A Headteacher's perspective on navigating Parental Leave policies, with Andy Bowman

Nothing Without Us

This episode is the first of a regular series of discussions between me and Headteacher Andy Bowman. Andy has bravely volunteered to appear on the podcast every series, to talk through his responses to the issue that we are thinking about, in the context of his own school and the wider community. In this episode, you’ll get some background on Andy’s career and the school that he now leads, before we deep dive into how maternity, paternity, baby loss and other stages of life are handled and could be handled better by his team.

During a career spanning 25 years, Andy has taught in a range of primary schools, writing and leading training as an Advanced Skills Teacher before becoming a deputy head in 2010. He is now enjoying his second headship leading Southville Primary School, a 620-pupil split-site school a stone’s throw from Bristol city centre.

Andy believes strongly in placing human connection and kindness at the heart of teaching, learning and leadership and promotes a values-driven approach to school development.

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Nothing Without Us is presented by Angie Browne from Being Luminary.

It is edited by Big Tent Media and produced by Emily Crosby Media.