Reflections on the year

9 December 2022 By SSAT

Members of the SSAT team reflect on their highlights of 2022 and what they are looking forward to in the coming year…

This year a personal highlight was listening to the students from Baxter College, Kidderminster, regarding the impact of lockdown on their schooling. Students were articulate, thoughtful, and sensitive.
Next year I am looking forward to working with schools to produce The Children’s Charter.

This year I have had the pleasure of visiting many schools in the network and have really enjoyed working with staff and students using the SSAT Framework for Exceptional Education. It has been great to be back seeing people in real life rather than on a screen.
One of the other memorable events of the year was seeing Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock speak at our Summer Series event. Hearing her speak about her dyslexia and how her exceptional intellect went unnoticed for much of her time at school was extraordinarily powerful. It was also magical to watch the faces of two students from St Mark’s Academy as they watched Maggie talk.
Next year I am looking forward to some of the new work we have planned looking at curriculum. I think it will be really interesting to bring together whole teams of middle leaders at the same event. I am also looking forward to working with schools as an EFA mentor for the first time.

This year has felt like a bit of a rollercoaster, but it is wonderful to end the year on a high with so many schools joining the Embedding Formative Assessment programme. The best bit of my role has always been talking with school leaders, teachers and students. Hearing your relentless passion and enthusiasm for students and their learning.
Meeting students at Lostock High School talking about the schools work on creating a culture of ‘everyone is expected to participate’
Securing subsidised funding for secondary schools to join the EFA programme
Next year I am looking forward to:
- Bringing Dylan Wiliam on tour in March 2023.
- Taking the EFA programme international with visits to The Netherlands and Sweden.
- Working on how we support teachers to make habit changes in the classroom easier.

This year: It’s always difficult to give just one highlight, so here are a few! It’s always fantastic getting into schools – I’ve really enjoyed developing our Culture Audit work and supporting a growing number of schools with Embedding Formative Assessment. 2022 also marked the successful completion of our NPQML contract, the relaunch of the National Award for Middle Leaders (NAML) and two new leadership programmes for SSAT members – Middle Leadership and Aspirant Headteachers.
Next year I’m looking forward to doing more in-person events and the start of the Leading Outstanding Schools programme. I’m also hoping to begin developing some new and exciting programmes for 2023-24.

This year it’s been a privilege visiting schools across England and experiencing the passion and sincerity of the whole school community to improve the life chances of each child.
Next year I am looking forward to continuing to support in any way I can the leaders in these school communities.

This year I have greatly enjoyed working with our current cohort of Leadership Legacy Fellows as they have begun this year’s project. Seeing so many primary schools take up this benefit of membership this year has been wonderful. I have also enjoyed visiting schools across the country to work with leaders in reviewing their practice against our Framework for Exceptional Education.
Next year I am looking forward to the continued development of our network and to opportunities for members to collaborate and learn from and with schools and partner organisations both remotely and in person.

As I look back on 2022 a couple of things stand out for me. Firstly, is the continued engagement of the special school network and their willingness to share practice with each other. The second was just last week when I attended my first face-to-face session since March 2020 during which I was privileged to spend time with a group of students who shared with me some of the ways the last two years had impacted upon them. Two year 13 students explained how they had missed out on vital work experience, others talked about the casual conversations and interactions that take place daily beyond tight friendship groups. Others spoke about how returning to the rhythm of school was and still is difficult after such a long period of online learning. Now more than ever we must listen to our learners.
Next year, sharing of practice will continue to be high on the agenda in 2023 with events already planned for sharing post-19 experiences, looking at developing effective student leadership, school effectiveness and one of the themes for next year’s annual conference will be trauma informed teaching and learning. So, lots to look forward to and engage with.

This year has been a year of opportunity. As schools re-adjusted to the post-Covid environment and re-established their student leadership programmes I have been privileged to work with students across the country as they build their leadership skills for a variety of student leadership roles. It is amazing to work with the students as they develop and practice their skills and observe the difference that student leadership and student voice can make for schools.
In 2023 I am looking forward continuing to work with teachers and leaders to develop their coaching skills – coaching is such a powerful tool to add to their ‘toolkits’!

This year a work-related highlight has been working with the future leaders of the SSAT Leadership Legacy Project. It is such an invaluable learning experience to facilitate their meetings, discussions and observe their professional development and growth throughout the course of the project.
Next year I am looking forward to continuing to support, collaborate with, and learn from the school leaders and teachers who are the real drivers of much the work that takes place in the SSAT network.

Let us know your highlights for 2022 and what you are looking forward to in 2023. You can reply using the box below.