Don't leave yourself at home

Johannah Barrett, head of English at Broadstone Middle School near Bournemouth, takes the ldr questionnaire on leadership.

1. Career history

I was born and brought up in Lambeth, south London, and graduated with a PGCE from London University’s Institute of Education. I began teaching in neighbouring Southwark and was there for 10 years, working in 3 different schools in some of the most deprived areas of the country. I was keen to get as wide an experience as possible to prepare me for headship, so I taught all year groups in primary, except foundation. I also gained leadership experience in roles as key stage, maths and assessment leader.

This experience stood me in good stead when, after relocating to Dorset following the birth of my third child, I began a part-time career, which included working on family literacy, supply teaching, support for Assessment for Learning (AfL) development in a local school, and working as a maths and English tutor on a school-based teacher training programme. With the help of National College development, I’ve stepped back into school leadership as head of English at Broadstone, a large, 650-pupil middle school. I'm two terms into this role and am enjoying every second. Now I’m working towards a National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) application.

2. What are the key challenges of your role?

I’m fortunate to work in a successful school where the staff have lots of expertise and want to move forward. My priorities are to help them continue to be creative and flexible in addressing pupils’ learning, while building a long term plan that ensures greater cohesion and progression, and more opportunities for the department to work as a team. Although there is, as yet, no new revised framework, we have embraced the opportunity to establish our vision of effective learning in English. Another key challenge is to embed further AfL practice, piloting strategies on behalf of the whole school and linking with the first and secondary feeder schools.

3. What does leadership mean to you?

Being confident in taking the initiative and being keen to learn and reflect – and encouraging and being alert to the views and ideas of others. It’s also about getting agreement over key values which can then inform shared goals and a professional debate about the best means of achieving them. It‘s a challenge and a privilege to take a lead in giving a focus for others’ enthusiasm and energy.

4. What is the best piece of leadership advice you’ve received?

Be authentic – do what you say you believe in – and be yourself. Don’t leave ‘yourself’ at home. We have, as leaders, a pastoral role that encompasses everyone within our community. Be prepared to listen and always feel able to take time to respond appropriately.

5. And what advice would you give to others aspiring to be school leaders?

Persist! Get the best possible experiences and support you can, within your own setting but also beyond, through organisations like the National College, but also within your own area. Find role models and mentors. In our profession there is a wealth of knowledge and expertise that most are very willing to share. Offer your expertise, even if on a voluntary basis, and you will find like-minded people out there who will keep you enthused and inspired! And stay informed.

6. In your experience, what are the three key leadership approaches that create a successful organisation?

You need someone at the helm who has a firm grip on where the organisation is going and can communicate effectively with everyone involved. It also needs to be a place where everyone feels their contribution is valued, a place where the leader is confident enough in themselves and their vision to empower others and help them develop their own leadership capacity. Lastly, I would find it hard to rate a leadership approach that didn’t recognise the importance of doughnuts on a Friday or an earlier than usual finish to a meeting. Treats are important! In my experience, the most successful organisations are those where the leadership team values the wellbeing of staff.