Written by Steve Kirkpatrick | Former primary headteacher and co-founder, Intelligent Evidence

Congratulations! You’ve made it. You’ve climbed the mountain, navigated the interviews, and now the title of Headteacher is yours.

Take a breath. That mix of excitement and “what have I done?” panic? Totally normal.

Truth is, no one’s really ready for headship. It’s like being handed the controls of a spaceship when you’ve only ever ridden a bike. But fear not, intrepid leader! While I can’t promise you a smooth, turbulence-free flight, you definitely don’t have to fly it alone – and you don’t need to have it all figured out by Monday.

This isn’t a checklist or a perfect plan. It’s a handful of things I wish someone had told me before I stepped into the role. Lessons learned the hard way – so maybe you don’t have to.

Start with your compass

When you first sit in the head’s chair, the pressure to “prove yourself” can be overwhelming. You’ll feel like you need to have all the answers, all the policies, and all the grand plans perfectly “nailed on Day One.” Spoiler alert: You don’t. That’s a recipe for burnout faster than a primary school lunch break.

Instead, start simple. Grab a cuppa (you’ll be drinking a lot of these), find a quiet corner, and ask yourself:

• What kind of school do I genuinely want to lead? (Think beyond the league tables. What’s the vibe?)
• What absolutely, unequivocally matters to me? (Is it kindness? Innovation? Community spirit? Pin it down.)

Turn those big ideas into a handful of non-negotiable priorities. Choose a few and let those guide you when the noise gets loud. You don’t need the whole plan – just a steady place to start from. It shows you’re thinking ahead, and that’s a superpower in itself.

The art of not doing (yes, seriously)

As a head, there will always be too much to do. Emails, behaviour, leaky roofs, parent queries, new policies, ambitious projects… it’s a never-ending buffet of “stuff.”

But here’s the secret sauce of leadership: knowing what not to do right now.

So pick one strategic thing each week. Just one. Let the other stuff wait (unless it’s genuinely urgent). If you don’t choose your focus, your inbox will choose for you and trust me, they’ll never pick wisely. They’ll just pick the loudest, squeakiest wheel. 

Decide what matters, then protect it.

Protecting your time while staying visible

Your time is gold and everyone wants a piece of it. And while being visible matters, disappearing into back-to-back chaos doesn’t help anyone.

The trick? Setting boundaries and sticking to them.

When your door is open, be fully present. Engage, listen, and be the supportive, approachable leader people need. But when that door is closed, make it known that you are deep in the work that keeps the school humming and to only disturb you if something is truly urgent (or if there’s free cake).

But don’t become a ghost. We all know the meetings that start with “Have you got two minutes?” that morphs into two-hour sagas. Build systems to prevent that. To keep everyone aligned, without needing constant face-to-face time. Think:

• Weekly SLT briefings
• Shared to-do documents
• A well-managed WhatsApp group for urgent communication

Here’s a small game-changer for me: Every morning, I’d set myself three small, achievable tasks. One might even be “have 10 minutes to eat lunch.” Nail those, and no matter what chaos happens, you’ll feel like you’ve led the day.

The power of being seen, every single day 

Visibility is your quiet superpower. It builds trust, steadies wobbly nerves, and allows you to lead without uttering a single word.

I used to have a little ritual: as the children came in, I’d walk past each classroom and give a simple thumbs-up through the door. It was my silent way of saying: “I see you. I’m here. It’s going to be okay.” And often, if it wasn’t okay, I could spot it early and step in quietly before it became a full-blown drama.

Stand on the gate. Pop into lessons. Say thank you – a lot. Build a culture where staff feel seen, not just managed.

Remember, your mood sets the tone. Calm is contagious. If you’re flapping, everyone else will be doing the Macarena of chaos. Be the calm in the storm.

Relationships first, always

You’re leading people, not just policies. Take the time to genuinely connect with everyone: your staff, parents, the site team, the amazing kitchen staff, governors, and, of course, the children. Ask questions. Listen well. Remember birthdays. Celebrate effort.

And please, for the love of all that is sane, don’t do this alone. Find your tribe. A coach, a cluster group of other heads, a WhatsApp thread where you can vent or celebrate. You’ll need people who get it – they’ll be your sanity keepers.

Communicate with care

People don’t fear change – they fear uncertainty. So, be the beacon of clarity. Explain what’s happening, and more importantly, why it’s happening. If you don’t have an answer, say so. Speak early, speak often, and always, always keep it human. Ditch the jargon where you can.

And outside the school? Be your school’s storyteller. Newsletters, social media, parent chats – they all shape your school’s reputation. Make every interaction count.

Learn the ropes (the unofficial ones)

Before diving into your grand vision, learn the stuff that keeps the wheels turning. Seriously, this will save you countless headaches.

• Who signs off what? (Crucial for not bottlenecking everything.)
• How does the safeguarding system really work? (And who are your unsung heroes in that department?)
• What’s your actual improvement plan? (Not the glossy version, the one people use day-to-day.)
• Where are the hidden risk points? (Is it the wonky step? The ancient heating system? The pigeon problem?)

Your office manager, your site supervisor, your DSL – these are the people that know all this valuable intel. They are the unsung heroes, the walking encyclopedias of your school. Ask them. Listen to them. Buy them biscuits.

Keep one foot firmly in the classroom

You can’t lead learning from behind a desk. Be present in lessons. See how your policies land in practice. Talk to the pupils; their insights are gold. Praise staff for their incredible work. Offer support, not surveillance. Remember, you’re observing to understand and uplift, not to catch anyone out.

You might be tempted to overhaul everything. My advice? Change less than you think. Listen more than you talk. Trust your judgment, but more importantly, trust your team. They’re the experts on the ground.

Take smart risks, learn like lightning

You will get things wrong. We all do. That’s leadership. But if you try something, reflect, and adapt? That’s where real trust is built.

Support innovative ideas from your team, even the quirky ones that make you raise an eyebrow. Celebrate progress, not just perfection. And when you mess up (because you will), model what learning from mistakes looks like. Apologise sincerely if needed, explain what you’ve learned, and move forward. That, my friend, is leadership too.

Final thought

You’re never fully ready for headship. No one is. But you can be open, strategic, kind, and courageous.

• Protect your time. It’s precious.
• Trust your people. They’re brilliant.
• Keep your sense of humour. You’ll need it daily.
• Above all, remember: you’re not here to be perfect. You’re here to lead. 

Now go forth and be magnificent (and maybe have another cuppa).