Head Teacher of a Pupil Referral Service Lisa Balderstone says she’s proud to represent the sector on ASCL Council. Here, she shares her passion for Council and school leadership, and her collection of the finest malt whisky.

Liquid investment

Tell us about your role

I’m head of the Pupil Referral Service (PRS) for Westmorland and Furness. Our school provides education for students who have been permanently excluded as well as those medically unfit to attend their mainstream provision. We work with students aged from 7 to 17 and serve the areas of Furness, South Lakes and Eden – a huge and beautiful area with challenging geography and an interesting infrastructure.

Why did you decide to become an ASCL Council member?

I’m the PRU representative on Council and was elected in September 2023. It’s an amazing honour and I feel very proud to represent the sector. I’m on the Ethics, Inclusion and Equalities Committee. It’s provided me with time to reflect and contribute to a strong voice on key national issues, such as the impact of mental health on school attendance; the proposals for national standards for, and registration of, alternative provision; and we’ve responded to key consultations, including on Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working Together.

Why did you decide to get into teaching/leadership?

I got into teaching almost by accident – I studied geography at university and friends and teachers said I should teach, to which I replied always, ‘Never.’ After university, I attended an open day at a local college about teaching and put my CV in. They called me in for a discussion a couple of weeks later and said the course started on Monday. And so my teaching career began. Later, becoming an assistant head and then a head was my opportunity not only to make a difference to my students, but to influence and (I hope) inspire a team of staff to make a difference to their students. And 15 years later, headship is still the most challenging but worthwhile and amazing role I have held where no two days are the same.

How do you like to unwind?

Those who know me, including my family and my husband, would say I don’t unwind. However, in term-time, a walk with the dogs stopping off in a good pub for a beer is a really good opportunity to unwind and reset the mind by giving me some headspace and fresh air to put things into perspective. When it’s the holidays, I love nothing more than to spontaneously head off in our campervan. The world is full of amazing people and places, and I love to see other cultures and what goes on in the lives of others.

Tell us an interesting fact about you

I have a sizeable collection of malt whisky – a large proportion of which is from Islay (my dogs are called Islay and Jura, and my first dog was called Uigeadail – my favourite malt from the Islay distillery of Ardbeg). Some are for drinking and (for now) others will hopefully help top up my pension income in the future.

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

I love to read and look forward to retiring one day so I can find more time to do so. Thanks to my dad, I have fond memories of childhood books and characters. I recall once being told off by my English teacher when given To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I took it home that night and read it all – I wanted to know what happened and the next lesson to hear just a little bit more was too far away for me.

What advice would you give to someone new to leadership?

In my role as designated safeguarding lead, I regularly remind my staff to remain professionally curious when considering safeguarding. I think that’s so important in all aspects of leadership – remain curious about the people in your care and whom you meet because you often don’t know what else is going on in their lives beyond what you see in the day job. And be brave and stand up for what you believe in. Do your job well, with passion and integrity and remember to be kind, most of all to yourself.

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

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

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