I received this post from my colleague Jacqui Straker...

"Hi Chris. Very interested and pleased to see your comments re leadership and looking after yourself and colleagues. As a Governor of 6 years I have viewed supporting the Head and SMT as one of the major parts of my role. However, I was disappointed to learn today of the lack of support from Education Leeds for a Head of 15 years who is retiring from the role. The transition from working what must amount to more than 12 hours a day to potentially nothing is a very difficult one, particularly for a dedicated individual such as the person I have in mind. Perhaps you could look into putting a programme in place which offers practical guidance, (e.g. part-time opportunities) and reassures staff who have given their all to the education of the children of Leeds, that they are not abandoned as soon as they indicate their intention to take a well earned rest. Yours, Jacqui Straker."

I am pleased that Jacqui has raised this with me because we do not intentionally abandon anyone who works with us and for us and if this is Jacqui's perceptions of the way we work with colleagues coming to the end of their school career we need to do something about it. We have extensive programmes in place which I thought offered advice, practical guidance and support for colleagues and I would welcome knowing whether this lack of support is a more common perception rather than a single individual experience.
Chris