The Leadership Lens - Free Podcast

Over the last few years, staff wellbeing has become one of the most commonly used phrases in education leadership. Yoga after school. Mindfulness apps. Staff breakfasts. Wellbeing days. And yet — teachers and support staff are still leaving. In this episode of The Leadership Lens, I talk honestly about why so many wellbeing initiatives fail to retain staff, and what actually makes the difference when it comes to keeping good people in schools. This episode was sparked by a comment I received this year: “Your school is outstanding — you must be difficult to work for.” That assumption stopped me in my tracks. Because in my experience, high standards and high staff retention are not opposites. In fact, they depend on one another. Across this extended episode, I explore what ten years of leadership in a complex, inner-city context has taught me about retention — not as a wellbeing problem, but as a work design and leadership behaviour issue. We talk about: - Why teachers don’t leave because they’re not calm enough — they leave because they feel trapped, ineffective, or morally compromised - How workload becomes unsustainable not through one big thing, but through hundreds of small, poorly designed demands - Why moral injury — not lack of resilience — sits underneath so much attrition - How predictable rhythms, clarity of communication, and fairness reduce anxiety more than any initiative - What actually happens when leaders remove work, protect time, and say “stop” - Why staff stay where they feel trusted, effective, and safe enough to be honest - How believing in people before they believe in themselves builds leadership capacity and long-term stability - Why micromanagement quietly drives good people out — and what to do instead - How calling out unhelpful cultural behaviours early protects staff dignity and trust - Why wellbeing isn’t something you give staff — it’s something you stop taking away This episode is not about being “nice”. It’s about being serious about professional time, dignity, and sustainability. If you’re a headteacher, executive leader, or trust leader who is asking: “How do I stop losing good people?” …this episode is for you. Inside the Premium Members Hub, I’ve shared a Staff Retention Audit Toolkit designed to help leaders move beyond wellbeing initiatives and take an honest look at: - Where work design is draining staff - Where predictability and fairness are breaking down - Where agency, competence, or psychological safety need strengthening - What can realistically change in the next 2 weeks, half term, and term It’s practical, leadership-facing, and designed to support real decision-making — not add another task to your list. Premium members can access the toolkit now in the hub here: https://the-leadership-lens.mykajabi.com/premium-membership

Achievement is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Ofsted toolkit on inspection — and even the most experienced leaders can misjudge it. In this flagship episode of The Leadership Lens, I take a deep, unhurried look at what achievement really means under the current Ofsted framework. Drawing on inspection experience and school leadership practice, this episode explores how achievement is built over time, how it is evaluated through the IDSR and on-site evidence, and why language, interpretation and professional dialogue matter just as much as the data itself. This episode is designed to help school leaders move beyond headline measures and colour coding, and towards a confident, accurate understanding of how achievement is judged in practice. In this episode, we explore: What achievement actually is — and why it can’t be reduced to results alone How inspectors use the IDSR, and what it does and doesn’t show Why three-year averages matter, particularly for small schools How national distribution banding and statistical significance really work Achievement for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND The difference between expected and strong in the Toolkit Foundational knowledge, readiness for next steps, and curriculum impact Why on-site evidence, learning walks, and case sampling are essential How professional curiosity helps inspectors — and leaders — see beyond the data This episode is particularly relevant for headteachers, executive leaders, senior leadership teams, governors, and anyone involved in self-evaluation, inspection preparation, or school improvement. 🎧 How to listen You can listen to The Leadership Lens for free on: Spotify Apple Podcasts Amazon Music OR 👉 https://the-leadership-lens.mykajabi.com/podcasts/the-leadership-lens-free-podcast/episodes/2149138846 ⭐ Premium Membership – Go Deeper Premium members of The Leadership Lens receive far more than the podcast alone. This episode is accompanied by a full training script and slide deck, designed to support: Senior leadership team discussions Governor briefings Accurate self-evaluation against the achievement criteria Confident professional dialogue during inspection Premium membership gives you access to: Full training scripts linked directly to the Ofsted Toolkit Editable slide decks for SLT and governors Inspection-ready explanations of complex areas like achievement, curriculum impact, SEND and disadvantage Leadership tools that save time and reduce uncertainty Ongoing professional development content rooted in real inspection practice 👉Join here: https://tinyurl.com/3pp3x67s If you have ever found yourself thinking “We’re doing the right things, but I’m not sure how this will land on inspection”, the premium membership is designed for you.

As we reach the end of the autumn term and step into the Christmas holidays, this episode of The Leadership Lens takes a different pace. This is a reflective, honest, and practical conversation about time management in real headship — not productivity hacks, not unrealistic “work–life balance”, but what sustainable leadership actually looks like when the pressures are constant and capacity is stretched. In this episode, I share how I manage time across multiple senior roles, why I believe in a work–life blend rather than balance, and the systems that allow me to work smart without working evenings and weekends — while still protecting outcomes for children, staff, and families. This episode is especially for headteachers and senior leaders who feel permanently busy, mentally overloaded, or quietly wondering how long the current pace is sustainable. ✨ In this episode, we explore: Why work–life balance isn’t always realistic in headship — and what to aim for instead How to prioritise when your week is dominated by events, meetings, and non-negotiables How I use a week-to-view SLT task list to reduce cognitive load and protect leadership capacity Why including admin teams in leadership systems matters How structured communication (briefings, diaries, calendars) dramatically reduces interruptions How I plan an entire half term in under an hour using AI (ChatGPT) How voice dictation, email summarising, research read-aloud tools, and AI summaries save time How I look after my health and energy alongside leadership demands Simple systems that quietly save hours over the course of a term — and a year 📂 Premium Members: Exclusive Resources for This Episode Premium members of The Leadership Lens get immediate access to the exact tools I reference in this episode, including: ✅ My full SLT Task Lists for: Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term These are the real, working documents I use as a headteacher — not theory, not templates written for an audience, but practical, week-by-week leadership planning tools. Each task list includes: Role-specific weekly responsibilities (Headteacher, Deputy, SENCO, Pastoral, KS Leads, Admin) SLT agenda planning Monitoring cycles CPD sequencing Assessment points Communication planning Key operational milestones across the year They are fully adaptable to your school context and designed to reduce workload, not add to it. 🔗 Access Premium Podcast Resources You can access the premium members’ area — including all SLT task lists linked to this episode — here: 👉 https://theleadershiplens.co.uk/premium (Link also available in the podcast description) Premium membership gives you: Exclusive leadership resources Downloadable tools referenced in episodes Practical systems you can use immediately Ongoing support for sustainable school leadership 🎄 A Christmas Message As we head into the Christmas break, I hope this episode gives you permission to pause, reflect, and release the pressure of needing to “do it all”. I wish you a restful and joyful Christmas — whatever that looks like for you — and a New Year where your leadership is guided by clarity, rhythm, and a work–life blend that genuinely fits your life. Thank you for listening — and I’ll see you next time on The Leadership Lens.

🎙️ THE LEADERSHIP LENS Episode: Pupil Premium in Practice: Using the DfE Menu of Approaches With Integrity In this in-depth episode of The Leadership Lens, Rachael Snowdon-Poole explores one of the most significant levers for educational equity and inspection: the Pupil Premium — and how school leaders can use it with integrity, clarity and impact, in line with the Department for Education’s Menu of Approaches and the Education Endowment Foundation evidence base. This episode is designed for headteachers, senior leaders, trust leaders and governors who want to move beyond compliance and develop a strategic, defensible and morally grounded approach to supporting disadvantaged pupils. 🔍 What this episode covers Across the episode, Rachael unpacks: The true purpose of the Pupil Premium Why it exists, what it is (and isn’t), and why it sits at the heart of inclusion, leadership and inspection. The national disadvantage gap How gaps widen from Early Years through to GCSEs — and why early, evidence-informed intervention matters. Understanding disadvantage in context Why socio-economic disadvantage often overlaps with SEND, SEMH, attendance and language barriers — and why one-size-fits-all strategies don’t work. The four funding streams Early Years Pupil Premium Main Pupil Premium Pupil Premium Plus (Looked After and Previously Looked After Children) Service Pupil Premium Including how funding is allocated, managed, and monitored. Looked After and Previously Looked After Children Why this group faces some of the largest attainment gaps nationally, how funding is routed through Virtual School Heads, and how Personal Education Plans (PEPs) should drive decision-making. Grant conditions and statutory responsibilities What schools must do — including publication requirements, evidence-based spending, and impact evaluation. The DfE Menu of Approaches explained clearly How all Pupil Premium spending must align to: High-quality teaching Targeted academic support Wider strategies Practical examples within each tier From CPD and curriculum development, to targeted tutoring, language interventions, attendance strategies and pastoral support. The five-step planning approach How leaders can: Identify real barriers Use robust evidence Develop a coherent plan Implement with fidelity Evaluate and sustain impact What inspection really focuses on How inspectors evaluate leadership thinking, alignment with the menu, quality of teaching for disadvantaged pupils, and the impact of spending — not just paperwork. 🎯 Why this episode matters The Pupil Premium is not a bolt-on or a budget line. It is a moral, strategic and legal responsibility. Used well, it: Changes life chances Strengthens inclusion Improves teaching for all pupils Used poorly, it becomes: A list of disconnected activities A compliance exercise A missed opportunity This episode helps leaders ensure their Pupil Premium strategy is coherent, evidence-informed, defensible and impactful. ⭐ Premium Members’ Resource Leadership Lens Premium members receive exclusive resources linked to this episode, designed to turn insight into action. Premium members receive: ✅ A full training presentation A ready-to-use slide deck that explains: The purpose of the Pupil Premium The DfE Menu of Approaches The three-tier model What effective spending looks like in practice ✅ A detailed training script A facilitator script that enables senior leaders to: Deliver confident CPD to staff Support governors’ understanding Align team thinking around evidence-based spending Strengthen inspection readiness These materials are ideal for: SLT meetings Trust-wide CPD Governor briefings Strategy planning sessions 👉 Join the Premium Members’ Hub here: https://the-leadership-lens.mykajabi.com/premium-membership 🎧 How to listen You can listen to The Leadership Lens for free on: Spotify Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Search The Leadership Lens in your preferred podcast app and follow or subscribe to stay up to date with future episodes.

⭐ Show Notes — The Leadership Lens: Teaching That Sticks: The Mechanisms Behind Truly Effective Professional Development Welcome back to The Leadership Lens — the podcast for primary and secondary school leaders who want to improve teaching, strengthen culture, and build thriving schools without burning out their staff. In today’s episode, we explore something every leader spends huge amounts of time and energy on… but which doesn’t always translate into classroom change: 🎧 Effective Professional Development What actually makes PD stick? Why do some schools see huge impact, while others see none at all? And how can you design CPD that leads to real, sustained behaviour change? This research-based episode will give you a complete blueprint for designing PD that actually changes practice — not just great INSET, but great teaching. 🔍 In This Episode, We Cover: 01 — PD as a Curriculum, Not an Event Why the most successful schools sequence, align, and build coherence into their PD offer — across whole school, subject, and individual layers. 02 — The 14 Behaviour-Change Mechanisms A deep dive into the Sims et al. (2021) systematic review and the EEF guidance report, including: Building knowledge Motivating teachers, Developing teaching techniques, Embedding practice 03 — Case Studies From Three Schools - How three schools used the same PD content with wildly different results — and what made the difference. 04 — Three Power Mechanisms The three mechanisms that drive the biggest behaviour change in teaching: Modelling Rehearsal Action planning Why PD without these is almost guaranteed to fail. 05 — Implementation: What You Can and Cannot Adapt - The biggest leadership mistakes in PD, how to avoid them, and what to protect at all costs. 06 — Three Big Leadership Takeaways Clear, actionable insights you can start using this week. 🧠 Key Research Mentioned Education Endowment Foundation (2021) – Effective Professional Development Guidance Report Sims, Fletcher-Wood et al. – Systematic review of PD mechanisms Deans for Impact – Practice with Purpose (expertise and deliberate practice) Cognitive Load Theory, formative assessment literature, instructional coaching research 🛠 Premium Members: Your Exclusive Resources Premium members get two powerful companion resources for this episode: ⭐ 1. A Fully Editable PD Presentation: Teaching That Sticks: The Mechanisms Behind Truly Effective Professional Development. Perfect for INSET days, SLT training, trust events, or coaching your middle leaders. ⭐ 2. A Word-for-Word Training Script Deliver the session yourself with confidence — ready for any CPD setting, at any time. To access your resources, head to the Premium Members Hub. Not a Premium Member yet? You can join instantly — all the details are in the link: https://the-leadership-lens.mykajabi.com/premium-membership