After faulting Blatchford for a somewhat truncated international perspective in Chapter 1, I am delighted to say that Chapter 2 was a clear and forceful explanation of the purpose of the National Standards of Excellence.
Blatchford begins with the stated aims of the standards which are worth reproducing:
- To inspire public confidence in headteachers
- To raise aspirations
- To secure high academic standards in the nation’s schools
- To empower the teaching profession
The full official document for the National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-standards-of-excellence-for-headteachers.
The most important message Blatchford has for the purpose of the standards appears to be that school heads are leaders in society and must attempt to make good (excellent) on that leadership. Headteachers must run a school effectively but, he appears to be arguing, they can only do that from a position of wider leadership in the teaching profession and in their communities.
The wider leadership is achieved by a consistent raising of expectations, which is the explicit aim of the standards. Blatchford integrates the four domains (listed below) into this push for excellence. Blatchford presents how each domain is part of that movement towards excellence.
- Domain One: Qualities and Knowledge
- Domain Two: Pupils and Staff
- Domain Three: Systems and Processes
- Domain Four: The Self-Improving School System
Blatchford ends the chapter with questions for Headteachers from the preamble and each of the four domains, emphasizing that it is not an exhaustive checklist. Written by a member of the teaching profession, it is perhaps inevitable that the chapter contains more questions than answers, with Blatchford challenging the reader at every opportunity. Nevertheless, the questions are searching and profound and will make you think about your leadership at school.