Headship After Hours

Paul Collin

This podcast is for headteachers, executive heads and trust leaders who want to lead well without losing themselves in the process.
I'm Paul Collin, former head and leadership coach. I talk about isolation, pressure, governing bodies, staff dynamics, attendance and the inner work of staying grounded. I also run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for heads in complex schools — for when attendance feels fragile and rests on too few people.
Apply now → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/

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S1 · E43
Friday · 31 min
Why Great Headteachers Know When to Slow Down | Rob Connolly
What makes a school somewhere people genuinely want to belong — and stay? Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin sits down with Rob Connolly, Executive Headteacher of Harleston Sancroft Academy, to explore school culture, belonging, authentic leadership and what it takes to sustain yourself through the pressures of headship. Rob has spent 15 years serving the same school community. Today, he leads an all-through school spanning nursery to Key Stage 4, having led the process of bringing previously separate primary and secondary schools together. The conversation explores: Why Rob believes people must come first Building school culture intentionally, every day Why relationships can't be reduced to a leadership strategy Recruiting the person, not simply the CV Bringing primary and secondary cultures together Creating curriculum continuity from Early Years to Key Stage 4 Belonging, trust, respect, care and love in schools Holding high expectations without losing humanity Protecting culture when leadership pressure increases Staff retention and investing in people Why leaders don't need to have every answer Finding an identity outside headship Why sustainable leaders sometimes need to slow down Rob also shares a powerful lesson from more than two decades in education:' “Lead who you are. Teach who you are.” This is a conversation about creating great schools without losing sight of the people inside them — including yourself. 🎙️ Headship After Hours — honest conversations about school leadership and the realities of leading schools. Chapters: 00:00 – Building Community Through Relationships 01:02 – Meet Rob Connolly 03:10 – Rob's Journey Into Headship 07:16 – Putting People Before the CV 08:57 – The Challenge of Leading an All-Through School 13:16 – How Do You Actually Build School Culture? 18:41 – Protecting Belonging Under Leadership Pressure 23:56 – High Expectations Without Losing Care 26:09 – Finding an Identity Beyond Headship 27:44 – Rob's Advice to New Headteachers 29:46 – Lead Who You Are
S1 · E42
September 11 · 10 min
What Strong Headteachers Do in the First 10 Days
The first 10 days of the school year can reveal an enormous amount about your school culture, leadership and consistency. Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin explores what strong headteachers do differently at the beginning of a new school year — and why trying to launch every priority at once can actually weaken your start. Behaviour. Attendance. Teaching. Safeguarding. Systems. Vision. Values. The improvement plan. They all matter. But when everything becomes a priority, staff and students can struggle to understand what matters most. Paul explores five leadership principles for the first 10 days: creating simplicity around a small number of high-leverage behaviours, purposeful leadership visibility, recognising what is working, listening without constantly changing direction, and responding calmly when the first inevitable wobble arrives. You'll hear practical questions for headteachers and senior leaders around: school culture and consistency behaviour expectations and routines attendance leadership visibility staff alignment recognition communication with families responding when systems are tested building credibility with staff and pupils The goal isn't to win the entire year in 10 days. It's to establish the conditions that make the rest of the year possible. Because school culture isn't built by how strongly you launch. It's built by what adults repeat once the launch is over. 🎙️ Headship After Hours — honest conversations about school leadership and the realities of leading schools. 00:00 – What the First 10 Days Reveal 01:21 – Why September Gets Overloaded 02:08 – Strong Leaders Create Simplicity 04:59 – Why Adult Consistency Matters 05:55 – Visible Leadership With Purpose 07:00 – Recognise What Is Working 07:53 – Listen Without Losing Direction 08:43 – How Leaders Handle the First Wobble 09:34 – 5 Questions to Ask Before the Year Begins
S1 · E42
September 4 · 38 min
Why Behaviour Strategies Fail When Children Don’t Feel Safe | Neil Moggan
What if challenging behaviour isn't simply a discipline problem — but a sign that a young person doesn't yet feel safe, connected or regulated enough to learn? Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin is joined by Neil Moggan, founder of Future Action and author of Time to Rise Up, to explore trauma-informed practice, behaviour, relationships, mental wellbeing and the role movement can play in helping pupils regulate. Neil shares his own journey from PE leadership into trauma-informed practice, including how changing his approach helped reduce send-outs in his PE department by 95%, while attendance and predicted grades for some of the most challenging pupils also improved. Paul and Neil explore: Why safety and connection come before learning Trauma-informed approaches to behaviour Why relationships should sit at the heart of school improvement Movement as a tool for regulation and belonging Supporting pupils with ADHD and additional needs Maintaining high standards without re-traumatising young people Staff regulation and teacher wellbeing How leadership pressure can affect relationships with pupils Practical strategies schools can use to create calmer environments Why belonging matters for behaviour, attendance and learning Neil also explains the Rise Up approach and shares practical examples of how movement, inclusive activities, stress-busting strategies and relationship-led practice are being used across mainstream, specialist and alternative provision. One example comes from a specialist school where physical holds for one cohort reduced from 50 in Year 5 to 10 in Year 7 after the development of a Rise Up Sports Sanctuary and personalised regulation strategies. The central message is simple: Help children feel safe. Help them regulate. Then create the conditions for them to learn. 🎙️ Headship After Hours — honest conversations about school leadership, attendance, culture and the realities of leading schools. 00:00 – Safety Before Learning 00:18 – Introducing Neil Moggan 05:58 – What Is Trauma-Informed Practice? 08:58 – Movement, Regulation & Belonging 10:53 – The Rise Up Approach 17:34 – What This Looks Like in Real Schools 18:28 – From 50 Physical Holds to 10 21:08 – Why Relationships Matter in Implementation 23:25 – Education, Belonging & Human Connection 24:47 – When Leadership Pressure Changes Relationships 27:32 – Did Schools Get Behaviour Wrong After Lockdown? 29:06 – Staff Wellbeing & Self-Regulation 33:59 – One Simple Strategy Leaders Can Use Tomorrow 36:19 – Neil’s Advice for School Leaders
S1 · E41
August 28 · 42 min
When Mainstream School Isn’t Working | Hugh Viney
What happens when a young person wants to learn — but the traditional school environment simply isn't working for them? In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin is joined by Hugh Viney, founder and CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA), to explore online and hybrid education, school attendance, SEND, emotionally based school avoidance and what happens when we begin designing education around the needs of the child. Hugh shares the story behind Minerva Virtual Academy and why growing numbers of families began looking for alternatives when their children were struggling with anxiety, neurodivergence or the demands of mainstream education. The conversation explores: Why some pupils thrive outside a traditional classroom SEND, anxiety and barriers to school attendance Emotionally based school avoidance The four barriers some children experience in mainstream education Making the school fit the child rather than forcing the child to fit the school Online, asynchronous and flipped learning The role of one-to-one mentoring and pastoral support Using engagement data to identify when pupils need help Maintaining academic expectations alongside wellbeing How schools and local authorities can use alternative provision Whether hybrid schooling could become a mainstream option Why online education doesn't necessarily mean isolation Hugh also challenges one of the biggest assumptions surrounding virtual education: that learning online automatically means less community, fewer friendships and weaker outcomes. For some young people, he argues, removing barriers associated with the physical environment can actually allow them to engage, build relationships and rediscover confidence in learning. About Minerva Virtual Academy This episode is supported by Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA), a DfE-accredited online school working with young people for whom traditional school attendance may not currently be working. MVA works with families, schools and local authorities to provide an online educational pathway, including live teaching, independent learning, mentoring and pastoral support. For school leaders considering alternative or complementary provision for a young person, further information about Minerva Virtual Academy can be found at: Minerva Virtual Academy: www.minervavirtual.com About Hugh Viney Hugh Viney is the founder and CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy. After founding Minerva Tutors, Hugh launched MVA in 2021 as an alternative educational model for young people who may not thrive within traditional mainstream schooling. In this conversation, Hugh shares his perspective on the future of virtual and hybrid education and why he believes alternative models should increasingly be viewed as a genuine educational choice rather than simply a last resort. Connect with Hugh Viney on LinkedIn. 🎧 Headship After Hours — honest conversations about the realities of school leadership, education and building better systems for young people. 00:00 – Why Some Children Thrive Outside Mainstream School 01:50 – About Minerva Virtual Academy 02:10 – Introducing Hugh Viney 08:19 – Why Minerva Virtual Academy Grew So Quickly 11:38 – SEND, Attendance & School Avoidance 13:09 – Why Families Look Beyond Mainstream School 15:22 – What COVID Revealed About How Children Learn 18:57 – Making the School Fit the Child 19:52 – The Four Barriers to Mainstream School 24:20 – The Power of One-to-One Mentoring 27:19 – Technology, Learning & Human Connection 33:18 – What School Leaders Can Learn From MVA 34:44 – Can Online School Lead Pupils Back to Mainstream? 37:22 – The Future of Hybrid Schooling 39:12 – The Biggest Myth About Online School 41:10 – Belonging, Happiness & High Expectations
S1 · E40
August 21 · 1 hr 34 min
How Great Headteachers Build School Culture
What really changes a school? After more than 26 years in education, including 10 years as a headteacher, Paul Collin reflects on the leadership lessons that shaped his career and why sustainable school improvement always begins with people. Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this conversation, Paul discusses school culture, leadership, behaviour, attendance, relationships, teacher development, school improvement and why young people thrive when they feel genuinely valued. The discussion explores: • Why culture matters more than quick fixes • Building sustainable school improvement • Relationships before behaviour • Leadership beyond job titles • Why attendance starts with belonging • Developing teachers through coaching rather than pressure • Why schools must create environments where young people can succeed Whether you're a headteacher, teacher, trust leader or aspiring leader, this conversation offers practical insights into building schools where both staff and pupils thrive. 00:00 – Why School Culture Changes Everything 01:48 – Introducing Paul Collin 02:40 – Who Is Paul Outside Education? 05:10 – When Headship Becomes Your Identity 06:14 – Work-Life Integration for School Leaders 08:43 – 26 Years in Education & 10 Years in Headship 11:54 – Why Paul Left Headship 14:28 – The Truth About School Improvement Consultancy 17:18 – Leadership, Trusts and Executive Leadership 19:23 – Should CEOs Have Teaching Experience? 23:20 – Why Relationships Matter More Than Behaviour 24:31 – Attendance, Leadership and School Improvement 25:36 – Why Teachers Must Keep Growing 27:40 – Dream-Weaving: The Teachers We Never Forget 29:52 – Behaviour Is an Outcome, Not the Problem 35:21 – Culture Is the Foundation of School Improvement 36:01 – What Excites Paul About Transforming Schools 37:45 – Why You Can't Rush School Improvement 39:32 – The First Thing to Fix in Any School 41:05 – Why Uniform Still Matters 46:30 – Standards, Pride and Professionalism 50:58 – Rethinking 'Disadvantage' in Education 52:30 – Closing the Attainment Gap 57:18 – The Education White Paper 01:01:30 – The Questions We Should Ask Pupils 01:04:25 – Mobile Phones, Schools and Social Media 01:10:00 – What Makes a Great Teacher? 01:20:00 – The Power of Relationships in Schools 01:30:40 – Why Headship After Hours Exists
S1 · E39
August 14 · 11 min
The Part of Headship Nobody Prepares You For
Nobody prepares you for the emotional switching required in headship. Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin explores the hidden emotional labour of being a headteacher — moving from deeply personal or confidential conversations straight into assemblies, meetings, difficult decisions and moments of celebration. The school doesn't pause while its headteacher processes what they've just heard. Paul explores the emotional weight created by safeguarding concerns, staff conversations, parental situations and the confidential information school leaders are often required to carry without being able to openly share it. This episode explores: • The emotional labour of headship • Compartmentalisation versus processing • Confidentiality and isolation in school leadership • Emotional switching between difficult conversations • Why headteachers need trusted professional networks • Creating small resets between high-pressure moments • Recognising when carrying too much starts changing your leadership • How to care deeply without disappearing beneath the weight Headship needs humanity. The goal isn't to stop caring. It's learning how to care without disappearing under everything you carry. 00:00 – Nobody Warns You About This Part of Headship 00:24 – Why Headship After Hours Exists 01:23 – The Invisible Pressure of Headship 01:39 – Emotional Switching Between Conversations 02:19 – The School Doesn't Pause for the Headteacher 02:55 – Becoming the Holder of Other People's Stories 03:35 – Compartmentalisation in School Leadership 04:15 – Why Headship Becomes Emotionally Exhausting 04:34 – Attendance & Leadership Resilience 05:43 – The Internal Processing Nobody Sees 06:24 – When the Emotional Weight Hits You 06:46 – Emotional Labour in Headship 07:06 – Caring Without Losing Yourself 07:22 – Resetting After Difficult Conversations 07:58 – Confidentiality Doesn't Mean Silence 08:32 – Every Headteacher Needs a Safe Network 09:04 – When Emotional Switching Starts Changing You 09:41 – The Holder of Stories and Confidences 10:01 – Care Without Disappearing Under the Weight 10:22 – Leadership Shouldn't Be Carried in Silence 10:40 – Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check
S1 · E38
August 7 · 35 min
Jack Mallaby: Stop Making Pupils Fit the System
In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin is joined by Jack Mallaby, assistant headteacher and SENCO, for an honest conversation about SEND, neurodiversity, emotionally based school avoidance and attendance. Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ Jack reflects on his own experiences of ADHD and dyslexia, his journey from mainstream education into specialist provision, and why inclusion must sit at the centre of school culture rather than being treated as an additional intervention. Together, they explore why many neurodiverse pupils experience anxiety around school, how educational trauma can shape attendance, and why relationships with young people and families are essential when attendance becomes fragile. This episode discusses: SEND leadership in mainstream and specialist schools Emotionally based school avoidance Neurodiversity, anxiety and attendance Why relational practice matters The importance of primary-to-secondary transition Child-centred attendance strategies Preparing young people for adulthood Why schools should adapt systems around pupils Jack’s central message is clear: It should not be about making young people fit the system. It should be about making the system work for them. 00:00 – Educational Trauma and School Avoidance 01:21 – Introducing Jack Mallaby 02:20 – Jack’s Role in Specialist SEND Provision 03:12 – Growing Up With ADHD and Dyslexia 05:00 – Why Jack Moved Into SEND Leadership 07:05 – Leaving Mainstream for Specialist Education 08:10 – Inclusion as Culture, Not a Bolt-On 09:28 – Relationships and Consistency in Specialist Schools 12:07 – What Is Emotionally Based School Avoidance? 12:53 – Educational Trauma and Distrust 13:26 – How COVID Affected Neurodiverse Learners 14:25 – Why Attendance Systems Respond Too Late 15:31 – Identify, Stabilise and Restore Attendance 16:40 – Relationships With Pupils and Families 17:37 – Supporting Anxiety Without Labelling the Child 18:50 – Preparing Neurodiverse Pupils for Adulthood 20:08 – Compassion, Consistency and Capacity 21:34 – What Schools Still Get Wrong 22:36 – Primary-to-Secondary Transition 25:03 – Why One Transition Day Is Not Enough 27:04 – Supporting Complex Attendance Cases 27:41 – A Child-Centred Attendance Strategy 29:55 – Rethinking Educational Success 33:41 – Jack’s Advice for School Leaders 34:00 – Make the System Work for the Child
S1 · E37
July 31 · 11 min
A Few Families Can Shape Your Attendance Data
Sometimes a small number of families shape a large part of your school's attendance picture. Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore one of the most emotionally demanding realities of attendance leadership: how a handful of complex cases can disproportionately affect your school's overall attendance figure. When leaders respond with generic attendance strategies to deeply individual circumstances, progress often stalls. Trauma, mental health, SEND, housing instability, family breakdown and trust all influence attendance in ways that spreadsheets alone cannot explain. In this episode we discuss: Why a small number of pupils often shape headline attendance Relational practice over generic interventions Accountability versus complexity Why attendance leadership requires patience and strategy Building confidence through structured attendance systems Attendance is never just about numbers. It is about people, relationships and trust. 00:00 – When a Few Families Shape Your Attendance 00:34 – The Hidden Reality Behind Attendance Data 01:18 – Why Generic Attendance Strategies Fail 01:58 – The Human Stories Behind Persistent Absence 02:33 – Attendance Leadership Resilience Check 03:58 – Patience Before Progress 04:17 – Relational Practice Over Generic Responses 05:04 – Case-Based Attendance Strategy 05:26 – Why Hope Matters in Leadership 06:02 – Staying Strategic Without Becoming Cold 06:25 – What Will Adults Do Differently Tomorrow? 06:48 – Attendance Lives in Everyday Practice 07:25 – Build Systems, Not Heroics 07:51 – Strategic Alignment Across Teams 08:40 – Confidence Changes Attendance Leadership 09:15 – Attendance Is Connected to Culture 09:59 – Redesign the Conditions, Not the Effort 10:25 – Complex Cases Need Better Strategy
S1 · E31
July 17 · 10 min
Schools Remember How Leadership Feels
School culture isn't created by a vision statement. It's created by how leadership feels every day. Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore one of the biggest misconceptions in education: that culture can be launched through policies, values or strategic plans. Real culture is built much more quietly. It develops through repeated leadership behaviours, emotional consistency, psychological safety and the thousands of small interactions that shape how staff and pupils experience school each day. In this episode we discuss: Why culture is built through repeated experiences Leadership behaviours that quietly shape schools Emotional safety and psychological trust Why systems alone never create strong cultures How relational leadership transforms schools Schools don't remember what leadership intended. They remember what leadership repeatedly felt like. Timestamps: 00:00 – Why Schools Don't Build Culture Through Posters 00:35 – Schools Remember Leadership Differently 01:35 – The Biggest Myth About School Culture 01:52 – Culture Is Built Through Repeated Experiences 02:36 – Attendance and Leadership Alignment 03:51 – Systems Don't Create Trust 04:08 – What Real Culture Looks Like 04:38 – Why Micro Moments Matter 05:03 – When Adults Change, Everything Changes 05:43 – Emotional Safety vs Emotional Fragility 06:21 – Why High-Trust Schools Perform Better 06:42 – The Calm Schools That Thrive 07:17 – Accountability and Relationships Together 07:54 – Leadership Is Emotional Modelling 08:30 – Why Culture Slowly Drifts 09:05 – The Emotional Architecture of Schools 09:24 – The Question Every Leader Should Ask 09:48 – Schools Remember How Leadership Feels
S1 · E31
July 10 · 11 min
The Monday Morning Attendance Trap
Why does opening the attendance dashboard on a Monday morning feel like a verdict rather than information? Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore the emotional weight many school leaders attach to attendance data and why a single percentage point can influence confidence, decision-making and school culture. Attendance matters deeply. But leaders are often held accountable for outcomes they can influence, not fully control. That tension creates pressure, encourages reactive leadership and can lead schools to chase weekly fluctuations instead of long-term improvement. This episode explores: Why Monday morning attendance reviews feel emotionally charged Accountability versus control in school leadership Reading trends instead of reacting to weekly spikes Building confidence through strong attendance systems Creating a calmer, more sustainable attendance culture The strongest attendance leaders don't ignore the numbers. They learn to read them with clarity, proportion and confidence. Timestamos 00:00 – Why Monday Morning Attendance Feels Like Judgment 00:59 – When One Percentage Carries Too Much Weight 01:56 – Accountability Without Full Control 02:47 – Stop Chasing Weekly Attendance Spikes 03:06 – Attendance Leadership Resilience Check 04:00 – Reading Data Like a Skilled Clinician 04:49 – Signal vs Noise in Attendance Data 05:27 – Three Questions Every Leader Should Ask 06:09 – Creating a Calm Attendance Culture 06:24 – Replace Dread With Grip 07:07 – Attendance Lives in Everyday Practice 07:42 – Build Systems, Not Heroics 08:10 – Strategic Alignment Across Your Team 08:57 – Confidence Changes Attendance Leadership 09:30 – Attendance Is Really About Culture 10:11 – Redesign the Conditions, Not Just the Response 10:27 – When Data Stops Feeling Like Judgment
S1 · E30
July 3 · 12 min
Pressure Doesn't Break Schools. It Changes Leaders.
Pressure rarely arrives dramatically. It accumulates quietly. In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore one of the most overlooked realities of school leadership: pressure changes leaders long before it changes schools. Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ As accountability, attendance, behaviour, staffing and parental expectations continue to increase, many leaders unknowingly shift from reflective to reactive leadership. Over time, that pressure changes relationships, decision-making, emotional regulation and ultimately the culture of the school. In this episode, we explore: • Why leadership pressure quietly reshapes school culture • Emotional regulation versus emotional suppression • Psychological safety and staff retention • Why behaviour and attendance improve when people feel safe • How leaders can create emotional predictability during challenging times Schools don't simply respond to strategy. They respond to emotional climate. This episode is for headteachers, senior leaders and trust leaders who want to lead sustainably while protecting both themselves and the cultures they are building. Timestamps 00:00 – Pressure Changes the Leader First 01:03 – Why This Podcast Exists 02:08 – Leadership Behaviour Shapes School Culture 02:52 – When Schools Begin Operating Through Anxiety 03:09 – Attendance and Leadership Alignment 04:12 – The Hidden Weight of Modern Headship 04:59 – How Pressure Changes Leadership Behaviour 05:52 – Why Schools Feel Pressure So Deeply 06:29 – Systems vs Emotional Culture 07:05 – Toughness Is Not the Same as Resilience 07:44 – Psychological Safety in Schools 08:12 – Schools Need Regulated Leaders 08:45 – Emotional Safety Changes Everything 09:07 – Emotional Containment Explained 09:51 – When Leaders Stop Processing Pressure 10:25 – Why Urgency Destroys Culture 11:06 – Leadership Drift Under Pressure 11:43 – The Question Every Leader Should Ask 12:02 – Schools Respond to Emotional Climate
S1 · E30
June 26 · 48 min
Steve Willshaw: What Secondary Schools Miss About Reading
What do schools really know about their readers? In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul is joined by Steve Willshaw to explore reading culture, literacy leadership, school transition and the importance of recognising the rich reading histories that pupils bring with them into secondary education. Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance. The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works. That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools. It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process: On-site school visit Detailed, school-specific report Follow-up strategy session Practical leadership tools for a clear 90-day plan Typically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools. Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode, Steve shares the story behind the nationally recognised Rooted in Reading project and explains why reading passports, transition work and intellectual equity matter more than ever in today's schools. Together, they discuss how schools can create stronger reading cultures, support literacy development and ensure that young people are not treated as blank slates when they move between phases of education. The conversation also explores Steve's four leadership pillars: • Radical Simplicity • Intellectual Equity • Relational Agency • Professional Craft Alongside a deep dive into Functional Fluency, coaching, behaviour, relationships and how educators can move from reacting to responding. This episode is for headteachers, literacy leaders, English teachers, curriculum leaders and anyone passionate about reading, equity and school improvement. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, culture, attendance, behaviour and sustainable school improvement. 00:00 – The Reading Histories Schools Miss 01:12 – Steve Willshaw’s Journey Into Education 03:03 – Inclusivity, Equity and Early Leadership Lessons 05:26 – Keeping Leadership Simple 06:43 – The Four Leadership Pillars 08:32 – The Story Behind Rooted in Reading 12:53 – Reading Passports and Literacy Culture 16:24 – Why Reading Transition Matters 19:30 – Professional Craft and School Context 20:31 – What Is Functional Fluency? 25:11 – Radical Simplicity Explained 26:20 – Intellectual Equity and Ambitious Curriculum 30:41 – Relational Agency in Schools 32:34 – Professional Craft and Teacher Development 36:32 – The Functionally Fluent Teacher 43:31 – Steve’s Advice for School Leaders 46:20 – Respond More, React Less #HeadshipAfterHours #Literacy #SchoolLeadership #ReadingForPleasure #EducationPodcast #SchoolImprovement #Curriculum #ReadingCulture #Transition #SteveWillshaw
S1 · E29
June 19 · 11 min
The School Always Knows
Before attendance drops, before behaviour shifts, before staff morale declines, the school already knows. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit • Detailed, school-specific report • Follow-up strategy session • Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore one of the most overlooked aspects of school leadership: emotional climate. Schools are highly sensitive environments. Students, staff and families respond not only to systems and policies, but to leadership presence, consistency and emotional regulation. This episode explores why leadership is not just strategic — it is atmospheric. We discuss: • How schools absorb leadership emotionally • Why culture changes before leaders notice • The role of trust, consistency and psychological safety • Why behaviour and attendance often reflect emotional climate • How leaders unintentionally transmit pressure Sustainable school improvement is not just about systems. It is about creating a culture where trust, stability and emotional consistency can thrive. Timestamps 00:00 – Before the School Tells You, It Knows 02:43 – Schools Are Emotionally Sensitive Systems 03:20 – Leadership Presence vs Leadership Strategy 03:57 – The Signals Leaders Transmit 04:42 – How Culture Changes Quietly 04:58 – Why Trust Starts to Erode 05:15 – Emotional Problems vs Operational Problems 05:33 – Systems Are Interpreted Through Culture 05:57 – Children Experience Systems Through Relationships 06:17 – Students Detect Inconsistency Fast 06:55 – Leadership Is Atmospheric 07:14 – What Pressure Does to Leaders 07:32 – When the Weather Changes in a School 07:48 – Why Psychological Safety Matters 08:28 – Leadership Is More Than Formal Moments 08:48 – The Power of Micro Interactions 09:25 – Schools Stabilise Through Predictable Leadership 09:44 – The School Always Knows 10:20 – What Emotional Climate Are You Creating?
S1 · E28
June 12 · 9 min
Behaviour and Attendance Follow Adult Behaviour
Behaviour and attendance are not separate problems. They are reflections of adult practice. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit • Detailed, school-specific report • Follow-up strategy session • Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore why behaviour and attendance improvement starts with consistency, relationships and leadership. Across UK schools, leaders face increasing pressure to improve behaviour and attendance. While systems, policies and processes matter, sustainable improvement happens when adult responses become calm, consistent and predictable. This episode explores three key shifts: • Consistency is the foundation • Knowing the child changes the response • Relational practice at scale We discuss the influence of relational practice, the importance of strong pastoral systems, SEND leadership, multi-agency collaboration and why students respond to environments that feel safe, fair and predictable. Sustainable improvement is not built through stronger sanctions alone. It is built through consistent adult behaviour and strong relationships. Timestamps 00:00 – Behaviour and Attendance Start With Adults 02:17 – Why Behaviour and Attendance Remain Challenging 02:54 – Systems vs Student Experience 03:14 – What Relational Practice Really Means 03:53 – Consistency Is the Foundation 04:29 – Why Behaviour Systems Often Fail 04:46 – Stability Creates Improvement 05:02 – Data Describes Patterns, Not Causes 05:18 – Knowing the Child Changes Everything 05:38 – The Role of SEND and Pastoral Leadership 05:55 – Why Multi-Agency Working Matters 06:13 – Relational Practice at Scale 06:58 – Why Students Attend Schools Where They Feel Safe 07:13 – The Problem With Quick Fixes 07:33 – Three Questions Every Leader Should Ask 07:52 – Behaviour and Attendance Are Reflections 08:10 – Leadership Shapes Adult Practice
S1 · E27
June 5 · 8 min
Work-Life Balance Is Lying to Headteachers
Work-life balance sounds good in theory. But for most headteachers, it doesn't feel real. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit • Detailed, school-specific report • Follow-up strategy session • Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore one of the biggest myths in school leadership: the idea that headship can be neatly balanced. Leadership at this level follows you home. Difficult decisions, safeguarding concerns, staffing challenges and accountability pressures rarely stop when the school day ends. This episode explores why sustainable headship is a better goal than work-life balance and the three shifts that help leaders remain effective over the long term: • Integration over separation • Protecting energy, not just time • Defining an identity beyond the role We discuss leadership sustainability, wellbeing, burnout prevention and why the strongest leaders are not always available — they are consistently effective. Sustainable leadership is not about perfect balance. It is about remaining effective without losing yourself. Timestamps 00:00 – Why Work-Life Balance Feels Impossible 02:21 – The Reality of Headship Beyond the School Day 03:23 – Why Traditional Boundaries Often Fail 03:43 – Stop Chasing Balance 04:02 – Shift #1: Focus on Sustainability 04:17 – Integration Over Separation 04:58 – Shift #2: Protect Your Energy 05:36 – Shift #3: Define Life Beyond the Role 06:12 – Why Leaders Feel Guilty About Switching Off 06:29 – Guilt Is Not a Leadership Strategy 06:50 – Effectiveness vs Availability 07:06 – Recognising Burnout Before It Arrives 07:29 – Three Questions Every Headteacher Should Ask 07:52 – Sustainable Leadership Matters More Than Balance
S1 · E25
May 29 · 32 min
Ross McGill on Teacher Workload, Leadership & What Schools Still Get Wrong
In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul speaks with Ross McGill — teacher, former deputy headteacher, founder of Teacher Toolkit and one of the most influential voices in education. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit • Detailed, school-specific report • Follow-up strategy session • Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ Together, they explore: • teacher workload and why schools still struggle to reduce it • leadership, relationships and school culture • feedback, marking and professional trust • AI in education and the future of schools • SEND pressures, wellbeing and teacher retention Ross reflects on his journey through leadership, social media, CPD and educational research — and why relationships remain at the centre of effective school leadership. This is a thoughtful and practical conversation for headteachers, senior leaders and educators navigating the realities of modern education. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on school leadership, culture and sustainable headship. Timestamps 00:00 – Leadership, Relationships & School Culture 01:05 – Ross McGill’s Journey Into Teaching 02:24 – Teacher Toolkit & Early Education Influencing 05:22 – Why SLT Chat Went Viral 06:13 – Why Ross McGill Connected With Teachers 08:55 – The Biggest Lesson in Education 10:26 – Difficult Conversations in Leadership 11:17 – Learning From Leadership Mistakes 14:02 – Teacher Workload & The Five Minute Lesson Plan 15:57 – Why Teacher Workload Is Still Rising 16:55 – Marking Policies That Damage Teachers 17:43 – What Makes Feedback Actually Work 19:14 – Metacognition & Learning How to Learn 21:46 – Ross McGill’s Proudest Work 23:54 – MRI Research, Learning & Cognition 25:58 – AI, Literacy & The Future of Schools 28:04 – SEND Crisis & School Pressure 29:52 – Leadership Advice for Headteachers
S2 · E24
May 22 · 40 min
Rowena Hicks: Why School Staff Burn Out
In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul speaks with Rowena Hicks about burnout, workload, staff wellbeing and what it really means for educators to feel seen, heard and valued. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit • Detailed, school-specific report • Follow-up strategy session • Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ Rowena reflects on more than 30 years in education, from teaching in challenging contexts to becoming a SENCO, deputy head, coach and wellbeing advocate. She shares openly about her own experience of burnout and why school leaders must pay attention not only to workload, but to identity, validation and emotional sustainability. This conversation explores how leaders can reduce unnecessary workload, listen properly to staff, take meaningful action, and build cultures where people notice what is going well — not only what is going wrong. For headteachers and school leaders, this episode asks a powerful question: Has your role become your identity? 00:00 – Why Staff Need to Feel Seen and Heard 02:06 – Introducing Rowena Hicks 02:47 – Rowena’s Journey in Education 03:24 – Burnout as a Deputy Head 05:18 – Supporting Vulnerable Children and Trauma 06:24 – Adults as the Regulating Force in Schools 38:31 – Has Headship Become Your Identity? 39:08 – Finding Value Beyond the Role 40:03 – How to Connect with Rowena Hicks
S1 · E24
May 16 · 8 min
Attendance Doesn’t Improve Through Systems Alone
Attendance doesn’t improve because of a new policy — it improves when the experience of school changes. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit • Detailed, school-specific report • Follow-up strategy session • Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we go deeper into what actually shifts attendance in real schools with complex communities. Across UK schools, leaders are under increasing pressure to improve attendance through systems, tracking and intervention. But sustainable attendance improvement rarely comes through systems alone. This episode explores three key shifts that improve attendance over time: • Relationally visible leadership • Consistent and respectful attendance conversations • Intentional belonging and school culture We discuss why students respond to experience more than policy, how consistency creates emotional safety, and why belonging is one of the strongest attendance strategies schools often overlook. Sustainable attendance is not built through pressure alone. It is built through trust, culture and connection. Timestamps 00:00 – Attendance Follows School Experience 00:36 – The 3 Questions Leaders Should Ask 02:36 – Why Attendance Strategies Often Fail 02:54 – What Actually Shifts Attendance 03:14 – Relationally Visible Leadership 03:45 – Why Leadership Presence Matters 04:01 – Relationships Change Attendance 04:17 – Consistency Replaces Variation 04:33 – Why Consistency Creates Safety 04:49 – Belonging Improves Attendance 05:21 – Trauma-Informed Thinking in Schools 05:40 – Small Shifts That Change Culture 05:58 – Attendance Lives Inside Leadership Practice 06:16 – Attendance Is a Leadership Issue 06:33 – Culture vs Compliance in Attendance 06:51 – 3 Reflective Questions for Leaders 07:25 – What Sustainable Attendance Schools Do Differently
S1 · E23
May 9 · 8 min
Attendance Is a Connection Problem, Not a Compliance Problem
Attendance is not just about showing up — it’s about wanting to show up. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit • Detailed, school-specific report • Follow-up strategy session • Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore why many school attendance strategies fail to create lasting change, despite increased tracking, monitoring and intervention systems. Across UK schools, attendance pressure is rising. But in many cases, attendance is being treated primarily as a compliance issue when, for many students, it is actually a connection issue. This episode explores the difference between enforcement and belonging, why culture shapes attendance more than systems alone, and how relational practice, visible leadership and consistency influence student engagement. We discuss trauma-informed thinking, emotional safety, student experience and why attendance improves when students feel connected to school. Sustainable attendance improvement is not built through pressure alone. It is built through culture, trust and belonging.
S1 · E22
May 1 · 38 min
Mary Myatt: What Schools Still Get Wrong with KS3 Transition.
In this exclusive episode of Headship After Hours, I’m joined by Mary Myatt — one of the most influential voices in curriculum, leadership and school improvement. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit • Detailed, school-specific report • Follow-up strategy session • Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ We explore why Key Stage 3 has been described as “the wasted years”, how curriculum coherence breaks down between primary and secondary, and what schools can do to build more ambitious, meaningful learning experiences. Mary shares insights on high challenge, low threat, simplifying classroom practice, and why education does not need more complexity — it needs clarity. We also discuss leadership, professional culture, and how schools can focus on what truly adds value to learning. This is a practical and thought-provoking conversation for school leaders, teachers and anyone interested in curriculum design. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on headship, leadership and school improvement. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Mary Myatt 01:15 – Mary’s Journey into Education 03:40 – Why Curriculum Became Her Focus 06:38 – The Problem with Key Stage 3 07:18 – From “Wasted Years” to “Ambitious Years” 10:00 – Primary to Secondary Transition Gaps 12:17 – Why Schools Repeat Learning 15:21 – The Reading Research Changing Classrooms 20:20 – High Challenge, Low Threat Explained 25:00 – What Makes a High-Quality Curriculum 30:46 – Building Culture in Classrooms 34:11 – What Leaders Should Prioritise 36:55 – What Schools Should Stop Doing 37:55 – Mary’s Final Leadership Advice

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