Being Human

Lucy and Dan Edwards are excited to discuss the importance of being human and share valuable advice for school leaders. Dan Edwards is an experienced school leader who trained in English and drama and enjoyed teaching key stages three to five for many years before taking the leap into the primary sector. Dan has stepped down as principal of a school and set up a business to support himself and his family. He has been busy speaking at conferences and meeting with schools.

Dan's presentation at the conference will focus on the concept of being human and the need to develop that quality in order to make a positive impact on others and their learning. We need to rethink how we lead organisations and create cultures to maintain our workforce and make people feel valued. We need to think of the humanity of the culture in the schools and the humanity of our leadership decisions. The most important details are that being human is a brave step to take as a leader and that it can lead to trust and relationships among staff and parents. Dan is looking forward to the shared space of the conference and the opportunity to learn from and listen to other people. Dan emphasises the importance of authenticity and consultation in school leadership, as well as the importance of listening to each other's stories to transfer the most powerful information. Headteachers must recognise that they are all in this together and reach out to staff to improve education and outcomes. Dan would like people to take away from his speech about imposter syndrome and reflect on their darkest moments in leadership.

Dan is writing a book about doubt and reflection, which will be available in January 2023. It will be published through an American publisher and be available at Amazon and other bookshops. Dan Edwards has written a book called Repositioning Donuts: The Five Steps to School Improvement, which outlines five pillars of school improvement: consultation, communication, clarity, and being human.