Standing together this autumn
From the energy of the Annual Conference in Belfast to the challenges on the horizon, NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman reflects on the shifting mood of a profession grappling with rising pressures and an uncertain autumn ahead.
From the energy of the Annual Conference in Belfast to the challenges on the horizon, NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman reflects on the shifting mood of a profession grappling with rising pressures and an uncertain autumn ahead.
Key themes
Pay, accountability and the mood of the profession
Key themes
Pay, accountability and the mood of the profession
NAHT’s Annual Conference in Belfast in May was, first, absolutely buzzing with energy and engagement. The welcome we received from our Northern Ireland colleagues and, more widely, from the city of Belfast – the warmth and generosity – was amazing and very much appreciated.
However, beneath the networking and the traditional fun and socialising of conference, members were – I felt – worried, frustrated and even frightened about what the coming months might hold for school leaders. The optimism many of us felt about a change of government two years ago is definitely giving way to concerns about delivery, commitment, communication and, ultimately, whether the promise of this administration can ever be matched by reality.
Amy Lassman of NAHT’s Birmingham branch delivering a motion at the conference
Amy Lassman of NAHT’s Birmingham branch delivering a motion at the conference
This was probably most evident, of course, in members backing the motion from our Birmingham branch for NAHT to undertake an indicative ballot of the membership on their willingness to take industrial action in defence of pay.
Now that we have the recommendations of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) and we know the pay uplift is just above inflation but only partially funded, we can begin the process of consulting with members about our next steps in line with that motion.
Dave Woods, NAHT president-elect, addressing the conference in Belfast
Dave Woods, NAHT president-elect, addressing the conference in Belfast
However, as was also very clear in Belfast, it is not just pay that is the issue. It may be the trigger, but the sense I was getting from members – notably about workload, funding, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform and, most of all, inspection and accountability – was, very simply, ‘enough’s enough’.
That’s why, at the start of this article, I spoke of members feeling frustrated and frightened. ‘Frightened’ is a strong word, I appreciate, but I think, on this occasion, it is accurate, especially in the context of Ofsted, inspection and accountability.
When I speak to members, they tell me about the continuing ‘brutality’ of inspection. It is less now about the behaviour of individual inspectors – brought into sharp focus following the tragic case of Ruth Perry. That does seem largely to have changed for the better, and we should recognise Ofsted’s success there.
However, the onerous demands of the new framework and, in particular, the interpretation of ‘best fit’ by inspectors means that we still have a long way – an awfully long way – to go. The current system does not recognise the successes of the school. It will often unfairly describe areas as needing attention when they don’t.
We are talking about new measures of inclusion and enrichment being part of an inspection process. Well, that’s almost impossible to make a proper, meaningful judgement on, and the implication of that, too, frightens school leaders.
The current accountability system continues to militate against schools building really deep relationships with parents and families; it continues to embed a deficit narrative about education, as something that needs to be ‘fixed’ rather than something that is, more often than not, a massively positive part of a local community and the lives of its children and young people. That also frightens school leaders.
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, speaking at it’s 2026 Annual Conference
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, speaking at it’s 2026 Annual Conference
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, speaking at it’s 2026 Annual Conference
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, speaking at it’s 2026 Annual Conference
NAHT’s Annual Conference in Belfast in May was, first, absolutely buzzing with energy and engagement. The welcome we received from our Northern Ireland colleagues and, more widely, from the city of Belfast – the warmth and generosity – was amazing and very much appreciated.
However, beneath the networking and the traditional fun and socialising of conference, members were – I felt – worried, frustrated and even frightened about what the coming months might hold for school leaders. The optimism many of us felt about a change of government two years ago is definitely giving way to concerns about delivery, commitment, communication and, ultimately, whether the promise of this administration can ever be matched by reality.
Amy Lassman of NAHT’s Birmingham branch delivering a motion at the conference
Amy Lassman of NAHT’s Birmingham branch delivering a motion at the conference
This was probably most evident, of course, in members backing the motion from our Birmingham branch for NAHT to undertake an indicative ballot of the membership on their willingness to take industrial action in defence of pay.
Now that we have the recommendations of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) and we know the pay uplift is just above inflation but only partially funded, we can begin the process of consulting with members about our next steps in line with that motion.
Dave Woods, NAHT president-elect, addressing the conference in Belfast
Dave Woods, NAHT president-elect, addressing the conference in Belfast
However, as was also very clear in Belfast, it is not just pay that is the issue. It may be the trigger, but the sense I was getting from members – notably about workload, funding, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform and, most of all, inspection and accountability – was, very simply, ‘enough’s enough’.
That’s why, at the start of this article, I spoke of members feeling frustrated and frightened. ‘Frightened’ is a strong word, I appreciate, but I think, on this occasion, it is accurate, especially in the context of Ofsted, inspection and accountability.
When I speak to members, they tell me about the continuing ‘brutality’ of inspection. It is less now about the behaviour of individual inspectors – brought into sharp focus following the tragic case of Ruth Perry. That does seem largely to have changed for the better, and we should recognise Ofsted’s success there.
However, the onerous demands of the new framework and, in particular, the interpretation of ‘best fit’ by inspectors means that we still have a long way – an awfully long way – to go. The current system does not recognise the successes of the school. It will often unfairly describe areas as needing attention when they don’t.
We are talking about new measures of inclusion and enrichment being part of an inspection process. Well, that’s almost impossible to make a proper, meaningful judgement on, and the implication of that, too, frightens school leaders.
The current accountability system continues to militate against schools building really deep relationships with parents and families; it continues to embed a deficit narrative about education, as something that needs to be ‘fixed’ rather than something that is, more often than not, a massively positive part of a local community and the lives of its children and young people. That also frightens school leaders.
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, speaking at it’s 2026 Annual Conference
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, speaking at it’s 2026 Annual Conference
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, speaking at it’s 2026 Annual Conference
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, speaking at it’s 2026 Annual Conference
SEND reform
Concerns over funding, workforce and implementation
SEND reform
Concerns over funding, workforce and implementation
Another undercurrent of concern and worry that ran through my conversations in Belfast was SEND reform. There was discussion throughout the conference weekend about the government’s white paper and its implications not only for children, parents and carers, but also for schools and school leaders.
Members do recognise the positive ambition of the white paper – just as they recognise the promise, the potential, of this government. But the more we get into the weeds – the detail – of what is being proposed, the greater the concern that the delivery of support to schools will fall short of the ambition. Moreover, members tell me they can’t see with any clarity or confidence a deliverable timetable or, crucially, a timetable for support.
To take just one example, the government, in the white paper, is talking about giving schools and school leaders the autonomy – and budgets – to commission interventions and support for a child without having to wait for and wade through the bureaucracy of getting an education, health and care plan.
That is something the profession has been calling for from ministers for a very long time. If we can do that early intervention, it means things are not compounded and do not become an even more challenging problem further down the line for that child. That’s all great, in principle.
But, at the moment, there is no clarity as to whether there will be enough money. Yes, the government has committed to some new funding, but it is small sums in comparison with the magnitude of the task.
Or take the government’s commitments in the white paper to source, train and recruit new education psychologists and speech and language therapists. Again, that’s a great promise in principle. But where will they come from? How long will it take to train them? How will schools actually access them?
As things stand, school leaders simply do not have confidence that the money, the resourcing or the long-term commitment will really be there to effect long-term, sustained, positive change for these most vulnerable children and their families. And ministers have been unable to communicate that, to provide that reassurance to school leaders, with sufficient clarity.
Leadership strain
Smartphones, workload and standing together
Leadership strain
Smartphones, workload and standing together
There were other important conversations in Belfast, many of them covered elsewhere in this edition of Leadership Focus. The tricky balancing act school leaders face around access to smartphones and social media, for example. This is especially the case now that the government is moving to implement a social media ban for under-16s from next year.
As the motion from NAHT’s Gateshead branch highlighted, schools need better evidence-based practical strategies, resources and training to address these challenges. We also need clear national guidance and a public health-style awareness programme on online safety that supports families – in effect, giving them ‘permission’ – to establish and enforce healthy screen boundaries for their children.
Separately – and this is a role I know schools have been performing for a very long time – schools have a massively important job teaching children critical-thinking skills and how to keep themselves safe. We need to teach and help children to navigate this complex, messy (and sometimes dangerous) digital world they are growing up in.
Again, this is somewhere where I would like to see more clarity – more leadership – from the government. Given the government’s ban has been styled ‘Australia plus’, after what has been put in place there, it will be interesting to see how that country’s experience can perhaps provide a roadmap for the UK.
More widely, I would like to see the government go further by legislating to force the big tech companies to take more responsibility for protecting our children, to put in place the safeguards that are well within their wherewithal to implement.
Sinéad Mc Brearty, CEO of Education Support, speaking about why school leaders’ voices matter in shaping education’s future
Sinéad Mc Brearty, CEO of Education Support, speaking about why school leaders’ voices matter in shaping education’s future
Finally, the focus in this edition on ‘invisible’ workload – the day-to-day ‘stuff’ that school leaders get buffeted by and have to deal with as soon as they get through the school gate – was, I feel, an undercurrent that also ran through much of the conversation in Belfast. Indeed, workload and workload intensity were, I’d say, part of almost every motion that was debated.
School leaders always want to do – and indeed do – the very best for their children and their communities. The school environment is always full-on and unpredictable – as, indeed, are most children! In fact, for many school leaders, that’s one of the things they love about working with children and in a school environment.
But as well as the day-to-day invisible workload that has always been part of the school day, school leaders are now being asked to constantly give extra – on attendance, inclusion, enrichment and so on.
In many respects, it’s less ‘every little helps’ and more ‘every little adds up’. To the point where the school leadership role starts to become unmanageable and, even more worrying, begins to make school leaders unwell. Overlay that with the brutal and blunt instrument of power that is ‘we will inspect you to within an inch of your life’ and, very quickly, school leadership can become unsustainable.
NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman summing up Annual Conference as day two comes to a close
NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman summing up Annual Conference as day two comes to a close
In conclusion, as we look towards the autumn, there are most definitely clouds on the horizon, not least the distinct possibility of industrial action. For me, however, the key is for us to recognise that the only way we can solve these challenges is together, in solidarity.
We are now knocking on the door of 40,000 members. The more of us who take part, the more weight we have collectively. It’s a phrase I know I use often, but I do think this autumn we will need to be relying on the strength of our mutual support and the power of our collective endeavour. By supporting one another – speaking with one clear voice – we will get through what may be difficult times ahead. I am confident we will win out.
PAUL WHITEMAN
NAHT GENERAL SECRETARY
There were other important conversations in Belfast, many of them covered elsewhere in this edition of Leadership Focus. The tricky balancing act school leaders face around access to smartphones and social media, for example. This is especially the case now that the government is moving to implement a social media ban for under-16s from next year.
As the motion from NAHT’s Gateshead branch highlighted, schools need better evidence-based practical strategies, resources and training to address these challenges. We also need clear national guidance and a public health-style awareness programme on online safety that supports families – in effect, giving them ‘permission’ – to establish and enforce healthy screen boundaries for their children.
Separately – and this is a role I know schools have been performing for a very long time – schools have a massively important job teaching children critical-thinking skills and how to keep themselves safe. We need to teach and help children to navigate this complex, messy (and sometimes dangerous) digital world they are growing up in.
Again, this is somewhere where I would like to see more clarity – more leadership – from the government. Given the government’s ban has been styled ‘Australia plus’, after what has been put in place there, it will be interesting to see how that country’s experience can perhaps provide a roadmap for the UK.
More widely, I would like to see the government go further by legislating to force the big tech companies to take more responsibility for protecting our children, to put in place the safeguards that are well within their wherewithal to implement.
Sinéad Mc Brearty, CEO of Education Support, speaking about why school leaders’ voices matter in shaping education’s future
Sinéad Mc Brearty, CEO of Education Support, speaking about why school leaders’ voices matter in shaping education’s future
Finally, the focus in this edition on ‘invisible’ workload – the day-to-day ‘stuff’ that school leaders get buffeted by and have to deal with as soon as they get through the school gate – was, I feel, an undercurrent that also ran through much of the conversation in Belfast. Indeed, workload and workload intensity were, I’d say, part of almost every motion that was debated.
School leaders always want to do – and indeed do – the very best for their children and their communities. The school environment is always full-on and unpredictable – as, indeed, are most children! In fact, for many school leaders, that’s one of the things they love about working with children and in a school environment.
But as well as the day-to-day invisible workload that has always been part of the school day, school leaders are now being asked to constantly give extra – on attendance, inclusion, enrichment and so on.
In many respects, it’s less ‘every little helps’ and more ‘every little adds up’. To the point where the school leadership role starts to become unmanageable and, even more worrying, begins to make school leaders unwell. Overlay that with the brutal and blunt instrument of power that is ‘we will inspect you to within an inch of your life’ and, very quickly, school leadership can become unsustainable.
NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman summing up Annual Conference as day two comes to a close
NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman summing up Annual Conference as day two comes to a close
In conclusion, as we look towards the autumn, there are most definitely clouds on the horizon, not least the distinct possibility of industrial action. For me, however, the key is for us to recognise that the only way we can solve these challenges is together, in solidarity.
We are now knocking on the door of 40,000 members. The more of us who take part, the more weight we have collectively. It’s a phrase I know I use often, but I do think this autumn we will need to be relying on the strength of our mutual support and the power of our collective endeavour. By supporting one another – speaking with one clear voice – we will get through what may be difficult times ahead. I am confident we will win out.
PAUL WHITEMAN
NAHT GENERAL SECRETARY
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