How would you describe your professional relationship in three words – and why?
Claire:
Committed, visionary and energetic. We have worked together for nearly 10 years at two different schools and have the same vision, despite being very different people – I am from the south, and Carrie is from the north. We bounce ideas off each other, laugh a lot and sharing the role means the school benefits from our energy.
Carrie:
Committed, supportive and fun. Claire and I have definitely been committed to improving our school and we have done this with the support of one another. Without a sense of humour none of this would be possible.
What specific roles do you perform as part of your jobshare and what do these involve?
Claire:
I work Wednesday to Friday and we cross over on Wednesdays which is a heavy day of meetings. It involves long hours and lots of work on days off, but being part time means we can balance the week and weekends better with family commitments. We try very hard not to double do our roles. Each of us is always happy to pick up a piece of work if the other one didn’t get it finished. We both follow up with staff and families.
Carrie:
I work the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The Wednesday overlap allows us to do a handover but we keep in touch on the days we’re not in school. When we set up our co-headship, we created clearly defined roles and responsibilities. I oversee and quality assure SEND, attendance, pupil premium, health and safety and premises and we both cover teaching and learning. However, we will make individual decisions if the need arises.
What is the most important initiative/piece of work you’ve undertaken together?
Claire:
Recruitment of key staff at Salfords and ensuring there is buy-in from everyone, from the office to teachers and all roles in-between. We know what works at our school, and even when the recruitment market is tough, it is worth waiting for the right person.
Carrie:
Moving Salfords from special measures, when Claire and I took over, to the solidly good school it is now. We were able to do this as we both have different strengths but, together, we make a dynamic team. We put in place rigour and high expectations to drive the school’s improvement forward.
What was the last thing you disagreed on and what point of view did you put forward?
Claire:
We don’t disagree much, we do openly discuss issues and may come at them from different viewpoints, but we will always go with policy or what is right for the children.
Carrie:
The last disagreement we had was around special leave and we both had our personal views which we expressed. However, we referred to the school policy and agreed the way forward from that.
What one change would you make to the education system?
Claire:
I would enable headteachers and trusts to have more of a say in education policy. Policymakers don’t really understand the challenges.
Carrie:
Get rid of OFSTED gradings. Inspections should be about school improvement. An improving school can easily be set back 18 months by a negative grading and the momentum of progress that was beginning to build is pushed back. There must be a better way to support schools.
Claire Regnard and Carrie Christer are co-heads at Salfords Primary School, Redhill, Surrey
