Will Smith, Chief Exec, Greenshaw Learning Trust - How to reduce workload and generate a feeling of relief in schools

Hello listeners!

This is the last update for a break over Easter. I hope you’ve got great plans. Thank you to all of you have been sharing the podcast and this newsletter! I really appreciate it :)

In the latest episode (#4) of the We Are In Beta Podcast, Will Smith, Chief Exec at Greenshaw Learning Trust - where he talks about making things simple.

So, take a break or schedule some time on your commute:

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👀 Read the full transcription 📖

Why are people loving this episode?

Ryan Holmes @educatingholmes

"The thing is, you have to BE the culture." Incredibly simple but powerful message in @NiallAlcock's latest We Are In Beta podcast ft. Will Smith from Greenshaw Learning Trust. This is the message we need school leaders to hear. Live the culture you want to see in your schools.

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What do we talk about in the podcast?

• How acids and alkalis altered his life direction

• What everyone at Greenshaw is entitled to

• What impact changes to the Ofsted framework will have

• How he re-defines accountability

• The organisations that you probably think about that MATs are accountable to

• The leader mindset shift he thinks is required in the system

• His trust’s statement of intent around inclusivity

• The other side of the exclusions debate he thinks should be recognised

• How he works to embody the culture of the organisation and who helped him realise it

• The strategies Greenshaw uses to value staff

• What they ask schools to stop doing when they start working with them

• The best CPD initiative he has ever pursued

• Why he has found himself in car parks with tears in his eyes

• The one question he says he would ask every head if he could

• How Greenshaw has developed a healthy pipeline of new leadership talent into the trust

• Why he thinks the politicisation of education is a problem

• How one parent changed him forever using a bucket!

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💬 Join the conversation. Tweet us @NiallAlcock and @MrWill_Smith . We’d love to know what you think.

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The best In Beta bits

We Are In Beta is a positive space that aims to capture the knowledge of inspiring school leaders.

As a thank you for being a valued member of the community, I curate the practical strategies and solutions to the challenges they’ve face so you don’t miss out on them - the partnerships, the programmes, the books and the blogs.

So what came up in Will’s interview?

• The Greenhaw Trust and the schools it oversees, which Will believes employ some of the best teachers in the world. Worth connecting with and visiting maybe?

• The group of people Will is held accountable by and works closely with. Do you know your Regional School Commissioner?

• The education leader (and the academies group he founded) who helped him realise that he had to ‘be the culture’ of his organisation

• The valued worker scheme that Will says has been useful retention tool at Greenshaw

• The new organisation that Will founded recently - a community of educational leaders “who learn, grow, and lead in partnership with one another”. Sounds familiar #weareinbeta ;) I went to their recent conference in London - highly recommended. You might even see the back of my bald head on the homepage of their website! Join them here

• One of the original self-improving, school-led system models that Will admires.

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Get involved in the community

🙋 If you’d like tell your story or nominate a school with an incredible story to tell check out the topics we’ll be exploring or tweet me @niallalcock

⭐Leave us a review and we’ll give you a shout out in the next episode

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Thanks for playing your part in making education the place we all know it can be.

Best,

@NiallAlcock

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What have people been saying?

Vanessa Mehta @vmehta2172

Everything spoken is genuine and from the heart! His passion, the way he values people to re define accountability, keeping it simple, his drive and focus on actions that make a difference. I have learnt so much from Will and continue to do so! @MrWill_Smith @NiallAlcock

e4education @e4education

A brilliant podcast interview between @NiallAlcock and the lovely @MrWill_Smith from @GreenshawTrust and @by_leaders1 on how to reduce workloads in schools. It's useful, informative and well worth a listen (or a read - transcript available too!): https://t.co/breSjBegRb #edchat https://t.co/jxN7Pixcdf

Phillipa Lewis @phillipa_lewis

@NiallAlcock @GreenshawTrust @MrWill_Smith As a Deputy head at a Greenshaw school the simplicity that Will speaks of has ensured that everything we do makes sure that every child has a better chance of success. Our team teaches- Our children learn - that is it!

Madeleine X F-B @M_X_F

I also listened to this episode with @MrWill_Smith from @GreenshawTrust. Enjoyed his command of numbers! Liked the key message of simplifying things for schools - less unnecessary data, fewer meetings, focus on T&L. @NiallAlcock #weareinbeta #MTPTProject

podcasts.apple.com‎We Are In Beta Podcast: Will Smith, Chief Exec, Greenshaw Learning Trust - How to reduce workload and generate a feeling of relief in scho…‎Show We Are In Beta Podcast, Ep Will Smith, Chief Exec, Greenshaw Learning Trust - How to reduce workload and generate a feeling of relief in schools - 9 Apr 2019

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