I have just completed the end of a never-ending first term
as a head of department in a small department. Being in a new role in a new
school would have been enough of a challenge without having to worry about what
pupils have missed during lockdown, blended learning, year group bubbles and
all the rest but here are a few things that I have learned:
1.
Relieve pressure rather than passing it on
Running an Economics and Business department where there is
only KS4 and KS5 there is always a big focus on exams. For all the focus on
spreadsheets of data and looking at ALPS scores and the like, there is a real
temptation to pass on that pressure by talking about where the data is against
departmental targets.
One thing that I have found so important is to make sure you
take that on and just allow staff to focus on the important thing, planning and
delivering excellent lessons. By all means, work with staff to identify areas
of focus based on assessments, but as far as possible I’ve learned we need to
give our staff the space to just focus on their teaching and then everything
else will take care of itself.
2.
Provide certainty in a time of uncertainty
As unpredictable as times can be at the moment, what is
important is to try and provide some certainty to staff. David Preece has spoken about departmental bulletins which I really like. This provides staff
with key deadlines to help them plan their weeks as much as possible.
There are always going to be some last minute events which
mean there needs some flexibility but I find that as much planning time as
possible can be extremely helpful in terms of staff organisation and ultimately
their wellbeing.
3.
Centralised resources
One of the excellent things I read on Louis Everett’s blog
on being a head of department is the importance of centralised resources. I
created a lot of central resources over summer for staff to use but if I could
do my time again, I would have done this collaboratively with the team.
This way day-to-day teachers can focus on what really
matters. Considering the examples, they will use to explain concepts,
questioning and freeing up time for them to improve their subject knowledge. It
also ensures consistency so pupils know that when they come into an economics and
business lesson, there are certain things that they will expect.
I cannot emphasise enough how important this has been, in
terms of allowing staff to have the headspace to focus on improving their
teaching.
4.
Block out the noise and focus on what counts
One of the interesting things about middle leadership is the
role as a conduit between senior leadership and staff. It is of course
important to be consistent with the school culture but what I underestimated is
the opportunity to block out some of the unnecessary noise around a school and
be strategic.
There is a real opportunity to make sure staff focus on what
really makes a difference to pupil outcomes and you can be strategic with what
you focus on. I really didn’t understand the power a middle leader can have to
determine what staff spend their time on and more than anything else, I think staff
really appreciate a head of department who can help them focus on what really
counts.
5.
Make meetings meaningful and punctual
My first departmental meetings would often overrun with a
loose agenda. There is probably no more scarce resource in a school than a
teachers time and it is so important that meetings begin and finish on time
with a tight agenda. An AOB section is your friend to make sure any digressions
are handled!
Linked to this is making sure meetings have a real purpose
and this must include the opportunity to help pupils develop their subject
knowledge. The best parts of department meetings now are when we share ways we
explain particular concepts or recent articles or journals that can further
extend our or our pupils knowledge. The real joy in being a head of department
is the chance to delve deep into the subject we love to teach.
6.
Spread the praise
There can be a tendency to become the focal point for praise
(and criticism!) within the department. I think this is particularly the case
for a small department when you really become the face of your subject in the
school.
There is nothing more frustrating as an over-worked teacher
than someone who hogs the limelight. It’s so important to praise those in your
department who are doing well, especially to senior leadership. Often you are the
only one who has both the sight of what your team is doing and the opportunity
to feed it further up the chain so please do it, your team will really appreciate
it!
Linked to this, it is so important to not indulge in any of
the gossip that can be so typical in staffrooms. It always ends up getting back
to your team so staying loyal is so important.
Most importantly, it’s an amazing job and it really can have
a big influence on your pupils so enjoy it!