Product reviews for A Head Full of Ethos

In this data-driven age of accountability, schools are often willing to move from one approach to another to another in order to find ways forward to demonstrate improvement. This can leave teachers in a spin and never clear about the direction of travel for the school. This book provides a discerning and appealing account of how to develop a shared vision and implement it daily, based on the notion that the key to success lies in the school’s ethos and in the daily demonstration of its foundation values.

A Head Full of Ethos takes the experiences of a headteacher over more than 30 years of school leadership to provide an informative illustration of the beliefs which have supported him in developing new ideas, as well as incorporating the ideas of others, in various school settings. Whilst aimed at whole school development, the ideas and principles can be applied by mathematics subject leaders or heads of department in supporting colleagues towards a positive culture and subsequent school success. 

The book offers essential reading for any established or aspiring school leader. It complements the many 'toolkits' of school and subject leadership that currently exist by considering what kind of ethos they hope to build. Throughout the book, the author poses many questions to help direct discussion and to enable readers to reflect on their own experiences. Each chapter examines different aspects of ethos and offers a series of ‘cogs’ which when used together can produce a smooth-running and successful school or subject department. Through many practical examples and distilled experiences, the author offers strategies which can be applied to developing teaching and learning within a positive school culture. In a field where there are numerous guides to school ethos, this useful text brings together the best approaches, tried and tested and successful so I would recommend it for inclusion in any school staff room.