Really grasping what educational excellence looks like in a school against the backdrop of life in 21st Century Britain 
was a key theme as more than 100 senior teachers and governors from across the country attended the first national ‘Heads and Governors – A Time to Lead’ event at Trent College in Nottingham on Friday (7 June).
Mrs Gill Dixon, Head of Trent College, confirmed the school would look to make the conference an annual event as schools from as far afield as Edinburgh, Dublin, Sussex, Somerset and County Durham joined Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire schools at ‘A Time to Lead’.
Delegates listened to, discussed and challenged some of the difficulties facing heads and governors in leading and getting the best for pupils in modern schools, and identified opportunities to excel as economic and political pressures continue to bite in education.
David Hanson, CEO of the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) kicked off the conference highlighting the importance of balancing differing personalities on Boards of Governors and senior teaching teams to ensure a school has a vision and leadership that breeds loyalty and motivation amongst staff for the good of its pupils’ all-round education.
Meanwhile, leadership expert Humphrey Walters, who was on Sir Clive Woodward’s England Rugby World Cup-winning backroom team and has worked with TeamGB and in Premier League football, used his own experience of sailing round the world to illustrate the importance of trust, pride in the badge and culture in creating successful teams and leaders.
Christine Ryan, Chief Inspector of the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), discussed some of the main characteristics of successful and failing schools based on pupil outcomes, while also looking particularly at safeguarding and dealing with complaints and concerns as areas that schools really need to understand their statutory responsibilities.
The event was brought to a close by renowned educationalist, Bruce Potts, who set the educational needs of a 21st century child into the context of modern Britain, where children have better and more opportunities than ever before, but which is increasingly unequal in wealth distribution and where mental health disorders in Under 16s are increasing.
Mrs Dixon said the aim of hosting ‘A Time to Lead’ was to give heads and governors time outside of school to share and understand the experiences of other schools in delivering an all-round education that doesn’t focus solely on exam results and a school’s bottom line.
She believes the event proved the appetite is there for heads and governors to be open-minded and learn from each other and is already looking forward to next year.
Mrs Dixon said: “I loved the range and mix of schools that came, the conversations that were going on and the energy in the room.
Often heads work separately and a Chair of Governors can be very lonely, but putting them in a room together to talk, think and become excited about the real sense of opportunities that are there, despite the difficulties, was very worthwhile.
The key is trusting each other and there being a depth to the relationship and a real belief as to where you can take your school.”
Delegate, Mr Martin Loxley, Chairman of Governors at Westbourne School, Sheffield, added: “A school has to present as a team rather than a group of individuals.
It is fantastic to get together with other heads and governors to see what is happening with other schools and if we all have the same challenges and business problems.”
For more information on ‘A Time to Lead’ including full notes from each of the guest speakers, visit www.trentcollege.net.