Bold School Leadership with Vic Goddard

For this episode, special guest Vic Goddard joins hosts Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner to discuss leadership, connection in education, post-lockdown education, and preparing the next generation of leaders. 

A Role Model for School Leadership

In part one of this episode, the group discusses Vic’s position in British Education, particularly his role as a leader and a role model for head teachers and school leadership. Vic’s first foray into thought leadership was the BAFTA-nominated documentary series Educating Essex, a seven-part series following a group of GCSE students and the staff who teach them as they face the most important year in their education. Since then, Vic has continued as a thought leader in British education and provided opportunities for leadership connections. 

Vic thanks many people who set him on a path to leadership. He believes his current platform is thanks to many teachers and leaders in his own life who set an example for him. In conversations with many leaders on previous episodes of Mind The Gap, they have discussed the responsibility of leaders and the platform they are given. In Vic’s life as a leader, he has passed on this tradition of supporting young professionals and giving them what they need to succeed. 

Providing Motivated Leadership

Part of the responsibility Vic feels is also his motivation. He discusses that he feels most motivated when working with students from a simial socio-economic background as him. What inspires Vic is being able to make a difference in the lives of the students he works with. He shares that if he was working in a school where he knew the students would excel without him, he may not be as motivated to be the leader he is. 

The Necessity of Collaboration

Part of Vic’s leadership success is in collaboration. As not only a principal but the head of an education trust, the ability to lean on people with different skill sets is essential. No head teacher is an HR, finance, discipline, curriculum, and facilities expert. Recognizing that was key to a myriad of factors, from retention to complex financial decision-making. 

Leading With Humanity

In the second part of the episode, the trio discusses the challenges of the modern education system and how we can move forward. COVID-19 really highlighted and exacerbated a lot of the challenges schools were facing. A major challenge is the wear on an older generation of teachers who may soon retire. A major worry is who will replace them and how fast early career teachers will have to fill leadership roles. 

The conversation closes with a discussion of advice for young leaders and the current challenges of school leadership. Being bold, honest, and human are the main themes that appear in addressing many of these challenges.  

Overall this episode highlights the strengths of bold leadership. In this case, bold does not mean brash or dominative; it means empathetic and caring, daring, and open to different perspectives. Particularly in education, as this conversation shows, boldness in leadership can help students, teachers, and a community thrive. 

Watch more episodes of Mind The Gap to learn about making education work globally.