Research School Network: Leading with Purpose, Compassion, and a Focus on Early Years Dr Polly Crowther, Headteacher of Cobham Primary shares her reflections as she embarks on her new role as headteacher.

This summer, I half-watched the Olympians race and leap as I put together slides to share my very first School Improvement Plan with my new team. Their courage, determination and resilience was a humbling backdrop as I tried to craft an aspirational pitch for continued improvement, high expectations and exceptional support to colleagues who I know already pour their heart and soul into making the school what it is today. None were more humbling than Tom Daley, in a BBC vignette in which the veteran 30-year old diver watched his pre-Olympian 13-year old self list his Olympic goals. ​“Who gave that kid the audacity to have dreams that big?” 2024-Tom asked.

This, of course, is what we want for all of our children – the audacity to have big dreams. For many children at our school, big dreams come naturally, whether focused on fame and glory, saving the world or adventuring in time and space, our younger children place very few limits on their potential. Time, of course, brings those limits, in their self-perception as in reality. When you’re four, you can hope to be an astronaut, dinosaur, bus driver and gymnast, but by the time you’re 13, as Tom was in the film, some of those doors are likely to have already closed for most children. It’s not only because we can’t all be Olympians, but because our education system stubbornly maintains the gap between children who grow up with relative advantage and those who do not (Education Policy Institute, Annual Report 2024: Disadvantage).

One of the most important jobs of a school leader is to understand what those barriers are in our community and what we can do to mitigate them. I am lucky to have an amazing school community, with children and families who have made real commitments to working with us to realise the children’s dreams. But in Kent, we are grappling with systemic issues that affect every child. A selective secondary system widens education inequality – and children are aware of this gap well before they finish their primary years. The largest local authority in the UK, Kent struggles to cohere education strategies in a diverse county and resources are extremely tight. In 2023, Kent was issued with an Improvement Notice for SEND provision after four years of failed inspections. Home to Dover, communities have been strained and families this summer told me of their fear of being out on the streets with their children.

Despite this, I started my headship with optimism. My ambitions as a head teacher are deeply rooted in my desire to create an environment where every child can flourish, particularly those in their Early Years.

Children starting school this year are often referred to as ​“Covid babies,” having spent their earliest developmental stages in a world markedly different from what any of us had ever experienced. Whilst we see a noticeable difference in children’s development as they enter school, we are not clear as a team whether this reflects the unique and challenging circumstances of their early lives or broader changes in society. During their crucial preverbal stages, these children became accustomed to a world defined by isolation, small social circles, and minimal exposure to new faces and sounds. Instead of learning to navigate crowded, noisy environments, they grew up in the calm or chaos of their own homes, and outside were surrounded by unfamiliar, masked faces. The impact of this on their social and emotional development is not clear; research is underway.*

For some of these children, the lack of early exposure to unfamiliar people and environments has resulted in increased sensitivity to noise and crowds, making the school setting feel overwhelming at times. Many of them exhibit heightened anxiety when faced with new situations or people, which has a direct impact on their emotional regulation. Some find it more challenging to manage their emotions when they are frustrated, scared, or uncertain, leading to more frequent episodes of emotional dysregulation.

In light of this, one of my key ambitions is to ensure that our school is a place of emotional safety for all children, but particularly for those who are finding this transition more difficult. Our teachers will need to be equipped with the strategies and tools to help children navigate these complex emotions, and we will focus on interventions that support emotional regulation in the early years. Approaches for supporting Personal, Social and Emotional Development outlined in the EEF’s Evidence Store are a great starting point.

Our school’s success will not only be measured by what I can do individually, but by how well I can unite and engage our entire school community. Implementing new initiatives and driving improvement requires the support and commitment of staff, parents, and students alike. However, engagement is not just about communication; it’s about fostering a sense of shared purpose. Collaboration and transparency are key.

For the wider community, including parents, fostering strong relationships will be crucial. Parents are the first educators of their children, and their insights are invaluable in shaping our approach to learning. By keeping communication channels open and actively seeking their input, we hope to build a partnership that supports our children’s learning.

I firmly believe in the principle of doing fewer things well. Trying to implement too many initiatives at once can dilute their impact, and I want to focus on making meaningful changes that are both sustainable and measurable.

Education Policy Institute, Annual Report 2024: Disadvantage

Education Endowment Foundation, A School’s Guide to Implementationupdated 2024

Education Endowment Foundation’s Early Years Evidence Store: Approaches for supporting Personal, Social and Emotional Development

CORALDevelopmental and behavioural outcomes at 2 years in babies born during the COVID- 19 pandemic: communication concerns in a pandemic birth cohort

ICICLES: Risk and Protective Factors Affecting Children’s Socioemotional Skills in the First Year Post-Pandemic

BICYCLE: Born in Covid Year Core Lockdown Effects