Questions with Paul Hume
Deputy Headteacher at a Bilingual Primary School @Teacherpaul1978
How has your career path led you to your current role?
RE Lead > Humanities Lead > Phase Leader > Head of Curriculum (English School) > Deputy Headteacher.
How do you develop consistency of good teaching throughout the school?
Regular professional dialogue that involves everyone. Shared discussions and reviews of key teaching and learning policies. Peer-to-peer observations focussing on a shared interest in personal and children’s development (from personalised CPD). Regular moderation.
What is your current behaviour policy? How do you know that the school’s pastoral systems and behaviour policies are working well?
The focus is on restorative justice. This approach has been successful in repairing relationships and resolving conflict between all: children, parents, and staff.
What does a safe school look like? And how do you ensure yours is safe?
Regular audit and review of the Health & Safety and Safeguarding Policies and Risk Assessment. Making sure staff are trained in and regularly updated on safeguarding issues. Keeping up to date with online safety issues and teaching children and parents about these.
What do you see as the key issues facing school leaders in schools today?
Education in a post-covid climate. Curriculum and Assessment both need adjustments to address the impact covid has had on us all. It highlighted what is most important: wellbeing.
What are your core values?
Honesty
This is about being honest with yourself and everyone around you: children, colleagues, family, friends, etc. Knowing when you need help and reaching out. Knowing what you are capable of doing and believing in what you are capable of achieving. Who are you? What are your talents? How can they be used to further the achievement and success of your children and colleagues? What are your weaknesses? Know that within those weaknesses are opportunities for great success and growth.
Capacity
This is about your limits. What is your capacity? It links to honesty as knowing your capacity will empower you to say stop when you know you’re at your limit. On the other hand, this is also about knowing how much more you can achieve, that you have a capacity for greatness, that your capacity in this sense can be increased. Surrounding yourself with the right people will ensure that your capacity is fulfilled. Be careful and watch out for those who are a drain on your capacity. Let them go.
Preparation
While preparation is key to successful lessons, this is also about being prepared for the role you are undertaking. Are you ready? Go back to the start of the day. Have you prepared yourself with the right sustenance? Did you get enough sleep? Does your diet prepare you to be the best physically and mentally? Do your friends, hobbies and social life prepare you to be the best? Do you exercise enough to be as prepared as you can be? Moving on to CPD. What courses, books or articles could you take part in or read to keep you better prepared? Do you anticipate problems so that you are prepared for them? This could be lessons or in general. These are questions I try to ask myself as much as possible. Of course, I fail on some, sometimes daily. However, because I am honest with myself, and that I know my capacity, I can at least make some changes so that I am better prepared for when I face these problems again.
HeadStart aims to interview Headteachers and Assistant Headteachers on how their schools deal with some of the most important areas of education. The idea is to share practices and opinions to increase transparency and inspire schools around the country. If you would like to be featured, please contact flavia@seneca.io