This article is also available as a podcast click here to listen.

Behind many behaviour challenges lies something often overlooked — reading. In this episode, we explore the powerful connection between low reading age and poor behaviour, and why helping pupils read confidently may be the most effective behaviour strategy a school can use.

* The research connecting literacy and behaviour

* Why reading struggles often manifest as frustration or defiance

* How leaders can make reading everyone’s responsibility

* Practical interventions that rebuild confidence through language

* Why behaviour policies must start with literacy, not punishment

The full article canoe read here

What can UK headteachers learn from education systems around the world? In this first episode of the Global Insightsseries, we look at international research and practice — the successes, the challenges, and the lessons that act as a mirror for our own schools.

* Why looking outward helps leaders see their own system more clearly

* Examples of global approaches to curriculum, wellbeing, and equity

* What the UK can learn from both strengths and mistakes abroad

* How to use international insights to strengthen leadership at home

* Questions every leader should be asking of their own school in light of global practice

This article is the first in a new series exploring international education systems. Each week we will examine research and practice from around the world—celebrating what works, questioning what doesn’t, and holding up a mirror to our own system. Every post will include thoughtful questions for leaders to reflect on, helping us sharpen our practice in the UK. Please consider subscribing, either monthly or annually, to access the full series and receive these insights directly each week.

Making the move from classroom teacher to deputy head is one of the biggest transitions in education. It’s not just about new responsibilities — it’s about a new identity as a leader. In this episode, we explore what that journey really feels like: the excitement, the challenges, and the lessons no one tells you in advance.

* How the role of deputy bridges staff and headship

* The leadership skills that matter most in the transition

* Common pitfalls — and how to avoid them

* Why credibility comes from both expertise and humility

* Stories from leaders who made the step successfully

Headship is full of competing demands — inspection frameworks, staff wellbeing, curriculum priorities, community pressures. But the real strength of leadership is often found in the gaps: the quiet decisions, the unseen moments, the balance between one priority and the next.

In this episode, we explore what it means to lead in the gaps, why those spaces matter, and how headteachers can turn tension into strength.

* Why leadership is defined as much by the unseen as the visible

* How to find clarity between competing expectations

* The importance of reflective space for wise decisions

* Stories of headteachers who thrived by leading in the gaps

* Practical ways to turn tension into purposeful leadership

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The new Ofsted framework isn’t just about how schools are judged — it shapes the culture, priorities, and daily experiences of staff and pupils. In this in-depth episode, we explore how inspection frameworks influence school life, why culture matters more than compliance, and what leaders can do to ensure the framework works for them, not against them.

* How inspection language filters into staffrooms and classrooms

* Why culture is shaped as much by perception as by policy

* Practical steps for leaders to align culture with purpose, not fear

* The risks of letting inspection define the narrative of a school

* How leaders can use the framework as a tool for improvement, not anxiety

This article is also available as a podcast click here to listen.

Ofsted doesn’t just inspect schools — it shapes them through language. Every phrase in a report or framework carries weight, often saying more than it seems. In this episode, we explore how school leaders can decode Ofsted’s wording, understand the hidden signals, and prepare staff to respond with clarity and confidence.

* The key phrases inspectors use — and their real implications

* Why tone and wording matter as much as criteria

* How to prepare your staff to “speak Ofsted” without losing authenticity

* The risks of misinterpreting language during inspection

* Practical steps for leaders to turn inspection language into strategy

Science teaching often focuses on skills, experiments, and outcomes. But without story — the people, the discoveries, the moments of awe — science risks becoming flat. In this episode, we explore why story is as important as skills, and how weaving narrative into science lessons can inspire curiosity, deepen understanding, and connect children to the subject in powerful ways.

* Why stories bring science to life for pupils

* How narrative builds memory and meaning alongside practical skills

* Examples of scientists whose stories spark wonder in the classroom

* Practical ways leaders can embed story into science teaching

* Why story and skills together create a richer curriculum

Policies, priorities, and pressures shift constantly in education — but the most powerful gift a headteacher can give their school is consistency. In this episode, we explore why holding the line matters: how steady leadership builds trust, protects culture, and creates the conditions for staff and pupils to flourish.

* Why consistency is the foundation of progress

* The psychological impact of reliable leadership on staff and pupils

* How inconsistency erodes trust and morale

* Practical ways to hold the line under pressure

* Stories of schools transformed by consistent leadership

Behaviour policies often focus on control and compliance. But what if behaviour is really about belonging? In this episode, we explore how reframing behaviour through the lens of relationships and community can transform school culture — from punitive rules to practices that build trust, safety, and shared responsibility.

* Why belonging is the foundation of behaviour

* How rules without relationships fail to stick

* Practical ways to create a culture of fairness and consistency

* Stories of schools that shifted from compliance to connection

* What leaders can do to make behaviour about inclusion, not exclusion

Too often, writing in schools is judged by the final draft — neat, polished, and display-ready. But true writing success is measured in progression: the journey of ideas, vocabulary, structure, and confidence over time. In this episode, we explore why progression matters more than perfection, and how leaders can create a culture where children’s writing is valued as a process, not just a product.

* Why focusing on

“perfect drafts” narrows the purpose of writing

* How progression builds confidence and creativity

* Practical ways to track growth without stifling expression

* The role of leaders in shaping assessment and expectations

* Stories of how shifting the focus transformed writing outcomes