Last week a large group of school leaders came together for this year’s Leading Edge conference. This year, we returned to a familiar theme, that of understanding what supports high performance.
Our opening speaker this year was Michael Caulfield, an eminent sports psychologist who has worked with elite sports people and coaches, including Gareth Southgate. He currently works several days a week at Brentford Football Club, with both the senior and junior teams.
Michael highlighted the importance of finding time to really talk and connect with your team, finishing with a slide that repeated the line ‘people and time’ several times. He described how he takes time to sit on a bench, or walk with his dog and talk. What was clear from his presentation was that these conversations simultaneously have nothing and everything to do with high performance. The conversations are rarely about the details of performance, or strategy, but through that human connection and time to unpick whatever else is happening, people are freed up to work at their best.
This theme was echoed by inputs from four headteachers which followed. Rob Carter, from St Paul’s Catholic College, Joan Deslandes, from Kingsford High School, Nick Robinson from Trinity Academy Halifax and Felicity Corcoran from St Michael’s Catholic College shared their reflections on creating the conditions for high performance. Whilst sharing specific approaches which have benefited their schools, they also all returned to the theme of culture, of creating a positive environment and valuing people.
It is always great to have days which bring people together in person, giving time for them to stop, reflect and connect with one another. Leading Edge exists to support those connections and support collaboration between busy school leaders. The day felt a timely reminder that in busy lives, high performance is always about bringing the best out in people and prioritising time to connect. As Michael Caulfield puts it:
People and time
People and time
People and time.
SSAT’s Leading Edge network
We understand the challenges of achieving and sustaining high performance and believe that these challenges are best met with the support of like-minded professionals. As the only national network specifically for high-performing schools, SSAT Leading Edge connects you to colleagues across the country, providing structured collaboration and regular insights into the practice of other schools.
