NICOLA CROOKS | What women’s leadership teaches us about how children learn

Some of the most influential work in education happens quietly. It is found in the educator who notices that a child has withdrawn, the colleague who helps another teacher find confidence, and theschool leaderwho creates a culture in which families feel heard. Much of this work has been led by women, yet its impact is not always recognised as leadership.

Women’s Month gives us an opportunity not only to celebrate women in education but also to consider what their contribution can teach us. For generations, women have advanced an understanding of education that is deeply relational: children learn best when they feel safe, known and valued; teachers grow when they are trusted and supported; and schools become stronger when families and communities are treated as partners. These principles can sound gentle, but they demand decisive leadership.

To listen carefully is not to avoid difficult decisions. To lead collaboratively is not to relinquish authority. Relational leadership requires the confidence to act, the humility to remain open to other perspectives and the courage to put a child’s needs at the centre, even when circumstances are complex.

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For generations, women have advanced an understanding of education that is deeply relational. The history ofearly childhood educationoffers a powerful example. In the aftermath of World War 2, communities in and around Reggio Emilia in northern Italy helped establish schools intended to give children a more peaceful and democratic future.

Women were central to this effort. Their determination helped create the conditions in which educator Loris Malaguzzi and others later developed an approach grounded in listening, relationships, creativity and respect for children’s capabilities. The significance of that story lies not in presenting one educational philosophy as a universal answer.

It lies in recognising how change was made possible: a community identified what its children needed, women mobilised around a shared purpose, and educators built on the knowledge already present within families and the wider community. Leadership was collective rather than concentrated in one celebrated individual. That lesson remains relevant.

Schools today are navigating changing family needs, rapid technological development, greater awareness of neurodiversity and growing concern about children’s wellbeing. No single policy, programme or person can respond to all of this alone. Strong leadership depends on creating the conditions in which educators share what they observe, families can contribute their knowledge of their children and different professional perspectives are welcomed.

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