This year, we did something unusual at Creative Education Trust: we told our school leaders to stop. Just for five days. Not to stop caring, or driving improvement or being present - but to stop running on fumes.
We introduced five “reading days” for every school leader in our trust. These were not holidays. They were sacred spaces carved out of the noise, created for thinking, reading, visiting other schools or stepping back to look ahead. They were a deliberate act of leadership, not a break from it.
There was resistance at first. Too much to do, this event, that event, what would staff think? As a former principal, I understood these concerns, but reminded our leaders that they rarely take time to learn, explore or work on developing their own leadership.
And if all else failed, I gave them permission to blame me entirely. The only rules were that they had to be off-site, they couldn’t leave the country, they couldn’t be “half in and half out” and they couldn’t take these days within their inspection window.
A challenge to the norm of burnout
In a sector where leaders are lauded for their self-sacrifice, this might seem countercultural. But let’s be honest: we are burning people out in the name of service. And when leaders are constantly in survival mode, schools don’t get the leadership they need - they get reactivity, firefighting and decision making with no room to breathe.
These reading days were our challenge to that norm.
They gave headteachers and principals the headspace to revisit their vision, map out strategic priorities or simply read something that shifted their thinking. They provided time to “zoom out” and reflect on what kind of leader they are becoming, not just how they are performing.
They also allowed deputies and vice principals to step up and lead, allowing them a perspective shift useful to their own leadership experience.
Time to write, plan and think
Some leaders used the time to visit other schools and gather fresh ideas. Others retreated with a highlighter and a leadership book. A few just needed the quiet to write, plan or think more deeply about their own leadership journey.
We said our preference was for the days to be taken consecutively in order to afford a significant amount of time to develop their thinking. Most did this, and others have separated three days and two days further on.
In every case, it was an investment. And it paid off.
Amy Brookes, principal of Lynn Grove Academy in Gorleston, used her days for quiet, outdoor reflection time during which she reworked her entire personal development strategy.
She also felt that preparing her team for her week away was very powerful for their development and cohesiveness as a team. Moreover, she was able to take her own children to school on a few mornings and said: “I feel very valued, and it’s given me some much-needed head space”.
Matt Irons, principal at Bulwell Academy in Nottingham, was initially difficult to convince. However, as a result of the research he’s had time to undertake, the mental reboot it gave him and the empowerment it gave his team, he said he’s now a “believer”. He is already planning his next reading day.
Sustainability in leadership
We talk a lot about sustainability in education, but we rarely apply it to leadership. We expect heads and senior leaders to pour from an empty cup and to inspire others while neglecting their own growth.
But good leadership isn’t just about stamina. It’s about clarity. Perspective. Purpose. And you don’t get those without pausing to think.
Of course, we still need leaders who are visible, hands-on and deeply committed to their schools. But relentless pace isn’t a badge of honour - it’s a warning sign.
If we want our schools to thrive, we need to build cultures where reflection is seen as strategic, not self-indulgent. Where stepping back is part of moving forward. And where leadership development is not an add-on for quieter times (which never come), but part of the work itself.
I hope more trusts and school groups will consider creating space like this - space that treats our leaders not just as operational machines, but as people with the capacity to grow, lead boldly and think well.
Nicole McCartney is CEO of Creative Education Trust
For key school and trust leadership insights delivered every month, sign up for the Tes Leaders’ Briefing newsletter
