Following on from Duncan’s tips for Headteachers, Keith Brown, Headmaster of Willington Prep, gives you 7 More Top Tips for Heads.
It is commonplace that an incoming Prime Minister or President is often pushed by the media on what they will achieve in the first 100 days in office. Although not such a lofty office, becoming Head does carry some expectations in that initial period as all the school stakeholders figure out what you are bringing to the table. 100 days will take you well into the spring term so there will be ample time to make your mark, even if it will be in the smallest of ways to begin with.
If I had read Duncan Murphy’s excellent piece on his Top Tips for New Headteachers (of which I concur wholeheartedly), five years ago, as I was about to embark on my first Headship, it would have been extremely helpful in navigating that first 100 days, and beyond. I felt I was in a good position to do the job justice, I had been on the courses, read the books, even had a couple of letters after my name, thinking that would add some gravitas to the job title. Little did I know. I had my vision, it was all about evolution not revolution and everything would be fine. I would give myself a year to figure out what was good and what needed to change and then get down to the serious work.
Heading into my fifth year now I can safely say that as learning curves go, this is the steepest I’ve ever been on, but at the same time, by far the most rewarding and enjoyable. In that time a lot of water has passed under the bridge and if you are interested, then this is what I have learnt.
Tip #1 You won’t have a year, you may not even have 100 days, but start with the culture.
If you find a culture that exists and you don’t like it, then challenge it quickly. Don’t sit there stewing and do nothing about it, you will only kick yourself later by not doing something. For me, it wasn’t early on but by the end of the first term, there were sufficient cultural practices that needed to be addressed. It will send out a message to everyone that your standards are high, and start the sometimes slow process of changing cultures.
Tip #2 Don’t try to be the expert in everything.
Although everyone will expect you to have the answer to everything and want an answer now, that’s not your job. This is where Duncan’s tip of buying yourself time comes in handy, offer the ‘let me get back to you on that one’ and then find the person on your team who does know the answer. It may well be the case that the answer you get from your team member is not the answer you wanted to hear, and only highlights some of the issues you are facing (see Tip #1). This leads me nicely to Tip #3.
Tip #3 Build your strongest team.
This is definitely not a job that is done in the first 100 days but something that needs to be addressed. Colonel Tim Collins’ advice on leadership was to get yourself a plan and then surround yourself with people who can help you carry out that plan. It is the same in schools. Getting the best people for any job is not easy but you will quickly work out what you need and what you don’t. If you have read ‘Good to Great’ by Jim Collins, his analogy of getting the right people on the bus, and sitting in the right seats, is a good place to start. From this tip, it will not come as a surprise as I move on to the next tip.
Tip #4 Don’t stop learning.
You have to be an outward-looking person who is willing to accept that you’re not the finished article and that you have a lot to learn (Tip #2). Read everything, books on education, leadership, business etc. Listen to podcasts, and speak to other new and experienced Heads. Go to conferences and talk to people, find out what they are doing and the issues they face. You will find that with no experience or 20 years of Headship, we all face the same issues at some point. It will make you feel that you are by no means alone in this job and there are plenty of people who are willing to give you their time to help in any way. If you haven’t tried coaching yet, I would highly recommend it. I think my next tip is very much linked to this one but aimed at different stakeholders.
Tip #5 You have to be a people person.
In many ways, this is similar to Duncan’s tip on communication. For me, the best part of the job is meeting people and as the Head, speaking to parents on a daily basis is so important. Post-pandemic, I am sure many of you are all zoomed out and face-to-face meetings are preferable. Zoom has its place and it is great in so many instances, but nothing will ever beat that 10 or 15 minutes at the school gate, chatting with parents and getting a sense of how they are and how their children are enjoying school. Many issues can be dealt with in that time and you have to love it. Most of it is small talk but parents will feel they have access to you, even if it’s just a ‘hello’. If you don’t like the social side of being a Head you may find it quite a difficult job.
Tip #6 Stay humble.
I read somewhere that the best piece of advice given to a new teacher was that they won’t build a statue of you when you leave. As long as you remember it’s not about you, then you won’t go far wrong. In these days of social media and the constant stream of self-promotion (that is now creeping into the education world) and the brand building of individuals, stay true to yourself and the people you serve. Whilst it is great to be part of the education debates that take place online, it really isn’t about what you write in public but what you deliver in private that your parents and pupils will appreciate most.
And finally,
Tip #7 Don’t ever throw the towel in.
There will always be bad days when everything you do and say goes wrong. Keep your eye on the big picture, take a step back and look ahead. The impact you will have over the long term will be the most rewarding thing you will ever have done; don’t let the mistakes of today derail your vision. One day you will go off on a conference and leave the school in the capable hands of the team you have built, and you won’t be missed! There is no denying that it can be a challenge being the Head, but there is also no denying that it is the best job in the world.
I could go on with a list that would match Jordan B Peterson’s 12 Lessons for Life, but it would by no means be a bestseller. It would just be my take on a job that so many do better than I do. My last piece of advice – get stuck in and enjoy every day of it, because when it’s over you’ll miss it. You will be great at it.
You can follow Keith on LinkedIn here.
Read Duncan Murphy’s 7 Top Tips for New Heads here.