What makes a good school leader? It’s not easy to answer this question. Teachers come from all sorts of backgrounds and have their own passions. One thing we do know is that we have come a long way from the stereotypical image of a strict, unemotional head telling children not to run in the corridor.
You only have to Google the word ‘headteacher’ to see the diverse range of people in leadership positions today, although, like in so many areas, more diversification is still needed – particularly with under-represented groups such as women, black, Asian and ethnic minority leaders, who are still deterred from applying for such roles (The School Leadership Challenge: 2022).
On page 45, Steve Wright quizzes four heads about leadership: Chris Townsend (Felsted School), Jane Lunnon (Wimbledon High School), Chris Seal (Shrewsbury International School Bangkok) and Carina Nilsson (Sigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket).
We also got to know Jody Wells in this issue (page 63), who recently became the headmaster of Forres Sandle Manor. He spoke of the school’s ‘learning powers’, a rebrand of the term ‘soft skills’, which he hopes will equip children with the skills to be happy and prosper.
I hope you enjoy the issue.
Jo Golding
Editor, Independent Education Today
