Charting New Horizons: My Leadership Goals for 2024

As the year unfolds, it presents a unique opportunity for reflection and growth. My journey as an educational leader at Avanti Grange has been marked by continuous learning and adaptability. In 2024, I am setting my sights on new heights, aiming to enhance my leadership skills with a focus on both adaptive and transformative styles in various contexts.

?Deepening Leadership Identity at Grange:

Chiefly, and perhaps most pressing, would be the stance I aim to develop as the schools lead of Teaching and Learning. In collaboration with Principal Rhys Jones , I am intent on elevating our approach to CPD, especially the pedagogical practice that is proven to enhance the experience of our students. This will involve introspection and action – how will I present myself to my colleagues in 2024?

Should I serve as the beacon they look towards for guidance?

Or rather be the facilitator working behind the scenes as they develop their own practice in line with our coaching and mentoring programme?

Regardless, being an adaptive leader in this context will solidify my leadership presence, becoming a more visible and influential figure in the educational tapestry of Grange.

But that’s not all – as with any notion of self, the role of a leader is multi-faceted. My role as a Subject Lead in the expanding English department at Avanti Grange for example is just one other aspect of my leadership identity that I have to flex into. This stance is a journey of walking the trail and setting benchmarks that exceed expectations. It’s about moulding an identity that resonates leadership, inspiration, and innovation in an area that I am specialised to lead within. Projects I have in mind are the continued development of our highly aspirational curriculum for KS3 (naturally with the support and guidance of curriculum guru Elizabeth Carr ), the development of resources (with the aid of AI platforms such as Canva , Formative and ChatGPT to better enhance their effectiveness) and to better emphasise the golden threads of multiple disciplines, whether that be Art, History or just plainly the Avanti Way. What I most look forward to, is my intentions on developing more opportunities for students to engage with their English studies online, where I will look toward John Dolman 's leadership and guidance through his informative blogs. I also look forward to developing ever more interesting and exciting homework projects for students at Grange to engage with.

This year, as I steer the department (albeit just Robert Barker until Sept 24) towards new academic pinnacles, the goal is not just to lead but to inspire.

Finally – there’s leadership of staff new to the profession. This is a weighty responsibility, where recognising the unique challenges and potentials of ECTs has to go hand in hand with ensuring they are not scarred for life and choose to leave the profession all together. I plan to develop tailored CPD and mentoring sessions that encapsulate their personal development goals and will endeavour to keep a keen eye open for their wellbeing and workload. In this sense, my leadership stance again has to flex and adapt into one of a shepherd – caring for, guiding and making sure teachers new to the profession do not stray. By adopting this approach, my aim is to nurture their professional growth, ensuring they evolve into educators who not only meet but exceed the standards of excellence we uphold at Grange.

Deepening Leadership Identity Beyond Grange

When considering my role as a leader in education, I often associated the responsibility with the school upon which I served or are currently serving. Yet, as time has moved on, and I grow ever more, I have come to realise that the role of an educational leader goes beyond the immediacy of my role in school. For one thing, I currently work for a Multi-Academy Trust (a consortium of schools under the leadership and management of a single brand if you will) and as such, my role as a leader should permeate into the fabric of said trust. As a leader within the Avanti Schools Trust , my commitment to the wider vision must remain unwavering. This year, I aim to further adapt my leadership style to effectively support the Trust's aims and vision, whether that be to continue to share my expertise and work alongside the central team, Rebecca Underwood FCCT , Salina Ventress & Lekha Sharma delivering opportunites for professional growth to a wider audience through Trust wide CPD or through my latest role in chairing professional learning network meetings for the Trust’s English departments.

Beyond this though, there’s an aim that transcends all formal roles within both Avanti Grange and the Trust – to be recognised as an educational leader in both online spaces and the real world more generally. This will involve stepping into a new version of myself, one that embodies leadership in every interaction and every platform, shaping perceptions and influencing educational discourses beyond the confines of my immediate professional sphere - no small feat, but one I will endeavor to uphold.

Conclusion

In 2024, my journey is not just about fulfilling roles but about evolving into a leader who can adapt, transform, and inspire across multiple dimensions. It’s about growing into a version of myself that not only meets the challenges of today but also shapes the future of education.