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Headship After Hours: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Paul Collin
This podcast is for headteachers, executive heads & aspiring heads who want to lead well without losing themselves in the process. Paul Collin, former head and leadership coach, talks about isolation, pressure, governing bodies, staff dynamics & the inner work of staying grounded.
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- 2 days ago31 min
Why Great Headteachers Know When to Slow Down | Rob Connolly
What makes a school somewhere people genuinely want to belong — and stay?Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance.The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works.That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools.It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process:On-site school visitDetailed, school-specific reportFollow-up strategy sessionPractical leadership tools for a clear 90-day planTypically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools.Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin sits down with Rob Connolly, Executive Headteacher of Harleston Sancroft Academy, to explore school culture, belonging, authentic leadership and what it takes to sustain yourself through the pressures of headship.Rob has spent 15 years serving the same school community. Today, he leads an all-through school spanning nursery to Key Stage 4, having led the process of bringing previously separate primary and secondary schools together. The conversation explores:Why Rob believes people must come firstBuilding school culture intentionally, every dayWhy relationships can't be reduced to a leadership strategyRecruiting the person, not simply the CVBringing primary and secondary cultures togetherCreating curriculum continuity from Early Years to Key Stage 4Belonging, trust, respect, care and love in schoolsHolding high expectations without losing humanityProtecting culture when leadership pressure increasesStaff retention and investing in peopleWhy leaders don't need to have every answerFinding an identity outside headshipWhy sustainable leaders sometimes need to slow downRob also shares a powerful lesson from more than two decades in education:'“Lead who you are. Teach who you are.” This is a conversation about creating great schools without losing sight of the people inside them — including yourself.🎙️ Headship After Hours — honest conversations about school leadership and the realities of leading schools.Chapters:00:00 – Building Community Through Relationships01:02 – Meet Rob Connolly03:10 – Rob's Journey Into Headship07:16 – Putting People Before the CV08:57 – The Challenge of Leading an All-Through School13:16 – How Do You Actually Build School Culture?18:41 – Protecting Belonging Under Leadership Pressure23:56 – High Expectations Without Losing Care26:09 – Finding an Identity Beyond Headship27:44 – Rob's Advice to New Headteachers29:46 – Lead Who You Are
- 1 weeks ago10 min
What Strong Headteachers Do in the First 10 Days
The first 10 days of the school year can reveal an enormous amount about your school culture, leadership and consistency.Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance.The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works.That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools.It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process:On-site school visitDetailed, school-specific reportFollow-up strategy sessionPractical leadership tools for a clear 90-day planTypically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools.Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin explores what strong headteachers do differently at the beginning of a new school year — and why trying to launch every priority at once can actually weaken your start.Behaviour. Attendance. Teaching. Safeguarding. Systems. Vision. Values. The improvement plan.They all matter.But when everything becomes a priority, staff and students can struggle to understand what matters most.Paul explores five leadership principles for the first 10 days: creating simplicity around a small number of high-leverage behaviours, purposeful leadership visibility, recognising what is working, listening without constantly changing direction, and responding calmly when the first inevitable wobble arrives. You'll hear practical questions for headteachers and senior leaders around:school culture and consistencybehaviour expectations and routinesattendanceleadership visibilitystaff alignmentrecognitioncommunication with familiesresponding when systems are testedbuilding credibility with staff and pupilsThe goal isn't to win the entire year in 10 days.It's to establish the conditions that make the rest of the year possible.Because school culture isn't built by how strongly you launch. It's built by what adults repeat once the launch is over. 🎙️ Headship After Hours — honest conversations about school leadership and the realities of leading schools.00:00 – What the First 10 Days Reveal01:21 – Why September Gets Overloaded02:08 – Strong Leaders Create Simplicity04:59 – Why Adult Consistency Matters05:55 – Visible Leadership With Purpose07:00 – Recognise What Is Working07:53 – Listen Without Losing Direction08:43 – How Leaders Handle the First Wobble09:34 – 5 Questions to Ask Before the Year Begins
- 2 weeks ago38 min
Why Behaviour Strategies Fail When Children Don’t Feel Safe | Neil Moggan
What if challenging behaviour isn't simply a discipline problem — but a sign that a young person doesn't yet feel safe, connected or regulated enough to learn?Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance.The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works.That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools.It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process:On-site school visitDetailed, school-specific reportFollow-up strategy sessionPractical leadership tools for a clear 90-day planTypically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools.Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin is joined by Neil Moggan, founder of Future Action and author of Time to Rise Up, to explore trauma-informed practice, behaviour, relationships, mental wellbeing and the role movement can play in helping pupils regulate.Neil shares his own journey from PE leadership into trauma-informed practice, including how changing his approach helped reduce send-outs in his PE department by 95%, while attendance and predicted grades for some of the most challenging pupils also improved. Paul and Neil explore:Why safety and connection come before learningTrauma-informed approaches to behaviourWhy relationships should sit at the heart of school improvementMovement as a tool for regulation and belongingSupporting pupils with ADHD and additional needsMaintaining high standards without re-traumatising young peopleStaff regulation and teacher wellbeingHow leadership pressure can affect relationships with pupilsPractical strategies schools can use to create calmer environmentsWhy belonging matters for behaviour, attendance and learningNeil also explains the Rise Up approach and shares practical examples of how movement, inclusive activities, stress-busting strategies and relationship-led practice are being used across mainstream, specialist and alternative provision.One example comes from a specialist school where physical holds for one cohort reduced from 50 in Year 5 to 10 in Year 7 after the development of a Rise Up Sports Sanctuary and personalised regulation strategies. The central message is simple:Help children feel safe. Help them regulate. Then create the conditions for them to learn.🎙️ Headship After Hours — honest conversations about school leadership, attendance, culture and the realities of leading schools.00:00 – Safety Before Learning00:18 – Introducing Neil Moggan05:58 – What Is Trauma-Informed Practice?08:58 – Movement, Regulation & Belonging10:53 – The Rise Up Approach17:34 – What This Looks Like in Real Schools18:28 – From 50 Physical Holds to 1021:08 – Why Relationships Matter in Implementation23:25 – Education, Belonging & Human Connection24:47 – When Leadership Pressure Changes Relationships27:32 – Did Schools Get Behaviour Wrong After Lockdown?29:06 – Staff Wellbeing & Self-Regulation33:59 – One Simple Strategy Leaders Can Use Tomorrow36:19 – Neil’s Advice for School Leaders
- 3 weeks ago42 min
When Mainstream School Isn’t Working | Hugh Viney
What happens when a young person wants to learn — but the traditional school environment simply isn't working for them?In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin is joined by Hugh Viney, founder and CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA), to explore online and hybrid education, school attendance, SEND, emotionally based school avoidance and what happens when we begin designing education around the needs of the child.Hugh shares the story behind Minerva Virtual Academy and why growing numbers of families began looking for alternatives when their children were struggling with anxiety, neurodivergence or the demands of mainstream education.The conversation explores:Why some pupils thrive outside a traditional classroomSEND, anxiety and barriers to school attendanceEmotionally based school avoidanceThe four barriers some children experience in mainstream educationMaking the school fit the child rather than forcing the child to fit the schoolOnline, asynchronous and flipped learningThe role of one-to-one mentoring and pastoral supportUsing engagement data to identify when pupils need helpMaintaining academic expectations alongside wellbeingHow schools and local authorities can use alternative provisionWhether hybrid schooling could become a mainstream optionWhy online education doesn't necessarily mean isolationHugh also challenges one of the biggest assumptions surrounding virtual education: that learning online automatically means less community, fewer friendships and weaker outcomes.For some young people, he argues, removing barriers associated with the physical environment can actually allow them to engage, build relationships and rediscover confidence in learning.About Minerva Virtual AcademyThis episode is supported by Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA), a DfE-accredited online school working with young people for whom traditional school attendance may not currently be working.MVA works with families, schools and local authorities to provide an online educational pathway, including live teaching, independent learning, mentoring and pastoral support.For school leaders considering alternative or complementary provision for a young person, further information about Minerva Virtual Academy can be found at:Minerva Virtual Academy: www.minervavirtual.comAbout Hugh VineyHugh Viney is the founder and CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy. After founding Minerva Tutors, Hugh launched MVA in 2021 as an alternative educational model for young people who may not thrive within traditional mainstream schooling.In this conversation, Hugh shares his perspective on the future of virtual and hybrid education and why he believes alternative models should increasingly be viewed as a genuine educational choice rather than simply a last resort.Connect with Hugh Viney on LinkedIn.🎧 Headship After Hours — honest conversations about the realities of school leadership, education and building better systems for young people.00:00 – Why Some Children Thrive Outside Mainstream School01:50 – About Minerva Virtual Academy02:10 – Introducing Hugh Viney08:19 – Why Minerva Virtual Academy Grew So Quickly11:38 – SEND, Attendance & School Avoidance13:09 – Why Families Look Beyond Mainstream School15:22 – What COVID Revealed About How Children Learn18:57 – Making the School Fit the Child19:52 – The Four Barriers to Mainstream School24:20 – The Power of One-to-One Mentoring27:19 – Technology, Learning & Human Connection33:18 – What School Leaders Can Learn From MVA34:44 – Can Online School Lead Pupils Back to Mainstream?37:22 – The Future of Hybrid Schooling39:12 – The Biggest Myth About Online School41:10 – Belonging, Happiness & High Expectations
- Aug 21, 20261h 34m
How Great Headteachers Build School Culture
What really changes a school?After more than 26 years in education, including 10 years as a headteacher, Paul Collin reflects on the leadership lessons that shaped his career and why sustainable school improvement always begins with people.Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance.The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works.That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools.It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process:On-site school visitDetailed, school-specific reportFollow-up strategy sessionPractical leadership tools for a clear 90-day planTypically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools.Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/In this conversation, Paul discusses school culture, leadership, behaviour, attendance, relationships, teacher development, school improvement and why young people thrive when they feel genuinely valued.The discussion explores:• Why culture matters more than quick fixes• Building sustainable school improvement• Relationships before behaviour• Leadership beyond job titles• Why attendance starts with belonging• Developing teachers through coaching rather than pressure• Why schools must create environments where young people can succeedWhether you're a headteacher, teacher, trust leader or aspiring leader, this conversation offers practical insights into building schools where both staff and pupils thrive. 00:00 – Why School Culture Changes Everything01:48 – Introducing Paul Collin02:40 – Who Is Paul Outside Education?05:10 – When Headship Becomes Your Identity06:14 – Work-Life Integration for School Leaders08:43 – 26 Years in Education & 10 Years in Headship11:54 – Why Paul Left Headship14:28 – The Truth About School Improvement Consultancy17:18 – Leadership, Trusts and Executive Leadership19:23 – Should CEOs Have Teaching Experience?23:20 – Why Relationships Matter More Than Behaviour24:31 – Attendance, Leadership and School Improvement25:36 – Why Teachers Must Keep Growing27:40 – Dream-Weaving: The Teachers We Never Forget29:52 – Behaviour Is an Outcome, Not the Problem35:21 – Culture Is the Foundation of School Improvement36:01 – What Excites Paul About Transforming Schools37:45 – Why You Can't Rush School Improvement39:32 – The First Thing to Fix in Any School41:05 – Why Uniform Still Matters46:30 – Standards, Pride and Professionalism50:58 – Rethinking 'Disadvantage' in Education52:30 – Closing the Attainment Gap57:18 – The Education White Paper01:01:30 – The Questions We Should Ask Pupils01:04:25 – Mobile Phones, Schools and Social Media01:10:00 – What Makes a Great Teacher?01:20:00 – The Power of Relationships in Schools01:30:40 – Why Headship After Hours Exists
- Aug 14, 202611 min
The Part of Headship Nobody Prepares You For
Nobody prepares you for the emotional switching required in headship.Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance.The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works.That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools.It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process:On-site school visitDetailed, school-specific reportFollow-up strategy sessionPractical leadership tools for a clear 90-day planTypically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools.Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin explores the hidden emotional labour of being a headteacher — moving from deeply personal or confidential conversations straight into assemblies, meetings, difficult decisions and moments of celebration.The school doesn't pause while its headteacher processes what they've just heard.Paul explores the emotional weight created by safeguarding concerns, staff conversations, parental situations and the confidential information school leaders are often required to carry without being able to openly share it.This episode explores:• The emotional labour of headship• Compartmentalisation versus processing• Confidentiality and isolation in school leadership • Emotional switching between difficult conversations• Why headteachers need trusted professional networks• Creating small resets between high-pressure moments• Recognising when carrying too much starts changing your leadership• How to care deeply without disappearing beneath the weightHeadship needs humanity.The goal isn't to stop caring. It's learning how to care without disappearing under everything you carry. 00:00 – Nobody Warns You About This Part of Headship00:24 – Why Headship After Hours Exists01:23 – The Invisible Pressure of Headship01:39 – Emotional Switching Between Conversations02:19 – The School Doesn't Pause for the Headteacher02:55 – Becoming the Holder of Other People's Stories03:35 – Compartmentalisation in School Leadership04:15 – Why Headship Becomes Emotionally Exhausting04:34 – Attendance & Leadership Resilience05:43 – The Internal Processing Nobody Sees06:24 – When the Emotional Weight Hits You06:46 – Emotional Labour in Headship07:06 – Caring Without Losing Yourself07:22 – Resetting After Difficult Conversations07:58 – Confidentiality Doesn't Mean Silence08:32 – Every Headteacher Needs a Safe Network09:04 – When Emotional Switching Starts Changing You09:41 – The Holder of Stories and Confidences10:01 – Care Without Disappearing Under the Weight10:22 – Leadership Shouldn't Be Carried in Silence10:40 – Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check
- Aug 7, 202635 min
Jack Mallaby: Stop Making Pupils Fit the System
In this episode of Headship After Hours, Paul Collin is joined by Jack Mallaby, assistant headteacher and SENCO, for an honest conversation about SEND, neurodiversity, emotionally based school avoidance and attendance.Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance.The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works.That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools.It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process:On-site school visitDetailed, school-specific reportFollow-up strategy sessionPractical leadership tools for a clear 90-day planTypically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools.Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/Jack reflects on his own experiences of ADHD and dyslexia, his journey from mainstream education into specialist provision, and why inclusion must sit at the centre of school culture rather than being treated as an additional intervention.Together, they explore why many neurodiverse pupils experience anxiety around school, how educational trauma can shape attendance, and why relationships with young people and families are essential when attendance becomes fragile.This episode discusses:SEND leadership in mainstream and specialist schoolsEmotionally based school avoidanceNeurodiversity, anxiety and attendanceWhy relational practice mattersThe importance of primary-to-secondary transitionChild-centred attendance strategiesPreparing young people for adulthoodWhy schools should adapt systems around pupilsJack’s central message is clear:It should not be about making young people fit the system. It should be about making the system work for them. 00:00 – Educational Trauma and School Avoidance01:21 – Introducing Jack Mallaby02:20 – Jack’s Role in Specialist SEND Provision03:12 – Growing Up With ADHD and Dyslexia05:00 – Why Jack Moved Into SEND Leadership07:05 – Leaving Mainstream for Specialist Education08:10 – Inclusion as Culture, Not a Bolt-On09:28 – Relationships and Consistency in Specialist Schools12:07 – What Is Emotionally Based School Avoidance?12:53 – Educational Trauma and Distrust13:26 – How COVID Affected Neurodiverse Learners14:25 – Why Attendance Systems Respond Too Late15:31 – Identify, Stabilise and Restore Attendance16:40 – Relationships With Pupils and Families17:37 – Supporting Anxiety Without Labelling the Child18:50 – Preparing Neurodiverse Pupils for Adulthood20:08 – Compassion, Consistency and Capacity21:34 – What Schools Still Get Wrong22:36 – Primary-to-Secondary Transition25:03 – Why One Transition Day Is Not Enough27:04 – Supporting Complex Attendance Cases27:41 – A Child-Centred Attendance Strategy29:55 – Rethinking Educational Success33:41 – Jack’s Advice for School Leaders34:00 – Make the System Work for the Child
- Jul 31, 202611 min
A Few Families Can Shape Your Attendance Data
Sometimes a small number of families shape a large part of your school's attendance picture.Most heads aren't short on effort when it comes to attendance.The harder truth: so much of it often rests on one or two people — and when that's the case, it never feels steady, however hard everyone works.That's the work I do. I run a funded Senior Attendance & Leadership Resilience Check for headteachers and trust leaders in complex schools.It starts with a short strategic assessment. For eligible schools, it opens into a full process:On-site school visitDetailed, school-specific reportFollow-up strategy sessionPractical leadership tools for a clear 90-day planTypically valued at £1,000 — currently funded for eligible schools.Apply here → https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore one of the most emotionally demanding realities of attendance leadership: how a handful of complex cases can disproportionately affect your school's overall attendance figure.When leaders respond with generic attendance strategies to deeply individual circumstances, progress often stalls. Trauma, mental health, SEND, housing instability, family breakdown and trust all influence attendance in ways that spreadsheets alone cannot explain. In this episode we discuss:Why a small number of pupils often shape headline attendanceRelational practice over generic interventionsAccountability versus complexityWhy attendance leadership requires patience and strategyBuilding confidence through structured attendance systemsAttendance is never just about numbers.It is about people, relationships and trust.00:00 – When a Few Families Shape Your Attendance00:34 – The Hidden Reality Behind Attendance Data01:18 – Why Generic Attendance Strategies Fail01:58 – The Human Stories Behind Persistent Absence02:33 – Attendance Leadership Resilience Check03:58 – Patience Before Progress04:17 – Relational Practice Over Generic Responses05:04 – Case-Based Attendance Strategy05:26 – Why Hope Matters in Leadership06:02 – Staying Strategic Without Becoming Cold06:25 – What Will Adults Do Differently Tomorrow?06:48 – Attendance Lives in Everyday Practice07:25 – Build Systems, Not Heroics07:51 – Strategic Alignment Across Teams08:40 – Confidence Changes Attendance Leadership09:15 – Attendance Is Connected to Culture09:59 – Redesign the Conditions, Not the Effort10:25 – Complex Cases Need Better Strategy
About Headship After Hours
This podcast is for headteachers, executive heads & aspiring heads who want to lead well without losing themselves in the process. Paul Collin, former head and leadership coach, talks about isolation, pressure, governing bodies, staff dynamics & the inner work of staying grounded.
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