ABSTRACT
It is important to spend time communicating about change before it happens. Failure to do so will almost certainly result in a fall in motivation and decline in productivity, fuelled by people talking about the change negatively — both inside and outside of school. Some teachers may even become ill or leave due to stress. This chapter explains the stages that people go through when they experience change. They may not go through all of these stages in exactly this sequence, but the aim is to keep people out of the 'deep dip', able to make it to 'the other side' feeling positive and able to move forward. If the outgoing headteacher is leaving for good reasons, it is great to recognise the success they brought to the school. They should work with the new headteacher to develop a 90-day communication plan.
