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Thread: My take on school leadership, the DfE, reopening schools.
1. Since the beginning of the crisis schools have done some of the best, most important work we have ever done.
2. Most trust and school leaders have proved themselves to be true civic and community leaders
1. Since the beginning of the crisis schools have done some of the best, most important work we have ever done.
2. Most trust and school leaders have proved themselves to be true civic and community leaders
3. This has been by always doing what we know is right for our communities; acting now and worrying later
4. For a range of reasons, the govt has been several steps behind us. Late guidance throughout; failure on FSM; late on IT etc
5. We have consistently filled the vacuum
4. For a range of reasons, the govt has been several steps behind us. Late guidance throughout; failure on FSM; late on IT etc
5. We have consistently filled the vacuum
6. Schools will reopen fully; we don’t yet know when and how
7. All school leaders want pupils, staff and families to be safe and well. We want to get this right
8. Schools, school staff & school leaders have never had a greater level of trust from parents & communities
7. All school leaders want pupils, staff and families to be safe and well. We want to get this right
8. Schools, school staff & school leaders have never had a greater level of trust from parents & communities
9. This trust has come from us leading calmly and communicating honestly. It has not come from wading into one side or another of binary political debates
10. The government’s published guidance is NOT a detailed blueprint for re-opening schools
10. The government’s published guidance is NOT a detailed blueprint for re-opening schools
11. There is nothing in it that a group of competent school leaders would not (and have not already) come up with in a 60 minute meeting
12. There is no additional practical support
13. The rhetoric of all primary year groups before summer is far ahead of the reality
12. There is no additional practical support
13. The rhetoric of all primary year groups before summer is far ahead of the reality
14. E.g. “pods” of 15 require min 2 staff and 1 room. That puts almost every school at max 50% capacity. That’s absolutely fine but be honest with parents & stop over-promising
15. Guidance reads less like a serious proposal and more like abdicating responsibly & handing to Heads
15. Guidance reads less like a serious proposal and more like abdicating responsibly & handing to Heads
16. No serious proposal in such a grave situation would be published without consultation with NAHT & others
17. No serious proposal would make such a late change to Y10/Y12 between Sunday & Monday night or contain phrases like “further detail in the coming weeks”
17. No serious proposal would make such a late change to Y10/Y12 between Sunday & Monday night or contain phrases like “further detail in the coming weeks”
18. This sets a trap for unions - refuse to work, take the blame & destroy the image of the profession
19. This began with trailing stories in the Mail on Sunday on 10/5/20
20. Unions refusing even to plan in schools are walking towards the trap
19. This began with trailing stories in the Mail on Sunday on 10/5/20
20. Unions refusing even to plan in schools are walking towards the trap
So....
- We want to re-open when it is safe for pupils, staff & families
- We don’t want lectures from people who have never worked in schools about safeguarding, lost learning and gaps. We live a breathe this stuff every day and night of our lives
- We want to re-open when it is safe for pupils, staff & families
- We don’t want lectures from people who have never worked in schools about safeguarding, lost learning and gaps. We live a breathe this stuff every day and night of our lives
- Heads & CEOs are carrying a greater weight of responsibility than ever before
- We need calm heads; we need greater transparency; we need to dial down the rhetoric
- We need gtr honesty from govt about what is possible & about level of risk
- We need serious planning from govt
- We need calm heads; we need greater transparency; we need to dial down the rhetoric
- We need gtr honesty from govt about what is possible & about level of risk
- We need serious planning from govt
And above all else, every single person who is involved in education needs to abandon partisanship and slogan politics, get back to working together to keep pupils, staff and families safe and reopen schools more fully as soon as it is safe to do so.
