School leaders hold significant sway over the direction and ethos of a school community.
However, in our high-accountability, high-compliance system, it is understandable that leaders often approach leadership as a game to be won.
For these leaders, success is measured by the ability to navigate the regulatory landscape, satisfying the checkboxes outlined by agencies such as Ofsted, the Department for Education or the local authority, with a singular focus on achieving tangible outcomes.
But in doing so, they might overlook the deeper questions that underpin education: the “why” behind their actions and the philosophical debates surrounding the true purpose of schooling.
Education is not merely about meeting the standards of a particular framework. It’s about nurturing individuals, fostering critical thinking and preparing young people for a complex and ever-evolving world.
How can we encourage school leaders to embrace a more purpose-driven approach? Here are some strategies I seek to implement in my role as the education director of a large multi-academy trust (MAT):
1. Foster and promote reflective practice
Encourage leaders to engage in regular reflection on their motivations, values and goals as educators. Our MAT has moved away from a “prove yourself” performance management process to an “improve yourself” professional growth model.
By prompting leaders to delve deeper into the “why” of their decisions, they can develop a more profound understanding of their role in shaping the educational experience.
2. Promote professional learning communities
Create opportunities for leaders to meet on a frequent basis via Microsoft Teams as well as in person in order to collaborate with their peers, engage in meaningful dialogue and explore diverse perspectives on educational leadership.
We work to ensure that our leaders shape the direction of the MAT by informing the content of existing or future MAT-wide policies and programmes.
By fostering a culture of shared learning and continuous improvement, leaders can move beyond the constraints of narrow-minded competition and embrace a collective vision for education.
3. Place emphasis on ethical leadership
Our leadership programmes seek to shift the focus from mere compliance to ethical leadership practices that prioritise integrity, empathy and social responsibility.
We want to actively encourage our leaders to consider the ethical implications of their decisions and the long-term impact on students, staff and the wider community.
4. Encourage visionary thinking
Challenge leaders to envision a future of education that transcends the confines of current standards and regulations. Encourage them to think creatively, innovate and strive for excellence beyond the parameters of the “game”.
For example, our MAT is at the start of a five-year plus digital strategy that aims to ensure digitally fluent learners and teachers. It is therefore important that our leaders have space and time to contemplate the future and not just the operationally driven present.
5. Support professional development
As a MAT, we place significant emphasis on a planned and well-resourced leadership development programme that emphasises the importance of values-based leadership, critical thinking and visionary decision making.
Our goal is to equip leaders with essential tools and resources, such as access to a leadership coach or guidance in the use of SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis, PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental) analysis, and the Cynefin framework for understanding different types of challenges.
A journey of discovery
By challenging the game mentality and nurturing a deeper sense of purpose among school leaders, we will create educational environments that inspire, empower and enrich the lives of all students.
School leadership is a complex business, it is not a simple game with a set of rules and regulations. Being an effective school leader requires a mindset that is open to undertaking a journey of personal discovery, personal growth and transformation.
The rules of the game are important but they must not become an end in themselves.
Mike Ion is the education director at Avanti Schools Trust and a former Department for Education adviser
