The idea of a head teacher often brings to mind a solitary figure: a strong leader, ultimate decision-maker and community champion. But this traditional view comes with challenges. Workload, isolation and high-stakes accountability can lead to burnout and deter future leaders from stepping into the role.

In the latest Leadership Focus magazine feature, Sharing the load: When two heads are better than one, journalist Nic Paton explores co-headship as an alternative. By sharing leadership responsibilities, this model can enhance decision-making and alleviate some of the pressures typically faced by head teachers in their traditionally solitary roles. However, as NAHT assistant general secretary James Bowen cautions, co-headship isn’t a catch-all solution.

"One thing we should be really clear about is that co-headship should never be a reason for headship to stop being a doable job in itself for one person,” he explains. “We still need to work on making headship a job that one person is able to do sustainably and healthily."

Though still uncommon, co-headship is gaining attention as a fresh approach in a changing world of work and leadership. Could two heads truly be better than one? This feature dives into the possibilities.

Read the magazine in full here.