Heads up October 15 by John Houston

Eight Qualities of Successful School Leaders Author Jeremy Sutcliffe interviewed the UK’s best headteachers to find out what makes a good leader What are the qualities needed to be a successful school leader? This is the question I set out to answer in a new book for which I interviewed some of the UK’s best headteachers. It started with a challenge: imagine you are cast adrift on a desert island with a school full of children in desperate need of a great headteacher. What eight qualities would you take with you to run your desert island school? The challenge, based on the long-running BBC radio programme Desert Island Discs, produced a treasure trove of contributions from school leaders. Their insights, stories and experiences confirmed my belief that, while there might well be a common set of qualities that are crucial for successful leadership, there is also scope for different leadership styles. Far from being clones enslaved by government diktat or professional orthodoxy, the best headteachers run their schools through conviction and often sheer personality. Even so, they do share some vital leadership qualities. So here are eight to take with you to your own desert island. Vision It’s easy to dismiss the concept of “vision” as vague and woolly, but the best school leaders are visionaries with a clear sense of moral purpose. Successful leaders have “great vision – the ability to formulate and shape the future, rather than be shaped by events”, says Richard Harman, headmaster of Uppingham School, Rutland. Courage Successful school leaders show great determination, with the willpower and patience to see things through. They are willing to take risks and are steadfast in challenging under-performance or poor behaviour. “There’s a mental courage that you don’t waver from,” says Madeleine Vigar, principal of the Castle Partnership Academy Trust in Haverhill, Suffolk. Passion “We are there for the children and we mustn’t ever forget that,” says Llyn Codling, executive headteacher of Portswood, St Mary’s and Weston Park primary schools, Southampton. Like Codling, successful school leaders are passionate about teaching and

Reprinted from the Guardian, this article is a taste of what’s included in Jeremy Sutcliffe’s new book learning and show great commitment to children. They take an active interest in their pupils’ work – and that of their staff. Emotional intelligence Successful school leaders are teambuilders. They understand the importance of relationships, empower their staff and pupils and show great empathy. “Get the relationships right – open, trusting, humorous – and much else follows naturally,” says Kingsbridge Community College principal, Roger Pope. “They feel motivated. They want to follow you.” Judgment The best headteachers show great judgment, make the right calls and are wise leaders. Crucially, however, it isn’t simply a matter of acting alone. It’s about involving the whole school community and taking people forward together. Resilience The business of headship is full-on and, at times, gruelling. Successful school leaders are optimistic and resilient, remain calm in a crisis and are energetic and positive at all times. “It about really knowing yourself and having personal strategies so you are able to steady yourself in stormy waters,”

says Catherine Paine, primary head and assistant CEO of REAch2 Academy Trust, Waltham Forest. Persuasion The best school leaders are confident communicators and storytellers. They are great persuaders and listeners, adept at describing ‘the story of their school’ to any audience. They are also great motivators. “Getting people to do things and go that extra mile lies at the heart of good leadership,” says Kenny Frederick, former headteacher at George Green’s School, Tower Hamlets. Curiosity Successful school leaders are outwardlooking and curious. As Teresa Tunnadine, headteacher at the Compton School in Barnet, states: “Headship is about having at least one foot outside of the school looking at what’s going on elsewhere and picking up good ideas.” They are excellent networkers and great opportunists, always in touch with events. Jeremy Sutcliffe is author of Eight Qualities of Successful School Leaders: the desert island challenge, published by Bloomsbury.

Sponsored by

he Optima Partnership delivers professional development aligned to ‘Developing Excellence in Leadership and Management’ specifically for schools. The company explains that in the new term there will likely be many staff being promoted into roles managing adults yet may have had relatively little training or development for such a role. Optima has been operating for 10 years in both public and independent sector settings. The company has now developed a Level 5 Post Graduate Diploma in Leadership and Management tailored to school leaders in middle management and accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management. The Diploma is being orchestrated from Milton Keynes this year. It may be possible for this programme to be run in Southwark under a reduced rate programme provided there are sufficient numbers interested. Anyone keen to explore this excellent course, should contact yolanda@headexec.com or call 07770 347616 to register their interest. Such a Diploma Programme would normally cost £1500 - £2000 at a college or university, plus the associated costs of attendance. The Optima Programme can be delivered for Southwark at just £1290 plus VAT and at a local venue. This would be subject to a prerequisite number of delegates. There is more information on the website: www.OptimaCPD.co.uk.

Get a tycoon in your school!

ycoon in Schools is a free national enterprise competition, which aims to encourage the UK’s budding entrepreneurs to get involved in business by giving them a start-up loan of between £50 and £1000 to run a business whilst at school or college. Launched in 2012 by Peter Jones CBE and supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and referenced in Lord Young’s ‘Enterprise For All’ review, Tycoon in Schools was developed as a direct response to repeated calls for a national enterprise challenge in schools. The competition allows students to start and run a business whilst at school or college, thereby allowing them to gain valuable hands-on experience of what is involved with running a business. Tycoon in Schools takes place on an annual basis, with trading kicking off during the autumn term. The competition is divided into a number of different phases and culminates with an awards ceremony in the spring term. In previous years, this ceremony has been hosted at Buckingham Palace. For more information about this year’s competition, have a look at the timeline, and you can check out the highlights from the 2014 competition here! You can register for 2016 here. The competition is open to applicants

TV’s dragon Peter Jones is less intimidating when it comes to school enterprise initiatives

aged 5-18 years, attending primary or secondary school in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, from both the private and state sector. In addition, students aged 18 and under in Further Education College are also eligible to take part. For FAQs and full terms & conditions download the competition pack from the teacher area. Established in 2005, the Foundation has the vision to educate, encourage and support the next generation in Britain in achieving their potential. The Foundation believes that all young people deserve a brighter future and helps them reach their potential through a range of pioneering education activities and initiatives which champion and celebrate enterprise and entrepreneurship. Tycoon in Schools is one of these initiatives. The scheme helps teachers build upon and cement an enterprising culture

within their school, the Foundation has also developed the Peter Jones Enterprise School Award. This newest initiative is designed to complement Tycoon in Schools and support teachers and students with the development of entrepreneurship and enterprise skills by providing the opportunity for students to run their own Peter Jones Enterprise Club at school.

For all your information needs visit www.southwarkheads.org.uk

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SCAS goes to ARK All Saints The Southwark Costumes and Artifacts Service (SCAS) is now located within Ark All Saints Academy, 140 Wyndham Road, Camberwell SE5 0UB Because the service is now in a secondary school if you are visiting during the day you will need to show photo ID. It is also imperative you let me know before you come, when you intend to visit, so that I can meet you in the reception where I will sign you into the building. If you are coming by public transport the main entrance to the school is on Wyndham Road. If you are coming by car the entrance is in Farmers Road - its the first gate, just before Highshore School. Press the buzzer on the gate. You will have to sign in at reception, where I’ll meet you. Once in the car park to get to reception walk along the side of the building, press the green button on the wall to get out of the gate onto Wyndham Road. Ring me and I’ll meet you in reception. If necessary, if you are returning a lot of items, I can bring a trolley to your car once you have signed in. The service is located on the second floor of the school. The opening times are by appointment between 10am-6pm.

Find your way around Southwark A free learning tool lets schools explore the hidden history of Southwark Working with Southwark-based social enterprise Ugly Duck, Southwark Council has developed a new online treasure hunt for the Elephant and Castle, and invites schools to come and compete! There are two trails – one for teenagers and adults using smart phones and one for younger children using an arty map. There are lots of great prizes available to win and the competition will take place during half term on 24/25/28 October

Supplier plays part in attracting big grant

In an unusual partnership, Pentagon Sport helped Hollydale Primary School secure a grant of nearly £10,000 to pay for additional climbing equipment for the playground. Sam Flatman from Pentagon Sport was initially put in contact with Reema Reid, the Headteacher Hollydale, by Yolanda Houston from the Southwark Headteachers Executive. Reema was interested in the Funding Finder Service that Pentagon operates, as it provides a way for schools to gain additional finance. Sam met with Reema and discussed the various things that would benefit the children and the wider community. Sam said: “Reema was very keen to get additional climbing challenges for her children as the existing playgrounds had little to offer…The school’s playground space is also quite limited and so I suggested something that would provide a challenge, without taking up too much space…the Log Frame Climber is the perfect solution, with lots of gross motor skill challenges to keep Reema’s children fit and active.” The school was eligible for a grant because it has links to the wider community - in this case the breakfast and after school clubs that operate in the school. As Sam explained “Health and wellbeing for the wider community ticks lots of boxes for the grant provider because the children in the clubs will

be able to use the climbing frame before and after school. “We try to make it a simple process, so once Reema and I met up, I sent over my drawings and a quote and set up a phone call between Reema and Nikki (Pentagon’s bid writer). Nikki completed the bid and shortly afterwards the school was accepted. The whole process took a couple of months. The school was able to get all the money needed to pay for the climbing frame and the necessary safer impacting surface. Pentagon is now liaising with Hollydale to work out a time for the installation to take place.

DANCE EDUCATES Dance Educates offers a unique approach to learning with an emphasis on dance and movement. Its aims are to: Work closely with teachers, developing confidence in delivering multi-sensory sessions; Develop unique programmes to coincide with your schools over-all strategy; Sustain this method of teaching over a prolonged period rather than a one off project.

As a legacy the web based version will remain for use by anyone afterwards.

The organisation runs continued professional development programmes for teachers that allow the Dance Specialist and classroom teacher to work together, delivering the sessions as a team with the class teacher gradually taking over and delivering the session independently.

The website is www.cityhunt.co.uk/ and queries to rosie@uglyduck.org.uk

For more information, contact Katie Vernon-Smith, Director, Dance Educates Ltd. Tel: 07795 416172 www.danceeducates.co.uk

For all your information needs visit www.southwarkheads.org.uk