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Leadership Issues
Compliance
Compliance. It’s another of those ideas in education that drives people into their camps. For some, compliance or systems that generate compliant children are an outrage; children suppressed, their natural creativity crushed, their rights and freedoms denied, victims of authoritarian power structures that have no place in the modern world. For others, compliance is a … Continue reading
Lessons for Ed-Research from Quantum Gravity via @carlorovelli
I recently read this fabulous book by Carlo Rovelli. The book works on many levels. It is an attempt to explain the emerging theory of quantum gravity. This has numerous mind-blowing conceptual elements – such as the idea that spacetime is quantized, that time isn’t really a fundamental thing that ticks forward – it’s just … Continue reading
Towards an Assessment Paradigm Shift
Despite my reservations about some of the big data measures that are used to judge schools, I am hopeful that our discourse is shifting the debate on assessment in a very positive direction. If this continues it will represent an important paradigm shift with positive consequences for students’ learning and their overall school experience. The … Continue reading
Maximising P8: Macro-Micro Thinking – and Ethics.
In my view it’s a sad state of affairs that we are a long way down the road towards absolute Data Delusion; where teachers, school leaders and commentators are engaged in discussions about the quality of education provided by a school via a single two digit number that purports to capture a measure of the … Continue reading
Teaching for Distinction @OldhamCollege
The most exciting job I’ve had since starting out with Teacherhead Consulting has been working with Oldham College. Principal Alun Francis approached me to explore whether there was scope in applying current thinking around teaching and learning, curriculum planning and my experience of the delivery of CPD in schools to the FE setting. He … Continue reading
Here’s your school development plan – no, really, don’t thank me. #SLTchat
There are so many things you might need to do to take a school forward. Based on my reading and engagement with schools around the country this year, here are some areas I’d recommend for consideration. Before outlining the details, here are two preliminary considerations: A: Sort behaviour. Don’t do anything else until this feels … Continue reading
Schools that work for everyone? The challenges for comprehensive education. #educationfest
My talk at the Wellington Festival this year was originally intended to contribute to the discussion about new grammar schools. However, given that this idea seems to have been put aside – at least at any significant scale – I swerved it around to focus more on comprehensive schools. Years ago, when I worked at KEGS, … Continue reading
EVENT: Powerful Curriculum Design
If you are interested in curriculum design, this one-day course could be the perfect opportunity to explore a range of powerful ideas to take your school forward. Martin Robinson and I will be delivering the programme based on our experience working with schools around the country. Please come and join us for what promises to … Continue reading
School Leadership in 12 slides.
Last week I was asked to lead a workshop on leadership for some middle and senior leaders. Here are some of the ideas I shared. Believe me, I’m not preaching from on high. I’ve had some successes but there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t run through some kind of imagined … Continue reading
Headship Headaches: A brief index of leadership metaphors.
Hamster Wheel: Everyone is running round and round and round, getting nowhere fast but working really hard. There’s only one solution. Step off the wheel… STOP. Take a look around and think. What the hell are we doing? Let’s try something different…. Permanent White Water: There is no point telling people that it will pass; … Continue reading
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