LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE
TA K I N G T H E L E A P
Taking the leap of faith!
The SBL journey can take many directions, often with unexpected twists and turns - so how can we better manage the change when moving from one environment to another? We spoke to JONNY COATES, head of business and financial support services at Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust, to find out
S
tarting his career in the financial services industry, Jonny moved to education in 2010. He has since held positions in both schools and trusts as a director of business and finance. With a wealth of experience, Jonny knows a thing or two about managing changes. His journey has seen him transition from primary to secondary schools and from schools to MATs. But what does it take to make the leap from one to another? Jonny, thanks for chatting with us! Can you tell us more about the jump from primary to secondary and some of the differences you experienced? The main difference I found is that in primary, it is hands-on, and you do things yourself because you tend to have a small team. You also live within your means because budgets are tight - as opposed to secondary, where you have a bit more to play with. Moving to a secondary, I realised I wouldn’t be based in my own office and would be managing more people. I went from seven staff to over 40! There
16
January/February 2024
was a lot to learn, particularly around the leadership side - in a primary there is generally a deputy head and the business manager. In a secondary, there can be multiple assistant heads, deputy heads and a large governing body. You are working on a bigger scale with a lot more people involved. It sounds like a steep learning curve! What was the preparation for the role? My preparation began before I interviewed for the job. I received feedback from one of the schools that gave me some insight into the scale of the organisation, so I could think about how my skills could transfer into the new environment. During the interview, I talked about how I could bring fresh ideas to the role and emphasised my dedication to CPD and learning on the job. The role is bigger in a secondary school, but the tasks are the same. It is just a different scale. The difference in scale doesn’t have to be a stumbling block. It is all about effective management. I made sure to provide evidence of what I could do and had done in my primary school role using the skills I had accumulated over the years.