Academy leadership are obsessed with their own image, fact! and yet they still need to take a fucking look at themselves in the mirror. Rather than addressing real issues of concern—behaviour, engagement, workload—they are funnelling resources into self-congratulatory propaganda BS. Video idents, overproduced interviews with the CEO, and large-scale events designed to sell leadership like a corporate brand are the norm. Schools are fucking struggling mate, but the priority seems to be massaging the ego of those at the top rather than fixing what actually matters. It’s not great and the optics are shocking. I would love to see the fucking PR company bill!
Issue
The issue is the increasing corporatisation of education leadership. Rather than being servant leaders working to support staff and students, those at the top act like executives of a brand. Schools are fucking franchises, and leadership is marketed through overproduced promotional content rather than tangible improvements. The tone-deaf nature of these initiatives is staggering. While teachers drown under increasing workloads, these resources/ could be used to improve conditions in schools—but instead, they are spent on self-indulgent PR BS.
Roots
Where to fucking start…
- Hubris – The leadership at some academy trusts appears to believe they are visionaries rather than administrators of a public service. The money poured into promotional materials reeks of self-importance and a desperate need for validation.
- Propaganda and Unspeak – These productions are misleading; they actively distort reality. They create a manufactured version of leadership that ignores the realities of school life. Euphemisms and jargon replace honest discussion of issues. It’s too fucking cosey in these idents. You don’t look like you are fucking working and that is an issue.
- The Optics – Leadership wants to present itself as dynamic and inspiring, perhaps imagining something akin to ‘The West Wing.’ In reality, the results are more akin to low-budget local television, the kind of forced enthusiasm seen in ‘WF1’ or the pantomime of ‘Phoenix Nights.’ The contrast between the grandiose self-image and the amateurish reality makes things worse… Fuck me, it’s like watching a comedian metaphorically die on stage. It looks like leadership is playing at being important rather than doing anything meaningful.
Impact
- Wasted Resources – Every pound spent on a corporate vanity project is a pound not spent on improving student support, reducing class sizes, or ensuring schools have adequate resources.
- Demoralised Staff – Teachers see through the BS mate. They do not need to be inspired by dramatic video montages; they need manageable workloads, proper support, and fair pay. When leadership prioritises marketing over meaningful change, it sends a clear message: appearances matter more than reality.
- Disconnected Leadership – When school leaders become PR figures rather than problem-solvers, they lose touch with the realities of the classroom. This leads to policy decisions that are out of step with what students and staff need.
Change
- Refocus on Schools, Not Branding – Leadership should stop wasting resources on PR and start addressing real issues. If they need to communicate, they should do so honestly and directly, not through scripted media performances.
- Accountability for Spending – Academy trusts should be transparent about where funds are going. Teachers and parents should be able to see exactly how money is spent and challenge unnecessary extravagance.
- Listen to Staff and Students – Leadership needs to get out of the boardroom and into schools, experiencing firsthand the issues that teachers and students face. Engagement should be about solving problems, not selling an image.
Conclusion
Education is not a brand, and leadership should not be a performance. Treat the role with respect – this is not a circus; you are not a fucking clown! Teachers and students deserve leadership that focuses on practical solutions, not self-promotion. The time and money wasted on propaganda must be redirected towards improving education where it can have an impact. If academy leadership is truly serious about making a difference, they should abandon the corporate posturing and start leading in ways that actually benefit the people they serve. Inspire your fucking staff; stop pissing them off!
