I think the following quote is very true and important for anyone planning CPD in schools to keep at their core. “Teachers don’t like being done to. They are professionals and you need to partner them and help them find their own solutions to a situation.” Ian Nurser, Shropshire primary headteacher and National Leader of Education. [...]

Help! My Sat Nav is set to “Avoid Fun”

March 30, 2011

I believe that a Sat Nav is a fabulous metaphor for Vision both personal and professional. Yesterday I realized that I have spend the past 15 years with my SatNav set to avoid fun. In this month’s Wired magazine the letter from the Publisher, Rupert Turnbull, invites readers to send him a single paragraph detailing [...]

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What is the difference between a Headteacher and an Entrepreneur?

March 15, 2010

Within teaching there are some teachers that adamantly believe that they can’t learn anything from a primary school teacher if they work in a secondary school, or from an english teacher if they are a maths specialist. Frankly, I think this is rubbish! And I would go even further by saying that there is much [...]

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If you had a family or personal motto what would it be?

January 20, 2010

This week my husband and I have asked ourselves some questions that have made us both think deeply about what we really want out of life. In doing so we have consciously decided to steer our lives rather than just to see where we end up. We decided that what we enjoy most are experiences. We love going [...]

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What could you do with mind mapping in your school?

December 30, 2009

I have just realized that mind mapping is alive in my son’s primary school classroom. Yesterday I created a mind map of the things that I wanted my boys and I to achieve by the end of the day. I drew the mind map on my 5 year old’s white board just after breakfast and [...]

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West Berkshire Council pioneers engagement study in schools

October 22, 2009

Today, my friend Sian Bryant sent me an article which supports my conviction that measuring staff satisfaction can really yield value when deciding and prioritising resources. In West Berkshire some schools have action plans to address issues raised and some have formed working groups to implement changes after their school participated in a staff engagement survey. Lisa Poole, HR co-ordinator for schools [...]

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My top 10 guilt-free free rewards

July 2, 2009

My top 10 Guilt-free free rewards Play ‘Ticket to Ride’ online with my sister [substitute your favourite online game here] Play Scrabble with my husband. Go for a swim in a lake/the sea Call a friend/family member for a chat (thanks Bec and Helene for the chat yesterday) Enjoy a DVD – raid a friend’s [...]

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Be yourself, everyone else is already taken: the power of authenticity

May 25, 2009

Authenticity is a cornerstone of being an effective coach. While I found it difficult to be truly authentic in the corporate world, I am discovering so much more about me as a person when I am authentic and this change is being driven, at an emotional level, by ‘myself’ clamouring to be let out. Perhaps [...]

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Let me do and I understand

May 23, 2009

Today I was asked what my favourite quote or saying is and I found myself scratching my head. If you had asked me this question a year ago then I would have been quick to respond that I didn’t hold much stock by quotes, but on my coaching learning journey there have been some quotes that [...]

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