Education is a relationship business: The ‘Schools North East’ Edition of the Frank and Stan Chat
This week, the Frank and Stan Chats Podcast released a special Schools North East episode featuring Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, to discuss regional school networks, our recent annual summit, the challenges of education leadership, and current developments such as Martyn’s Law.
As The Voice of all 1,150 schools in the North East, Chris — and the wider Schools North East team — were delighted to take part in this special episode, once again putting the successes, challenges, and needs of our region’s schools firmly on the national stage.
After exploring Chris’s journey and the story behind the Schools North East network, the conversation evolved into a powerful reflection on leadership, wellbeing, relationships, and mentoring in schools.
The power of relationships in leadership
On the topic of relationships and leadership, Chris emphasises that education is fundamentally relational — between leaders, teachers, parents, and pupils. Strong relationships within school communities are the bedrock of any successful school or trust, even amidst constant policy changes and the many challenges colleagues face daily.
The episode also explores how strong professional networks help Head Teachers weather the toughest challenges and prevent isolation. It’s a timely reminder of why networks like Schools North East (the only school-led regional network of its kind in England) are truly worth their weight in gold.
Supporting the wellbeing of school leaders
Head Teacher wellbeing is too often overlooked in policy discussions and white papers — a gap that continues to contribute to the ongoing mental health, recruitment, and retention crises across the sector.
Chris, Stan, and Frank discuss how many new heads shy away from networking, worried about workload pressures or impending Ofsted visits. In the short term, avoiding networking mornings or conferences might feel like a sensible way to stay focused on in-house issues, but this kind of isolation can be harmful in the long run.
As Chris and the hosts reflect, leadership can “hurt” at times. When you care deeply, criticism can feel personal, and that’s why trusted relationships and support networks are essential for resilience.
Networking and mentoring aren’t optional extras… they’re the lifelines of sustainable leadership.