Superheads
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William Atkinson, head teacher of Phoenix High School,
West London
Phoenix High School
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What makes a good head teacher?
William Atkinson, head of Phoenix High School in west London, spoke to writer Heather Welford
The area served by Phoenix High School is among the most deprived in Britain. When the school finally buckled under multiple social, economic and academic challenges, Ofsted inspectors put it on 'special measures' (requiring a detailed action plan with local authority support). Then in 1999 they described it as having 'serious weaknesses'. As head, it was William Atkinson's job to haul the school upwards.
Although the task is far from complete, by 2003 inspectors reported that the school no longer had serious weaknesses and that close monitoring was unnecessary. They praised superhead Mr Atkinson for excellent leadership and management. Exam results and other measures of a school's performance have continued to rise – and truancy is on the decline.
You've gone on record as saying you are 'bouncy, bubbly and full of get-up-and-go'? How important is the personality of the head teacher to the raising of standards in schools?
Did I really say that? Well, maybe it's true! The head has to be able to show parents, teachers and children exactly where they stand and communicate effectively with them all. He or she has to be confident and self-assured. But there is no photofit of the ideal head. They come in all shapes, sizes, genders and ethnicities, and they can all be equally effective.
What's the next step for you?
Listen, the best job in the world for me is being head of Phoenix High School. I get up in the morning, ready to face the day and looking forward to it. Being head of a school like this means you can make a real, tangible difference to the life chances of young people. No matter what their background, no matter what their experiences, the school can make a positive impact. I have endless optimism and boundless energy when it comes to Phoenix High School.
Is there anything in the notion that there are successful 'war time' heads and they're different from 'peace time' heads?
Ah, the old Winston Churchill thing, eh? No, not a bit of it. What you need to be a head is the full spectrum of skills. You need to deploy different skills at different times of the day and at different times of the week. Sometimes you'll be very collegiate, working as a part of a team; other times you'll be way out in front of everyone else. You know, most aspects of running a school are not black and white; they're shades of grey. You have to be sensitive to that. It can be an intellectual challenge. But you have to have the passion and the vision as well.
