Looking back over the last 12 months of this column, I am struck by how much the three contributors, including myself, have covered over time – and also by how much empathy I feel with my fellow heads when I read their columns.
The common themes ran through – Ofsted, the chief inspector, the secretary of state, exams entry and grading, staffing, and of course, the most important of all, our students, all have featured regularly.
It seems to me that at this time of year it is permissible to concentrate a little on ourselves as heads. As we come to thoughts of the summer break and plans to take some respite from the day-to-day rigour of leading our schools, I reflect on the breadth of our work and the need like never before for strong and optimistic leadership based on the three “Rs” – resilience, reflection and responsibility. Just as we hope to inculcate these skills in our students, they also go hand-in-hand with the territory of headship.
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