This week, a heartfelt post from a first-year headteacher struck a chord with school leaders. It read:

“Terrible SATs results: 52% Maths, 60% Reading and 64% Writing. New head, first year, know I should have done more but had so many other fires to fight. Any words of wisdom or advice?”

What hit hardest was the honesty. School leaders across the country replied with empathy and advice.

Leadership Under Fire

Leading a school through SATs is a pressure cooker in the best of times. For new heads, it’s often more about survival than strategy. This headteacher didn’t inherit a blank slate - they inherited a school mid-crisis, juggling everything from staffing gaps and behaviour issues to safeguarding concerns.

Let’s be clear: SATs outcomes are a measure, not a verdict. They don't reflect the complexity behind each percentage point. They don't see the children and families who have been struggling for months. They don’t see the trauma, the staffing instability, or the chronic underfunding. They don’t see you.

Beyond the Numbers

The figures—52%, 60%, 64%—sit below the national average, yes. But they are not "terrible." They are data points that prompt deeper questions:

  • Are these results in line with internal tracking?
  • Did the cohort include a significant number of SEND or EAL pupils?
  • What level of teaching disruption occurred during the year?

As one commenter wisely suggested: “Do an in-depth analysis… you’ll find some good news in there.”

Leadership Isn't About Perfection

The post resonated because it captured what leadership often feels like: fighting fires, feeling inadequate, and questioning whether you’ve done enough. Yet, leadership is also knowing when to pause and say, “Let’s figure this out.”

Others chimed in with empathy, not judgement:

  • “Sending hugs, you are not your results.”
  • “Write the story behind it.”
  • “Be kind to yourself. Regroup. Rest.”

This is how leaders hold each other up when things wobble.

What Now? Moving Forward with Purpose

If you’re in a similar situation, results that sting, pressure mounting—consider these steps:

Deep-Dive the Data

Analyse cohort context, subject breakdowns, question-level analysis, and internal tracking vs outcomes.

Tell the Story

Ofsted and governors need context. Frame your narrative with evidence: mobility, SEND/EAL factors, intervention impact, and recovery curriculum priorities.

Use It as a Springboard

Identify quick wins for September: rework the assessment cycle, reenergise the teaching of reading, build middle leader accountability.

Don’t Go It Alone

Tap into networks like HeadteacherChat. Lean on your SIP. Ask for coaching. Being new doesn’t mean you must do it alone.

Final Word

No head fixes a school in one year. The job is to hold the line, make the tough decisions and turn survival into steady progress.

To the headteacher who posted: you did more than you know. And to every leader reading this: you are not your results.