Students aren’t the only ones who can feel intimidated by the prospect of a visit to the headteacher’s office ─ the fear of knocking on that door can affect school staff, too.

Sometimes, individual teachers may have little direct contact with their headteacher, particularly in large secondary schools. This means that the head might feel unapproachable at the best of times, but even more so when you need to tell them that you don’t agree with them.

If you’re one of those teachers who feels afraid or awkward about challenging the head, the following advice is for you. We’ve asked experienced headteachers about the best way to tell them they’re wrong.

“Take time to calm down first”

Keziah Featherstone, headteacher of Bridge Learning Campus, Bristol

My advice would be to let whatever has vexed you settle overnight. Is it as bad as you think? Does the new day provide a different perspective?

Once you have time to calm down, ask yourself if the head is the right person to speak to. Was it really his or her decision?

Parents, for example, often want to jump straight to the top of the tree first, which is not usually helpful.

If you still want to speak to the head, make a ten-minute appointment with them. Write some bullet points down. Remain calm. Explain what has vexed you, but appreciate that your head may need time to investigate, consult others and reflect before responding.

It is also a good idea to go with an alternative plan or a solution; offer to help fix the problem.

Ultimately, if you think the head is making bad calls a lot of the time, then this may not be the place for you.

“The headteacher needs to keep the door open”

Sam Hunter, executive headteacher of Hiltingbury Junior School, Southampton

I think it is up to the headteacher to have an open door policy. In my case, I mean that literally.  My door is only shut when I am on the phone, in a meeting or really up against it.  

However, whenever the door is open, people know I am available to chat about anything.  I actively ask for feedback and actively ask for people to disagree with me or to play devil’s advocate.  We have a set of values as a staff about how we talk and act with each other and that includes how we give each other feedback.  That has to include people being able to talk to me too.

I think that the slant we take with each other in school is not that the person is wrong but that we don’t agree with them.

“Use the proper channels to avoid confrontation”

Julia Vincent, headteacher of Warblington School, Hampshire

It works best when the senior leadership team build in specific channels for staff to give feedback and challenges ideas ─ and the staff actually use them.

We’ve found that regular staff surveys have worked well as a way of gathering opinions. I also try to maintain good relationships with union reps and meet with them regularly. If you don’t feel that you can approach the head directly, raise your concerns through your union rep.

And if that’s not an option, try a member of the SLT. There is one member of my team in particular who acts as a kind of filter. Staff talk to her, knowing that she will sanitise what they say, discuss it with the head and give them an answer back.

This stops any direct confrontation, which is not usually productive. No one loses face and either party can then follow up if it is unresolved.

“Be direct; don’t talk in corners”

Helena Marsh, executive principal of Linton Village College and Chilford Hundred Education Trust, Cambridgeshire

In my experience, the biggest issue is people don’t always have the nerve or inclination to make points directly to the head. It’s much easier for them to voice concerns among themselves or even ─ in the case of parents ─ on social media.

I have made a point of telling staff that I would much rather they communicate with the senior leadership team directly when they disagree with something or aren’t happy with a decision, rather than talking in corners.

This sometimes requires a shift in culture. In traditional hierarchical settings it can be the norm for staff to avoid formally raising their concerns with the school’s leadership, even when there are clear opportunities to do so ─ out of fear, or the belief that their comments won’t be taken seriously or acted upon. But it is always important that people be direct about their concerns.

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