How trust and school leadership can help staff thrive and pupils succeed

It’s an exciting time for IRIS Education.

Research in our recent whitepaper sheds light on how schools and trusts can look after staff – and secure the best possible outcomes for pupils.

As part of this initiative, CEO mentor John Murphy has provided some invaluable insights on leading teams in a way that helps them find their very best potential.

Following this piece, we’ll explain how you can learn more about supporting staff from John and the other fantastic experts we’re working with.

Authentic leadership: creating conditions for staff to flourish

John Murphy has spent the last ten years as CEO at of one of the largest trusts in the UK and now works to support those in the same position across the country. We asked John to tell us what he’s learned about the best ways to create a great working environment for staff in education.

I have seen three key levers that have created the very best conditions for my colleagues to flourish: moral directness, line management and leadership characteristics.

Moral directness: Understanding the context and being direct and honest about what needs to improve

A trust CEO needs to oversee all schools and judge – with the help of data and other evidence – whether they are moving forward or falling backwards.

It’s vital to regularly review insights and have timely, direct conversations with staff. This ensures all colleagues get the right support, poor practice is challenged, and issues are tackled quickly and effectively. The more a problem is allowed to develop, the longer it takes to resolve later on.

As a leader, moral directness is an absolute requisite to resolving issues, maintaining trust and ensuring all staff members have a safe, happy environment.

Line management: Promoting the essential ingredients of line management to create a psychologically safe and productive working environment

Creating an environment of psychological safety for the colleagues you line lead is critical. Great line management is the lever that holds all organisations together, and I would argue that a standardised line management process needs to exist at every level to ensure all staff flourish.

Leadership should provide clarity at all levels, with accountabilities and responsibilities being well understood by all.

You want the person being line-managed to feel comfortable, inspired, responsible, trusted and clear on the next steps and direction.

Leadership characteristics: Uncovering your best personal and professional characteristics to enable the team around you to flourish

Being your authentic self is key to staff trusting you and your message; this demands huge personal awareness together with managing emotional and social intelligence. The role of CEO is very often stressful, and it is easy to transfer your stress to others.

Developing a great organisation often demands that the CEO be resilient but also innovative and courageous to bring about change.

Remember, there is a huge difference between management and leadership. As Simon Sinek said: “We can only truly be in charge when we are willing to let others be in charge.”

Find out more in our IRIS webinar, Happy staff, happy pupils: The new tools & rules in education for helping staff & pupils thrive

John is one of three special guests looking into the impact of staff and pupil happiness on the outcomes schools and trusts deliver.

The full panel of experts includes:

• Iona Jackson, Director of Strategy, Edurio
• John Murphy, Education Leadership Mentor
• Matt Meckin, CEO, The Rivers C of E Trust
• Simon Freeman, Education Managing Director, IRIS Software Group

An important webinar for leaders looking to retain staff

Our webinar comes at an important time.

The DfE recently announced that just over one third of teachers and leaders (36%) indicated that they were considering leaving the state school sector in the next 12 months, excluding for retirement. This is up from 25% in 2022.

The DfE's research also shows an increase in staff absenteeism rates.

An unmissable panel

Key topics include insights from leaders who are making specific, effective changes in schools and trusts, as well as data from experts who have an unmissable, birds-eye view of the sector you won’t want to miss.

The discussion covers:

• What good, authentic leadership looks like
• How to implement excellent line management
• Ways to explore a trust’s mission and strategy
• How to embed a people strategy in your school or trust
• How senior staff can nurture a positive culture and climate
• Ways to ensure meaningful engagement with employees
• Methods of establishing equity for staff
• Ways of providing staff with the right tools to get access to better information and ease their admin burden in the process.

Watch on-demand – and come away with actionable insights from those who have lived and breathed leadership, actionable data and smart solutions.

Click here to view the webinar on demand

And read our whitepaper Happy staff, happy pupils: Helping your staff & pupils thrive.