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The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

Leadership and staff development

John Dabell
30 October 2023

Leadership with a little 'l'

John Dabell explores the concept of leadership with a little 'l'. He emphasises the importance of soft skills such as character, charisma, compassion and humility to achieve effective leadership. Headteachers have to mix little and large styles and blend courageous leadership and thought leadership...
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Mel Greenwood
2 October 2023

True staff wellbeing

Mel Greenwood challenges the effectiveness of common staff wellbeing activities and advocates for a more personalised approach that includes professional development, flexibility, empathy and active listening. Drawing from personal experiences and conversations with educators, she emphasises the...
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Mel Greenwood
20 September 2023

A culture of learning and growing – ECT years and beyond

Find out the importance of continuous learning and growth for educators, emphasising their impact on improving the educational experience for students. The earliest years of your teaching career can be the toughest, but for some, these are the years that see the most growth as an educator. After...
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Lisa Griffin
15 August 2023

MATs: how can you support your communities?

From integrating services into the community to increasing stakeholder engagement and fundraising, several trusts tell us how they’ve made a real difference to their communities. Schools play an important and pivotal role in the community. Providing a range of services, schools have the opportunity...
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Mel Greenwood
31 July 2023

Credit to supply teachers everywhere!

Turning up at a school you’ve not been to before, with pupils and staff you don’t know, is no mean feat. Mel Greenwood flies the flag for supply teachers and explains how to look after them. On a short career break and while waiting for my dream job to come along, I decided to apply to start doing...
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Carole Green
28 June 2023

Three impactful steps schools can take to embed EDI into their settings

Ensuring we are engaging in equality, diversity and inclusion in an impactful way is crucial to the wellbeing of the whole school community. Carole Green shares three steps to take to reach this goal. Settings that struggle to embed EDI are more likely to have environments in which discrimination...
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Lisa Griffin
19 June 2023

How can you make your MAT attractive?

We asked MAT leaders what matters to employees and how they can market themselves as an employer of choice. As an employer, you want to foster an attractive and professional environment where staff feel comfortable, happy, valued, and can work to the best of their ability. When it comes to bringing...
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Kimberley Evans
7 June 2023

10 small interactions that make a big difference in the workplace

Improving working conditions and staff wellbeing doesn't always require financial resources. Kimberley Evans gives 10 actions that anyone can take to make a meaningful change. Improving working conditions, staff wellbeing and happiness can often seem daunting, you don’t know where to start and it...
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Lisa Griffin
22 May 2023

MAT Excellence Awards: what are you looking forward to on the night?

Our inaugural MAT Excellence Awards are fast approaching. We spoke to some of our judges who told us the three things they’re most looking forward to at the event. The first Optimus Education MAT Excellence Awards take place on Thursday 29 June in London. The event will give trusts the opportunity...
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Amy Marsh
17 May 2023

Why adults need to be taught how to listen

Active listening is a fundamental skill that many adults struggle with. Amy Marsh discusses how genuine listening can transform classroom dynamics and empower students to engage constructively. I have previously written about the importance of identity , self-awareness, and culture . These all...
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