In this episode of HEP Talks, host Luke Kemper sits down with Sonia Gill, educational leadership coach, author, and founder of Heads Up, to explore what school excellence looks like and how to successfully deal with difficult conversations. Sonia shares her insights on high-performing teams and the importance of cultivating school culture, offering practical strategies for school leaders to unlock their team’s potential. Together, they discuss Ofsted’s recent move away from one-word judgments and the broader implications of excellence in education. The path of a school going from 'good' to 'outstanding' is laid out in full detail in Sonia's upcoming training session at HEP, titled "Breaking the Glass Ceiling of Good".

Sonia also introduces her other upcoming professional learning sessions for HEP, "Successful Difficult Conversations" and "Difficult Conversations with Parents." These sessions, tailored for school leaders and anyone who may need to deal with a difficult conversation in school, cover how to elevate team performance and handle challenging conversations effectively—whether with staff or parents. Sonia highlights common issues like bullying, SEND-related concerns, and managing parent complaints, providing valuable tips to address these complex, often emotionally charged situations with kindness and efficiency.

Find all dates and details of 'Successful Difficult Conversations' sessions here and find all 'Breaking the Glass Ceiling of Good' sessions here. You can find and book all of HEP's training on the HEP Booking Hub.