Guest insight - Iain Green responds to Scenario 1: The one where the beloved headteacher has left the building…

by Iain Green

Iain Green, Head Teacher of Rugby Free Secondary School in Warwickshire responds to our first scenario: “The one where…the beloved headteacher has left the building”, below.

For a reminder of the scenario, it’s embedded!

What might you do to find out staff’s thoughts, ideas ,and feelings about the current provision?

Perhaps a little controversially, I'd advise Ahmed to steer clear of the generic survey / questionnaire in the first instance. In my experience, I tend to find that these can often be fairly polarised, meaning the data Ahmed really wants to collect may be hard to neatly ascertain. Instead, my advice to Ahmed would be to meet as many staff as possible, in the shortest window of time possible, and ask the same questions each time. If Ahmed chooses to, he can meet individuals on a 1:1 basis, but pressing time constraints means I would suggest to him to meet staff in groups (perhaps Departments, or career stages) - starting with Middle Leaders, who are the proverbial 'engine room' of the school. Ahmed should be clear on what he explicitly wants to know, with questions such as:

• What are your experiences of working here?

• What are the school's strengths?

• What does the school need to do next / more of?

• How can we work together to ensure we all contribute to the next phase of the school's development?

being key. Following this, 1:1 meetings could take place as the academic year progresses, as this enables Ahmed and his staff to build a relationship. One strategy I have always used is a Thursday 'Open Door' that staff can book a slot for, which is something Ahmed could implement should he wishes. Team meetings, based around strategies, may also be helpful.

One thing I would say to Ahmed, is that staff's views are significant, but triangulating them with students and parents/carers, is the only way to bring about any form of positive and collaborative change. I'd also want to be out-and-about frequently, in order to see with my own eyes how things appear on a day-to-day basis. Getting to know the history of the school and how it has traditionally operated is never a bad option, either. 

Finally, Ahmed could also consider the ways in which he can utilise staff briefings to cement / change the culture within the school, and how he can share the changes that are being implemented, and even more crucially, why. This will hopefully be a result of all of the above. 

What’s the non-solution? What would you avoid doing?

Any form of change often unsettles people, so overreacting and implementing new ideas and methods almost immediately, would not be advisable. Whilst it sometimes may feel like 'losing time', taking the proper time to feel secure in what is right and what needs to happen next, is crucial to any long-term success, so if Ahmed gave himself from September until October half term to establish a baseline, then this would hopefully prove worthwhile in the long-run. Ahmed could then use the half-term before Christmas to plan for a January launch. 

Ultimately, it seems as if the school is in a good position, which will give Ahmed the one thing that all new Headteachers need - time. Inevitably, some staff may have 'louder voices' than others, but this does not mean they have the 'correct' views. Ensure there is a connection between what you see and hear, before moving to implement any changes or next steps, and avoid simply acting to please the loudest few. 

What advice would you give Ahmed?

Be your own person. Whilst it may be appealing to try to replicate the previous Headteacher's style, this won't work for a number of reasons, though that does not mean that Ahmed should not reference the previous Headteacher respectfully. On a personal level, showcase the values that you would want others to incorporate on a daily basis; honesty, integrity, warmth and hard-work. On a strategic level, select your priorities and work with Senior Leaders on these, who can help and support in ensuring these are communicated with all staff, at all levels. 

With any change, clarity of communication and transparency are vital - staff will follow if they feel the Headteacher has their best interests at heart. Communicate a vision, and a set of timelines to achieve incremental points of change, as this will help staff to not feel overwhelmed. The SIP is a wieldy document, so having a slimmed down version of this to refer to when speaking with staff, also helps the feeling of being in control and not being overwhelmed. 

Ahmed is clear on his desire to bring about research-informed practice, so invest heavily in this, and demonstrate to staff the multiple benefits this can have for them, as this approach will improve classroom practice, support with behaviour management, and enable staff to see that Ahmed is investing in them as people and as teachers. 

My final piece of advice to Ahmed would be to ensure that he constantly checks the 'temperature' amongst staff, in order to ensure that he implements his ideas in a responsive manner, as opposed to simply implementing a fixed timeline of events.