It's been a while since Education Monkey put down his banana to pick up a pen and a lot has happened. I keep threatening to get back to regular blogging but life just seems to take over.
I often comment on the national picture - heaven knows, there's enough to comment on! But this time I want to reflect on some local issues. Firstly, let me talk about my friend Nigel. One of the most inspirational headteacher colleagues that I have been privileged to work with, Nigel took over a tough Thanet school at a crucial time in its history and, because he is a clear thinker with high expectations and high ideals, his school rapidly became one of the most improved schools in Kent. Of course, at the mention of Kent, the discerning may already sense alarm bells.
In my view, Nigel's school was dealt a pretty rough hand by Ofsted because, rather than the 'good' that it surely was, it was judged to 'require improvement'. There were probably several reasons for that and, as a some-time player for the Dark Side, I know how marginal these calls are. It could probably have gone either way but this was a harsh shout. When the inspection team leave a school it leaves behind a mixture of feelings, usually depending on the judgement. I have known RI schools to be appreciative of the breathing space they have been given and often the new clarity they have about priorities. But, when the judgement is iffy, it leaves people feeling a sense of grief, almost like a bereavement. And this was how I though Nigel reacted; he knew he was doing a good job; ask any pupil at his school and they will tell you just how much their lives have been enriched by the experience. Yet here was Ofsted, telling him that it was all illusory.
It does not help that, in Kent, the LA make little distinction between schools that are in a category and those that simply require improvement. They don't seem to have read that line that says 'a school that requires improvement is not a school causing concern'. So, with all the pressure that this generates, Nigel decided that he would throw in the towel. Outside school he is nationally respected for his work around inclusion and there were people happy to offer him work to benefit from his considerable expertise. But the pupils, staff and community of his school are the big losers. He and I chatted over tea about making the break from headship to consultancy and it was great to see how positively Nigel embraced the new possibilities. And that's right - if you cut it in consultancy, you move onto a wider stage and can have a wider influence.
But, of course, Kent will always have the final kick in the teeth. Just before half-term I happened to be at Nigel's school leading a Flight workshop with his and another school. I chanced to say to a colleague, 'so, when does Nigel leave?' expecting a July date rather than 'tomorrow'. Tomorrow??
It seems that Nigel, being well-respected and well-connected, was invited to take part in an education programme on Radio 5 Live. He didn't talk about his school, nor Kent - just headship. After the event one of his governors, perhaps with an over-inflated sense of position, rang the Chair and ranted, 'how dare Nigel do this without consulting us?' The Chair could have dismissed it, she could have dropped in to talk it through with Nigel, but instead she stupidly decided to ring the LA. To those who know this authority, it will come as no surprise that the LA response was 'sack him!'. It appeared governors were given three choices: sack Nigel, refuse to do so and be replaced by an IEB who would do so, or negotiate a compromise agreement with immediate resignation.
This beggars belief, doesn't it? It can't be legal. But here is a man who has always spoken his mind and now the LA has an opportunity to kick him when he's down. Nigel was just not in the right place to fight and so, with a compromise agreement, he left his grieving school at half-term. And I know that already, relieved of the burden of leading a Kent school, he feels lighter and is looking forward to the next stage in his career. I wish him every success. He leaves behind a legacy of decency, a spirit of aspiration and a sense of pride in achievement. Headteachers like Nigel are the kinds of people who Kent needs but knows not how to value. A shame on you.
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