In our latest Leadership Focus magazine feature, Building relationships with government, NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman considers how our relationship with the government has changed since July – and is still changing – with Labour in power.

“The conversations we’re having [with government] are so much more positive and constructive”, Paul notes. “What we’re seeing at the moment is a lot of promise. Of course, that has to be tempered by a healthy dose of caution – we don’t want to get beyond ourselves – but the atmosphere in the room has definitely changed for the better.”

Paul acknowledges that challenges remain and urges against naivety, emphasising that collaboration won’t always be easy or lead to everything school leaders want. However, he sees a significant opportunity for NAHT to engage earlier in policy development, shaping discussions, spotting problems before they arise and helping to create better outcomes for schools and pupils.

This feature offers insight into a changing political landscape and invites school leaders to consider what this moment could mean for the future of education policy.

Read the magazine in full here.

Image: © keir.starmer.mp / www.flickr.com