Headteacher Neil Wallace says serving as a senior leader in three very different communities put him in good stead to join ASCL Council. Here, he shares his passion for Council, leadership and Birmingham City Football Club.

Blue-nosed leader

Tell us about your role 

I am now in my ninth year as Headteacher at Stratford upon Avon School, a comprehensive school with 1,650 students. 

Why did you decide to become an ASCL Council member? 

Since becoming an Assistant Headteacher back in 2006, I had learned so much from attending outstanding ASCL Professional Development events and through support provided by the Association. 

I wanted to join ASCL Council after serving as a senior leader in three very different communities: a cohort one Teaching School located in a leafy suburb, a National Challenge school in central Birmingham serving an area of high deprivation and a non-selective school in a market town with multiple grammar schools. These experiences helped me appreciate that education policy needs to meet the needs of all young people and schools in different contexts. 

I have contributed to ASCL Council’s Ethics, Inclusion and Equalities Committee for the last two years. Alongside the regular committee meetings, other highlights have included meeting with DfE officials to discuss the funding implications of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) review and contributing to a roundtable discussion on safeguarding and sexual harassment. 

Currently, I am a member of Council’s Leadership and Governance Committee, looking at the reintroduction of Ofsted inspections and accountability measures. 

Why did you decide to get into teaching/leadership? 

My passion for history led me into the classroom 30 years ago. I then found that too many teachers constantly complained about their SLT, so I wanted to try to do something about it. Eventually I was inspired by Sir Chris Stone, a headteacher who made school leadership seem exciting and something I wanted more of. This was reinforced by hearing Sir Tim Brighouse, former Chief Commissioner for Schools, explain that if you love school and can see the way to make it better, the place to do that is leading a school. 

However, we always need to remember to treat people how we ourselves would like to be treated. We work better and are more productive when we feel good about ourselves and trust one another. That applies equally to students, staff, SLT colleagues or anyone else. 

How do you like to unwind? 

I love spending time with my family. I also read about, watch and occasionally play sport. Heading to Devon and spending time by the sea whenever possible is also important to me. 

Tell us an interesting fact about you 

In 1978, I was the first ever mascot at Birmingham City Football Club and led the team onto the pitch for a pre-season friendly against AFC Ajax, shaking hands with the great Ruud Krol. However, as a lifelong Birmingham City fan, that memory now must compete with taking the Stratford upon Avon School Girls Under 16s team to play in the English Schools National Final at St Andrews. Never mind league tables or Ofsted, that was the highlight of my professional career. 

What’s your favourite book and your favourite film of all time? 

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang is my favourite book. It’s a powerful tale of 20th-century Chinese history told through three generations of the author’s family. From the first few pages describing her grandmother’s bound feet, through the Long March and the Cultural Revolution, this was my first unforgettable exploration into Chinese history. 

The Godfather – the music, the story, the sequels and the novel were equally enjoyable. 

What advice would you give to someone new to leadership? 

In the corner of my office, I keep a list of the Magnificent Seven leadership truisms. Some of these have external origins and others are gems from members of my terrific SLT:

1. It all starts with the why?
2. How do we change the way people feel?
3. Join up the dots at every opportunity.
4. Make the right thing the easy thing to do.
5. Beware what you reinforce: you’ll get more of it.
6. What will you find out in six months’ time that you already know? So, what are you doing about it? 
7. A well-led school is well led by many. 

The list is not exhaustive but serves to keep bringing us back to the basics. 

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ASCL Council 

For more details on how you can become a Council member, please email ASCL Director of Policy Julie McCulloch at Julie.mcculloch@ascl.org.uk 

We are particularly keen to encourage people from currently under-represented groups including women and people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, to put themselves forward. 

• For further information see www.ascl.org.uk/council

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