We have had incredible demand for @TheNCE_ programmes this year, so I have been pitching in to help school leaders discuss their professional development. About 160 people over the past 6 weeks. These calls tend to start with ... how are you managing during this crisis? 1/

Some observations from these calls.
1) Leaders are stressed by the situation but coping more so now than before Easter holidays.
2) They are completely focused on serving their community of pupils and staff but also the wider community of parents and other families. 1/

3) Many are running food banks or getting food to families where the FSM vounchers have failed. Schools by and large haven't failed to deliver the actual food.
4) Leaders are very focused on the most vulnerable pupils and their families, making home calls for those at risk. 1/

5) They tend to use Zoom rather than Teams.
6) They are using a large variety of online resources to support their students (see @TeacherTapp survey).
7) Leaders are thinking with clarity about the future (their communities future) and that of their staff w/large focus on CPD. 1/

8) They tend to see the @educationgovuk guidance as just that, guidance. Serving communities appears more important now than central government.
9) Leaders hope that they are now being seen as key workers and this will raise their status in the public's eye.
Let's hope so.