Brechin High School

As an S6 student who's spent the last six years navigating the corridors of Brechin High School, I've had ample opportunity to observe our leadership up close - both its strengths and its shortcomings. While the school itself continues to buzz with positive momentum, from the recent launch of our allotment and food forest project in partnership with Scotia Homes to foster rural learning and sustainability, to standout initiatives like Scottish Apprenticeship Week that spotlight real-world pathways for pupils, it's the head teacher's approach that has left me disheartened. Our current head, strikes me as someone whose interpersonal style undermines the collaborative spirit essential to a place like this, where we've just celebrated fundraising triumphs in the Technologies Faculty and seen S1-S3 pupil voice groups thrive under our core values of friendliness, achievement, inclusion, trust, and honesty.

In my view, her leadership often prioritizes self-advancement over genuine teamwork, a pattern that's echoed in subtle ways across staff interactions I've witnessed. She extends warmth and engagement selectively, toward those who might bolster her profile or agenda, yet adopts a curt, belittling demeanour with individuals she deems less influential - be it support staff or newer teachers. This dynamic has, from what I've gathered through hallway conversations and overheard meetings, sown discord in prior roles and even here, where it occasionally erodes morale among the management team, despite our shared successes.

There's also an undercurrent of gender bias in her rhetoric; she frequently highlights "male privilege" in discussions, framing it in ways that feel pointed and alienating, particularly to male colleagues who contribute so much to extracurriculars like our sports programs. Compounded by an overconfidence in her own judgement, she dispenses critiques - often sharp and unsubstantiated - in high-stakes settings like full-staff assemblies, where rebuttals aren't feasible, leaving recipients sidelined without recourse.

Perhaps most troubling is her pragmatic disregard for consistency in policy application. School guidelines on everything from attendance protocols to wellbeing strategies are enforced rigidly when it aligns with her goals, but overlooked or bent when inconvenient, creating a hypocritical undercurrent that clashes with the transparency we pupils value in a school that's otherwise making strides, such as our enhanced transition programs for additional support needs and the Home School Liaison Officer's proactive outreach to boost engagement.

Brechin High School remains a vibrant hub - our roll of around 540 pupils hums with events like the upcoming SQA exam preparations and community newsletters that keep everyone looped in, all set against the backdrop of our historic ties to Brechin Cathedral and the rolling Angus countryside. Yet for the school to truly fulfil its aim as a "centre for excellence in wellbeing and learning," as our head teacher herself puts it on our website, leadership must model the respect and equity we preach. As I prepare to step into the wider world, I hope for changes that let our friendly ethos shine unshadowed.