Mark S Steed, (he/him) Husband, Father, Director and Consultant @steededu
Articles by Mark Steed
Interim headship: 'More than just a safe pair of hands'
Interim or locum headships are becoming more common as the rate of turnover of heads increases and recruitment lead times take longer. This relatively new phenomenon should be understood against the backdrop of a growing global shortage of leadership talent. Fewer people have the requisite breadth of skills, or are willing to take on the range of responsibilities that come with modern headship.
'Nothing prepares you for the first day as an international head'
Nothing prepares you for the first day as a headteacher – all the more so in my case as, in my mid-thirties, I went from being a boarding housemaster to the headship of a small, rural independent school. I leapfrogged those important apprenticeship roles of assistant and deputy head. The first SLT meeting I ever attended, I found myself chairing. I had no idea what to expect taking up the reins.
3 other things school leaders have to budget for
All schools operate within tight fiscal restraints, whether it is a maintained school facing an unfunded pay award, an independent school grappling with VAT costs and the loss of business rate relief or an international school facing profit demands from the owner. However, it is not just money where heads and principals have limited scope to shape their school: time, people and space are all constrained resources, too, and need to be managed like a financial budget.
Ensure smooth project delivery with expert construction planning consultants
When it comes to delivering a successful construction project, having the right experts on your team makes all the difference. Construction planning consultants bring valuable insight and experience to every stage of the project. They ensure that your project stays on track, on budget, and meets all expectations. But what exactly do they do, and why are they so important?
Teacher resignation letter: how to get yours right
When the time comes to move on, it is important that teachers go about their resignation in the right way. Writing a properly crafted letter of resignation is an essential part of this process because it reflects professionalism, courtesy and a commitment to positive relationships. A formal resignation letter helps the school administration to plan accordingly, providing a clear timeline for transition, which minimises disruption for students and colleagues.
Flexible working in schools - what you need to know
In the Autumn 2023 edition of Independent School Management Pluswe explored the new flexible working rules being introduced by the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 which was awaiting an implementation date. The new rules came into effect from 6 April 2024.
Wellbeing: Transform a school with a 'culture of kindness'
In the often high-pressure world of education, where high intensity workloads often create stress and burnout, a small yet outward looking multi-academy trust is standing out by taking a different approach. By putting staff wellbeing and kindness at the heart of its culture, this trust is not only securing strong staff retention rates but also attracting new talent. The ripple effect has been felt across its schools, benefiting staff, students, and the broader community.
VAT on fees: 'Our children are being made the targets of abuse'
I heard about the consternation that Bridget Phillipson’s post on X (formerly Twitter) was causing before I saw it myself. I will admit I am not a follower of our education secretary, perhaps a damning indictment in its own right, so I had to look up what she had said. I understood the upset that had been caused immediately. Just in case you haven’t seen it: Our state schools need teachers more than private schools need embossed stationery.
International schools' climate change long-haul
I was talking recently with someone about some quality assurance compliance I’d agreed to do for them. We were talking about travel, and I said, “I’m happy to fly anywhere in the world.” I love flying – the whole experience of checking in, spending time in duty-free, wandering around, soaking up the vibe as I people-watch. To me, it’s all part of the adventure, wherever you’re heading to. Living overseas for so long, flying had become an everyday necessity.
Leadership: Try to avoid 'headteacher cosplay'
“Anthrax?” I asked the lead science technician in disbelief. “Yes, anthrax. We have found it at the back of one of the old chemical store cupboards, it looks like it’s been there since the 70s. I have the number of Public Health England for you to call.” I still shudder thinking back to that unexpected conversation when I was new to school leadership, and thank goodness I took the right advice, having it swiftly removed by the professionals.
Talking Recruitment: Staff induction
As the new term begins, Kai Vacher, principal of British School Muscat, joins consultant and head Mark Steed to discuss what makes a good staff induction programme. Mark recommends that focusing on people is key, and making time for social events will help staff forge new relationships, while Kai highlights the benefits of an airport welcome party with branded t-shirts to help new staff feel welcomed.
'It's time for a global body to oversee international teachers'
In my 19 years of international school headship I have worked with an incredible number of outstanding educators from a wide variety of countries and professional backgrounds. I have been lucky enough to meet teachers from all over the world, and I have interviewed more than I can count.
Who gets a raw deal on the global teaching merry-go-round?
There have been numerous articles in the UK popular press lately, describing the “exodus” of British teachers from the profession and the year-on-year failure of the Department for Education to meet recruitment targets. The unprecedented decline in teacher recruitment and retention over the past decade or so means that the demand for teachers in 2024 far outstrips supply.
Mill Hill to open first overseas school
Mill Hill Education Group has announced its first school outside the UK. In partnership with property developer Ornsirin, Mill Hill will establish an English international school in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Ornsirin will invest in the construction of the new school, which will operate under the Mill Hill School brand. The school is set to open initially as a pre-prep and prep school in September 2025.
What schools get wrong about workplace culture
Three years on from the pandemic and staff in international and UK schools continue to experience poor levels of workplace wellbeing that are placing many on the path towards burnout. In previous articles, I have discussed how educator burnout is primarily shaped by the systems, structures, characteristics, and culture of the school and needs to be tackled at the organisational level.
Leadership: Are your staff holding too many meetings?
Microsoft’s most recent survey seeking to understand how its software is used in the workplace revealed that for the first time, use of its collaborative applications has overtaken use of its creative ones. The research found that workers now spend 57 per cent of their time communicating with others – in online meetings, calls and chats – and just 43 per cent of their time actually working – creating, producing, innovating.
The six traits of great international school teachers
In my capacity as a board director, I recently spent two days observing and participating in a series of uplifting start-of-the-year CPD sessions at Dalton School, an extremely well-respected international school in Hong Kong. The experience was such that I felt inspired to put pen to paper in praise of international teachers, and their contribution to the world. What they accomplish is truly exceptional. Being an international teacher brings a unique set of challenges.
Wellington College US branch to open in old Airbnb offices
A partner of Wellington College has secured the former offices of Airbnb in San Francisco for the school’s first US branch, The Pie reports. The Hiba Academy Bay Area, part of the Wellington College Education network of schools, will open in 2026, teaching students from kindergarten to grade 8 in both English and Chinese.
Chinese buy 30 UK schools in under a decade
Chinese investors have bought a total of 30 UK independent schools and their brands since 2014, The Pie News reports. According to data compiled by market intelligence agency Venture Education, five independent schools in the UK were bought by Chinese investors in 2023, a number surpassed only by 2017.
The rise of coaching in educational leadership
Coaching has undergone a remarkable transformation in the field of educational leadership. What was once considered a remedial intervention has now become a proactive strategy embraced by successful leaders. This shift in perception has ushered in a new era of leadership development, and RSAcademics, a prominent name in education known for its extensive network and influential research, has illuminated the profound impact of coaching in the 2023 RSAcademics Headship Report.
VAT: International families' fears over school viability
A London-based schools’ consultancy says it has seen an “explosion” in calls from worried parents of international pupils ahead of the UK General Election and plans for VAT on school fees. Quintessentially Education says it has had a three-fold increase in calls from parents of pupils currently at UK independent schools, and prospective parents. Many are questioning the future viability of their chosen schools if a Labour government wins the General Election and imposes VAT.
British schools 'should set up branches in the United States'
UK schools setting up branches abroad should explore a growing appetite for British education in the United States, a market expert has told a conference. Ashwin Goel said that there was now “evidence of an affinity for a British style education and even a prestigious British school brand” across the pond, despite it having its own highly developed system of fee-charging schools.
Talking Recruitment: Top tips on applying for teaching jobs
In this fourth episode, experienced UK and international heads Mark Steed and Kai Vacher take a pause from their fortnightly themes to answers some burning questions from listeners seeking teaching jobs. Find out what they think about teachers with third class degrees and whether employers think that character is more important than competence. And for those with less-that-impressive CVs, how do you get the experience required to get you a job at a really top-flight school?
Ukraine: 'I've never done anything more important in my life'
Despite the ongoing war, The British International School, Ukraine (BISU), which has campuses in Kyiv and Dnipro, continues its mission of providing high quality education to children. Amid the air raid sirens and ever-present uncertainty, BISU’s community of Ukrainian and international teachers, both online and on-site, go beyond traditional methods to encourage a love of learning and nurture tomorrow’s leaders.
Consistency and regulation needed in pupil tutoring
Tutoring has always been a part of the educational landscape, although often with an unspoken antipathy between schools and tutors - perhaps as the latter’s existence seemed to imply a failure of the former to meet pupils’ (or really, parents’) educational needs. Now, though, tutoring is seen with a more open-minded view that recognises it sits within a suite of educational offerings beyond school, similar to countless online resources or apps.
Talking Recruitment: The interview process
So you’ve got your longlist of candidates for a job in your school, but what do you do next in an ever-changing recruitment landscape? Mark Steed from Steed Education and Kai Vacher from British School Muscat analyse what job interviews are really for and what they achieve, and how advancements in technology and HR can help and hinder the process.
‘Schools must value teachers who return from overseas’
There are thousands of England-trained teachers working in British international schools around the world - all of them having undertaken the same qualifications as teachers at home. In many cases, the time they have spent overseas has given them huge experience in dealing with a variety of pupils and parents, of working under various inspection and accreditation systems, and delivering high academic outcomes - almost always working to the same GCSE and A-level examinations as English schools.
Super Bowl leadership: The risks of school leader burnout
This Sunday Super Bowl LVIII takes place between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. While the appeal of the game may escape some (although Taylor Swift’s possible appearance may entice a few more viewers), American football is a sport where the role of the coach provides many neat analogies for headteachers - and perhaps there is no better example than Bill Walsh.
ISO 27001 accreditation: what schools should know
In today’s digital age, data security has become a critical concern for every school. With the increasing use of technology in education, schools are collecting and storing more student and staff data than ever before. Therefore, it is crucial for schools to ensure that they are protecting this sensitive information from cyberthreats. One way that schools can demonstrate their commitment to data security is by achieving ISO 27001 accreditation.
The lost civilities of the HR reference request - and why it matters
Writing references for current and former employees goes with the territory of being a school leader. Yet as someone who has been doing this for more than 20 years, it is slightly dispiriting to see that the polite discourse around references is being lost. For example, while I appreciate school HR departments have a lot on their plates and reference checks are a time-consuming but necessary evil, recent emails I have received suggest that some schools have abandoned any attempt to be civil.
How do you inspect ‘Britishness’? It’s not all tea and Shakespeare
Last month, we had our first British schools overseas (BSO) inspection since March 2016. Covid restrictions prevented a team from visiting Hong Kong before now and the seven-year gap was telling. The senior school and sixth form had more than doubled in size in that time, and there was only one member of the senior team in post for the last inspection. We had lost all institutional knowledge of how inspections work and had to start building that up from scratch.
Cybersecurity: 6 things schools can do to protect themselves
In October 2020 Kellett School was subject to a ransomware denial-of-service (DoS) attack orchestrated by a Russian criminal hacker group. The attack was deliberately timed for the evening prior to a four-day holiday weekend in Hong Kong so the hackers had maximum time to encrypt and, potentially, extract our data. Quite when the hackers got access to our servers, we do not know, but it was probably weeks, if not months, before the attack.
Teacher recruitment: The advantages of online interviews for international schools
In the latest instalment of our recruitment series talking to international school leaders, we head to Hong Kong to hear from Mark Steed, principal and CEO of Kellett School, the British International School in Hong Kong, about the ”uncharacteristically challenging” recruitment round that his school experienced this year and the new trends driving competition for talented staff.
3 ways to give your entire school a growth mindset
Carol Dweck’s Mindset: The New Psychology of Successhas become such an accepted part of the educational canon since its publication back in 2006 that today, the benefits of children and students adopting a “growth” rather than a “fixed” mindset remains a deeply popular axiom in many schools.
Why schools should set up their own R&D departments
Around the world, the biggest companies invest millions in research and development (R&D) to allow new ideas to have a chance to succeed. Some fail, of course, while others soar. The important thing is that the opportunity is provided because of the willingness of these firms to accept that not everything will work but that they have to find out.
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