Heads count - School Workforce Development
What is Heads count?
Whether you are new to headship or a long serving head teacher, you will recognise the demands of the role impact at professional and personal levels.
Heads count are a group of head teachers that are willing and available to invest in other head teachers.
Heads count recognises that all head teachers face crisis points when they need to talk freely about the situation they are handling, their own reactions and their choices for future action. Many head teachers have sought out their own network of informal support.
Heads count is not intended to replace:
- existing family head teacher groups
- area head teacher groups
- induction cohorts
- individual networks of former and current colleagues.
Instead it can offer an alternative when a head teacher feels it appropriate.
Training
Those heads who have volunteered to be an active part of Heads count have elected to take part in a training programme. The training will offer insights and strategies for supporting colleagues whether they be colleagues in the same school or colleagues from within the heads’ community. We refer to those heads who offer their services as peer supporters.
It is our intention to offer more training to head teachers through the Heads count development in the hope that this would help sustain head teachers':
- resilience
- personal support strategies
- strategies for supporting others.
Accessing support
Each area has a link Head Teacher, should you wish to access support please contact a member from the Steering Group.
If you are unsure which head teacher to contact, or would welcome some help in identifying an appropriate person, please feel free to contact Hilary Craik on
tel: 01623 434139 or discuss this with your link inspector.
Ongoing developments
The ongoing development of head teachers is monitored and managed by the Heads count advisory group. This group meets regularly each half term and is currently comprised of the following people:
Head teachers:
Adrienne Allcock (Walkeringham Primary)
Richard Cooper (Hawtonville Junior)
Pamela James (Arnbrook Primary)
Sharon Jeffries (Orchard Special School)
Gareth Parsons (Intake Farm Primary and Nursery)
Lesley Shelton (Selston Infant and Nursery)
Jeanne Wilson (William Lilley Infant and Nursery)
Debbie Yates-Linnell (Archbishop Cranmer Primary)
Local Authority:
Neil Clifton (Service Head of HR - Schools)
Hilary Craik (School Workforce Development Adviser)
