"The @tesmagazine.bsky.social International Newsletter is a free mid-week briefing for those working in schools that teach British or international curricula around the world." International educators, sign up here: www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

"Ability alone is not enough to overcome the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage." Professor John Jerrim of @ioe.bsky.social quoted in this @tesmagazine.bsky.social piece by @ktorm-social1.bsky.social: www.tes.com/magazine/new...

“People do not respond to authority alone. They want to be seen, they want to be heard & they need to be empowered. They need to be noticed. They want to be led by someone who is real: flawed, courageous & kind.” Principal Joanna Povall, for @crownhousepub.bsky.social:

Headteachers: “As you lead your school and your community, ask yourself: what story do I want them to tell when I’ve gone?” International Principal Joanna Povall in www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders... @crownhousepub.bsky.social

SecEd Podcast: This episode discusses how #teachers can create the perfect classroom environment for their students, offering a range of practical tips & quick wins. We focus on four key factors: the physical, the social, the emotional & the learning environment buff.ly/ZSMJrke #teaching #schools

“Bullying is not just an issue between students; it is a reality for some adults in school too, usually due to the unchecked ego of a colleague…The person concerned, like many bullies, may lack confidence in their own ability, knowing in their heart that they are out of their depth.” Joanna Povall

“Leaders must ask themselves: am I making this decision for the good of the team or to protect my image? Am I listening to understand or listening to reply? Am I doing this for the school or am I seeking admiration? You need to reflect, and you need to be honest.” Joanna Povall

“Kind leaders recognise the power of healthy self-esteem & seek to protect it in their staff, not through empty praise but through fairness, empathy & intentional support… Kind leaders listen, notice & respond.” International Principal Joanna Povall in www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders...

“Kind school leaders should actively identify & reinforce self-esteem, guiding their teams away from doubt & hesitation towards confidence, learning & improvement. How we feel about ourselves, & how we make others feel, matters.” Principal Joanna Povall, for @crownhousepub.bsky.social

“The absence of accountability can feel like indifference & over time that can do more damage than any single difficult conversation ever could. Your team will lose trust. This is not kind leadership.” Principal Joanna Povall: www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders... @crownhousepub.bsky.social

“Our credibility as leaders is central, because the culture we want to build starts with us.” Joanna Povall, Principal of Wales International School, Abu Dhabi, UAE, writes in: www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders... Out now from @crownhousepub.bsky.social

Re: accountability – the importance of “creating a culture of trust: a place where expectations are clear, support is consistent and everyone is treated with fairness…Avoiding accountability can be one of the unkindest things we can do as a leader.” International Principal, Joanna Povall in 👇

“Leaders are judged not only by what they do, but also by what they allow to happen.” Joanna Povall, Principal of Wales International School, Abu Dhabi, UAE, in 'Kind Leadership', @crownhousepub.bsky.social: www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders...

Honest feedback cuts deep. Kind delivery builds teams. Skip one, leadership crumbles. Leaders own both or quit pretending.

Three kids taught me this. Honesty without kindness builds walls. Kindness without honesty enables drift. Together, they forge unbreakable trust. Same dynamic scales from kitchen table to boardroom.

Honesty is humble, argues Joanna Povall, and: “Kindness without honesty is not real. Honesty without kindness can be harsh. Together, they create leadership that is strong & transformative in schools.” www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders... @crownhousepub.bsky.social

“Honesty does not mean that you have carte blanche to say whatever you are feeling whenever you are feeling it. Some leaders confuse honesty with bluntness…Honesty should be clear & direct, but never brutal.” Principal Joanna Povall: crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders... @crownhousepub.bsky.social

“Optimism is not about denying reality; it’s about believing that, together, we can shape a better one.” International Principal Joanna Povall: www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders... @crownhousepub.bsky.social

"Kindness and clarity are not in conflict; they work in union.” International Principal Joanna Povall in www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders... @crownhousepub.bsky.social

“Authentic communication begins with alignment between your words & your actions…It is not enough to hold strong values internally; we need to express them consistently, explicitly & transparently. And we need to live them.” Principal Joanna Povall in www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders...

“Kindness does not mean a lack of rigour. It means maintaining high standards in a way that shows respect for people. Effective school leaders hold others accountable through clear communication, honesty, consistent expectation & fair, constructive feedback.” Joanna Povall in 👇

What can Chartered Status do for your career? 🎓 In this video, Dr Kate Bridge shares her journey of becoming a Chartered Teacher and what she loved most about the experience. Watch here:https://youtube.pulse.ly/c4tevcm8pl #CharteredWeek

When people suggest that ‘kindness’ is a female trait, Joanna Povall counters: “Kindness is not exclusive to female leaders. Some of the kindest people I have worked for have been male, & some of the unkindest have been female. Kindness does not discriminate.” www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders...

“When kindness is paired with clarity and courage, it becomes the most powerful leadership tool we have.” International Principal Joanna Povall in www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders..., @crownhousepub.bsky.social

"I encourage you to chase kindness, not perfection. Because, in the end, it is not just what makes us memorable as leaders; it is what makes us trustworthy, compassionate & human. It is our legacy." Principal Joanna Povall: www.crownhouse.co.uk/kind-leaders..., @crownhousepub.bsky.social

Please repost? Thank you!

Feedback is so hard to hear as a leader, but if you can open yourself up to be vulnerable it can be incredibly powerful. For you as a person, for your career and your school too. I have got a free resource that would help, send the word resource to wa.me/+44163447993...

Final piece of wisdom @stevemunby.bsky.social offers to leaders listening to the 'Still Human' Podcast with Julie Liddell: "Be kind to yourself, especially when you’ve made a mistake." podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

Leaders’ wellbeing – @stevemunby.bsky.social talks about the power of conducting, and taking notice of, a 360 degree review completed by his friends and family, rather than only with professional colleagues. For the 'Still Human' podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

Got something to say? Get in touch! Email [email protected] and make an impact!

In leadership, “It’s just as important to think about how to be, as well as what to do." @stevemunby.bsky.social in conversation with Julie Liddell for the 'Still Human' podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

Knowledge based leadership & technical skills & understanding are important, @stevemunby.bsky.social concedes, but we mustn’t neglect the relational aspect of leadership, how we treat people & how we get the best from them. It certainly just isn’t about people-pleasing & ‘being nice’... 1/2

“Leadership is about influencing people, whatever role you’re in.” And we all lead, in schools, whatever our roles – we still have a sphere of professional influence. People will follow you if you have empathy, if you lead through love as well as power... @stevemunby.bsky.social 1/2

“Self-doubt can be a good thing…” @stevemunby.bsky.social explains that he only realised that later in his career. Becoming the CEO of the NCSL made him more reflective about his own leadership & what he was modelling. That helped him to be a better leader... 1/2

It takes confidence to admit you don’t know it all! But if you’re an over-confident leader with an inflated ego, that can be as disastrous as leaders who have no confidence at all, explains @stevemunby.bsky.social “Imperfect leaders are learners…They try to be the best version of themselves.” 1/2

"If you know you’re an imperfect leader you’ll build a sense of collective responsibility, you’ll distribute leadership." You know you can’t do it on your own so you develop & value your team with the skills & strengths you need to complement your own. @stevemunby.bsky.social 1/2

“We should celebrate being imperfect. We shouldn’t apologise for it…Know yourself, what you’re good at & what you’re not so good at. Understand your strengths & your areas for improvement. You can’t improve as a leader if you don’t know. Self-awareness is at the heart.." @stevemunby.bsky.social 1/2

"I actually found leadership quite hard. I found it very challenging at times. I felt stressed by it. I made mistakes…" Typical humility from @stevemunby.bsky.social who explains why he called his first book ‘Imperfect Leadership'. In conversation with Julie Liddell for the ‘Still Human’ podcast 1/2

Aspiring to Senior Leadership online, Fri 24 April, 9.30am-2.30pm UK time, with a break for lunch (though it's not provided!) Organised by @isaschools.org.uk, but open to those in independent schools outside the ISA. isaschools.org.uk/event-calend... Please share? Thank you.

#Neurodivergent children bring strengths & challenges to the classroom. In this free download, @pookyh.bsky.social offers 10 techniques we can adopt to create positive learning environments for these pupils, with practical ideas & easy ‘do now’ suggestions buff.ly/XPkbla1 #inclusion

Aspiring to Senior Leadership online, Fri 24 April, 9.30am-2.30pm UK time, with a break for lunch (though it's not provided!) Organised by @isaschools.org.uk, but open to those in independent schools outside the ISA. isaschools.org.uk/event-calend... Please share? Thank you.

"The New Schools Network is starting a new Innovation Pilot Programme to fund schools & organisations to test approaches to tackle barriers to education. If you are working on an idea to improve attendance or parental engagement, we want to hear from you. Deadline for EoI is 2nd April 2026...1/2

"How should senior leaders - whose subject expertise may be in a completely different discipline to the HoDs they line manage - best support their teams to ensure everyone is ready for an Ofsted visit?" @greeborunner.bsky.social offers advice in @tesmagazine.bsky.social: www.tes.com/magazine/tea...

Do you have something to say about education? Teacher Writers supplies education magazines across the UK with articles written by teachers just like you. Get in touch today and have your say!

Delighted to hear about @rexburke.bsky.social's new book, 'Hide and Seek' a new adventure for Dix, Alard, Drake & Vaskez who he introduced us to in his military-action SciFi adventure, 'Special Delivery'. Good luck with it, Rex! Available to pre-order: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GHP3G9G...

Delighted to hear about @rexburke.bsky.social's new book, 'Hide and Seek' a new adventure for Dix, Alard, Drake & Vaskez who he introduced us to in his military-action SciFi adventure, 'Special Delivery'. Good luck with it, Rex! Available to pre-order: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GHP3G9G...

Preparing for Senior Leadership online training: Weds 6th May, 3.30pm to 6.30pm. Organised by HMC but open to all schools: hmcpd.arlo.co/w/courses/10...

Preparing for Senior Leadership online training: Weds 6th May, 3.30pm to 6.30pm. Organised by HMC but open to all schools: hmcpd.arlo.co/w/courses/10...

I LOVED talking about my fiction writing & 4 novels to an audience of former pupils, current & former staff, friends of the school (and one parent!) at Bedford Girls' School on Tuesday evening. It was a joyous occasion! Thanks for inviting me.

I LOVED talking about my fiction writing & 4 novels to an audience of former pupils, current & former staff, friends of the school (and one parent!) at Bedford Girls' School on Tuesday evening. It was a joyous occasion! Thanks for inviting me.