A Fresh Start - and a step to the side

This morning, I read a thoughtful reflection on the wave of social media posts from educators announcing new roles in schools around the world. The writer captured beautifully the blend of anticipation, justified pride, and quiet anxiety that often accompanies such transitions. Graciously, they also acknowledged those of us who, this year, have chosen not to move forward into a new role, but to step sideways—to pause, reflect, and consider how we might continue contributing to the profession we care so deeply about.

For the first time in thirty years, I’ll be working not in my school, but in other people’s schools. With exciting projects planned in three different countries, my involvement will be temporary—yet I hope the impact will be more enduring, carried forward by the teachers and leaders I’ll be working alongside.

There’s a certain energy that comes with starting something new. It sharpens my thinking and rekindles my enthusiasm for learning, leadership, and the messy, beautiful work that connects the two. That freshness can sometimes fade when we stay in the same role or context for too long—whether that’s a school, a year group, or a leadership position.

I’m reminded of a teacher I met in my very first school. She was warm, experienced, and wonderfully reassuring. As she neared retirement, she proudly told me she had spent her entire 30-year career teaching Reception. Her classroom ran with military precision. In the days before SATs, the National Curriculum Review, or Ofsted inspections, she had the freedom to plan her year exactly as she wished—and she did so meticulously, with the same activities, routines, and themes year after year.

At first, I was impressed. But over the four years I worked there, I came to see that her approach, while efficient, had become static. She no longer reflected on her practice, nor adapted to the changing needs of her pupils or the profession. Her 30 years of experience, I realised, amounted to one year—repeated thirty times. I often wonder how well that approach would serve the Reception children we welcome into schools today.

When I speak with teachers preparing for a new class, I often share an analogy I call “Dive Left”—a prompt to disrupt routine, to take a different angle, and to engage with each new group of learners with fresh eyes. It's a mindset many of the best educators develop instinctively over time: the ability to balance experience with openness and curiosity.

This August, I begin a different kind of role—one that will challenge me to lead, learn, and support others in new ways. As I take on this new chapter, I’ll be thinking of the many colleagues I’ve worked alongside over the years—those who, even now, are reflecting, planning, and preparing to make this the best year yet for the children in their care.

Whether you're stepping into something new or taking a step to the side—here’s to fresh thinking, renewed purpose, and a lifelong commitment to doing this work well.