Teach-Primary-Issue-19.7

The writer is a headteacher in England. VO I C E S B eing a primary school headteacher is about more than just leading an educational institution; it’s like being the mayor of a small, demanding, and perpetually underfunded town. Your days are a relentless cascade of academic strategy, pastoral care, and crisis management, all conducted with a tepid cup of tea in one hand and a fire extinguisher in the other. In this pressure- cooker environment, every minute is a finite and precious resource – like the last biscuit in the staffroom – which creates an internal conflict over relationships that do not seem to offer a direct, tangible benefit. The unfortunate truth is that a headteacher is forced to adopt a transactional mindset, with the question, “What does this do for my pupils?” shaping every decision. Time spent in political meetings with councillors or MPs often feels like a resource sink, a drain on a budget of time that could have been used in a classroomwith a struggling pupil or in a meeting with a parent. There is an unshakeable belief that the most valuable use of time is in the service of the children, not in the service of abstract political goodwill. A headteacher is an educator, not a political operative, and their time should be for pedagogy, not for politicking. This internal struggle is a constant back and forth between two distinct voices. The first, that of the dedicated headteacher, sees the time spent on relationship building as an extravagant luxury the school simply cannot afford. It argues that a successful school is built on strong pedagogy and a dedicated staff, not on charming a politician. This mindset is fuelled by a stretched budget and an ever-growing list of needs. It is not born of cynicism but of necessity. However, a second voice presents a more complicated and pragmatic truth. It reminds you that a school does not exist in a vacuum, but is part of a community. Ignoring the political sphere is not a luxury but a profound act of neglect. This voice argues that while the direct, tangible benefit may not be visible today, it is in these relationships that the school’s future is shaped. A headteacher must be a tireless advocate, and that advocacy requires allies. A local politician who understands the school’s challenges is far more likely to listen and act when a funding crisis hits or a new policy threatens to destabilise the school. These relationships are the insurance for the school's future. This dilemma is made worse by the need to manage your own authenticity. The public-facing part of the role can feel artificial, like a performance that takes you away from the more rewarding work of running a school, and the emotional and mental energy drain is a very real cost of the job. Ultimately, there is no right answer; both approaches are fraught with risk. The headteacher who refuses to engage in transactional relationships makes a principled stand for their students, but this also leaves the school vulnerable and isolated in a sea of political change. Conversely, the headteacher who cultivates these relationships makes a pragmatic, long-term investment, but lets go of a certain amount of idealism, and risks losing sight of the very pupils they are meant to be serving. The choice isn't between a good option and a bad one; it's between two difficult truths. The transactional mindset is not a flaw; it is a necessary defence mechanism against a system that demands more than any single person can give. The inescapable reality is that the modern headteacher must be two things at once; the tireless advocate for their students today and the reluctant diplomat for their school's future tomorrow. And they must do so with the knowledge that neither path is perfect, and that the honest cost of leadership is the constant, nagging feeling that you are not doing enough, for anyone. TP “A headteacher must be the tireless advocate and the reluctant diplomat” Is the cost of leadership really a tug-of-war between transactional relationships and an unwavering commitment to pupils? Our anonymous educator gets something off their chest www.teachwire.net | 19