The Independent School Podcast with Juliet Corbett

The biggest challenges you face aren’t solved by working harder. They’re solved by seeing the situation more clearly. In this final episode of the series, Juliet Corbett reflects on the patterns that emerged across 13 conversations with school leaders around the world - and introduces a new framework: the Three Degree Shift™. At its core, the Three Degree Shift is about seeing what others miss - s...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Philip Britton MBE, Head of Foundation at Bolton School and Chair of HMC. In this reflective conversation, they explore the leadership lessons that only become obvious over time. In particular, they discuss the shift from relentless ‘doing’ to intentional ‘being’, and the judgement required when decisions are complex an...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Simon Herbert FRSA, Director of the IB Curriculum at GEMS Education, whose leadership career has spanned senior roles at Fettes College in Edinburgh, Dulwich College Beijing and GEMS International School in Dubai. He now oversees IB provision across the GEMS group of more than 50 schools. In this reflective and internat...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Andy Johnson, Head of Truro School, to explore why leaders must stand for something - and what it takes to develop a clear and distinctive point of view. In this conversation, they examine what it means to lead with what they call a 'spiky purpose' - not a spiky personality - and why conviction, agency and aut...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Guy Pascoe, Chief Executive of Independent Schools of New Zealand (ISNZ), to explore what school leaders can learn from sector leadership - where authority is earned through influence. In this thoughtful and strategically focused conversation, they examine how leadership works when there is no hierarchy to rely on, and...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Graham Catt, Chief Executive Officer of Independent Schools Australia (ISA) - the national peak body representing over 1,200 independent schools across Australia. In this conversation, they explore what it means for school leaders to operate inside a national policy and advocacy environment, and how leaders can influenc...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Vanita Uppal OBE, Director of The British School New Delhi and an international educator with more than thirty years of leadership experience, whose work is recognised globally through the roles she holds and the organisations she serves. In this thoughtful and human-centred conversation, they move beyond titles and str...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Helen Olds, Director of the British International School Jeddah, with more than 20 years of leadership experience across international schools in Asia and the Middle East. In this thoughtful conversation, they explore how leadership needs to adapt across cultures and contexts without losing authenticity, and why underst...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast Juliet Corbett is joined by Alex Hems, Executive Head of The Aldenham Foundation since 2022. In this thoughtful and honest conversation, they reflect on what it takes to lead well when the pace is intense and the stakes are high, and why creating space to think - both individually and collectively - can be one of a leader’s most powerful tools. Tog...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Jaideep Barot, Head of Bristol Grammar School since 2018 and a returning guest to the show. In this important conversation, they explore what it really takes to sustain bursary and partnership work under pressure, and how leaders can protect morally important work when time and capacity are stretched. Together they expl...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Louise Simpson, CEO of the British School in the Netherlands, where she leads the BSN across four campuses in and around The Hague. This is Louise's fourth headship and her second stint abroad, having previously been head of Exeter School in Devon, head of St Paul’s, the British School in Sao Paulo, and a GDST head...

In this episode of the Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Joanna Povall, Principal at Wales International School in Abu Dhabi and Tes International School Principal of the Year 2024/25. With more than 30 years of leadership experience across the UK, France and the UAE, Joanna brings a distinctive cross-cultural perspective to what kindness really means in leadership. She also...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Charles Bailey, Headmaster of Worksop College and Ranby House, a thriving independent day and boarding school in Nottinghamshire. Charles joined the school in April 2025 after a decade at Harrow School, where he held senior leadership roles including Director of Studies and Head of Learning Skills. He brings a thoughtfu...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast Juliet Corbett is joined by Julie Robinson, Chief Executive of the Independent Schools Council, where she represents and promotes the work of independent schools across the UK. Julie began her career as a teacher before becoming a head in Sussex prep schools, later moving into national roles and joining ISC in 2015. She is a governor for both an Ac...

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett returns to the microphone for a new series focused on real-world leadership in independent and international schools. Juliet shares how her thinking has evolved over recent years through her work as a trusted advisor to experienced leaders, and her episodes of the Quiet Leadership Revolution podcast. She also introduces the ideas sh...

Leaders in independent schools are having to make some hard decisions at the moment, especially those in the UK facing the possible addition of VAT to school fees. Some of these decisions could be classified as ‘wicked’ - defined as a problem where multiple stakeholders want different, sometimes contradictory, outcomes. In the last episode Juliet explored how NASA approaches this type of problem,...

It turns out that NASA rocket scientists think that solving ‘wicked’ problems, where multiple stakeholders want contradictory outcomes, is far harder than the science of sending missions into space. So when we’re trying to solve similarly ‘wicked’ problems in our schools it’s no surprise that leaders sometimes feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. In this week’s episode, Juliet shares how NA...

Coaching, innovation, empowerment, strategy... this episode with guest Claire Robinson, Head of Holme Grange School, dives into many of the topics which school leaders ask me questions about.   As a highly experienced head, Claire shares with us her extensive insights into: 1. How to balance involving staff in strategy development, with the fact that sometimes strategic choices need to be confiden...

Strategy is not a game played alone. So if you are seeking a strategic way forward for a project or challenge, it is important to balance individual contemplation and conversation with 'thinking partners'.  In this episode I share my belief that everyone has the ability to think and act strategically, and that combining this with deeper self-knowledge can lead to remarkable results. I em...

It’s one thing knowing about strategy frameworks and approaches - but knowing how to use these effectively to develop and implement a strategy in a school is a completely different skill. So this week on The Independent School Podcast I’m delighted to be joined by Paul Morgan, from St. Julian’s School in Lisbon, Portugal, a highly experienced head, who talks us through how he’s approached strategy...

Exciting news for The Independent School Podcast! In our latest episode, I reveal the top five most popular episodes of 2023. With over 16,000 listens, I am thrilled to know that our podcast has been helping education leaders become more strategic and focused on their priorities. Episode notes: Top 5 episodes of 2023: 136: Partnerships and Service with Alastair Chirnside, Warden, St Edward's...

For this week's episode I'm joined by Jim Knight, The Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth and Chair of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). We dive deep into the big picture of education, looking at the changing ways that schools prepare young people for their future, the importance of addressing the climate emergency, the increasing role of AI in schools, as well as explorin...

Tune into this week’s podcast for a comprehensive insight into school leadership recruitment trends and the crucial conversation around equality, diversity and inclusion. I am joined by Hayley Mintern, Partner at Anderson Quigley and in our thought-provoking conversation, we delve into the world of leadership recruitment in education. Hayley brings her expertise to the table, offering insights on...

Do you have a clear idea of how much you can achieve in a week? It’s very easy to be overly optimistic about what it is possible to get done. And then when you don’t achieve your goals for the week, it’s easy to slip into a habit of working extra hours to tick all those things off your to do list. This kind of overload is inevitable occasionally, but if you are consistently over-estimating what’s...

When overwhelm strikes me it feels like lots of bees buzzing around my head, each reminding me to do something, and a building sense of worry that I’m not going to get it all done. While many of us don't talk about it openly, it's normal to feel occasionally overwhelmed. But if you're having this feeling frequently then that's not a fun way to live. The key for me lies in doing...