As schools are increasingly forced to fill the gaps left by overstretched social services, how can headteachers balance the profound emotional labour of community care with rigid academic accountability? This episode explores how schools are operating as \"community hubs\" and safe havens, where the boundaries between education and social work have blurred, and where the primary mission often begins with the safety and wellbeing of the most vulnerable pupils.
To delve into this \"new reality,\" hosts Dr Mike Collins and Professor Toby Greany continue the Sustainable School Leadership series.
The conversation examines the intense \"ethical dilemma\" facing modern leaders: navigating a national policy framework that measures success through data and exam results while managing the rising complexity of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. The panel discusses the severe risk of leader burnout when the \"emotional bucket\" is constantly drained. By comparing the systems in England and Northern Ireland, the episode highlights the urgent need for a multi-agency approach, ensuring that the heavy lifting of social care does not come at the expense of sustainable educational leadership.
Our guests in this episode:
You can find out more about the research project and its findings at sustainableschoolleadership.uk.
The project, and this production, is funded by the ESRC Education Research Programme.
This is a Research Podcasts production.
You can read a transcript of the conversation here.
Episode Credits
Presenter: Mike Collins, University of Nottingham
Guests: Toby Greany, University of Nottingham, Tony Gallagher, Queen’s University Belfast, Carolyn Roberts, PTI
Producer: Alex Canner, Research Podcasts
Music: Jahzzar - Leith Walk, courtesy of Free Music Archive
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