Headship After Hours

Paul Collin
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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. I am offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers in complex school contexts. It begins with a short assessment and, if eligible, leads to a structured strategic review, on-site visit, executive reporting, clear 90-day plan. Apply Now - https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/

  1. Mary Myatt: What Schools Still Get Wrong with KS3 Transition.

    5D AGO

    Mary Myatt: What Schools Still Get Wrong with KS3 Transition.

    In this exclusive episode of Headship After Hours, I’m joined by Mary Myatt — one of the most influential voices in curriculum, leadership and school improvement. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit • Detailed, school-specific report • Follow-up strategy session • Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ We explore why Key Stage 3 has been described as “the wasted years”, how curriculum coherence breaks down between primary and secondary, and what schools can do to build more ambitious, meaningful learning experiences. Mary shares insights on high challenge, low threat, simplifying classroom practice, and why education does not need more complexity — it needs clarity. We also discuss leadership, professional culture, and how schools can focus on what truly adds value to learning. This is a practical and thought-provoking conversation for school leaders, teachers and anyone interested in curriculum design. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on headship, leadership and school improvement. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Mary Myatt 01:15 – Mary’s Journey into Education 03:40 – Why Curriculum Became Her Focus 06:38 – The Problem with Key Stage 3 07:18 – From “Wasted Years” to “Ambitious Years” 10:00 – Primary to Secondary Transition Gaps 12:17 – Why Schools Repeat Learning 15:21 – The Reading Research Changing Classrooms 20:20 – High Challenge, Low Threat Explained 25:00 – What Makes a High-Quality Curriculum 30:46 – Building Culture in Classrooms 34:11 – What Leaders Should Prioritise 36:55 – What Schools Should Stop Doing 37:55 – Mary’s Final Leadership Advice

    39 min
  2. Control vs Authority: The Leadership Shift That Changes Everything

    APR 24

    Control vs Authority: The Leadership Shift That Changes Everything

    Control solves the moment — authority sustains the culture. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit• Detailed, school-specific report• Follow-up strategy session• Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore one of the most important distinctions in school leadership: the difference between control and authority. While control can create immediate compliance, it relies on presence and short-term intervention. Authority, however, is built through consistency, clarity and follow-through — and it shapes behaviour over time. This episode breaks down three critical leadership distinctions:– Control vs authority in shaping behaviour– Presence vs independence in leadership– Compliance vs commitment in school culture We explore why over-reliance on control creates fragile systems, how authority builds sustainable culture, and why consistent leadership matters more than reactive intervention. Sustainable headship is not about controlling every moment.It is about building authority that works even when you are not there. Timestamps 00:00 – Control vs Authority in Leadership02:45 – Why Control Feels Powerful03:17 – The Limits of Reactive Leadership03:54 – How Authority Is Built Over Time04:38 – Why Control Creates Dependency04:57 – Building Authority Through Consistency05:32 – How Students Read Leadership Signals06:08 – Control vs Authority in Staff Culture06:27 – Distinction #1: Immediate vs Sustained06:42 – Distinction #2: Presence vs Independence07:00 – Distinction #3: Compliance vs Commitment07:18 – When Control Is Still Necessary07:40 – Why Authority Creates Stability08:03 – Questions for Reflective Leadership

    9 min
  3. When Staff Confidence Drops, Everything Gets Harder

    APR 17

    When Staff Confidence Drops, Everything Gets Harder

    You can feel it before anyone says it — staff confidence has shifted. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit• Detailed, school-specific report• Follow-up strategy session• Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore one of the most underestimated indicators in school leadership: staff confidence. When confidence drops, expectations soften, consistency drifts and culture begins to loosen. And importantly, this rarely happens suddenly — it erodes gradually through uncertainty, pressure and accumulated challenges. This episode explores three critical leadership moves to rebuild confidence: re-establishing clarity, increasing visible support, and naming the moment honestly. We discuss why pressure does not restore confidence, how leadership tone shapes belief across staff, and why confidence is rebuilt through certainty, not complexity. Sustainable headship is not about pushing harder.It is about leading with clarity, presence and steady support. Confidence doesn’t grow through pressure — it grows through clarity and support. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Headship Is an Energy Problem02:32 – Why Time Isn’t the Real Constraint03:15 – The Emotional Load of Leadership04:07 – Why Efficiency Doesn’t Create Energy04:43 – Energy Drain #1: Decision Overload05:18 – Energy Drain #2: Emotional Containment05:59 – Why Leadership Without Reflection Becomes Isolation06:17 – Energy Drain #3: Reactive Leadership06:37 – Designing Your Week for Energy06:54 – Energy Is a Leadership Signal07:28 – Where Should Your Energy Be Invested?08:12 – Three Questions for Sustainable Leadership08:28 – Managing Energy With Intention #Headship#SchoolLeadership#Leadership

    9 min
  4. Headship Is Not a Time Problem — It’s an Energy Problem

    APR 10

    Headship Is Not a Time Problem — It’s an Energy Problem

    Headship is not a time problem — it is an energy problem. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers navigating attendance pressure. It begins with a short strategic assessment. If eligible, this leads to a full review process including: • On-site school visit• Detailed, school-specific report• Follow-up strategy session• Practical leadership tools Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore why many school leaders feel constantly overwhelmed, despite trying to manage their time more efficiently. Leadership is not just about tasks — it is about emotional presence. Every conversation, decision and challenge draws from the same resource: energy. This episode explores the energy economy of headship and the three biggest drains on leadership capacity: unstructured decision-making, emotional containment and reactive leadership. We discuss how leaders can protect, invest and restore their energy, why efficiency does not create sustainability, and how leadership energy becomes a signal that shapes culture across staff and students. Sustainable headship is not about doing more.It is about managing your energy with intention. Timestamps 00:00 – Headship Is an Energy Problem02:32 – Why Time Isn’t the Real Constraint03:15 – The Emotional Load of Leadership04:07 – Why Efficiency Doesn’t Create Energy04:43 – Energy Drain #1: Decision Overload05:18 – Energy Drain #2: Emotional Containment05:59 – Why Leadership Without Reflection Becomes Isolation06:17 – Energy Drain #3: Reactive Leadership06:37 – Designing Your Week for Energy06:54 – Energy Is a Leadership Signal07:28 – Where Should Your Energy Be Invested?08:12 – Three Questions for Sustainable Leadership08:28 – Managing Energy With Intention

    10 min
  5. The School Didn’t Change First — I Did

    APR 4

    The School Didn’t Change First — I Did

    The school didn’t change first — the leader did. I am currently offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers in complex school contexts. It begins with a short assessment and, if eligible, leads to a structured strategic review including an on-site visit, executive reporting, and a clear 90-day plan. Apply now – https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/ In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore how leadership posture shapes school culture, especially in challenging environments where progress feels fragile. When behaviour rises, attendance plateaus and staff morale dips, leaders often respond with urgency, pressure and increased control. But reactive leadership can unintentionally destabilise culture. This episode explores three key leadership shifts: visibility, clarity and consistency. Not as strategies, but as signals that shape trust, stability and momentum. We discuss why calm authority is more powerful than constant intervention, how simplifying priorities reduces noise, and why consistency builds confidence across staff and students. Sustainable headship is not about doing more — it is about showing up differently. Culture stabilises when leaders are stable. Timestamps 00:00 – The School Didn’t Change First02:41 – Reactive Leadership vs Resetting Posture03:23 – How Leadership Tone Shapes Culture03:44 – Shift #1: Visibility Builds Confidence04:22 – Why Presence Stabilises Schools04:40 – Shift #2: Clarity Over Complexity05:24 – Shift #3: Consistency Builds Trust05:42 – How Stability Restores Momentum06:01 – Leadership Is Not Constant Intervention06:38 – Letting Go of Control in Headship07:17 – Slow Down, Simplify, Steady07:36 – Calm Authority in Challenging Schools

    9 min
  6. When Everything Feels Like It’s Slipping in Headship

    MAR 26

    When Everything Feels Like It’s Slipping in Headship

    There are moments in headship when everything feels like it is slipping — behaviour, attendance, staff morale and momentum. I am currently offering a funded £700 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers carrying attendance pressure. It begins with a short assessment and leads to a private strategy session. Apply now - https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/  In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore what leadership looks like when progress feels fragile and doubt begins to surface. In complex schools, improvement is rarely linear. When pressure rises, leaders often feel the need to tighten control, react faster and push harder. But pressure without calm destabilises culture. This episode explores why composure matters more than control, how leadership tone shapes emotional climate, and why stability compounds when leaders remain steady. Through a real leadership moment, we discuss visibility, clarity, staff morale and how small shifts in leadership posture can restore momentum. Sustainable headship is not about eliminating pressure — it is about how you respond when everything feels uncertain. Leadership requires composure, not control. Timestamps 00:00 – When Headship Feels Like It’s Slipping02:40 – Leading in Complex School Environments03:49 – Leadership Doubt Under Pressure04:28 – The Internal Narrative of Headship05:07 – Pressure Without Calm Destabilises Culture05:25 – Increasing Visibility Without Control05:40 – Simplifying Leadership Messaging05:56 – Protecting Staff Morale Publicly06:12 – Why Stability Compounds06:31 – Turnaround Requires Steadiness06:51 – Composure vs Control in Leadership07:13 – Reacting to Noise vs Reinforcing Clarity07:34 – How Leadership Posture Changes Culture

    9 min
  7. Schools Are Not CAMHS

    MAR 20

    Schools Are Not CAMHS

    Schools are not CAMHS — and expecting them to operate like clinical services is exhausting staff and diluting the core purpose of education. I am currently offering a funded £700 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers carrying attendance pressure. It begins with a short assessment and leads to a private strategy session. Apply now - https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/  In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore the growing pressure on schools to absorb responsibilities they were never designed to hold, especially around student mental health and specialist intervention. We discuss the difference between support and replacement, why compassion without boundaries leads to institutional exhaustion, and how school leaders can protect staff capacity while still serving students with care and clarity. This episode explores three truths school leaders must hold together: schools play a crucial role in mental health support, schools cannot replace specialist services, and leadership requires clear boundaries. Sustainable headship means leading with compassion, but also with alignment, referral clarity and realistic system awareness. 00:00 – Schools Are Not CAMHS03:13 – The Mental Health Pressure Schools Now Carry03:45 – Why Schools Cannot Replace Specialist Services04:21 – When Families Expect Schools to Fix Everything04:57 – Compassion Without Boundaries Leads to Exhaustion05:31 – Three Truths School Leaders Must Hold06:06 – When Staff Become Emotionally Overextended06:23 – Defining the Role of School Leadership06:41 – Support, Adaptation and Clear Boundaries07:03 – Why Boundaries Create Stability07:47 – Responsibility vs Control in Headship08:08 – Protecting Staff Capacity Strategically08:47 – Schools Build Belonging, Not Clinical Services09:06 – Belonging as Prevention in Schools

    10 min
  8. Why Attendance Problems Are Actually Culture Problems

    MAR 13

    Why Attendance Problems Are Actually Culture Problems

    Attendance is not just a system issue — it is a leadership identity issue. In this episode of Headship After Hours, we explore why attendance challenges in schools are often rooted not only in policy or systems but in leadership culture and belonging. I am currently offering a funded £700 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers carrying attendance pressure. It begins with a short assessment and leads to a private strategy session. Apply now - https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/  Attendance is frequently framed through data, thresholds and escalation processes. Yet students and families respond less to spreadsheets and more to meaning, relationships and trust. When attendance conversations feel punitive, attendance becomes a battle. When attendance conversations feel relational, attendance becomes shared responsibility. In this episode we explore three leadership shifts that strengthen attendance culture: reframing the narrative from enforcement to presence, making belonging visible across the school community, and aligning leadership signals so that tone, relationships and expectations reinforce one another. Attendance improves when culture improves — and culture begins with leadership. 00:00 – Attendance Is a Leadership Identity Issue03:09 – Attendance, Belonging and School Culture03:40 – When Parents Perceive Attendance as Punitive04:03 – Attendance Is About Trust and Relationships04:41 – Culture Strengthens Attendance05:18 – Why Leadership Tone Matters05:37 – Shift #1: Reframe the Attendance Narrative05:59 – Shift #2: Make Belonging Visible06:15 – Shift #3: Align Leadership Signals06:48 – Attendance Is Strengthened in Relationships07:25 – The Story Schools Tell About Attendance08:07 – Attendance Reflects Culture and Trust

    9 min
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About

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. I am offering a funded £1,000 Senior Attendance & Leadership Review for headteachers in complex school contexts. It begins with a short assessment and, if eligible, leads to a structured strategic review, on-site visit, executive reporting, clear 90-day plan. Apply Now - https://atrejwhi.formester.com/f/hwL9GCyin/

Information

  • Creator
    Paul Collin
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Paul Collin
  • Show Website
    Headship After Hours