jameslane41

Early lessons from an inspection under the new framework

Before anything else, a caveat. This blog reflects our experience of inspection in early January 2026. Different inspection teams will inevitably bring different emphases and styles, and – crucially – the new framework will ‘bed down’ over time as inspectors and school leaders become more fluent with the toolkit and the practical routines of the process. SoContinue reading “Early lessons from an inspection under the new framework”

Wellbeing and the Absence of Happiness

These days, many of us are told to make happiness our ultimate goal – in life and at work. We see it in self-help books and feel it on social media, where a constant state of bliss is often portrayed as the norm. However, researchers and psychologists point out that chasing happiness as an endContinue reading “Wellbeing and the Absence of Happiness”

Defining ‘Wellness’: The Missing Foundation of Wellbeing

A Meaningful Definition In schools, we talk endlessly about wellbeing — yet few of us mean quite the same thing. For some, it’s yoga and fruit bowls; for others, it’s workload management or emotional resilience. The problem is not lack of care, but lack of shared definition. Without clarity, wellbeing risks becoming a set ofContinue reading “Defining ‘Wellness’: The Missing Foundation of Wellbeing”

Beyond the Blame Game: Cultivating Workplace Fulfilment – a Shared Responsibility

If you’re a school leader, you’ve likely heard the murmurs in the staffroom or felt the tension in meetings: a sense of “us versus them” when it comes to teacher wellbeing. Teachers might feel leadership doesn’t care about workload or morale, while leaders might feel unfairly blamed for every dip in happiness. It’s an easy trap – a blame game thatContinue reading “Beyond the Blame Game: Cultivating Workplace Fulfilment – a Shared Responsibility “

The Wellbeing Challenge: A Changing Context and ‘Weaponised Wellbeing’

The work of education – whether in a classroom or the school leader’s office – has always required energy, resilience and a deep well of commitment. Today, both school staff and school leaders face mounting pressures that stretch their capacity and test their wellbeing. Teachers are navigating high workloads, challenging pupil behaviour and a shiftingContinue reading “The Wellbeing Challenge: A Changing Context and ‘Weaponised Wellbeing’ “

System Thinking or Silo Replication?:

The American essayist and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau lamented in one of his journal entries from 1838 about the difficulty that human groups have in working collaboratively: “The mass never comes up to the standard of its best member, but on the contrary degrades itself to a level with the lowest.” It may well beContinue reading “System Thinking or Silo Replication?:”

Collaboration – Deep or Dysfunctional:

“The only thing that will redeem mankind is co-operation… it is common to wish well to onself, but in our technically unified world, wishing well to onself is sure to be futile unless it is combined with wishing well to others.” Bertrand Russell This quote from Bertrand Russell speaks to the widespread understanding that workingContinue reading “Collaboration – Deep or Dysfunctional:”

Power of the Moral Purpose:

The core aim of education, as I see it, is to eradicate social and economic disadvantage and ensure the success of every young person irrespective of their background. Undoubtedly education serves many other purposes – knowledge creation, citizenship development, culture transmission, economic progress – but social justice must always be at the heart of anyContinue reading “Power of the Moral Purpose:”

Overcoming the Greatest Threat:

Better to have one thousand enemies outside the tent than to have one single enemy inside it. Lebanese Proverb In James Kerr’s book on the New Zealand rugby team, ‘Legacy’, he comments on the mantras that have helped create the high performing organisational culture that has – over a long period of time – ensuredContinue reading “Overcoming the Greatest Threat:”