Step 3: Unleashing the capacity of your team with Donna Winters

In this episode of The No Silver Bullets Podcast, Paul speaks with Donna Winters, Executive Headteacher of the Spires Federation in Lincolnshire. Leading three small rural primary schools — Digby, Dunston and Nocton — Donna has developed a distinctive and highly effective leadership model that distributes expertise across the federation rather than replicating roles on each site. Donna explains how she reshaped the senior team into a three‑person structure working across all schools, why trust is the foundation of unleashing capacity, and how shared subject leadership has transformed curriculum quality. She also reflects on the federation’s remarkable improvement journey, including Digby’s move from double RI to Outstanding. Listeners will hear practical insights on: Designing leadership structures that increase capacity without increasing cost Building trust so colleagues feel empowered to lead Creating consistent systems across multiple schools Developing subject leadership across a federation Managing communication, visibility and parental relationships as an Executive Head Balancing strategic oversight with the realities of three small schools A thoughtful, grounded conversation full of real‑world examples from a leader who has built a federation model that genuinely works for staff, pupils and communities.