Insights with NetSupport: Chris Edwards - Leadership tips for leaders new to the role ready for starting in September

In this episode of Insights with NetSupport, I was delighted to spend some time talking with the Headteacher of Brighton Hill Community School, Chris Edwards.
In his sixth year as Headteacher at the school, the number of students on the roll has more than doubled from 502 to 1205. His successful leadership has seen wide-ranging developments and improvements so, with this in mind and the school’s successful growth and perception in the local community, we thought it would be great to ask Chris to share some of his insights into school leadership.
With the new academic year looming, we took the approach of Chris sharing his insights into leadership and asked him to offer advice for those new to leadership posts, whether that be new to leadership or new to Headship – and we weren’t disappointed!
He spends time ‘talking up the job’ and how headship is the ‘best job in the world’. He also suggests some things you should consider within the first 60 days of your job and some actions you can take from those activities with examples.
Chris’ positivity is infectious, and in his responses, he shares many helpful insights we are certain will be great takeaways for all listeners, not just those moving into school leadership.
From conversations about lessons and leadership in sports, to the importance of developing a sense of belonging and community, dealing with difficult parents and difficult conversations, plus some of his favourite edtech tools to help both his job as a school leader and ensure consistency of access for staff and students, there are plenty of great takeaways for educators seeking to learn from the experiences of a successful school leader.
You can follow Chris on social media at @ChrisEdwardsUK and his school can be found @BrightonHillSch.
References:
Owen Eastwood - Belonging
David Brailsford – Marginal Gains
Vic Goddard – The Best Job In The World
Bill Walsh – San Francisco 49ers
John Amaechi – The Promises of Giants
Century TECH
Prezi
Performance Learning