Orphaned, isolated school leaders

The heavy weight of leadership is felt most in circumstances where academic excellence is an elusive, mobile target. They often say that when times are hard, friends are few.

The worst treatment and indignity a person in a position of leadership can experience is when those who are supposed to offer support turn their school leader into a pariah. Yes, leaders should take responsibility, but singling out one leader at the top as a pariah amongst others in the system can be a traumatising experience. The scapegoat culture, more often than not, characterises struggling schools.