that our teachers are happy, healthy, well qualified, highly motivated, hard-working, well-trained experts, they cannot be their best for their students. Consequently, a school which does not prioritise professional learning and managing staff workload which, as a consequence, will help improve staff wellbeing is disadvantaging its own students. Whilst it is easy to say that schools would not exist if it were not for the students, the glib converse is that without truly great school staff, the students would not be taught well enough. What we need as recruiting subject specialist teachers, school leaders and specialist support staff becomes increasingly difficult is a revolution in how we treat the adults in schools.  'What is the most important school-related factor in pupil learning? The answer is teachers', say Schwartz et al, and if they are correct, then we have to put our staff first because it is the only hope we have of securing what our students need most: top quality teachers (Schwartz et al, 2007).  And whilst we are determined to put staff first, that does not mean working in a blueprint school is an easy ride; far from it. We expect teachers to work hard and to be the best version of themselves they can possibly be.  If high quality teaching is the only thing that really matters when it comes to improving students outcomes, it follows, then, that we expect teachers in blueprint schools to accept the professional obligation to improve their practice; indeed, we consider that to be one of the most important aspects of being a teacher in a blueprint school.  The leadership wisdom you might find in this book is neither dogmatically based upon educational research evidence nor is it solely derived from our experience; it is a synthesis of both. What is common to everything we propose in our blueprint is that we unapologetically put staff first.  The Cambridge Dictionary defines a blueprint as an 'early plan or design that explains how something might be achieved'. Ten years after the Academies Act disrupted the structures of the English school system irrevocably, we want to look forward ten years hence, to a revitalised school system where our nation's teachers are thriving and, consequently, so are our students.  What follows is a 2030 blueprint to revitalise our schools that unashamedly puts staff first. What do we think? Great guidance on how to put staff first, including how to create a positive school culture, support professional development, and build effective teams.

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