My first priority was to look at what was already in place: planning, organisation and assessment. I followed this up by sending staff a questionnaire about what they liked and what they would want to improve.
As was to be expected, this brought differing opinions, some quite defensive. Being the 'new person', I was initially viewed with suspicion. Even so, the information proved a useful starting point to improve the good practice that was already happening. From this I planned the organisation of the space, ensuring that the noisier play, such as construction and small world, were kept away from areas that required more quiet and concentration, such as reading.
I also began to introduce the idea of communication-friendly spaces. This was followed up later with staff training.
The next issue I tackled was timetabling. This was easier said than done! It was no mean feat to ensure that each of the three teachers and three teaching assistants were distributed fairly, and had the opportunity to observe, interact, be outdoors and focus.
Over the term it soon became apparent that the timetable was not working. At this point I invited all staff to give their opinions on what was working and what we needed to change. We then met to work out solutions that everyone was happy with.
Having now completed two terms as leader, I have learned that it is essential to work as a team, and to invite everyone to have a voice within that team. Flexibilty is also important - if something is not working you shouldn't be afraid to change it. Being part of a large team with varying degrees of experience, it is crucial that everyone is clear about their roles and responsibilities. And finally, as leader it is essential to be there to support and guide staff, and continually look for ways to move forward to do our best for the children we are lucky enough to teach. Demanding, varied, sometimes lonely, being reception leader is a very rewarding role.
