Reflections of an ex-head teacher

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the email pinged on my phone. It was lunchtime, and I was sitting with my partner at her dining table, about to tuck into a sandwich.  I am not a fan of using phones at the dining table, but I had been receiving a few emails over the past few weeks from publishers thanking me for submitting my manuscript, only to inform me that they would not be publishing my work. Almost all included a sentence about their rejection not being a reflection of the quality of my writing; the first time I read this, I was heartened, but after the third or fourth, I realised it was just something that publishing companies did. This email was different, though. I felt a massive bolt of adrenaline surge through my body when I read the line that said something to the effect of "We loved the book and would like to publish it." As I continued reading, my heart began to sink. This company, which will remain nameless, were not a 'traditional...

So, that was my mission. I was going to create a survival guide for new headteachers. It would contain all the inside information that I had gained over the last twelve years. It would undoubtedly end up on the bookshelf in every headteacher's office around the UK, and maybe even further afield. All I had to do was write it. It was pretty easy to plan the structure of the text. I would start with a couple of chapters on getting a job and then move on to building your team. Following that would be some chapters on school improvement, and I would definitely have to include how to deal with the many challenges that arise when working with parents. Finally, some focus on working with Ofsted inspectors would be of interest. I realised early in the writing process that I needed to establish a manageable writing timetable, as sitting at my desk and writing for six hours a day was not going to work for me. After some experimentation, I settled on a plan of writing for two hours every morni...

It is almost a year to the day since my career as a headteacher came to an end. After seventeen years in senior leadership, including twelve years as head of a primary school, I felt that I had done my time. To be honest, like many other leaders I knew, I was feeling completely burned out by the events of the last few years, so I needed a complete break for a while before seeking a fresh challenge to inspire me. Luckily, I finished in the middle of the cricket season, which meant I had ample opportunities to spend time in my happy place, watching the team I have supported for over forty years. The timing also worked well for a week in the sun, although that was tinged with sadness and the thought that financial restrictions might curtail my love of travel for a while, at least. By September, I was ready to consider my next steps. On reflection, I was not entirely ready, but after thirty years in teaching, the school calendar had become part of my DNA, so it was easier to go with a Sept...

Although I never enjoyed writing reports when I was a class teacher, I must confess that I do miss reading and commenting on them as a head.  I spent a good few evenings doing that every year around this time, though, and whilst I was reading, I would wonder if the vast number of hours each teacher spent on writing them was actually a good use of their time. Early in my leadership career, I decided that it wasn't, but I don't think I got any further than that in terms of devising a better idea. So, with 12 months' distance now from the classroom, I want to revisit that today and see if I can come up with a proposal that would fulfil three criteria. Manageable for teachers in terms of time Useful for parents Fulfils statutory school responsibilities Let's get number three out of the way first, as it is the easiest to cover.  In the guidance for schools on writing statutory end-of-year reports for parents, it states: "By the end of each summer term, headteachers must...