On Monday 7th February 2022 I start my last 100 days as a Headteacher/Executive Headteacher.
I first stepped in to a classroom on my initial teacher training in 1983 as a fresh-faced, long haired & enthusiastic young educator. As I prepare to step away in the summer of 2022, the face is not as fresh, the hair is much thinner, but the enthusiastic old educator is still living the dream. My reality is that I have taught tens of thousands of children, over 5 decades, with cohorts of ex-students now in their 50s. I’ve worked with a whole host of talented support staff, teachers and leaders and survived the Ofsted dance with 21 inspection teams!
I know that we are currently haemorrhaging headteachers from the profession; many due to the pressures of the pandemic, funding and/or toxic accountability; however, although I still feel fresh enough to keep going indefinitely, I have always set my sights on retiring at 57. Sadly, I’ve known too many headteachers that have tragically dropped before or shortly after reaching a later finish line!
Work opportunities are showing no signs of slowing down and I know that I am in a privileged position by still feeling on an upward trajectory with my career. In the past week alone, I have been accepted as a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and included in the @ISC_Reseach Edruptors 2021: the top international education influencers of the past year. Now is a good time for me to step away from my personal school leadership and step up my work as a leadership development coach to spend a few years supporting those who are picking up the leadership baton!
Lessons learnt…
Like every teacher, I ‘ve got some battle scars that tell the story of my career. Teaching and school leadership is a tough gig!
In the first 100 days of my teaching career, I remember Monday evenings as a Probationer (NQT in old new money, ECT in new money) alone in my damp attic bedsit in Manningham, Bradford, fearful of my horrendous year 11 boys group on a Tuesday morning. I would cry in secret, unable to discuss my vulnerabilities with anyone. I was told on day one by my Head of Department, “I believe in letting new teachers sink or swim.” To demonstrate this, for my first ever lesson as a qualified teacher, he put all three PE groups together in the sports hall, sat down with the other PE teacher and said, “Over to you…show us what you learnt at university!”
In the first 100 days of my first substantive headship, I remember taking on a school that had just been graded inadequate by Ofsted and in the first month uncovering a projected deficit of £1.96 million. Although done with kindness, the resulting process of losing 25 members of staff was brutal.
Throughout my career, I remember 1000s of other challenging events and circumstances. They have shaped me as a leader and taught me that none of these crises last forever. I believe that given the right approach/conditions, it is possible to turn each challenge and adversity into an opportunity. It has shaped me as an ethical and authentic leader, with a genuine passion for staff mental health, wellbeing and talent development.
Lessons learnt throughout my career have shaped my moral purpose and approach for all subsequent roles. There are far too many individuals and organisations to thank, but I’ve included some here who have played a part in my journey. My lived experiences have created my narrative and provided a toolkit of resilience that has served me well, particularly in my approach during my 18 years of headship/executive headship:
· I approach each challenge with energy, passion and a contagious optimism.
· I generate a clear sense of purpose. I particularly enjoy bringing order to chaos to ensure that teams not only survive, but thrive.
· I build a solid foundation of trust, by embracing the notion that feedback is a gift…even if some of those ‘gifts’ are hard to receive!
· I do the right thing even when I feel afraid. Courageous leadership is not fearless; instead, in the words of @WomenEd, it is more about being 10% braver.
· I make timely sensible decisions based on a values based vision, with the information available at the time.
· I establish expectations and establish relationships, before then managing expectations and managing relationships to build culture and take people with me. @Carter6D
· I ask for help from colleagues and have built an ever strengthening professional learning network. We all need help from time to time and I’m proud to be associated with several groups that selflessly provide it. @HeadsUp4HT @CarnegieMHWBCommunity @SLTchat
· I remain curious and believe in the power of quality professional learning. I give myself both time and space to think @LisaFathersBF @CharteredColl
· I remain playful and have a sense of fun…well I think I’m funny! Mum & Dad x J
· I develop talent and lift others. Invaluable advice given to me by my Geoff Mawson OBE, my old primary school teacher, “A great leader is not a hero, s/he is a hero maker”
· I use my allyship to help remove barriers, create opportunities and amplify the voices and actions of those underrepresented &/or discriminated against in education. @DiverseEd2020 @WomenEd @BAMEedNetwork @DisbilityEdUK @LGBTedUK @LynReilly
· I believe in the power of Creating a Culture of Care @fcsafeguarding
· I look after myself first, before helping others, so that together we can make the biggest difference for our students. I am a self-professed Wellbeing Supermodel! @teacher5aday @MartynReah
Leadership to Eldership
I’ve been a senior leader in schools for 28 years, with the past 18 years as a headteacher/executive headteacher. I have collected a breadth and depth of experience along the way, as well as the right pieces of paper, e.g. Masters degrees, NPQH, NPQEL etc. In recent years, many people have increasingly sought my knowledge, expertise, advice and opinion; they often call it ‘wisdom’. Initially, I took this as meaning ‘old’, but now believe that I have made a mind shift from leadership towards eldership; using my accumulated skills and wisdom to be of service to the wider system.
During the past 10 years I have gained a wide and varied wealth of experience and expertise as a leadership development coach. I have facilitated the full range of NPQs, from NPQML to NPQEL; taught on Masters Programmes; facilitated Future Leaders & Teaching Leaders programmes; delivered international leadership development visits and programmes, including in Vietnam, India and the USA; coached countless leaders including MLT, SLT, Headteachers, CEOs & Governors/Trustees; and supported countless leaders seeking promotion, including so far, 53 deputy headteachers into their first headship!
I’ve met some amazing people, had some incredible experiences and collected some unbelievable stories along the way, but that can be the focus of a future blog!
What next…?
My intention is to rediscover the post-pandemic world and rekindle my love of travel, exploration and adventures with Mel, embrace my Mum & Dad’s twilight years and enjoy watching the lives of our 5 sons unfold…but I’m not quite ready yet to ride off into the sunset!
I believe that I still have something worthwhile to offer the education world and intend to spend a few years, albeit on a part time basis, working as a consultant to keep making a difference for children, staff and communities.
I’m not yet sure of my full offer, but it will definitely include a focus on Coaching, Leadership Development, my Resilience Toolkit, Mental Health and Wellbeing
If you think that I can help you on your personal &/or professional journey or support your organisation, then let me know
@ottleyoconnor patrickottleyoconnor@collaborativeleadership.ltd.uk
…or if I’ve been a part of your teaching &/or leadership journey, please drop me line to let me know. I would like to hear how you are doing and have also been told that testimonials are a good way for me to demonstrate impact!
Finally…
I’m looking forward to my final 100 days teaching & leading in schools…
I’m looking forward to my first 100 days of using my accumulated skills and wisdom to be of service to the wider system
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog
Patrick Ottley-O’Connor
27 years a teacher 