On Air Now

Your Harrogate Radio

7:00pm - 6:30am

Now Playing

Harrogate Grammar headteacher to publish book about leadership

Harrogate Grammar School headteacher Mr Neil Renton is set to have a book published about leadership and education.

Harrogate Grammar headteacher to publish book about leadership Harrogate Grammar School headteacher Mr Neil Renton is set to publish a book about leadership and education. Mr Renton’s book ‘New School Leader: What Now?’ will be released by Critical Publishing. It’s described as an honest story about how school leaders “develop and hone their practice over time to navigate doubt, overcome challenge, and lead well every day.” The book is written based on Mr Renton’s own experiences and his leadership journey at Harrogate Grammar - one of the largest comprehensive schools in the North of England. Mr Renton was appointed in late 2018 and has lead Harrogate Grammar through the covid pandemic and an Ofsted inspection in his five-years in charge. The book aims to examine the challenges that new leader will face and how they can be overcome, as well as dealing with one-off events and the everyday of school leadership. Geoff Barton, General Secretary, Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said of the book:

“Something happens when you step from being a senior leader to being appointed as headteacher. Everyone tells you it will feel different, but no one can quite explain how. Neil Renton’s book does just that. “From its first sentence, it presents the most authentic and powerfully articulated account of the shift that happens inside us as we take on the mantle of head or principal.”
Mr Barton added:
“I like the book’s mixture of candour, values and practical insights. I like its lack of misty-eyed sentimentalism. “I like the way it focuses on the details of headship — the interactions with staff, the decision-making process, the skills involved in communicating with clarity and openness. “This is no checklist of tricks and gimmicks. It’s a reassuringly honest yet optimistic reminder of the day-to-day reality of one of society’s most important roles: being a headteacher. I thoroughly recommend it.”
More details about the book can be found online here. Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.

More from Local News