Research Podcasts

Sustainable School Leadership

Education EN ↓ 4 episodes

School leadership in the UK is changing fast as rising needs shifting communities and expanding responsibilities reshape what it means to lead. The Sustainable School Leadership podcast from the University of Nottingham and the University of Warwick brings together researchers, policymakers and school leaders from across England Scotland and Northern Ireland to explore how identity place and an ethic of education and care are transforming the work of headteachers today. Across the series we examine how personal identity shapes leadership practice confidence and career choices. We look at how p...

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Research Podcasts

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4. What can be done to make school leadership more sustainable?   23.02.2026 41:33

As the demands on UK schools intensify, how can we ensure that school leadership remains a viable, sustainable, and fulfilling career? This final episode unpacks the findings of a major three-year study into the sustainability of school leadership, exploring the policy shifts and systemic changes required to support headteachers across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. From the rise of "vexa...

3. Why and how does school leadership today reflect an ethic of education and care? 23.02.2026 41:19

As schools are increasingly forced to fill the gaps left by overstretched social services, how can headteachers balance the profound emotional labour of community care with rigid academic accountability? This episode explores how schools are operating as "community hubs" and safe havens, where the boundaries between education and social work have blurred, and where the primary mission often begins...

2. How does place shape school leadership? 23.02.2026 43:26

How does a school's specific geography, history, and community fundamentally reshape the role of the headteacher? Moving beyond simple maps, this episode reveals how "place" creates entirely unique leadership conditions, from the intense care demands in urban centres to the professional isolation felt by leaders in remote rural villages. The panel examines why understanding these local nuances is...

1. How does identity shape school leadership? 23.02.2026 36:35

How do a school leader's personal values, background, and ethnicity fundamentally shape their resilience and approach to the role? This opening episode delves into the deeply personal and professional identities of those at the helm of our schools. By exploring the "human side" of the headship, the panel examines how leaders navigate the emotional weight of the job, why leadership is a true "vocat...