NAHT · Leadership · NAHT, the school leaders' union, on the issues facing leaders.
Since September, schools in England have been required to be mobile phone-free environments by default. They are expected to ensure pupils do not have access to their phones during the school day, including breaktimes and lunchtimes, with head teachers able to decide how to implement the policy. Will the ban make a difference? What does the evidence tell us about smartphone use in schools? And what are the options…
This summer, an independent inquiry into white working-class education outcomes concluded that underachievement is driven not by low aspirations or individual failings, but by a complex set of systemic challenges. These include lower levels of belonging, higher rates of absence and too few clear pathways into further study, training and employment. The findings were based on polling exploring how different groups of…
What is professional supervision, and why are more school leaders turning to it for support? In this episode in NAHT’s podcast series, James Bowen, NAHT assistant general secretary, speaks to Faye McGuinness, director of programmes at Education Support, about the role of professional supervision and the charity’s programme for school leaders. They discuss the challenges school leaders bring to supervision sessions…
What does a culture of belonging really look like in schools – and where should leaders begin? In this episode of NAHT’s School Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by Hannah Wilson, founder of Belonging Effect and a leading voice in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). From ensuring adults’ experiences align with what we want for pupils to rethinking how schools communicate with their staff, this…
Experienced school leader Joanna Povall speaks to NAHT assistant general secretary James Bowen about the transformative power of kind leadership. Sharing some candid reflections, she talks about how being honest, embracing feedback and recognising that ‘not everybody is like you’ can build trust, strengthen teams and create an inclusive school culture where everyone thrives. Joanna’s book Kind Leadership: Leading…
Following Ofsted’s consultation on its new inspection framework in early 2025, and its limited rollout later last year, the new framework has been fully in place for school inspections across England since January 2026. Throughout this period, NAHT has consistently challenged the framework and highlighted the risks it poses to school leaders. Working both publicly and behind the scenes, the union has secured several…
Recent research suggests that nearly three million schoolchildren in the UK have experienced hygiene poverty in the past year. This means everyday essentials such as shampoo, toothpaste and laundry detergent have become unaffordable for their families. The consequences are significant: hygiene poverty can affect confidence and the ability to learn, and in some cases lead to children avoiding school altogether. And…
With the education sector facing an unprecedented recruitment and retention crisis, former head of science Jagdeep Pabla felt it was time to celebrate the often-unseen work of school leaders who create cultures where people can thrive over long and fulfilling careers in the classroom. By ‘holding a mirror up to those changing the narrative’, she set out to recognise the practices that are sustaining and strengthening…
Head teacher Patrick Cozier talks to NAHT assistant general secretary James Bowen about the calm approach to school leadership he has developed over 24 years as a school leader. Patrick explores the importance of acknowledging the feelings that come with school leadership, coping with paranoia, maintaining optimism, leading your own way, and much more – sharing an approach that helped him evolve from being a new…
Join Rowena Hicks, an experienced teacher and deputy head, as she shares her experience of burnout – a challenge faced by so many school leaders. You’ll hear Rowena talk about the role of self-reflection, core competencies, micro changes and psychological safety, and offer practical suggestions for schools to transform their approach to burnout and bring about better outcomes for students. Rowena is facilitating…
Four years ago, Carr Mill Primary School in St Helens, Merseyside, embarked on a new whole-school approach to mental health that has delivered some remarkable results. Overcoming hurdles such as low attendance, limited aspirations and a lack of trust among families, the school has experienced a 75% decrease in referrals to tier three mental health services, improved attendance, fewer persistent absences, and much…
In the wake of the tragic death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died in 2016 from an allergic reaction to sesame seeds in the dough of a baguette, her parents founded the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. It campaigned for changes to food labelling laws and works to raise awareness about food allergies. In October 2021, Natasha’s Law was implemented in the UK, requiring full labelling of ingredients on…
How can you effectively manage conflict? What qualities define great leadership? In what ways should schools implement artificial intelligence? In this episode, you'll hear insights from Chris Packham CBE, Jaz Ampaw-Farr, Darren Coxon, Liz Robinson and Jill Berry as they explore these questions and discuss issues central to education and leadership. This is the second of our special episodes bringing you…
In this episode, we explore the art of decision-making, the importance of ‘botheredness’, the dynamics of people-pleasing, and much more. Join us to hear unique insight for school leaders from Olympic gold medal-winning rower Ben Hunt-Davis, NAHT president Rachel Younger, Hywel Roberts, Astrid Korin and Maggie Farrar, and others. They spoke to the School Leadership Podcast at the Inspiring Leadership Conference 2025.…
The removal of performance-related pay in 2024 marked a turning point in how schools approach teacher appraisal. But why was performance-related pay a problem in schools? What does the research actually tell us? And what do teachers really need for meaningful professional growth? Gareth Conyard, director of education at the Teacher Development Trust (TDT), and Andrea Bean, its research and evaluation manager, answer…
How do you keep your school’s IT systems and data safe? From ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ backups and the cloud to patching, passwords and multi-factor authentication, this episode looks at some of the most common cybersecurity concerns – and some of their solutions. With the UK’s schools and trusts increasingly reliant on digital technology for a range of functions, robust procedures are vital to protect against damage and…
In this episode, former Metropolitan Police hostage and crisis negotiator Nicky Perfect shares strategies to help school leaders deal with difficult everyday situations by improving communication with pupils, parents and colleagues when emotions are running high. Using lessons learned confronting the extremes of human behaviour, Nicky talks about what to say – and what not to say, explains the importance of a ‘really…
Plans to change the way schools in England will be inspected were unveiled by Ofsted earlier this month. These would see schools graded on a five-step scale across a wider range of individual areas – from ‘exemplary’ to ‘causing concern’, with a separate assessment of whether safeguarding standards are met. Here, NAHT's general secretary Paul Whiteman and assistant general secretary James Bowen address some of the…
Published in December and currently making its way through parliament, the government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill would bring about changes to laws affecting safeguarding and schools. The bill includes new rules on branded uniforms, an end to automatic academisation for schools judged to be ‘causing concern’, free breakfast clubs in state-funded primaries and a unique identifier for all children. Join…
What does being a leader in a primary or secondary school today really involve? How does the role vary across the UK? And how can we make it more sustainable? In this episode of NAHT’s podcast, Professor Toby Greany of the University of Nottingham and Dr Tom Perry of the University of Warwick are joined by NAHT’s assistant general secretary James Bowen in a conversation addressing these questions and more.…
