Defence that Doesn’t Make the Grade
In this article, Chris Thomson takes a close look at what Amanda Spielman’s recent defence of Ofsted Inspection may reveal. Ofsted fears inspection. I don’t…
Chris Thomson
Stress: A Survivor’s Story
Chris Thomson draws on his experience of senior management to offer some first-hand strategies for tackling stress Three months into my first senior management post…
How colleges can learn from the Met
Here’s a challenging exam question for you: “The Baroness Casey Report on standards of behaviour and internal culture of the Metropolitan Police Service is only…
Skills Are Not Enough
In this article, Chris discusses how a skilled workforce isn’t enough to produce high quality provision for students. A collaborative culture is also necessary and…
Anyone for tennis?
Novak Djokovic is indisputably one of the greatest tennis players of all time and yet he pays someone to coach him, to help him get…
Being nice trumps being clever
I don’t routinely open the Times Literary Supplement expecting to have my behaviour as a leader challenged. But recently a Philosophy professor was writing about…
Ofsted is terribly bad for the quality of Further Education
Ofsted is terribly bad for the quality of Further Education. Half of the problem is that it makes recommendations. The other half is that despite…
Less about Numbers, More a Way of Thinking
Chris Thomson describes how maths can illuminate thinking about management: A recent FE News article on the usefulness of maths reminded me of what I owe…
How passionate are you about your work in FE?
How passionate are you about your work? If you’re in any doubt, DON’T google it. A five-minute word-search will turn your uncertainty into neurosis. Courses,…
Seeing the wood AND the trees – What’s this got to say about leadership?
Maybe you’ve heard this story about motivation: the visitor to a cathedral building-site who interviews three bricklayers. “Laying bricks,” says the first; “Putting this wall…