The Motherhood & Leadership series focuses on the realities of leadership from a mother’s perspective. The first conversation of the Motherhood & Leadership series questions whether leadership is a labyrinth.
Lucy Hemsley speaks openly about her journey into leadership, from not having met a female secondary headteacher to discovering that senior leadership and motherhood are compatible.
Currently an Assistant Headteacher, Lucy works four days a week at a large 11-18 comprehensive school in Gloucestershire. She has recently returned to work from maternity leave with her third baby. Lucy also has two boys, aged 5 and 2.
*CONTENT WARNING* This episode discusses fertility issues including miscarriage.
I felt that I couldn’t be a leader and work part-time; I didn’t think that was possible.
Lucy Hemsley
Assistant Headteacher | Gloucestershire Rep for The MTPT Project| #WomenEd Regional Network Lead South West
Lucy is an Assistant Headteacher (T&L and CPD); she works 0.8 at a large 11-18 comprehensive school in Gloucestershire. She has just returned from her third maternity leave.
Following her first maternity, Lucy returned to work full time to a middle leadership role (Deputy Head of Sixth Form). The following year she was promoted to Associate Assistant Headteacher. She then decided to request to go part time despite knowing that no-one on the Senior Leadership Team had previously been part time in her school. Lucy was then promoted to Assistant Headteacher before having to tell her headteacher the week after being appointed that she was pregnant with baby number two. Baby number three followed 19 months later.
Highlights:
- 14:24 Fertility issues and miscarriage
- 17:00 MTPT Project
- 28:56 Decisions
Resources
MTPT Project
Books:
- Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
- 10% Braver: Inspiring Women to Lead Education by Vivienne Porritt and Keziah Featherstone
- Being 10% Braver by Keziah Featherstone and Vivienne Porritt
The Motherhood & Leadership series is a collaboration with The MTPT Project.
All nine episodes of The Motherhood & Leadership Series are sponsored by Teach First Networks. Find out details about all the networks on offer at www.teachfirst.org.uk/networks
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