Leading during a pandemic – what the evidence tells us

More than two years on from the start of the pandemic, most education systems are still coping with the substantial effects of COVID 19. In some countries, schools remain closed and in others, schools are open but barely managing as the virus continues to take its toll on staff and students. Whichever way you look at it, COVID 19 is not leaving any time soon which means ongoing disruption to education and the learning of young people. One thing is certain, the world has shifted on its axis in a way that has fundamentally and radically changed education. Hybrid learning is now prevalent, and technology has become essential for continuous learning to take place. In many ways, education has been re-defined in this pandemic as an experience where the personal connection between teachers and students has been interrupted. Despite the dominant discourse around ‘learning loss’ which is unquestionably real and important, it is also essential to recognise that new learning happened during the height of the pandemic. Educators and students learned to be flexible, resilient, and adaptable. Those in leadership roles learned to connect with their colleagues and stakeholders remotely, to lead differently in the crisis and above all, to ensure learning and teaching continued. Parents and carers learned to support learning in the home, while juggling their many other responsibilities. Yet, despite a return to a certain degree of normality, the pressures on school leaders and their staff remain relentless and acute. All those working in schools are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic day by day, week by week, month by month. The continuous pressure on school leaders has resulted in high numbers choosing to leave the profession and a raft of unfilled vacancies for headship.