There’s a particular sting that comes with professional rejection. Not the big dramatic kind, but the slow, creeping kind. The polite email, the generic phrasing, or the worst of all… silence. Over recent months, I’ve had a few of those moments. Some courteous, some vague, and some so quiet I wondered if my messages had been sent by carrier pigeon. And judging by the number of posts from educators and leaders on LinkedIn recently, I’m far from alone. Rejection is something we

Why those 3am thoughts don’t make you weak; they make you human We joke about them, but we all know they’re real. The 3am thoughts. The...

Content Warning: This blog contains a personal story involving significant medical pain and hospitalisation. We’ve all been there. The...

Leadership doesn’t always go to plan — but that doesn’t mean you haven’t grown. I remember the year I was convinced I’d finally crack...

As we enter the final third of the academic year, school leaders everywhere are shifting into high gear. Whether you work in mainstream...

And how to make the process less lonely You’ve stepped into leadership—congratulations! But within days (maybe even hours), you’re hit...

As a leader, you’re expected to support your team, ensure high performance, and create a positive working environment. But how do you do...

One of the biggest challenges for new leaders is shifting a team from working in isolation to truly collaborating. A lack of teamwork can...

Effective Feedback That Motivates Feedback is one of the most powerful tools a leader has, yet it’s also one of the most underutilised or...

Picture this: a newly formed team, a blank slate of a school, and a vision to create something extraordinary. That was my reality during...

Growing up, most of learned about puberty and menstruation in school. It was presented as a biological milestone—unavoidable, universal,...

Supporting Your Team To Avoid End-of-Term Burnout The irony never escaped me. While the rest of the UK was locked in the annual debate...

Celebrating Diversity in Schools During the Festive Season. Christmas celebrations often dominate the end-of-term festivities, but this...

How Schools Can Make Gift-Related Activities Inclusive The festive season often brings a focus on gifts—what’s under the tree, what Santa...

How to Support Children Struggling During the Festive Season. For many children, the festive season isn’t full of joy and magic. The...

Creating connection, resilience, and inclusion—one conversation at a time. When I think back to my time as a head teacher, there is a...

Managing stress, balancing needs, and fostering healthy team dynamics during the busiest time of the year As the end of term approaches,...

Practical ways to help students find their voices again—and why it matters more than ever In recent years, schools have faced a growing...

Incorporating school values into everyday conversations to build a supportive, inclusive school culture In the busy world of schools,...

I've been rather quiet on my website over the last 31 days, due to a project I undertook for Black History Month called 'Beyond Martin,...