Review by Jess Mahdavi-Gladwell

Contrary to the title’s implication, this book isn’t just the diary of a headteacher. It is the diary of Nick Smith’s career, from trainee teacher, to NQT, to head of department, to deputy and, finally, to the top job.

Describing the reality of life in school, Smith communicates the stresses and rewards of each stage with an engaging mix of humour and seriousness. The way in which his family life is weaved into the story and the use of relatable characters makes the book easy to read and difficult to put down. As a result, the lessons taken from Head Trauma require little effort from readers; the imagery and characterisation are so familiar that no Schools Week reader will struggle to relate them to their own experiences and relationships. Every key point is so richly situated in school and among the staff that the reader is seamlessly transported to the classroom, office or indeed bus queue in question.

Smith’s genuine care for the children themselves shines through. His understanding of the impact of their circumstances and prior experiences demonstrates his knowledge of them as individuals and their support needs, but never calls into question his determination to have high expectations of them.

The result is advice that will be valuable to teachers at every stage of their career, as well as other school support staff. His June 2009 entry, for example, provides food for thought for governors and school business managers (especially the holder of the risk register), as well as for any teacher considering volunteering to accompany or lead a school trip and any headteacher preparing to sign off on a proposed trip. Checking for mobile phone signal will forever be part of my risk assessments after reading it.

Meanwhile, the genuine appreciation for a long-serving teacher in the July 2016 entry offers a clear synopsis of changes in our roles over the years. Though the ‘modest gift token and orchid in a pot’ given for 38 years of service is unlikely to incentivise anyone into the profession, the description of Mrs Neal and the heartfelt appreciation for her career-long contribution from her last headteacher just might tempt someone considering a teaching career to give it a go.

As you would expect from a diary, Head Trauma is reflective. But the humility with which Smith shares his mistakes and misconceptions is not a given. It genuinely inspires hope and ambition, and that makes this the kind of book to urge non-teachers to read for an honest and accurate account of the joys and stresses of the job. It made me smile and, at times, laugh aloud. There was a sense of shared pride in what it means to teach and to lead – to influence young lives.

Underneath the humour, Head Trauma has real backbone in the form of points on which to reflect. These include what kind of a leader the reader seeks to be, how small changes can make a big difference, to how you are perceived in whatever role you fill.

As someone who works with children who have not been able to learn in mainstream schools, I bristled at a small number of phrases to describe those young people who would likely end up in a provision such as mine. The overall warmth of tone about children who don’t find school easy reassured me that the choice of words did not reflect negative feelings towards such children. However, meant affectionately as they might be, the book wouldn’t have suffered from restraint in this regard.

But, overall, this is a treasure trove of advice presented through a touchingly personal reflection on a career at the chalkface and will be relevant for teachers at all stages of their career.

You might even consider offering it to your partner or family for a realistic account of the job’s demands. They might not buy you an orchid in return, but they can only have a better appreciation for the profession’s personal toll. That’s worth as much as any advice.