Imanta Nigals, Education Specialist, Edurio
Know which practices will yield the biggest impact
How staff needs are taken into account and the way feedback is used to improve as an organisation are critical to success. The majority of the leadership teams interviewed mentioned the topics of collaboration, staff wellbeing, having a strong people strategy in place, and innovation throughout the trust. These could be considered the areas that leaders have the biggest influence and power to drive impact for their staff and community. But underlying these practices is the humble understanding that regular check-ins and reflection are at the heart of understanding and listening to the people in the organisation.
Excerpt from The Priory Federation of Academies Trust
Staff Wellbeing Champions
In recognition of the recruitment and retention issues across the local and national sector, due to workload pressures and stress, trust and school leaders at The Priory Federation of Academies Trust dedicated efforts to improve staff wellbeing before it became an issue. As a result, the trust set up a strategic group with representatives from the central teams and schools, which eventually appointed a Staff Wellbeing Director.
"From the midday supervisor, who perhaps comes to work for an hour a day, through to the CEO, who is probably regarded as the most important person in the Trust, everybody is treated equally in that respect. Staff wellbeing is about every member of staff.” – Primary Executive Jill Marston
The introduction of Mental Health First Aiders and Staff Wellbeing Champions throughout the trust’s schools and central service teams demonstrates a multi-layered approach to wellbeing. This structure ensures staff have immediate support contacts whilst maintaining a seamless link of communication and support from the trust to individual academies. The trust also brings all the champions together two to three times a year to share best practice and to brainstorm further solutions. Through the training of representatives as Mental Health First Aiders and the establishment of a network of Wellbeing Champions, the trust has ingrained a culture of care that is both accessible and robust.
Proactive problem solving for challenges at any level
Challenges faced by trust and school teams can be categorised as challenges for "the leader”, challenges around staff-related themes, and finally, pupil-related challenges. Leaders’ solutions to these challenges are creative, proactive and pay attention to the specific context of the people involved.
Excerpt from Infinity Academies Trust
Challenge: Difficult Conversations
At Infinity Academies Trust, school leaders sometimes encounter HR challenges, including issues related to workload, wellbeing, and parental grievances. However, leaders are supported in these difficult conversations through a useful framework. The CEO highlights that the primary hurdle in these scenarios is often not a lack of knowledge or expertise but rather a deficit in the confidence required to lead and care for people effectively.
"It’s the biggest bit of work for us... How can they [leaders] take that knowledge and translate that into a way of working with people? How can they lead a whole range of different generations of different people beneath them?” – CEO Gavin Booth
Solution: Coaching and Role-Play
The trust’s framework is centred around careful preparation. Leaders are encouraged not to rush into difficult conversations but to take the necessary time to think, seek advice, and plan their approach. The trust ensures leaders seek out and receive relevant advice by consulting with the CEO or Education Director. Furthermore, leaders are prompted to consider the follow-up of difficult conversations, plan the next steps and allow time to respond thoughtfully in emotionally charged scenarios, thereby promoting balanced reactions. Additionally, the trust employs role-playing as a practical tool for learning how to manage challenging HR-related situations. Some school heads ask their assistant heads to plan out a conversation and prepare for it. Then, they play out the conversation until the assistant head feels comfortable to handle it on their own.
Find out more about the Edurio Leadership Guide
The new resource by Edurio, "Leadership Strategies in school trusts", explores what it takes to be a high-achieving leader in a trust. The guide includes sections on leadership structures and styles, practice and impact, challenges and solutions, and advice to leaders. There is a contribution with advice for CEOs on retention from John Murphy, Education Leadership Mentor and ex-CEO of one the largest UK trusts. The conclusion from Ambition Institute’s Rich Bell, Director of Policy and Practice, and Katy Patten, Dean of Learning Design, encapsulates the profound influence of strong leadership on fostering retention.
The CST Blog welcomes perspectives from a diverse range of guest contributors. The opinions expressed in blogs are the views of the author(s), and should not be read as CST guidance or CST’s position.
