Sonia Gill

Educational leadership coach, author and the Founder & Director of Heads Up Ltd

Speaker fees:

In-person: £1k-£3k
Virtual: £1k-£3k

Topics:

Education
2
Staff Retention
2
Leadership
2
Teacher Wellbeing

Heads Up Director, Sonia Gill, is a qualified teacher who has taught children from Reception to age 16.

Sonia was selected to join the prestigious John Lewis leadership programme where she led a number of multi-million-pound business areas for several years. However Sonia’s passion lies in education which led her to found Heads Up.

Since founding Heads Up in 2011, Sonia has been walking into recently outstanding schools in tough contexts to understand:

  1. Are they really outstanding?
  2. If so, what are they doing both differently and the same?

Sonia and her team bring these insights to ambitious school leaders who want to move their school from good to great for their children.

Sonia is an international speaker at educational events and the author of two number 1 ranked Amazon books – ‘Journey to Outstanding (2nd edition)’ and ‘Successful Difficult Conversations in School’.

Book Sonia Gill

Featured topics include

s your school doing ok, but feeling a bit stuck?

You’re working hard, your team is working hard, your pupils are working hard… but it just doesn’t feel like you’re moving as far forward as you’d like…or could.

And you can’t ask even more of your team because you care about their well-being.

Many schools feel like this:

  • ‘We seem to have the same problems on different days’
  • ‘Just as things seem to be going right, something falls over’
  • ‘We’re plate spinning’

Sonia Gill, author of the best selling book ‘Journey to Outstanding’, has supported many schools to achieve excellence whilst being true to their values.

In this talk, Sonia Gill shares proven strategies to break the glass ceiling of good. Learn how to:

  • Identify and overcome the hidden barriers holding your school back
  • Foster a culture of excellence without overburdening your staff
  • Implement sustainable changes that lead to lasting improvement

Discover how to propel your school from good to outstanding, ensuring both student success and staff well-being.

Do you have a member of staff who:

  • Is not performing as they should?
  • Is negative?
  • Is off sick a lot?
  • You’ve tried to address the issues, but it’s not worked.

You’re not alone.

Many school leaders feel like this.

Sonia Gill, author of the best selling book ‘Successful Difficult Conversations in School’, has trained over a thousand school leaders to fix these issues kindly and effectively.

In this engaging session, Sonia will equip you with:

  • Insights into the top three pitfalls leaders encounter during tough conversations
  • A straightforward, framework to navigate these discussions with confidence
  • Strategies to ensure lasting positive change sticks

Empower yourself to handle difficult conversations effectively, transforming potential conflicts into pathways for growth and improvement.

For many headteachers, becoming outstanding isn’t just an ambition—it’s an absolute necessity.

Why?

Because, as one headteacher said, “Our children are fighting every disadvantage life can throw at them. If our school doesn’t do everything possible to help them, who else will?”

This talk is a rallying call for school leaders who are determined to overcome the odds and deliver exceptional outcomes for their pupils. Sonia Gill will guide you through:

  • Why aiming for outstanding is worth it—and how it transforms lives.
  • The truth about outstanding schools—what they really do differently, and what they don’t.
  • How any school can achieve outstanding, no matter the challenges posed by national and local pressures.
  • Staying true to your values is necessary while leading your school to greatness.
  • Practical, actionable tips to help your school move from good to outstanding.

Join this session to discover how to create a culture of excellence and deliver life-changing education for your students—even in the most challenging circumstances.

This talk isn’t about achieving an Ofsted label; it’s about equipping every child to thrive, no matter what circumstances.

What people say

The training Heads Up provides for our schools is highly sought after, consistently receives exceptional feedback and has a lasting impact. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Heads Up.

James Page, CEO Haringey Education Partnership

I would absolutely say it’s been worth the investment because it’s made us think in different ways than we would have ever thought before, it’s challenged our view of how a school can be.

Joanna Savidge, Headteacher, Clockhouse Primary School, Havering

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