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      • "If you stand still you will go backwards"

"If you stand still you will go backwards"

Christian Cavanagh, headteacher of Debden Park High School in Essex, takes the ldr questionnaire on leadership.

1. Career history?

After finishing my PGCE in 1996 I moved from Cardiff to take up a teacher of technology post at Kemnal Technology College in Bromley, south London. My career flourished and I was able to gain experience of a variety of different responsibility posts from leading a department to head of year. I got my first experience of leadership on the senior leadership team, overseeing Key Stage 4. In 2007 I was seconded to Debden Park High School as headteacher soon after it had been placed in special measures. Within six months the school came out of special measures and 18 months later Ofsted graded the school outstanding. I became a national leader of education (NLE) in February 2007 and am also a director of The Kemnal Academies Trust, a family of schools that work together to raise standards.

2. What are the key challenges of your role?

Continuing to raise standards at Debden Park High School, which was rated as the third most improved school in the country last year, and continuing to set high aspirations in a school that already achieves. As an NLE supporting other schools the challenge is to help them to make significant progress. This is demanding but rewarding because when schools make progress this has a big impact on the students’ attainment and improves staff morale.

3. What does leadership mean to you?

It’s about inspiring people to make a difference not only to their own lives but also to the lives of others. Leadership allows me to impart my values and vision so that others take ownership and make it a reality.

“Stand by your values, let them be your guide – and always refer to them when times get difficult.”

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

If you stand still you will go backwards. Also, don’t be afraid to take calculated risks.

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

Stand by your values, let them be your guide – and always refer to them when times get difficult. Your values will direct you to the right outcome and you will also know that these decisions were well-founded.

Headship can be, at times, a lonely role. Make sure you have a network of support, including the National College and other local heads, that you can trust and rely on. If you are having a problem with an issue it is likely they are too!

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

• Be visible – let your staff see you supporting them on the frontline.
• Have the confidence to have difficult conversations with your staff. You need to remember and remind them that you are dealing with young people’s lives. Any issues that need to be addressed need to be done as soon as possible – time moves quickly and these students only have one chance.
• Invest in your staff’s continual professional development – and encourage them do the same. This approach can inspire schools and deliver the results that your children deserve.