Beyond the status quo

Joe Bispham

Headteacher, Chard

Anyone who spends longer than five minutes with me knows that I am one of life’s talkers.

I talk to think, talk to relax, talk to plan, and talk in my sleep. I like to think of it as a superpower; my family tends to think of it as some sort of punishment for their misdemeanours in previous lives. Hey, I am an English teacher—I never struggle for words.

However, West100 is one of the few times I do. “Course” seems too officious and technocratic; “professional awakening” feels too evangelical. I simply cannot find the term with the necessary gravitas.

What I will say is that West100 is the single greatest leadership development opportunity I have experienced in my professional life. I am forever changed as a leader and have become part of a movement of colleagues and friends greater than I could have dreamed.

Recruitment & opening

It all began with an intense but invaluable recruitment process. It was a process that allowed me to truly reflect on the weight of the headteacher role. I came home tired but feeling that even if I wasn’t successful, it had already been worth the time and effort. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I found out I had been successful.

Then we moved to the opening residential. After a few webinars and emails for onboarding, the anticipation was high, but it was only upon arriving at a quiet set of cottages in rural Devon with a group of strangers that the year truly began. While introducing yourself to a group of new school leaders in a remote, well-provisioned house felt unique, the professional connections were immediate.

We learnt each other’s names and stories, broke bread together, and bonded over educational theory and shared leadership challenges. Each of us came from different settings and backgrounds but were united by the same purpose: the status quo isn’t good enough, and we are capable of meaningful change. Finding people who shared that hunger for better schools and better communities was a nourishing experience that provided immediate stimulus for impact.

The power of the study tour

We reunited for conferences and webinars, but most importantly, study tours. On the surface, a study tour is a chance to see great schools. However, the West100 provides so much more. Too often, a school visit can feel like a defensive experience, but on the West100—under the expert guidance of Mohamed Abdallah (maybe the best-dressed man in English education) from The Reach Foundation—we learned how to engage with these environments positively.

Insights were precious, preconceptions were challenged, and we left with so much more than we arrived with. What is most amazing about the West100 is the balance; we value our professional downtime and the ability to build genuine relationships just as much as we value debating how to enact change. This sense of community makes the work more meaningful and ensures these leadership bonds will last for many years.

Looking ahead

I sit here partway through the programme, excited for more: more study tours, more rigorous thinking, and continued collaboration with this group. Mainly, I am excited to see what these amazing people do for our communities in the West. One of our cohort has already been appointed to their first headship, and we were rooting for them every step of the way.

While I may still lack the precise words to describe it, West100 is unmissable for those who want to drive real change in the West Country.