#23 We need to talk about… how subject leaders can make the most of gained time - Part 1
Hello again, and thanks for joining me. In this post, I’m exploring how subject leaders can use gained time deliberately—not just to get things done, but to bring clarity and build momentum.
I’ve previously looked at how senior leaders can guide the use of gained time. Now, I’m turning to subject leaders who juggle whole-school priorities with the everyday realities of leading a team.
Gained time can feel like a gift. But for subject leaders, it also brings a familiar tension: how to use that time meaningfully—without just filling it; how to lead with focus—not just activity; and how to avoid overburdening a tired team.
Here are a few reflections on how subject leaders can approach gained time with clarity, care, and credibility.
1. Start with purpose, not a list
It’s tempting to begin with tasks. But before diving into “what we could do”, take a step back and ask: What matters most, now? Make the most of this window to reflect deeply on team priorities and the year ahead—and resist the tyranny of the urgent.
You might frame this in terms of your team’s development, curriculum needs, or pupil outcomes—both for now and for the year ahead. For example:
Have we noticed any new or unexpected pupil misconceptions?
Where has pupil understanding stalled—and what’s our best response?
What support does our team need now, and heading into next year?
Gained time creates space to lay the groundwork for next year’s plans and priorities.
Start with intention, not busyness. A few well-chosen priorities will achieve far more than a scattergun checklist.
2. Use the time to refine, not rebuild
Gained time isn’t the moment for wholesale reinvention. Instead, use it to strengthen what’s already in place.
This might mean:
Reviewing the curriculum for coherence and progression: Where are the weak links? What needs tightening?
Updating or annotating lesson materials based on what has been learned from teaching them. I recently worked with a science team whose subject leaders asks staff to post comments on schemes of work throughout the year—these are reviewed routinely, but gained time present a fantastic opportunity to review staff feedback thoroughly.
Making time for focused conversations: What worked well? What needs rethinking?
Think of it as curriculum gardening—pruning, shaping, nourishing—rather than replanting everything from scratch.
3. Make space for professional dialogue
One of the richest uses of gained time is conversation—the kind there’s rarely time or headspace for during the throes of the first two and a half terms.
That could look like:
A team meeting focused not on admin, but on curriculum. For example, discussion of a piece of academic scholarship or recent research, or probing an aspect of curriculum through thoughtful questions.
Peer observation in a calmer atmosphere—with time to debrief afterwards.
Meaningful conversations with team members about their reflections and next steps.
These moments build trust, surface thinking, lift the department beyond survival mode, and—crucially—allow professional autonomy to thrive.
4. Guard space for rest
Lastly, it is essential that gained time does not become an unrelenting to-do list.
Encourage your team to dedicate some of this time to wellbeing, recovery, and reflection—for some, this may simply involve immersing themselves in their subject: the perfect antidote to exam season! Time to decompress isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity, especially at this point in the year.
Sometimes, the most valuable professional development is simply the chance to step back, breathe, and reconnect with the bigger picture.
In summary, as a subject leader, your role in gained time is not to manage every minute—it’s to create the conditions for meaningful, focused, and sustainable professional work.
The question, “What matters most for us to focus on—and what would help us do that well?”, might be all you need to get started.
Thanks for stopping by. Until next time, when I’ll be exploring key curriculum questions to guide effective implementation—the kind that can be meaningfully tackled during gained time.