Tag: mental-health
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An adoptee: reflections on schools and leadership
Every one of us has a unique story, a set of circumstances and challenges that make us who we are, and we bring that part of us to school or work every day. I’ve always tried to visualise the hundreds, or thousands, of stories coming through the school gates every morning, and consider how we…
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Bouncebackability: how educators keep moving forward
In education, every day can be a rollercoaster. You can be flying high all morning, only for something to knock you a bit in the afternoon. Your week can be a bit grim and then out of nowhere, an affirming moment turns it all around. Whether, the sudden change is positive or negative, we have…
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How to make team debriefs your superpower in 2026
How many times have you sat in a team meeting where you are evaluating an area of the group’s work, and you walk away thinking ‘we just didn’t properly get to grips with that’, or where you question ‘did that actually help us move forward?’. It can be frustrating when you outlay time, say 30…
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The Social Brain: the psychology of successful groups
I’ve done a lot of reading, thinking, and ‘trying out’ when it comes to belonging in organisations and teams, always attempting to think sceptically and critically so that I follow evidence and never hitch my wagon to ‘nice to haves’, but rather get to grips of the whys and hows of groups working well. The…
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You Have Made a Difference
This week I attended our Year 13 prom – my last as Deputy Headteacher at my school of five years. It was a wonderful occasion. At 17-18 years old, the students are (mainly!) mature and interested in engaging with staff, and we spent the evening having meaningful conversations, reminiscing, talking about what’s next, and indulging…
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Happy Economics, by Mark Price
Opening Gambit I recently had an interesting conversation with an employee at WorkL, the company dedicated to happiness at work, and used by the Sunday Times Best Places to Work run its surveys of employees. WorkL’s survey comprehensively shines a light on employee engagement and satisfaction, but Mark Price, the founder of the company, and…
Sam Crome 