SouthGlosHead
@southgloshead.bsky.social
Executive Headteacher. Head of Inclusion for Leaf Trust. Blog a bit. Author: Headteachering (published with Bloomsbury in Oct). Occasional speaker. Was Ultra Runner, now (bionic) cyclist.
NEW BLOG: Our OFSTED top tips! headteachering.uk/2026/01/01/h...
Top tips on managing a new OFSTED inspection
After seven years of waiting, OFSTED finally inspected Blackhorse Primary on 25th November – the final week of the ‘early volunteer’ group of schools who had put themselves forwar…
headteachering.uk
Still available for Christmas from Santa… or Amazon… amzn.eu/d/0BmEWrj
Currently ‘Best Seller on Amazon’ (albeit for School Governance)! The ideal gift for the current and aspiring school leaders in your life! www.amazon.co.uk/Headteacheri...
Headteachering: A practical guide...with the messy bits left in
Buy Headteachering: A practical guide...with the messy bits left in by Simon Botten (ISBN: 9781801997089) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
amazon.co.uk
NEW BLOG: OFSTED REFLECTIONS. Trying to be even handed: southgloshead.wordpress.com/2025/11/28/w...
What we learned about OFSTED (Part 1)
Credit: The Times Reflections on the new inspection framework: 1742 days under the lottery finger My school and I have spent 1742 days in the OFSTED window (our last inspection was Feb 2018). 1742 …
southgloshead.wordpress.com
NEW BLOG: OFSTED REFLECTIONS. Trying to be even handed: southgloshead.wordpress.com/2025/11/28/w...
What we learned about OFSTED (Part 1)
Credit: The Times Reflections on the new inspection framework: 1742 days under the lottery finger My school and I have spent 1742 days in the OFSTED window (our last inspection was Feb 2018). 1742 …
southgloshead.wordpress.com
Good to see Blackhorse’s DHT ‘on brand’ with her reading whilst out and about in New York! @bloomsburyed.bsky.social
Two questions every school leader should be able to answer: 1. Why does my school exist? 2. How easy is it to be a good teacher at this school? @bloomsburyed.bsky.social
HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has bought #HEADTEACHERING so far! More here from my Gen Z Social Media Marketing manager…
Been knocked off the top of the ‘School Governance’ chart by a much younger and much more handsome DHT’s new book. I feel like Cliff Richard having ‘Saviours Day’ knocked off #1 by Wham! And who buys a hard copy of the OFSTED framework?? That’s like been done over by Status Quo!!
"..So hard as some days will be, remember that what you do matters deeply to our society. And then get on making your moment leading your school community sun shine brightly." Advice for school leaders, @southgloshead.bsky.social in www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach... @bloomsburyed.bsky.social 2/2
Headteachering
The honest guide to the messy job of being a headteacher, including real stories of mistakes made and lessons learned, case studies and practical advice.These a…
bloomsbury.com
Releasing the last set of posts from @southgloshead.bsky.social's new book today: 'Headteachering - A practical guide...with the mess bits left in', from @bloomsburyed.bsky.social www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach... Hope those who have read them have found the advice & insights interesting & useful.
Headteachering
The honest guide to the messy job of being a headteacher, including real stories of mistakes made and lessons learned, case studies and practical advice.These a…
bloomsbury.com
Huge thanks to Jill who had kindly (and voluntarily 😂) been bigging up the book over the last couple of weeks!
Jill Berry@jillberry102.bsky.social · 10mo ago"..So hard as some days will be, remember that what you do matters deeply to our society. And then get on making your moment leading your school community sun shine brightly." Advice for school leaders, @southgloshead.bsky.social in www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach... @bloomsburyed.bsky.social 2/2
"I absolutely love my job. It is the best job in the world. The relentless demands of the role are exciting… but they can also be all-consuming. So if you want to be doing the job happily, for many, many years, as I have, then you need to take your wellbeing seriously." @southgloshead.bsky.social 👇
"..issue which has no good solution, only the least-worst one. So, as headteacher, you need to cultivate this relationship as you will rely upon it more than you think." @southgloshead.bsky.social is really good on governance, in www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach..., @bloomsburyed.bsky.social 2/2
Headteachering
The honest guide to the messy job of being a headteacher, including real stories of mistakes made and lessons learned, case studies and practical advice.These a…
bloomsbury.com
"..Governors offer a vital alternative perspective and are grounded in the communities which we seek to serve." @southgloshead.bsky.social in www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach..., out now from @bloomsburyed.bsky.social 2/2
Headteachering
The honest guide to the messy job of being a headteacher, including real stories of mistakes made and lessons learned, case studies and practical advice.These a…
bloomsbury.com
"..So when it comes to having to make that difficult phone-call, there is at least some trust and good will to draw upon." @southgloshead.bsky.social in www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach..., @bloomsburyed.bsky.social 2/2
Headteachering
The honest guide to the messy job of being a headteacher, including real stories of mistakes made and lessons learned, case studies and practical advice.These a…
bloomsbury.com
"We as leaders need to know the mood in camp. Whether morale is good, bad or indifferent, unless we have access to this information we are forever working in the dark. So knowing this information is key to an effective & happy staff team" @southgloshead.bsky.social www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach...
"I am increasingly of the opinion that the most dangerous moment for any successful school is the year after a successful Ofsted inspection. I am also of the opinion that the second most dangerous moment for any successful school is following a run of good results." @southgloshead.bsky.social 👇
"If you are flying high on great results then long may it continue. But keep your feet on the ground." @southgloshead.bsky.social in www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach..., out from @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social TOMORROW!
Headteachering
The honest guide to the messy job of being a headteacher, including real stories of mistakes made and lessons learned, case studies and practical advice.These a…
bloomsbury.com
"...and that this research has never been more easily accessible to educators." Absolutely, @southgloshead.bsky.social. I started teaching in 1980, so I feel this even more acutely! (And I remember my own secondary schooling in the 70s.) I think of this whenever anyone lambasts education today. 2/2
"There is no such thing as ‘best practice’, only ‘best bets’. Leaders need to carefully look at the available evidence to decide whether the proposed change will have the desired impact in their setting." @southgloshead.bsky.social www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach... @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social
Headteachering
The honest guide to the messy job of being a headteacher, including real stories of mistakes made and lessons learned, case studies and practical advice.These a…
bloomsbury.com
"I believe that a headteacher who still teaches from time to time sends out a powerful message to the staff, to the children and to the parents." @southgloshead.bsky.social in www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach.... I agree! I've written about it here: jillberry102.blog/2017/12/02/s...
Should heads teach?
A recent Twitter conversation about the advantages and disadvantages of heads having a teaching commitment made me thoughtful. I was a teacher for thirty years, and a head for the last ten of thes…
jillberry102.blog
"I believe that teaching has improved dramatically since I started my career in the late 90s, when you could pretty much teach anything you wanted, however you pleased. I also believe that we live in a golden age of research into the science of teaching & learning..." @southgloshead.bsky.social 1/2
"For staff to buy in to school improvement, they need to know two things: 1. Why it is important to both the future of the school as a whole & to them as individuals. 2. How safe they will be (professionally speaking) during the messy early phases of implementation..." @southgloshead.bsky.social 1/2
"Audit which children attend clubs & other activities & which don’t. Cross-reference this with their level of attendance & their conduct. Is there a link between a lack of belonging & low attendance/poor behaviour?" Advice from @southgloshead.bsky.social in www.bloomsbury.com/uk/headteach...
Headteachering
The honest guide to the messy job of being a headteacher, including real stories of mistakes made and lessons learned, case studies and practical advice.These a…
bloomsbury.com
"...The best visions are coloured by the present but nod to brighter days on distant shores." @southgloshead.bsky.social in 'Headteachering', out from @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social on Thursday 9th October. 2/2
"Discretionary effort comes more from feeling than cold logic. And how people feel about the school’s vision & the journey you & they are embarked upon has as much impact as the practical, sensible, logical things which you as leader are doing to improve the school." @southgloshead.bsky.social
"It is worth creating a short plan which covers your first term as headteacher…A 100 day plan will be a very useful tool in ensuring all the pieces of school improvement work get done & aren’t crowded out by the constant ‘white noise’ of ‘stuff’..." @southgloshead.bsky.social 1/2
