Name: Robyn Vincent

Title: Executive Headteacher

Organisation: The Outdoors School

Robyn- married to a dairy farmer living on the edge of Dartmoor. Three adult children. Left school after A levels and got my degree and PGCE with the Open University. 20+ years as an English and Media Studies secondary teacher. I held various roles including Head of Department and Head of Year. 6 years experience as a senior leader in maintained Special Schools in Devon. Five years as Headteacher at The Outdoors School which is an Independent Special School for learners with SEMH needs which works on a constructivist and metacognitive model. I became the Executive HT in September of this year.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Educational Leadership!

I hope Robyn's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as an Educational Leader?

I became completely disillusioned with the education system in the UK. What we are doing to staff and young people is unacceptable and does not serve the people in the system or society. After 20 years of trying to effect change from within I was so burnt out that I gave up trying. I have faced some gender issues limiting my ability to progress into and through leadership within the education system.

2. How did you become an Educational Leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I began as a part-time English teacher. I was dropped into Media Studies as an NQT because the teacher left unexpectedly and I was the only one with capacity. From there Media Studies grew rapidly and I was offered the opportunity to form and lead a department, thereby catapulting me into middle leadership. I did some leadership courses at this point. I was then offered HOY for year 9 and then year 12. At this point, I moved to a school with more challenging behavior to extend my experience and knowledge. I was a HOY for year 11 in a school in RI. when we moved up to satisfactory I then moved to another middle management position in a good school. I realised I was able to have much more impact on the young people facing the most challenges so moved into Special Ed as a middle manager. Moved to a different SEND school as SLT for Head of Teaching and Learning. I left that position with no job to go to due to burnout and harassment. I was lucky enough to come across the Outdoors Group where I moved from SENDCo to HT in a matter of months.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

wake at 7.30 and do my daily journal with a cup of tea. Arrive at work at 9.00 sometimes later if I want to give people the opportunity to get sorted without my presence and to avoid traffic. The calendar is largely set meetings around the school, the wider company, or the coaching that I do. We are supposed to have 15 minutes between each meeting but this doesn't always happen.

I have learned the lesson about modeling good behavior by not having to be the last to leave and giving the impression that that's what you have to do as a leader. I have also learned the art of good delegation. I have imposed an email curfew to protect delivery staff but SLTs are not so good at looking after themselves. I'm working on it. I try to do a Ta Da ! journal at the end of the day but not always successful. Tend to get home too late due to doing the shopping rather than getting a home delivery.

4. What's a recent lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of as an Educational Leader?

As we are adopting a brand new structure I have been reminded to be clear about expectations and to actively promote mistakes as a learning opportunity creating a culture where it is ok to own up about a visit from the C**k up fairy. We can't teach the learners to be resilient if we aren't doing it ourselves. I have also learned that innovation and creativity are exhausting for yourself and those around you so it needs to be carefully managed.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your journey as an Educational Leader so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted you?

Disruptive Women.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young educator who aspires to be an Educational Leader, what would you say to them?

Self-care is a necessity not selfish or a luxury and be aware that a throwaway look or sentence from you can have a profound effect on colleagues or young people so make sure it's positive. That's two I know.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as an Educational Leader, so far?

I applied for many jobs trying to leap from middle to senior leadership. At one such interview, I did not get the job and was offered two lots of feedback from different members of the interview panel.

One member of the panel advised me to be careful about coming across as a "ball breaker" as I had frightened some of the all-male, panel. The second lot of feedback expressed concern that I didn't come across as strong enough" It was at that point that I learned to get myself clear about what kind of leader I wanted to be and find a place to lead that didn't require me to sacrifice my integrity.

Trusting my integrity and refusing to sacrifice it has stood me in good stead over a couple of whistle-blowing moments and has led to an organisation that is doing the right thing for its staff and the young people in its care. A place that has values I can align with and that values me.