Key to supporting disadvantaged students

#disadvantage #socialmobility #wideningaccess #strategy Every school is expected to publish its Pupil Premium Strategy on its website. The level of detail varies, as do the strategies employed. In my Leadership Journal, I came across this short section that I'd added to fill a space back in 2015. It was early on in the journal, when I included a note as an aide memoir and added illustrations to brighten up the page. Extract from my Leadership Journal The National Foundation

Mar 29, 20243 min read

Tackling disadvantage in school admissions

It’s been 10 years since the changes to the Admissions Code in 2014 allowed schools to make allocating places fairer. Sally Weale, Education correspondent for The Guardian, has written an article this week that shines a light on the issue of social mobility and school admissions, and research carried out by Kevin Latham for the Sutton Trust. The article plays on the debate as to how selective education contributes to social mobility compared to the universal offer of non-sel

Jan 15, 20244 min read

Advantaging the Disadvantaged

'Advantaging the disadvantage' is the mantra that I keep repeating. There is a national agenda to 'narrow the gap' and there is an...

Nov 25, 20231 min read

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TRAIN OF THOUGHT

Inclusion in Schools

Beyond the Dashboard: Evidencing Inclusion, Safety and Belonging at secondary school level The most difficult question facing secondary-school leaders in 2026 may not be whether they have enough data. It may be whether they are asking the right questions of it. Schools now possess an extraordinary volume of information about pupils: attendance, behaviour, assessment, safeguarding records, SEND provision, exclusions, destinations, pastoral contacts, parental communications and

17 hours ago7 min read

Does being a parent give you an advantage as a teacher?

Being a parent and a teacher

Exploring the role of parenting experience in being a teacher in the UK today

Mar 316 min read

Is the Purpose of State Education to Make Everyone Middle Class?

Social Mobility in Education

State education in the UK is often seen as a crucial means of enabling social mobility. Does social mobility reflect outdated ideas of class?

Mar 317 min read

Learning often happens at the most unexpected times

Every day's a school day

I often use the phrase ‘every day’s a school day’ as a reminder that you never know when something is going to hit you and make you stop and think. I did not expect ‘Cat Kid; Comic Club Influencers’ to do that but it definitely did.

Mar 313 min read

When you have to decide between work and home

An impossible choice

Scenario: What would you prioritise? You receive two phone calls. One is the call from Head of Sixth Form to say that a student had been stabbed. The other call is from a family member informing you that your parent was in a critical condition. They do have someone with them. What decisions do you make? Where are your priorities? Whatever decision you make and what you prioritise

Mar 315 min read

Greatness

Greatness in leadership involved building up others. True greatness lies in creating an environment where individuals are inspired to become leaders themselves.

Sep 19, 20252 min read

The feeling of spiralling out of control while appearing to stand still

Keeping it together

How do you keep your professional face on and stay on top of things - when your personal life is falling apart?

Sep 9, 20257 min read

I have been working in secondary education for over 30 years. After working in comprehensive schools, as an RE teacher and then focusing on Personal, Social & Health Education and Citizenship Education, I moved on to specialise in Post-16 Education. I have been a Senior Leader at a high performing grammar school in Gloucestershire for the most of my teaching career. My responsibilities include Data and Reporting, School Admissions and Widening Access.

I'm keen to share my experience and to explore new ways to make a difference, particularly in encouraging able students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

To make a difference you have to act. To inspire my own children, I put a framed picture on a bookshelf that read 'The best way to get things done is to simply begin'.

This is a my first step in charting my journey and hope you'll join me.

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MY PICK
FOR READING

Stand Out 2.0 by Marcus Buckingham (Harvard Business Review Press)

This is a great resource to help shift your attention towards what you really need to work on: YOUR STRENGTHS. There is also an online strengths assessment that you can use to help identify your strengths. I thoroughly recommend it!

https://www.marcusbuckingham.com/gift-of-standout/

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