Scenario 1: The one where…the beloved headteacher has left the building…
by Get Real Leadership Hub
They were the kind of leader whose door was always open. They were the kind of leader that was showered with gifts at Christmas. They were the kind of leader whose departure from the school was followed by 5 days of grieving. Standards and outcomes at the school had remained just above average for many years under the beloved heads leadership but there had been very little room for new initiatives or innovation.
A very tough gig for the incoming head, Ahmed, who was excited to join the school but was contending with the very real legacy of the headteacher before him. Ahmed was excited to join the school, get to know the staff and consider what the strategic priorities of the school might be going forward.
He was also keen to develop more of an evidence-informed approach to school improvement. He was however faced with a challenge. How would Ahmed ‘win over’ the staff and instil a sense of confidence in his leadership, whilst respecting what had gone before? Some of the things Ahmed was grappling with:
how to figure out the ‘state of play’ in the school without appearing judgmental of what had gone before.
how to connect with the staff and share his ways of working.
how to instil a culture of continuous improvement in a school which had done things the same way for many years under the previous head’s leadership.
The Questions
1) What might you do to find out staff’s thoughts, ideas and feelings about the current provision?
2) What’s the non-solution? What would you avoid doing?
3) What advice would you give Ahmed?
