OUR PHILOSOPHY
What does LSW do?
Leading Schools Well is a Community Interest Company (CIC) to support headteachers, aspiring leaders and school leadership teams to develop the confidence, clarity and capability needed to lead thriving, resilient and inclusive schools. As a CIC, any surplus profits or assets generated will be reinvested into the services provided. We provide accessible, high-quality leadership development, coaching and community support designed specifically for the challenges faced by leaders working in education today.
Through a combination of leadership programmes, coaching, facilitated peer networks, workshops and school-tailored consultancy, we help leaders strengthen communication, improve school culture, enhance wellbeing and build sustainable leadership capacity within their school communities. Our work is grounded in evidence-informed practice and delivered in ways that are compassionate, practical and relevant to the day-to-day realities of school leadership.
By strengthening leadership at all levels in schools, we aim to create long-term benefits not only for senior leaders, but also for staff teams, governing bodies, school communities and ultimately the children and young people they serve.
Who we are...
Chris Mahony
Chris has spent his career helping organisations work better — developing their people, strengthening their cultures, and building the leadership capability needed to deliver real, lasting change.
With a background in HR, organisational development and workforce transformation, Chris has worked across complex public service environments where the pressure is high, the stakes are real, and the people doing the work genuinely care about the difference they make. That experience gives him a deep understanding of what school leaders are up against — and what they need to thrive.
Chris is a skilled facilitator and qualified HR professional who brings warmth, structure and practical wisdom to every room he works in. He believes that when leaders feel supported, understood and equipped, the benefits ripple out through their whole school community.
At Leading Schools Well, Chris works with headteachers and leadership teams to strengthen the way they lead, the way they work together, and the cultures they're building — one school at a time.
Co-Founder & Director
Phil Haynes
Co-Founder & Director
Phil has spent years working with leaders who are trying to do something hard: lead well, under pressure, without losing themselves in the process.
His background is in leadership development, culture and organisational change — and he brings that experience into schools with a straightforward belief that good leadership changes everything. When a headteacher is confident, clear and supported, it shows. Staff feel it. Pupils feel it. The whole school feels it.
Phil is known for his warm, down-to-earth style and his ability to create the kind of space where honest conversations actually happen. He's not interested in theory for its own sake — he wants leaders to leave every session with something real: a clearer head, a better conversation, a practical next step.
At Leading Schools Well, Phil works with school leaders at every stage — whether they're new to headship, navigating a difficult period, or simply ready to lead with more intention and less exhaustion.
Kate McKenzie
Co-Founder & Director
Kate is currently a serving primary school Headteacher and fully qualified professional coach.