According to UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring report, “Leadership is at the heart of quality education,” and there is a growing belief that educational leadership contributes to educational outcomes. The report reminded me of Ted Sundquist’s quote that “good teams incorporate teamwork into their culture, creating the building blocks for success.”
Excellent leaders are not excellent at everything. They are excellent at building teams to propel the school forward, whether that is HR and Operations, SLT, or subject leaders—the right people bring excellence each day. They also recognise that leadership does not exclusively belong to them—it belongs to the whole school and is a servant of that community not just during term time but beyond the school gate.
On the desk of every school leader is the improvement of the learning and teaching experiences in their schools and the positive outcomes for students at the examination level. Leaders need to synergise the school, promote the values of the school and lead it with confidence, knowledge, authority and drive. Their vision drives the culture and if a leader has high expectations and outcomes, then the whole school community will come to know what is expected of them and rise to meet the expectations.
A culture of high expectations starts with leaders, who must ensure the very best teachers are in front of their students. Expert teachers know that teaching and learning is a continuous process and one for which all in the school are accountable; when teachers are open to change and willing to adapt to new ideas and methodologies, teaching and learning experiences flourish.
Effective leaders ask their teachers what they need to improve and more often than not, it is time: time to plan and time to collaborate with their colleagues. In all schools, this can be a tricky and delicate balance especially when things get busy around assessment and reporting time. However continuous professional development is key to supporting teachers to be the best in their classrooms and beyond. There is so much talent within schools and much of it is hidden behind classroom doors-surveying staff about their careers and asking questions can help schools to utilise in-house talent and cascade that to staff which empowers and inspires teamwork and collaboration.
Excellent schools are underpinned by strategic planning and support systems that provide staff and the wider school community with parameters in which to operate. Effective leaders update and review policies to ensure they are fit for purpose while genuinely supporting the school’s mission and vision. By setting clear expectations and goals for everyone, a leader can instil confidence in their teams, promoting growth and change. A favourite saying is “What’s fair for one, is fair for all” and it is this saying that keeps schools stable. Of course, there will always be exceptions and a good leader can navigate exceptions with skill and empathy using the talent within HR and SLT to support and guide.
Leaders who excel can build and maintain relationships. In schools, relationships with parents, students and staff require nurturing and constant attention to ensure that every voice feels heard and valued. By taking the time to connect and listen, school leaders keep themselves synchronised with their communities and can adapt to the ebb and flow of school life.
Leadership is complex and school leadership is becoming increasingly more challenging as schools are expected to deliver at multiple levels, however, leaders cannot flourish in silos and whilst it often feels lonely, by developing a strong and robust team, you are building in the support you need to flourish.
Why All Schools Should Be Inclusive
Inclusive schools are schools full of kindness and tolerance which permeates into society. They are effective in promoting and practising equality and equity and allowing all children to thrive and flourish into adulthood.
The BBC World Radio documentary: “People Fixing the World” told the story of a young woman, now aged 22 called May, who invented ‘communication jumpers’, a very simple way to help people with autism communicate. For many autistic people, communication is difficult and they struggle to find the words to explain their thoughts and feelings. May created a series of jumpers that could be pointed to, to explain a thought or feeling-happy, sad, overwhelmed and she has sold over 10,000 jumpers worldwide.
Why is this remarkable? Because May is autistic herself, and proves that with the right support and encouragement, anyone can do amazing things in the world and that’s why we advocate for inclusive education.
Inclusive classrooms foster a sense of belonging and community, they help to build confidence as well as nurture kindness in school and beyond. Children become accepting and understanding of one another’s abilities, talents, personalities, and needs. Meaningful connections then bring great joy and help children build resilient friendships that develop as students spend quality time with one another. They take these qualities to the outside world, helping to make it a tolerant, more accepting space for all.
Equal access to education means that all children can learn alongside their same-age peers. Regardless of ability, children who learn side by side with a range of talents and capabilities are far more likely to achieve high grades at the senior level and go on to be successful post-school.
Inclusive practices support academic excellence because teachers have to adapt their teaching methods to suit the child, making it more meaningful and challenging. The focus of education is on the child’s abilities, helping to break down the barriers and myths of disabilities.
Research shows that children academically perform better when they are psychologically safe, and inclusive schools by their very nature are safe places for children as all feel accepted and welcome, thus the ripple effect of inclusion raises standards as well as promotes diversity.
Studies in the US show that companies that hired people with disabilities outperformed those that didn’t. Companies “refocused their training programs to capitalise on characteristics, creativity, problem-solving ability and loyalty, that people with disabilities often demonstrate leading to increased productivity and profitability.
Look at May’s example – a young entrepreneur and business owner whose creativity and problem-solving skills have helped thousands of people around the world. We owe it to our students to be inclusive.
