It is important, I found, to ensure you do unwind and relax in holidays so that you begin each new half term or new term refreshed and rested. But this isn’t just about well-being, I see. It’s about remembering what brought you into the profession originally and ensuring that you still have that drive and energy to do what needs to be done.

I now recognise the benefits of coaching and realise, particularly in my field, as an advisory specialist that it builds capacity in schools by allowing leaders to create their own strategy in schools. This also recognises the finite time I have with staff so they must have ownership.
But what of a specialist coach? Is it acceptable for example to have someone coaching a Head who had never been a Head? Coaching skills have taught me when to advise and when to ask questions.

It’s fair to say that teachers are cruelly generalised. We are often portrayed as a miserable bunch, constantly striking and always angry about the latest injustice imposed on our education system. To many, the word “teacher” conjures an image of an exhausted, underpaid and overworked drone, counting down the years until retirement. If you’re already a teacher on Twitter, you will already be feeling the benefits. If you’re not, I hope this blog has convinced you to join; it will be worth it.

But this is not the case. Teachers of all ages and nationalities come together on Twitter and they are excited about the profession, their subjects and the students they teach.

Being an education leader has always be hard. But in the digital age, the stakes have been increased. So how can digital leaders best this gargantuan challenge? Here are my tips for being the best education leader that you can be in this digital age.