They Behave For Me What do you get if you cross a startup with a turnaround? With guest Liz English
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Dec 19, 2025 Liz English, Principal of The Houstone School, brings a wealth of experience from Teach First and Harris Federation. She dives into her remarkable journey blending startup and turnaround strategies in education. Discussing community skepticism, Liz highlights the importance of building trust with parents and creating a strong school culture. She outlines the challenges of recruiting staff without a building, the necessity of tailored routines, and the ambitious goals for Houstone's future. Liz's insights offer valuable lessons for new leaders navigating similar hurdles.
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Community Views Shape School Buy-In
- Community scepticism stemmed from decades of poor local provision and lack of examples of high standards.
- Changing local expectations required showing what excellent schooling looks like in practice.
Recruited Staff Without A Building
- Houstone opened without a building and operated from Bedford Free School while recruiting staff.
- Liz often toured prospective staff around another school's site to convey the vision before their building existed.
Big GCSE Jump After Extra Year
- Houstone's GCSE results jumped significantly from 2024 to 2025 after an extra year with pupils.
- Liz credits holding nerve and trusting the process for that rapid improvement.