Successful Primary School Leadership

There are 16,949 schools in England that serve over 4.5 million pupils within the 3-11 age range. Within that number, there are many different contextual features which contribute to the unique character of a primary school. From the type of school to the area in which it is located, through to the number of children on roll to their religious character, there are a host of factors which mean no two primary schools are exactly alike.

Unique school contexts require unique leadership; there is no ‘one size fits all’. This paper aims to provide insight into the diverse and rewarding role of a leader in a primary school and reflects the voices of headteachers and senior leaders from across the SSAT Primary Network.

Through interviews carried out in the summer term of 2021, along with discussions that took place at the SSAT primary conference, webinars and events, leaders have shared their views on what constitutes successful leadership from their own experiences within primary settings. Core themes emerged, including the importance of leaders engaging in self-reflection and self-understanding; leaders having clear and principled values which underpin a vision which is shared and understood by all stakeholders; the power of partnerships, and the impact of this on schools of differing contexts; and the nature of high performing teams within a primary setting. This paper will explore these key themes, along with examples of practice from the Primary Network, to provide insight into successful primary leadership as well as opportunities for discussion and reflection across all education phases.