Why it's no longer lonely at the top.
Hello everyone,
The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 was loneliness.
It’s always intrigued me how despite never being more than a few meters away from another adult in school, leadership can be a lonely experience.
Especially, when you’re the only one who does your role. Or someone who has to work twice as hard to brush up on areas you’re not an expert in. I suffered both as an inexperienced Head of Science with no Scientists on the SLT.
This week I’ve got a mind blowing solution to make sure you never have to go it alone again, a master class in how to line manage people with more expertise than you and some of our excellent members’ work on mental health.
We - schools - Are In Beta - always learning.
This week:
🌐 Never go it alone again - networking that’ll blow your mind.
🎥 Whole school reading: how to have line management conversations in an area you have no experience leading.
🧠 Mental Awareness Week - spotlight on our member’ work.
🌐 Never go it alone again - networking that’ll blow your mind.
A subject specific question from a member of the We Are In Beta community:
Hi everyone! I'm looking for any schools that run the [insert exam board, subject and year group here], either now or in the past, who may be able to support with some coursework questions. Happy to give further information if needed. Thanks very much.
Now imagine you’re you facing a similar challenge.
How long would it take you to find them, make contact and get through on your own?*
Visiting school websites. Checking out the curriculum pages. Seeing what exam board they use. Tracking down the best contact. Trying to getting a response. It can all take weeks. Weeks you don’t have.
Well, not anymore. We can do it for you in a matter of minutes.
How? We spend a lot of time getting to know our members. And our Head of Learning and Insight - Frances Ling - can do some very nifty stuff with exam data.
When you ask us to help you find subject specific support, we’ll not only tell you which schools do the course you need help with, but we’ll also put you in touch directly with the colleagues who lead it.
Don’t believe me?
🤯 This example will blow your mind
Need help and want to save yourself weeks of networking?
We prioritise Curriculum Thinkers members’ questions. Not a member? Get a free trial here.
🎥 Whole school reading: how to have line management conversations in an area you have no experience leading - a role play.
Having a really successful reading programme that enables all kids to access the full curriculum offer is crucial but not easy to lead and manage.
Especially if you have never led literacy or reading across the curriculum.
Join us (for part 1 of 2**) to learn how to structure a line management conversation in an area you have no experience of leading.
Observe what this looks like in action in the context of whole school reading through a role play between the Principal and Vice Principal at Ark Acton.
📅 Tues 17th May
🕞 3.30pm
**Part 2, next week: SEND
🧠 Mental Awareness Week - spotlight on our members’ work.
To round off this week we are spotlighting four pieces by our members about mental health. We hope you find them as thought provoking as we did.
Mental Health Awareness. By Emma Mills
Promoting good mental health around gaming and e-sports 🎥How we raise awareness of, & promote, good online mental health and habits, focusing around social media & gaming- Gavin Taylor, Lodge Park Academy | Curriculum Thinking Week 2021.
How to build a true wellbeing culture 🌱Wellbeing: Lisa Pruden - How to build a TWC - A True Wellbeing Culture (11mins) [P/S] | Educating Northants - Conference 2021.
*Serious question, by the way. How long has it taken you in the past? I’d love to hear about your experience of finding subject specific support from other schools. And see how we can help.
As always, just reply to this email - it’s great hearing from you.
@NiallAlcock and the We Are In Beta team.
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