How many of us hear the word ‘networking’ and cringe? If you’re told to network, what do you say? What do you do? Annette House, head of business for Edinburgh Primary School, shares why you may already be better at it than you realise
I love talking to people and finding out what happens in other schools. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I go to an event for some alone time to reflect but often, if you talk to others, you don’t know where it will lead and many of us network without knowing that we’re doing it!
I started in education in 1999. On my first day working in education the PC spoke to me. It was a Mac, a computer that I had never seen before (I just thought all computers were the same)! I blundered my way through but realised I need some IT training, so I joined my local adult learning. I really enjoyed the classes and went on to learn more. After while I was asked if I wanted to be a guinea pig for a new NVQ being trialled.
I then completed a preparing to teach in lifelong learning (PTLS). Over the years, that led to me undertaking the assessor and internal verifiers qualifications. None of these were linked to my role, but talking to different people led me up this path and at the time, I didn’t know quite how useful these qualifications would be for me!
Working for the LA, restructures were common, so I learnt and made as many contacts as I could. My network was growing, and people got to know me, leading me to become a school governor, a training facilitator and take on a role working alongside Ofsted inspection teams undertaking data analysis.
When I was made redundant in 2011, I turned to my network groups – what next? One pointed me in the direction of the National College and a new programme to train school business managers. It was fully funded, but you had to be sponsored by a school to support your learning. A few months later I was off to Nottingham to undertake the DSBM course. I was working with my governor school on my project, but I needed some schoolwork experience, so again reached out to my network and was told a new school with a new headteacher would welcome some support.
I volunteered and after a few months got to know the staff and leadership team and was appointed to the full time SBM role. The DSBM was hard, and I never wanted to do another qualification but as they say, never say never, and I did the ADSBM a while later – again with the support of my networks. No one was prouder of me than my mum at my graduation ceremony at Nottingham Uni!
Since joining the school full time in 2012, I continued networking and attending events. I piloted new systems for new companies at cheaper rates to save our school money. I was part of the ISBL team who reviewed the professional standards that has supported recruitment of quality staff into my teams. I also set up my own SBL network group and organise a cross-borough conference each year to support new networking. Working with the DFE, I became a network leader and others now come to our group for help.
One of the biggest projects I’ve delivered in school was through networking – the development of our multi use games area (MUGA). At the time, we were working with a non-profit sports company who provided PE support to the school. We managed to get funding for the MUGA, they installed a football pitch and fixed the drainage and agreed to maintain the pitch in return for use in the evening and weekends for the community. The children’s faces were priceless when they returned from the summer break.
Shortly after it became apparent that we needed flood lights. Again, we asked the PE company who obtained another grant. Whilst the electricians were fitting the floodlights, I got talking to them and they told me that they had money in their CSR (corporate social responsibility) fund. Of course, I jumped at this, resulting in a big donation to build a small amphitheatre/outdoor classroom and garden in a disused area of the school. This conversation led me to a housing company resulting in the building of an outdoor reading area in the school!
My biggest legacy from networking was a chance conversation with someone who was looking at my school and reminiscing about the time he spent working on the site before the school was built. He told me that he was running a private nursey and was looking to branch out. We had the space to help and now we have a fantastic nursery provision that will bring the school almost one million pounds in revenue throughout the licence!
And all because I talk to people and support where I can! Without the learning I undertook years before that I thought would be no use, I wouldn’t have been able to secure this role. I worked with fantastic learners and learnt so much from them and I hope them from me. We are all networking all the time – so chase opportunities and who knows where it will lead!
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