Colleagues, it is wonderful to be with you.

Unions are built on our sense of belonging.

Coming together today is a physical display of our strengthened community.

Forged under the hardest of tests.

You did me the great honour of making me general secretary just four years ago.

Together we embarked on a programme of modernisation to make sure that NAHT was ready to face whatever came its way.

None of us were prepared for what came two years later.

But we have survived.

More than that, we have reminded people what being a member of a trade union is all about.  

When we began that journey, we simply described our mission as creating the very best conditions under which school leadership can thrive.

Because if school leadership thrives then everything else follows.

We focused on three things:

Growth,

Community,

Voice.

 

By growing the union, we assured our future.

We have demonstrated to everybody that your experience and expertise matters.  

Through our communities, our branch networks, and our regional structure we were able to create safe spaces for fellow professionals to gain mutual support and mutual reassurance.

We provided a safe place to speak, a safe place to think, and a safe place to develop your practice.

Our voice has never been louder.

NAHT’s public narrative is your voice. Your views. Your thoughts.

An authentic representation of the profession in front of those in power.

This is the strength of mutual support and the power of collective endeavour.

With this we can achieve more for the profession and the young people in your care.

More than simply looking towards trade unionism as individual support in times of individual crisis.

And when this profession faced its greatest test over the last 19 months, that sense of mutual strength and collective endeavour appealed right across school leadership.

So, I'm very proud to tell you that from a base in mid-2017 of about 27,500 in- service members we will report more than 34,500 this year.

Along with our growing Life and Associate Membership we have over 45,000 education experts to call upon.

And we will give freely of that expertise to government.

 

That sense of mutual support and collective endeavour has seen an unprecedented increase in our branch activity - the true test of how vibrant our democracy is.

I have never visited so many branch and regional AGMs, full of energy and talent.

And our voice has been louder…. louder than ever before in front of politicians.

Defending our position in the media and making sure that our members hear from their union during the most difficult of times.

Through the hard work of all of you, through the hard work of our staff NAHT will emerge from this pandemic stronger than we have ever been.

PAUSE

It is my habit to open these speeches by referring to you all as colleagues.

But colleagues doesn't really cover it after the 19 months that we've been through.

And from my background, a trade union background, we use the language of sisters and brothers.

Now this may seem antiquated, maybe even slightly political, but there's a reason why we use such language-

It is to convey the sense of family, the sense of belonging, the need to stick up for one another in the toughest of times.

The strength of mutual support and the power of collective endeavour.

And you - all of you - have by stuck together and have given so much in a time of national crisis.  

 

So, I have no hesitation in this speech to say to all of you - sisters and brothers -it's great to be back together.  

We are within shouting distance of the seat of power in the UK.

Here we are, just across Westminster Bridge, the Houses of Parliament are in sight.

I am delighted that during the pandemic we have achieved a significant move.

We have moved our registered office from Haywards Heath to the Millbank Tower, just across the river in the heart of Westminster.

Planting our flag next the seat of the UK government is more than a mere convenience.

It’s a signal, along with our growing membership and vibrant democracy that we have emerged stronger than ever.

This is our renewed commitment to campaign for the changes that education needs.
Along with our operations based in Belfast and Cardiff, I can promise you now that we will continue with the intensity of our campaigning.

We will make sure that those three governments get the best advice and understand that the profession needs to be listened to.
 

PAUSE

And whilst my remarks today are directed at everyone in this room – I am also speaking to the politicians across the land.

 

Whilst I am  encouraged by the language of levelling up, the language that no child should be left behind, and the language of just how important education is, I am continually left disappointed that the rhetoric is not backed up by action.

I won't quickly forget, nor will I fail to remind those in power, of the false and damaging narrative some of them used.

Some sought to paint a picture of lazy teachers and lazy school leaders in the middle of the pandemic.

When actually you, and your colleagues, were working as hard as anybody else in the frontline.

That was poor judgement. Poor leadership.

Why was that picture created?

Because it was a convenience.

It was a tactic to distract attention from the failure of government to respond properly to the pandemic in education.   

PAUSE

And when I hear criticism that school leaders and teachers spent far too much time making sure the disadvantaged were fed…

That too much time was spent ensuring that the vulnerable were safe…

That too much time was spent being the last physical representation of the state for communities in a time of crisis…

I say NO, that was wrong.

The people who peddled those lies should be ashamed.

PAUSE

I say be proud of what you did.

You reminded people of your professionalism.

You reminded people that you were central to your communities.

You reminded people that education is a front-line service.

And that you, in spite of every failure of government…

In spite of every delay…

Every refusal to build contingency…

You reminded people that it is your professionalism, dedication, and flexibility makes schools flourish.
PAUSE

You did not need statutory testing and inspection to tell you that you were doing the right thing.

You just did it and did it well.
You did not need an algorithm to fairly judge GCSE and A Level students.
You just relied on your professionalism and expertise.   

But let’s hope those political failures are of the past.

Let us hope that under new management the DfE will be able to persuade the rest of government that the future success of these nations rests on the shoulders of education.

Let us hope that the white paper spoken of in Westminster, and the fine words in Cardiff and Northern Ireland will result in a plan for ambitious progress built with the profession - not just landed upon us.

PAUSE

We are a politically independent union, we will work with all parties.

 

I want to see all of them talking with the highest level of ambition for education across the UK.  

There has been intense debate about ‘education recovery’ in recent months: what form it should take, what pupils have missed out on, and what it will cost.

What worries me about this is how narrow that discussion sounds.

When you think of what young people will really need from schools and colleges in the coming months and years – we need more, not less.

Knowing how much school leaders have given during this crisis, and how difficult circumstances were in many ways even before the pandemic, what I’ve heard so far from policymakers is very meek.

‘Recovery’ implies a return to what we had before, which is simply not good enough.

The world has changed and will continue to change at a startling pace.

The UK increasingly stands alone in the world.

Our goal as a nation must be to equip young people with the skills to navigate what is in front of them.

Those who want to govern us must be bold enough to propose something truly ambitious and world-beating.

NAHT has put forward an Education Blueprint for the future, which urges policy makers to focus on seven key areas:

Prioritising Early Years funding and support

Improving support for mental health and wellbeing

Investing in the teaching profession

Providing targeted academic support for pupils who need it

Expanding extra-curricular provision

Investing in technology

Removing unnecessary accountability and bureaucracy.

There will be no let up from me in pursuit of these goals.

PAUSE

I’m proud and pleased to say that Nadhim Zahawi, the new secretary of state for education, will join us here tomorrow.

He’s only a few weeks in post, so it is significant that he’s chosen to come here to make one of his first addresses to the profession.

I know that we will give him a warm and professional welcome.

It would not be right for us to hold him personally responsible for the mistakes of the past.

We will all be keen to hear his vision for the future.

“I will listen to you”, he said in an open letter to everyone in education, published on the day he assumed the role of Education Secretary.

I welcome that commitment.

If the last 19 months has taught us anything it is the profession knows what it is doing and it is trustworthy.

Schools deliver!

So, I hope that ‘listening’ includes hearing from real voices in education.

Near on 35,000 in-service school leaders - members of NAHT.

Not just the usual suspects who tend to give government ideas an automatic thumbs-up.

Critical friends are just as valuable. That’s what we offer.

The secretary of state acknowledges that he will not succeed unless we can work together.

Let me say very clearly:

The profession stands ready to work with you Secretary of State.

But please don’t exhaust what is left of our goodwill by making that engagement nothing more than window dressing.

We have a moment now that we can choose to grasp.

By genuinely working together we can achieve much needed change.

The mistakes and U-turns that characterised the last year and a half almost always came down to a lack of proper consultation with the profession.

On the rare occasions where we were consulted properly rather than just engaged about the government’s plans, things went well.

When education professionals took the lead, things went even better, and problems were addressed even more rapidly.

PAUSE

There is a long list of pressing matters for the new Secretary of State to attend to:

But none is more important than delivering on the Prime Minister's promise that no child will be left behind.
That is the Secretary of State’s big responsibility now.

He is their champion at the Cabinet table.

He has said that “together, we will beat covid, while building back better and fairer.”

Never mind the slogan for a second, there is hope that his government’s agenda, and that of school leaders is perfectly aligned.

So, potentially we have agreement on the ‘what’.

Now it is all about finding agreement on the ‘how.’

We wait to hear what he has to say tomorrow and in the coming weeks.

PAUSE

Lately, I’ve been able to get back to one of my favourite activities: visiting schools and seeing young people in class.

And on those visits, I feel a mixture of emotions:

I’m reassured by the ambition of the staff I meet.

It is matched only by the ambition of the young people in their care.

I’m always impressed by how engaged and articulate young people are about their education and the place in which they live.

That’s a real testament to your skill.

I’m inspired by your ability to keep calm and carry on.

But I’m also extremely worried.

 

What worries me is the fragility of our education systems.

In every phase and sector, leaders tell me how close to the wind they have to sail every day.

Here are just three examples.

A head teacher in Staffordshire, told me: 

“We have to restrict the number of educational school trips because we can’t subsidise them if parents can’t afford to contribute.

We have had to make the difficult decision to restrict the use of TA’s.” 

 

A headteacher right here in London said recently: 

“We have had to cut back on our well-being and mental health support by not renewing our Place2Be counselling service.

We have also had 9 members of support staff leave and have only replaced 2.”

 

And in Devon, where our current vice president works, I had this from a local leader:

"You would expect an essential like reading books to be provided by the school. But no - to afford these, parents and the local community have to constantly fundraise.

So, although parents are sending their children to a state-maintained school, they are still footing the bill. That can’t be right!”

 

The pressures are the same in Wales and Northern Ireland too.

These testimonies really worry me.

We have a wonderful system – but how stable is it?

Without stability, what kind of platform have we got for recovery and reform?

 

These testimonies are born out in our research.

One in four school leaders predict a deficit budget in 2021/22 based on current funding levels.

97% of you say the funding you receive for SEND is insufficient.

As a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, school leaders reported average additional costs of £24,571.

Schools also reported average lost income of £21,867.
I’m looking across the Thames again, looking to Cardiff and Belfast

I’m looking at the politicians whose job it is to work to improve the lives of their constituents.

And I ask, how much more evidence do you need before you wake up to the funding crisis blighting our schools?

PAUSE

I’ve described school leaders here who are worried about having enough money for books.

Who cannot afford to continue to subsidise school trips for lower income families.

And who are seriously concerned by the mental health of their pupils.

The depth of dedication shown by you and your colleagues is astounding.

Your commitment to public service is huge.

The pandemic has demonstrated your value to the nation.

But sadly the government behaves as if it takes you for granted.

 

Like you, I am angry that the pay freeze will deliver yet another a real terms pay cut next year.

A slap in the face doesn’t begin to describe it.

And let’s not fall for the line that this is credible as private sector wages stagnate.

It’s not true, private sector wages are growing.

And the Prime Minister is calling on industry to pay evening higher wages.

I simply say this:

Show some leadership by giving teachers and leaders the decent pay rise.

You have waited over a decade – you should not have to wait any longer!

PAUSE

The teaching profession has long struggled to recruit and retain school leaders.

NAHT’s survey evidence shows that the leadership pipeline is broken at all career stages.

Too few experienced teachers want to step up to senior leadership positions.

Even fewer can be persuaded to take on the heavy responsibilities of a leading a school.

This pay cut risks further eroding leadership supply.

We are looking at a potential exodus of leaders when the pandemic finally lifts.

The government has repeatedly constrained the work of the pay review body – this must end.

The STRB must be able to do its work, free from government interference.

The STRB understands the teaching workforce supply issues.

Once again this year it asked government to allow it to review the pay structure for teachers and leaders

Once again, it was denied.

We urgently need government to take the STRB’s warnings seriously.

And they must act on them.

That is the only solution to the crisis of retention of experienced teachers and leaders.

PAUSE

Keeping leaders in their posts is of course part and parcel of the work of a trade union.

But it is about more than money.

It is often about the standing of the profession.

It’s time for the governments of the UK to acknowledge and respect what you do and what you have achieved.

It’s time to lift the burden of unnecessary and disproportionate high stakes accountability systems.

£3000 to encourage maths and science teachers into difficult areas is an idea.

But unless you lift the burdens any progress will be short lived.

We would have told you that, Prime Minister, if only you had asked.

PAUSE

If you talk to us, together we can improve ideas and build what our young people and the nation needs.

Shouting from the side-lines is so easy, but NAHT is ready to take responsibility and achieve change.

The question is, will any political party really put education at the centre of the nation’s recovery and future success?
Along with our seven pillars our prescription is a simple one:
Fund the system on a needs-led calculation not on an unambitious ‘prepared to pay’ basis.

Recognise the standing of the profession in words and deeds.

Design a proportionate accountability system that drives improvement instead of compliance.

Make sure the support services children need are accessible so schools can concentrate on education.

And yes, recognise the importance of maths and English.

But don’t forget that we are preparing young people for challenges we cannot yet imagine.

 Don’t narrow the curriculum and short-change our children.

You would not question the prescription of your doctor.

So, why do politicians in charge of education think they can proceed without the expertise of a school leader?
PAUSE

In closing, let me return to where I began.

You have been on the frontline during this pandemic.

You have not been given enough credit for that.

There is no doubt in my mind that the intense work of schools during the last eighteen months has shielded many young people from the worst effects of the pandemic.

I look forward to NAHT engaging with the governments of the UK on the most pressing issues schools are now facing.

You may not like everything we have to say.

But talking to us – when we have so much expertise to offer – would be a sign of strength, not weakness.

Finally:

The current crop of school pupils is anything but a ‘lost generation’.

They are thoughtful and full of hope and ambition for the future.

They are determined to see that progress is made on the issues that are most important to them, like climate change and equality.

I am determined, that NAHT stands with them, just as we stand with all of our members.

We have a wonderful system, with wonderful people, but it is fragile.

That fragility has nothing to do with COVID.

A lot of it is down to money.

Much of it down to missed opportunities and political failure.
Let’s not let that happen again.

You have reminded people just how central your efforts are to the community and the success of the country.

You have reminded people just how hard working and dedicated you are as public servants.

You have proved again that your judgement is right, and you know what you're doing.

You have demonstrated time and again that you can be trusted.

So, I say to you, starting here today at Conference where our policy will be made -

Have the confidence of your professionalism.

Have the confidence of your expertise.

And have the confidence of the trust that parents and families, pupils and students put in you.

Simply don't allow people to tell you what should be done without making sure that they listen to your expertise and experience.

Too often, that expertise and experience is used to make bad plans work in spite of everything.

I say, no longer.

Instead use that expertise and experience to stop bad plans and create better ones.

Don't fear the inspector knocking at the door.

You are the professional on the ground.  

If they question you, use your evidence and expertise to prove that you are doing things right.

I know that's tough but we're here to help you.

And I will promise you this.

Every unfair criticism levelled at you can be challenged.

Every unfair judgement about you or your performance can be rebutted.

And we will support you in your individual struggles.

PAUSE

I am on the look-out for lazy, wide-ranging political attacks on the profession designed to take the eye away from government failure.

I will not allow these to go unchecked.

We will campaign.

We will campaign with all the vigour we have to make sure the education system changes for the better.

We will work with governments to make sure that they receive the very best advice and support along with constructive challenge.

I want you to be proud of who you are.

I want you to be proud of what you do.

And I want you to be unapologetic about what you want and need on behalf of the young people in your care.

Sisters and brothers, I'm immensely proud of you and the NAHT family.

I am proud of what you achieve.

Through the strength of our mutual support and the power of our collective endeavour we can make change happen.

Our tone will be constructive, conciliatory but determined.
 

Thank you, conference.