Accountability

I’m sitting at the back of the teacher training induction session, pretending to read the welcome pack, when a large imposing figure appears at the front. He thanks us all for coming and quickly moves on to a lengthy monologue, warning us of the perils that lie ahead. He informs us in no uncertain terms, that training to be a teacher will be the most challenging thing we’ll ever have to do.

‘Hmmm. Doubt that. I’ve beaten cancer twice,’ says a jolly voice next to me, beaming.

I’ve been hiding in the back row with the other ‘mature’ students – who, as it turns out, are not so mature after all. The beaming voice is Kate, who like me, has a healthy disregard for rules. We become fast friends and slope off for coffee.

But the introductory ‘talk’, with hints of a dark reckoning, is still ringing in my ear. I thought this was the beginning of a new adventure, so why did it already feel like a zero-sum game?

I was yet to realise that the well-meaning individual, terrifying us all into submission that day, was in fact preparing us for the high stakes career that lay ahead.

As educators, we champion accountability. But accountability in the absence of psychological safety, can stifle innovation, limit progress and encourage poor behaviours.

I was lucky. I was a quick learner and, for the most part I was surrounded by exceptional teams and leaders who were extraordinarily generous with their expertise and professional support. But that hasn’t always been the case.

The evidence base suggests I’m not alone.

I would bet my mortgage that you, or someone you know, has at one time or another been worried about expressing their opinion at work for fear of reprisal. Perhaps you’ve thought twice about sharing a concern or idea? Or were afraid to ask a question? Maybe you’ve faced unfair criticism, chastisement or social exclusion.

Perhaps you’ve had to battle systemic barriers in the workplace?

The sector at large has been impacted. In a profession that is high stakes, a lack of psychological safety has, at times, resulted in exclusionary practice. This is amplified when weak education policy creates perverse incentives. For example, through ‘off – rolling’ or exclusionary practice around admissions.

We’re also seeing a direct correlation between staff engagement and pupil engagement. Unsurprisingly, when staff feel trusted, purposeful and supported. So do pupils.

However, research shows that our sense of belonging isn’t evenly distributed, with disadvantaged pupils and Black pupils reporting significantly lower levels of inclusivity. (Jerrim, 2025).

There’s much debate across the sector about what it means to belong, yet too often a crucial part of the conversation is overlooked. Psychological safety is the missing part of the puzzle for many pupils, parents and educators.

Professor of leadership and management, Amy Edmonson describes psychological safety as the ability to share concerns, ask questions and provide supportive challenge, without fear of reprisal.

Let’s be clear, this is a well-researched field, with a robust evidence base that points to the benefits of psychological safety across industries.

Research shows that organisations with the highest levels of psychological safety are more resilient and innovative. They perform better than others.

When we remember we’re people first, professionals second; we can connect the dots. Higher levels of psychological safety positively impact staff retention and productivity.

Remarkably, there’s very little information for school leaders about how to practically apply the principles of psychological safety. And yet, there has never been a more urgent need to consider the psychological safety and belonging for staff and pupils.

Hence my research in this area was borne out of personal and professional frustration…

Whilst cross-referencing the evidence base, with qualitative data from schools and universities nationally that have strong cultures, recurring themes began to emerge. This took the form of 10 pillars, or areas of school strategy that we want to ensure are underpinned by psychological safety to foster inclusivity:

1. Leading with purpose
2. Creating a culture of belonging
3. Cognitive diversity
4. Learning from failure
5. Professional Development
6. Coaching and Mentoring
7. Distributed leadership
8. Flexible working
9. Innovation
10. Place-based support for the community.

I’ll be using this blog to explore these 10 pillars; sharing research, evidence informed practice and case studies that exemplify psychological safety in schools for staff, pupils and the wider school community.

Frameworks for implementation:

Typically practitioners engaged in developing psychologically safe environments are signposted to Dr. Timothy Clark’s, 4 stages of psychological safety:

• Stage 1 – INCLUSION SAFETY: feels included and part of a team
• Stage 2 – LEARNER SAFETY: safe to learn and ask questions
• Stage 3 – CONTRIBUTOR SAFETY: safe to contribute and share ideas
• Stage 4 – CHALLENGER SAFETY: safe to contribute and challenge the status quo

Whilst this model prompts some useful thinking, it’s not without its challenges. We know from our own experience that progress is rarely linear! However, we could be forgiven for interpreting this framework as though we should be smoothly transitioning from one stage to the next. In reality there may be very good reasons why teams or individuals stall or need to revisit key principles to deepen their understanding. Of course, it’s also quite possible for team members to be moving at a different pace.

We know that too often underrepresented groups are required to carry out their roles in workplaces that are not inclusive or reflect the systemic barriers that exist in wider society. Yet these colleagues still need to move beyond stage 1 to find agency and autonomy.

For this reason, many practitioners have embraced Amy Edmonson’s 4 Domains of Psychological Safety as outlined in ‘The Fearless Organization Scan’:

• Attitude to failure and risk
• Inclusion and diversity
• Open conversation
• Willingness to help 

This model reminds us to keep all four domains in mind when cultivating psychological safety. We can see how these domains are intrinsically linked and interdependent.

What might success look like if we’re brave enough to hold ‘open conversation’ and become ‘willing to help’? How can this approach drive more impactful solutions and tangible outcomes when it comes to inclusion?

Furthermore, we know that when it comes to psychological safety, the work is never done. Rather it is constantly evolving. It’s dynamic and shifts based on each new interaction and or shared experience…

“Psychological safety creates sanctuaries of inclusion and incubators of innovation.”

Dr. Timothy Clark