Commenting on a report by EPI into the importance of leadership support throughout careers, Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union said;
“It is dispiriting but sadly not surprising to read the EPI’s research into isolated schools and the impact of this on leaders and pupils. School leaders and those aspiring to progress, need support for what can be a very stressful and lonely job at times. Networks are crucial but these can take many forms. Large multi-academy trusts are not the answer to everything and operating just within trusts can narrow experience rather than broaden it. “Home-growing” leaders might not always equip individuals with the experience and confidence needed to be an effective, reflective school leader.
‘The whole system around school leadership and accountability must change too. The pressure from our high-stakes and competitive inspection system on the lives and careers of school leaders must stop. A supportive, fair and effective system would strive for accountability but in reasonable ways. Government needs to address the spiralling increase in child poverty, the shortage of funding and the unmet SEND and mental health support available in and out of schools.
‘It is vital that the current and next generation of school leaders is supported to stay in the profession and encouraged to go where they are most needed. But government must take responsibility for disadvantaged schools and not expect school to do more and more, as other services for families disappear.’’