Clear Heads - Successful Schools
As a very keen player and advocate of the benefits of playing chess, I believe passionately that the principles of chess are incredibly relevant to successful educational leadership and delivering school improvement.
To be successful at both chess and school leadership, you need a clear head to evaluate and understand your current position, to keep looking forward and see the bigger picture. You need to think critically, overcome obstacles and grow stronger with each challenge. You need to strategise and make balanced decisions which support your direction of travel.
The game sometimes involves calculated risk and sacrifice; letting go of something valuable in order to achieve a greater good. You need a clear head to be able to spot beneficial possibilities to advance but also see emerging risks and threats before they spill over. You have to expect the unexpected but not be blown off course from your core objectives. Patience, concentration, resilience and stamina are essential to be successful at the long game.
In today’s frenetic and ever more demanding world, such qualities are under threat as never before as we can easily be subsumed by the bewildering array of circumstances we encounter and have to deal with, too often reactively. The cost to wellbeing and indeed health can be very high.
The pressures on headteachers are immense but they too often put themselves last in the queue when it comes to prioritising their own workload and wellbeing. As the lead professional in the school, it is imperative to have ‘clear heads’ who can deliver and succeed but in as sustainable and healthy a way as possible.
Clear Head Consultancy offers a range of impactful services to support and assist you on your personal, professional and organisational developmental journeys.
I have 'walked the walk'- now I am ready to support you
Formerly a primary Headteacher for 23 years across a wide range of settings, including dual-stream/English-medium, urban/rural, additional learning needs resource bases and in areas of high deprivation. I now mentor and support education professionals through coaching, bespoke pastoral care and leadership development for all stages. I specialise in strategic, values-led practice, ethical leadership, community focus and staff wellbeing, bringing the lived experience of being an experienced Trade Union branch official, six positive inspection outcomes in schools at different stages of development and the insight of leading a school recognised as a top 100 Future Generations Change Maker. My work is rooted in lived experience, blended with a calm, reflective, supportive and pragmatic approach to help educators thrive.
My Services
1:1 Mentoring or Coaching for Headteachers, Leaders & Teachers
I offer confidential one-to-one support tailored to your unique professional needs, whether you are a headteacher, senior leader or teacher. This dedicated space allows you to focus on specific challenges, develop new skills and gain the clarity needed to lead your school and/or areas of responsibility with strength, integrity and purpose. I use a personalised, values-led approach to help you work through challenges and help enhance your decision making. You will reduce your risk of burnout and further achieve sustainable success in your role.
Pastoral Support for Those Facing Stress, Transition or Burnout
I offer completely confidential, deep listening and sincere care for educators under stress. This confidential safe space is crucial for those navigating significant professional transitions or struggling with burnout, offering a very calm, non judgemental, reflective and supportive presence.
CPD Input on Leadership, Values-Led Practice and Wellbeing
I design and deliver bespoke training sessions or input for schools and trusts on critical areas such as ethical leadership, resilience and staff wellbeing. This allows you to utilise my expertise to develop professional learning at your pace and promote a positive, sustainable, values-led culture across your school community.
Reflective Space for Ethical or Personal Decision-Making
I provide a calm, thoughtful, and reflective presence to help you process complex ethical or personal challenges that arise in leadership. This confidential, safe, non-judgemental space is designed to help you gain a clearer perspective on any challenges and achieve a greater sense of clarity about your direction as a school leader.
Support for Those Moving Into or Out of School Leadership
Navigating career transitions, whether stepping up into headship or moving out of the role, can be arduous. I offer practical expertise and pastoral
insight to support leaders through these changes. My support helps those in transition reflect, review, refresh and lead with integrity during the inevitable times of change or challenge.
