John Tomsett – författare

Leadership 55 is Haringey Education Partnership's popular webinar, where special guests discuss key leadership issues in their field. Hosted by John Tomsett, erstwhile headteacher of Huntington Research School, in its first two seasons the webinar attracted a host of educational experts.Tomsett's curiosity teases out gems of advice from the likes of Professors Becky Allen & Dylan Wiliam, Alex Quigley and Bennie Kara. To conclude the webinars, the host contributes his own nuggets of wisdom formed during 30 years of leading schools.This book captures both the essence of each special guest interview along with Tomsett's sage reflections. There is indispensable advice on a range of issues, from the complexities of assessment, to coping with the loneliness of leading a school, to diversifying the curriculum.And why call it Leadership 55? Well, the conversations are about leadership and each webinar is exactly 55 minutes long!

In This Much I Know about Mind Over Matter John Tomsett addresses, with refreshing honesty, the growing problem of the mental health issues experienced by children and young people, offering up a plan for averting a mental health crisis in our schools. Tomsett interweaves his formative and professional experience with strategies for addressing students'' mental health issues and insights from his interviews with high profile thinkers on the subject including Professor Tanya Byron, Natasha Devon, Norman Lamb, Tom Bennett, Claire Fox and Dr Ken McLaughlin. The book is replete with truths about the state of children''s mental wellbeing, about creating a school culture where everyone can thrive and about living in the shadow of his mother''s manic depression. With his typical mixture of experience, wisdom and research-based evidence, Tomsett explains how he manages the pressure of modern day state school headship in a climate where you are only as good as your last set of examination results, a pressure which acutely affects staff and students too. He outlines his strategies for mitigating this pressure and turning the tide of students'' mental health problems. The autobiographical narrative modulates between self-effacing humour and heart-wrenching stories of his mother''s life, blighted by mental illness. His professional reflections are a wisdom-filled blend of evidence-based policy and decades of experience in teaching and school leadership. Tomsett writes with genuine humility. His prose is beautiful in its seeming simplicity. When you pick up one of his books you will find you have read the first fifty pages before you have even noticed: surely the hallmark of truly great writing. Topics covered include: the real state of the nation''s mental health, the perfect storm that is precipitating a mental health crisis in schools, the problems of loose terminology what do we really mean when we talk about a mental health epidemic? and poor understanding of mental health problems and mental illness, the disparity between mental and physical health in public discourse, treatment and funding, beginning the conversation about mental health, the philosophical and psychological principles underpinning the debate, strategies to support students in managing their own mental health better, resilience, growth mindset, mindfulness, grit, failure and mistakes, coping with pressure, York''s school wellbeing workers project, evidence-based strategies that have worked in Huntington School, metacognitive strategies for improving exam performance, interviews with professionals in the field, the reality of living with a parent with a serious mental illness, self-concept and achievement, perfectionism, the relationship between academic rigour and therapeutic education and, significantly, what the research says, what the experts say and what Tomsett''s experience says about adverting a mental health crisis in schools. Suitable for teachers, leaders and anyone with an interest in mental health in schools.

Through a set of in-depth case studies, This Much I Know About Truly Great Secondary Teachers (and what we can learn from them) by John Tomsett brings to life how eleven outstanding secondary teachers cultivate great learning in their classrooms.

In this groundbreaking book, experienced author and school leader John Tomsett showcases exceptional primary teaching through a series of remarkable case studies.

Foreword by Professor Rob CoeThrough a set of in-depth case studies, This Much I Know About Truly Great Primary Teachers (and what we can learn from them) by John Tomsett dissects the complex and beautiful art of classroom teaching.Covering a range of school types, social contexts, pupil ages and subjects, it brings to life how nine outstanding primary teachers engage, inspire, nurture and motivate their pupils. Each detailed vignette, based on observing the teachers teach, and discussions with them, their colleagues and pupils, brings the qualities of truly great teachers to life.Each teacher is unique in the way they teach and in how they talk about teaching. But they also have some common behaviours and attitudes that make them truly great, which John draws together, summarising what we can learn from their unbridled enthusiasm, skill and dedication to giving their pupils the very best foundation for a bright future.Essential reading for all primary school teachers, school leaders, teacher trainers and education researchers.

Foreword by Professor Rob CoeThrough a set of in-depth case studies, This Much I Know About Truly Great Secondary Teachers (and what we can learn from them) by John Tomsett brings to life how eleven outstanding secondary teachers cultivate great learning in their classrooms.Covering a range of school types, social contexts, pupil ages and subjects, each detailed vignette is based on observing the teachers teach, and discussions with them, their colleagues and pupils. The conversations that form the heart of this book provide a picture of not just what these teachers do, but why they do it: the choices and adaptations they make, and the pedagogic and philosophical principles that guide them.Each teacher is unique in the way they teach and in how they talk about teaching, but they also have some common behaviours and attitudes that make them truly great. John draws together these characteristics, summarising what we can all learn from their utter dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to preparing the next generation for a bright future.Essential reading for all secondary school teachers, school leaders, teacher trainers and education researchers.

This Much I Know about Love Over Fear is a compelling account of leading a values-driven school where people matter above all else. Weaving autobiography with an account of his experience of headship, John Tomsett explains how, in an increasingly pressurised education system, he creates the conditions in which staff and students can thrive. Too many of our state schools have become scared, soulless places. John Tomsett draws on his extensive experience and knowledge and calls for all those involved in education to find the courage to develop a leadership-wisdom which emphasises love over fear. Creating a truly great school takes patience. Ultimately, truly great schools don''t suddenly exist. You grow great teachers first, who, in turn, grow a truly great school. There is a huge fork in the road for head teachers: one route leads to executive headship across a number of schools and the other takes head teachers back into the classroom to be the head teacher. John strongly believes that if the head teacher is not teaching, or engaged in helping others to improve their teaching, in their school, then they are missing the point. The only thing head teachers need obsess themselves with is improving the quality of teaching, both their colleagues'' and their own. This Much I Know about Love Over Fear is an authentic personal narrative of teaching, leadership and discovering what really matters. It gets to the heart of what is valuable in education and offers advice for those working in schools.