Lucy Coy
Lucy Coy is co-founder of HeadteacherChat®, a former acting headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher and inclusion lead. She creates school leader planners and supports education consultancy, resources and marketing for education organisations. Lucy is a Member of the Chartered College of Teaching.
On HeadteacherChat: 49 articles, 11 webinars and 9 podcasts, most recently on .
Published work by Lucy Coy
Articles
Should Schools Be Googling Staff?
KCSIE suggests leaders consider online searches for shortlisted candidates. Schools must balance safeguarding and reputational risk with privacy.
Beyond Frameworks - Reconnecting with Your 'Why' in Authentic School Leadership
Kate Owbridge challenges leaders to define their values and purpose, moving beyond task lists to focus on trust, listening, and authentic culture.
Webinar to Propel Leadership Growth - The Latest webinars from HeadteacherChat
HeadteacherChat offers webinars on the DfE writing framework, Ofsted updates, and leadership habits with Caroline Sherwood and Andrew Finney.
The BBC 500 Words Competition: A Guide for School Leaders 2025
The BBC 500 Words writing competition for children closed on 7 November 2025. It focuses on creativity, plot, and characterisation rather than grammar.
Why the Tes SEND Show Leadership Summit is the Place to Be this October
The Tes SEND Show Leadership Summit in London features sessions for heads and SENDCos, including insights from Tom Rees and Dame Christine Lenehan DBE.
What Should Headteachers Wear? A Practical Style Guide for School Leaders
School leaders share advice on practical workwear, from high street brands to comfortable footwear, while prioritising authenticity and comfort.
The BBC 500 Words Competition — A Guide for Headteachers and School Leaders 2025
The 2025 BBC 500 Words competition closed on 7 November. This guide outlines participation details, teaching resources, and benefits for school leaders.
Beyond Busy: Finding Calm Amidst the Chaos with Intentional Planning
School leaders can manage reactive days by using time blocking, setting weekly priorities, and building buffer time into calendars for unexpected tasks.
Summer Reading for School Leaders: 10 Must-Reads for Reflection, Strategy & Renewal
Ten books by school leaders recommended for summer reading, covering school improvement, leadership wellbeing, staff culture and professional practice.
Navigating the New PE and Sport Premium Tool – We’re in This Together
Primary school leaders share practical tips for the new PE and sport premium digital return, including category workarounds and website publishing.
A Day of Connection, Challenge and Change at Belgrave St Bartholomew’s Academy Trust
George and Ricky at Belgrave St Bartholomew’s Academy Trust demonstrate how purposeful technology and the SAMR model support inclusive learning.
How to Equip Young People with the Knowledge, Skills, and Mindsets Necessary to Navigate a Rapidly Evolving World
Advertisement feature with E.ON UK on the skills and employment readiness gap facing young people and how schools can help prepare them.
No Room for Racism: Empowering Schools Through Football
Premier League and Chelsea FC representatives discuss using football to tackle racism in schools and offer resources to support inclusive education.
A School Leader’s Guide to Early and Accurate Identification of SEND
Identify SEND early through teacher insight and the graduated response. Meet statutory duties and prepare for Ofsted's inclusion evaluation area.
Quality First Teaching Across the School: A Guide for School Leaders
Inclusive teaching is a statutory expectation for all staff under the Teachers’ Standards. Leaders must ensure adaptive instruction is visible in practice.
What Every School Leader Needs to Know About SEND and Inclusive Practice
School leaders must meet statutory SEND duties via the Equality Act 2010 and SEND Code of Practice, ensuring inclusive teaching and support.
The Power of Systems - Achieving Goals Through Small, Consistent Steps
Focus on building systems of small, consistent actions rather than end goals to reduce anxiety and achieve sustainable progress in school leadership.
Day 2 - Celebrating EdTech Excellence: Bett Global Award Winners, HeadteacherChat Partners and catching up with friends.
Olex.AI, NetSupport, PAGS Assessment & Provision and 2Simple won Bett Global Awards for achievements in AI, digital resources and school leadership.
The Power of Self-Evaluation - Why Your SEF Matters
Ofsted does not require a formal written self-evaluation. Use the process to gain an honest picture of school performance and drive strategic improvement.
Safeguarding in Schools: Understanding the Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in 2024
The DSL role in KCSIE 2024 includes strategic oversight, staff training, multi-agency collaboration, and managing online safety and early help.
Why We Love Teaching: A Celebration of the Profession
Teaching offers fulfilment through pupil growth, continuous learning, and the opportunity to shape future citizens and contribute to society.
A summary of Ofsted’s ‘Strong Foundations in the First Years of School’
Ofsted’s report examines early years and Reception settings, highlighting the need for sequenced curricula and explicit teaching of behaviour and routines.
The Perfect Storm: Challenges Facing School Leaders in England
School leaders report pressures from SEND funding shortfalls, budget deficits, maintenance backlogs, and staff recruitment and retention issues.
The Role of Adaptive Teaching in Meeting the Needs of Every Pupil
Adaptive teaching involves real-time adjustments to lessons to support all learners. Ofsted inspectors will look at how schools meet these needs.
Struggling to Keep Your Notes Organised? You're Not Alone!
School leaders share methods for managing notes and safeguarding records, using tools ranging from e-ink tablets and apps to colour-coded notebooks.
Navigating the Transition from Teacher to Senior Leader
Moving from teacher to senior leader requires shifting from classroom focus to team responsibility and managing changing relationships with colleagues.
The Importance of Vision and Values in Schools
Vision sets a school's long-term direction while values guide daily actions. Together, they provide a reference point for decision-making and culture.
Perseverance Pays Off
An anonymous member secured a headship after seven applications and six interview processes over 18 months, highlighting the role of resilience.
Rethinking Behaviour Management - A Fresh Start for Lasting Change
Lucy suggests managing behaviour by understanding the child's perspective, reviewing the learning environment, and providing structured support.
Celebrating School Leaders - A Week of Recognition and Reflection
School leaders are encouraged to reflect on their initial motivations, celebrate small progress, connect with peers and prioritise their wellbeing.
The Power of Positive Goal Setting - Building on Success for the Next Term
Use the Easter break for positive goal setting by building on existing strengths and using the SMART framework to create actionable school plans.
How to finally get things done with time blocking?
Time blocking involves dividing your day into dedicated segments for specific tasks to reduce distractions, manage workload, and improve focus.
From Stress to Success: How Journaling and Planning Can Transform Your School Leadership
More than 70% of school leaders report heightened stress. Using dedicated planners and structured reflection can help manage workload and wellbeing.
Headship Interview Advice: Wisdom from the HeadteacherChat Community
HeadteacherChat community members suggest being authentic, researching the school, reflecting on achievements and asking questions during interviews.
A Guide to Headteacher Performance Management
Governing bodies must appoint an external adviser to support headteacher appraisals in maintained schools, while academy trusts follow their own policies.
The Roadmap to Success: The School Development and Improvement Planning (SDIP)
A School Development and Improvement Plan sets priorities, assigns responsibility, and directs resources. Review it termly to adjust for changing needs.
A guide for primary school teachers about the BBC micro:bit
Lucy Coy explains how primary teachers can use BBC micro:bit training and classroom resources to support coding and digital literacy skills.
Prioritising Well-being as a School Leader: A Message to Those Who Lead
School leaders can protect their well-being through daily self-care, establishing routines, delegating tasks, and seeking support from networks.
Ofsted Inspections - Our collective experiences and what we feel needs to change.
HeadteacherChat has sent survey responses to Ofsted, calling for urgent changes to the inspection system to protect the mental health of staff.
BBC 500 Words - A Guide for Headteachers and School Leaders
The BBC 500 Words competition encourages children aged 5-11 to write original stories, promoting literacy and creative writing skills in school.
Maximising Leadership Efficiency with a Well-Structured Planner
Use planners to prioritise tasks, model organisation, and manage workload. Effective use includes time blocking and breaking down large projects.
Our Thoughts on Threads: A New Social Media Platform
Meta's Threads offers a simpler search than Twitter and allows Instagram account transfers, providing a space for school leaders to share information.
Understanding Ofsted's Changes to School Inspections
Ofsted changes include quicker re-inspections for safeguarding inadequacy, revised complaints processes, and shifting report language towards the school.
End of Year Reports to Parents/Carers: What You Need to Know, and What to Include
Maintained schools in England must provide written end-of-year reports covering progress, attendance, and strengths, following May 2024 DfE guidance.
The Surprising Therapeutic Power of Using a Planner!
Using a planner can improve school leader productivity and wellbeing by centralising notes and helping to manage stress through written tasks.
Advice for someone who has just become a Headteacher
Experienced leaders advise new heads to align roles with personal values, build support networks early, delegate tasks, and lead with integrity.
How to Lead Assessment Effectively
James Pembroke suggests focusing on assessment ethos, ensuring systems are simple to use, and reviewing data to directly impact pupil learning.
School Leadership Interview Questions
Prepare for school leadership roles with interview questions covering management, teaching and learning, budget oversight and community engagement.
The Power of a "Don't-Do List": Focus on What Truly Matters
Create a "Don't-Do List" by identifying tasks to eliminate, delegate or automate, such as low-impact admin or excessive emails, to protect strategic time.
Webinars
EmpowerED - In-Depth Guide to Sonar Tracker
Lee from Sonar Tracker demonstrates how to manage assessment data, set bespoke groups, and generate analysis reports to monitor pupil performance.
EmpowerED Product Demonstration with Oracy Champions
Claire from Oracy Champions demonstrates a platform using games and AI to improve communication skills, track progress, and support SEND students.
Instilling A Love of Writing Through The BBC's 500 Words Competition
Speakers discuss the history and impact of the BBC 500 Words competition, offering practical entry tips and resources like animations and story prompts.
The BBC's 500 Words Competition, why it's important for schools to take part.
Speakers from the National Literacy Trust and Oxford University Press discuss how the BBC 500 Words competition can encourage pupil creativity.
EmpowerED with Jigsaw Education
Lewis Still tours Jigsaw Education Group's PSHE and RE platform for pupils aged 3-16: lesson structure, assessment tools and optional lessons on current issues.
EmpowerED with Language Angels
Language Angels demonstrates its primary languages platform: dashboard, curriculum guidance, a sample lesson and progress reporting.
Naace - Empowering Your School's Digital Future Insights from the Naace's ERF
Practitioners explain how the Naace EdTech Review Framework helps develop a digital vision through infrastructure, staff CPD and digital safeguarding.
EmpowerED with LessonUp
Thomas Courtley demonstrates how LessonUp tools support classroom interaction, pupil progress tracking, and dynamic teaching and learning strategies.
EmpowerED with The National College
Chris from The National College discusses CPD subscriptions, webinars, and the SchoolBus service for policy, risk assessments, and compliance tools.
EmpowerED with 1decision
Hayley Sherwood discusses how the 1decision platform supports primary PSHE and RSHE curricula through resources, assessments, and staff training.
EmpowerEd with BBC micro:bit
Lucy discusses using BBC micro:bit to teach coding and problem-solving with insights from Jo Classens and a primary teacher on classroom implementation.
Podcasts
E.ON UK: Educating for net zero. How E.ON's New Energy Academy is shaping sustainability in schools.
Lucy and Jonathan talk to E.ON UK about its New Energy Academy, which offers free curriculum-linked net zero resources for ages 11 to 14.
No Room for Racism: Empowering Schools Through Football
Nick from the Premier League and Victor from Chelsea FC Foundation discuss using football to tackle racism and provide diversity resources for teachers.
Introducing our new Senior Leader Planners
Jonathan and Lucy Coy discuss the 2023 to 2024 Senior Leader Planners, based on Lucy's handmade diaries, and how they assist with school leadership.
Ofsted: What needs to change?
Jonathan and Lucy Coy discuss the impact of Ofsted inspections on leader wellbeing and the need for nuanced grading and annual safeguarding reviews.
How to set up routines and habits that actually work for school leaders.
Jonathan and Lucy Coy discuss establishing routines to support wellbeing and organisation, following research on habit formation and mental health.
HeadteacherChat Podcast - National Read Aloud Challenge
Kim Antoniou discusses the National Read Aloud Challenge and Fonetti app, which aim to encourage summer reading and support struggling readers.
A Podcast with The Happy Confident Company & Park Academies Trust
Nadim and David Williams discuss early intervention through the School of Solutions and the Happy Confident Company's framework for emotional intelligence.
HeadteacherChat Podcast - Where does ADHD end and naughtiness begin? with Victoria Bagnall from Connections in Mind
Victoria Bagnall discusses how ADHD presents in behaviour, the role of brain development, and how to distinguish it from typical naughtiness.
HeadteacherChat Insight Podcast - Moderating English with Pobble
Laura from Pobble discusses how strong moderation improves English writing assessment reliability, curriculum planning and teacher development.
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