Page 13 - SEN106 SEN Magazine May-June 2020

Headteachers are leaving the profession in droves, as official figures show that almost a third of school leaders are now leaving within three years of taking up the post. Of the secondary school headteachers aged under 50 who were appointed in 2013, 31% had left by 2016. One in five primary school headteachers quit their posts over the same period, according to the Department for Education (DfE). This shocking statistic is also getting worse as the number of school leavers who are throwing in the towel has increased since 2011 when the DfE report’s analysis of retention began. Most people don’t quit their jobs on a whim or make the decision lightly to leave a profession which, as educationalists know, is challenging enough to gain entry to in the first place. And I am sure most headteachers who make the difficult decision to step down will struggle to achieve the salaries, holiday and benefits which are afforded to heads. So why did I go from being a successful executive headteacher to quitting without a job to go to? The answer is that, at 32 years old, five years into being a headteacher, I cannot afford to burn out, I cannot afford to quit and I cannot afford to reach breaking point. And I am not ashamed to admit that, five years in, I was struggling. Time to reflect I needed a break from safeguarding concerns which were complex and challenging. The perilous mix of social media and county lines gangs had seen me dealing with some serious incidents of harm to young people who I cared deeply about. Working in independent residential special schools also has its own safeguarding challenges and uncertainties. I needed a break from the ever changing cycles of educational policy and practice, including new Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance, which meant a new safeguarding and child protection policy and, therefore, new staff training and a new website. And, whilst I agreed with the changes which were made to KCSIE, did these changes (and extra work for me) have any tangible impact on the actual significant harm which my children were coming to? This is one example of a policy change – and the work which that change creates for senior leaders – which pales into insignificant next to the need to change the entire format of a school development plan and self-evaluation form because of a new Ofsted framework. I needed a break from my exhausted teachers, who, in turn, need a break from lesson observations, endless scrutiny, data collection, a new Ofsted framework and a shifting emphasis in pedagogy. Yes, these may be necessary evils in terms of proving the impact of teachers, but my natural inclination is to be protective of them, especially when they are feeling overwhelmed because of the increasing demands placed upon them. I love being a headteacher, but the role is hard and I know that to enjoy a long and successful career as a head I will need to have breaks. So, roughly every five years, I will retire for six months and use that time to remind myself why I love teaching and the amazing experiences that educating children brings. It is an honour to lead a school but to do this well over the long- term, every so often I just need not to do it for a while. Point of view: former headteacher ‘I needed a break’ Emily Haddock explains why she’s taking a break from being a special school headteacher About the author Dr Emily Haddock was an executive headteacher of two special schools. She is currently travelling in Australia, New Zealand, Peru and Brazil. @emilyhaddock I am not ashamed to admit that, five years in, I was struggling What’s your point of view? Email editor@senmagazine.co.uk senmagazine.co.uk SEN 106 13 Point of view