Take 1: Do Your Homework

• Learn the school’s history, values, strengths and unique character before starting.
• Understand the team, board and wider community you will be joining.
• Show from day one that you are fully invested in the school.

Take 2: Avoid Change for Change’s Sake

• Resist introducing short-term initiatives simply to make your mark.
• Establish stability and understand the school before making changes.
• Ensure future improvements are meaningful and owned by the community.

Take 3: Listen and Learn

• Be visible, approachable and present across the school.
• Listen to staff, pupils, parents, governors and support teams.
• Use these conversations to understand the culture and build trust.

Take 4: Plan for Your Time in Post

• Develop a flexible four-to-six-year vision for meaningful improvement.
• Adapt your plans as you learn more about the school’s context.
• Strengthen leadership at every level and prepare a succession plan.

Take 5: Accept That You Will Not Know Everything

• Lead with confidence, curiosity and humility.
• Draw on the expertise of the people around you.
• Build strong relationships based on trust, respect and shared responsibility.

1) Start with Self-Discovery, Not Decision-Making

Most careers programmes jump too quickly to the “what” (university courses or job titles) before helping students understand the “who.”

When students explore their strengths, values and motivations first, they make more authentic and confident choices later.

By integrating reflection tools, personality frameworks and “career conversations” into tutor time or PSHE, we give students permission to see career exploration as part of their wellbeing journey, not a pressure-filled process.

Take 2) Make Wellbeing the Foundation, Not an Add-On

A student who is anxious, burnt out or comparing themselves to others can’t meaningfully engage in future planning.

Embedding wellbeing strategies (mindfulness, gratitude, resilience or even time to pause and reflect) into careers lessons helps students manage uncertainty with calm and confidence.

When students feel psychologically safe, they are more open to growth and more resilient in navigating rejection or change.

Take 3) Redefine Success: From Prestige to Purpose

Too often, students equate success with prestige - top universities, big salaries or brand names.

Our role is to shift that narrative. We should celebrate diverse definitions of success: joy in learning, alignment with values, contribution to society.

Using alumni stories and real-world examples helps students see that there are many ways to live a successful, meaningful life.

Take 4) Connect the Dots Between Curriculum and Careers

Students often ask, “When will I ever use this?”

Careers education becomes transformative when we bridge classroom learning with the world beyond school. Whether through curriculum-linked career talks, employer projects or cross-subject challenges, this approach builds both relevance and confidence, showing students that what they learn today genuinely matters for tomorrow.

Take 5) Build a Culture of Conversation

The best careers education doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in conversations.

Creating spaces where students can talk openly about uncertainty, comparison or changing plans builds resilience and agency.

Teachers, parents and peers all play a role here. When a school normalises these conversations (from staffroom to classroom) students learn that their pathway doesn’t have to be perfect to be purposeful.

1) Positive Emotions Create Upward Spirals

2) Engagement Flows Through Strengths

3) High-Trust Relationships Underpins Flourishing

4) Connect to a Higher Purpose Through Meaning

5) Frame Accomplishments as Progress That Inspires Growth

Take 1: Maths is about thinking, not performing

Take 2: Number sense is key to a child's success in Maths

Take 3: Mathematics is a connected, beautiful, creative and visual subject

Take 4: Talk about Maths

Take 5: Celebrate struggle!

Take 1: Create Eco Warriors

• Appoint an Eco Lead Teacher and an eco representative from each class.
• Audit current practice and create an annual action plan.
• Work towards the internationally recognised Eco-Schools Green Flag.

Take 2: Build a Sustainable Culture

• Encourage staff to model sustainable choices, including reusable products, waste-free lunches and greener travel.
• Make school and parent-led events sustainable.
• Share clear sustainability expectations with families.

Take 3: Lead Environmental Projects

• Focus on one topic at a time, such as waste, energy, biodiversity or transport.
• Use the 8Rs: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Refill, Repair, Repurpose and Recycle.
• Reduce packaging and food waste through supplier engagement, monitoring and composting.

Take 4: Involve the Community

• Involve pupils in growing fruit and vegetables and maintaining a school garden.
• Make and sell sustainable products at local markets and events.
• Use these projects to build practical skills and community connections.

Take 5: Embed Sustainability in the Curriculum

• Use enquiry-based learning to explore real environmental questions.
• Connect sustainability across different subjects.
• Create an action group involving pupils, schools, businesses, councillors and environmental organisations.

Links

Learn more: ecoedd.com

Connect with Edd: linkedin.com/in/edd-moore-a0369b86

Take 1: Make it known what your goals are and seek out a mentor Make your leadership aspirations known and seek a mentor who can provide guidance, support, and opportunities aligned with your goals.

Take 2: Facilitate workshops and professional learning experiences Facilitate professional learning opportunities to develop your leadership skills and demonstrate your ability to lead and influence others.

Take 3: Join (or create) committees Join or establish school committees to showcase your collaboration, initiative, and ability to drive meaningful change.

Take 4: Upskilling with qualifications and certifications Strengthen your leadership credentials by pursuing relevant qualifications and professional development aligned with your career goals.

Take 5: Network Build and maintain a strong professional network that can provide ongoing support, insights, and future leadership opportunities.

Take 1) Creating a Culture of mental health support Whatever role you play in a school or organization, it’s important for you and everyone you work with to be someone willing to act if a person may be in need of mental health support. This can be through starting a committee, facilitating a workshop, writing newsletters or any other way you can communicate and remind people of what to do if you are worried about someone. The culture created should be that is a collective responsibility to recognize, understand, and respond appropriately to someone experiencing a mental health issue.

Take 2) Notice the signs and trust your gut

The signs of someone who may be in need of mental health support can be obvious or subtle but it is important to notice when they happen. Has there been a change in their behavior, are they experiencing mood swings, becoming withdrawn, voicing concerns, or are they going through high levels of stress, grief, or health issues? This is often the first sign to an outsider that something may be happening to a friend or colleague. If you feel something is amiss, or there has been a change, it could be hard to place exactly what that may be. It is important to trust your gut. It is far better to try and support someone and be wrong than to have a feeling about it and fail to act.

Take 3) Have the conversation

If you suspect someone may be experiencing mental health distress, it is important to speak to them. Most of us are not trained psychologists and the conversation needs you to just ask the person if they are ok. Mention a behavior you may have noticed, share that you are worried and most importantly, actively listen with empathy. Allow them to speak and validate their feelings. We can’t fix their problems for them, but we can be a pillar of support and encouragement.

Take 4) Signpost

If the conversation has led to the person potentially needing help, it is important to signpost them to appropriate support. In schools I have worked in we have kept an up-to-date contact list of doctors and therapists faculty can access and shared this in newsletters and kept available to everyone on shared drives. This can then be used to provide the person who may be in need of support with the resources to access professional help. This is especially important in schools with staff from around the world who may be new to a country and unaware of the help available. If applicable, also share how the health insurance operates if they do seek help and a step-by-step guide on what to do. These don’t have to be country specific if resources are limited in person, there are also excellent tele-health services available that some insurances will cover the cost for if other options aren’t viable.

Take 5) Follow Up

It will often take more than one conversation and more than one attempt to signpost before a person feels safe enough to get help. Follow up with the person, ask if they were able to contact the services you signposted, offer any help such as calling to make an appointment, or accompanying them to the location.

Drawing on her new book, Hannah Wilson, Director of The Belonging Effect, shares five practical insights on building belonging in schools

Take 1) Introduction: Why should we care about DEIB?

• It does not have to happen to you to matter to you.
• Understanding power and privilege.
• We need to stand up, speak out, show support for issues impacting others.

Take 2) Belonging in Society: How do we develop it?

• Increased hate crimes.
• Riots.
• Flags.
• Media and social media.
• Derogatory language.

Take 3) Belonging in Schools: How do we change it?

• Intentional inclusion. By design.
• Challenging assumptions and biases.
• High attrition and exclusion rates.
• Strategic intent from governance.

Take 4) Belonging in the Staffroom: How do we disrupt it?

• Designing for inclusion.
• Diversifying recruitment.
• Talent pipeline and retention initiatives.
• ITTE and governance.
• Inclusive workplaces.

Take 5) Belonging in the Classroom: How do we foster it?

• Inclusive classrooms.
• Psychological safety.
• Diverse curriculum.
• Better representation.

Call to Action: What do we do next?

• Consciousness, Confidence, Competence
• Curiosity v Criticality
• Allyship
• Shaping intention into impact.

Links and Resources

Learn more about The Belonging Effect here: https://www.thebelongingeffect.co.uk/