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It is rarely the good work that makes headlines

You never know when it will be your school that hits the headlines, but being well prepared is vital if you're to survive a crisis driven media.

Headteachers are constantly in the news, though sadly this is seldom for the praiseworthy work that you do.

The headteacher of a secondary school has been suspended in response to an unspecified allegation by a pupil. Kathryn James (NAHT) said she could not comment on the case until more was known.

While the headteacher of a secondary school's reputation is on the point of being irreversibly damaged pending the conclusion of an investigation, the media is able to speculate wildly about unproven allegations.

It may seem like a media minefield but not commenting until more is known is a luxury most headteachers cannot afford while their reputation is being mired by the media.

Headteachers need help with the media. They need to know what they can say, what they can't say and how to deal with the media on a whole range of crisis issues which could affect themselves, their pupils or their schools.

Here are some recent headlines taken from the BBC's supposedly more balanced website:

"Porn quiz head to return to work".

"Headteacher resigns after report" – A head teacher resigned from her post at a primary school in Glasgow after Inspectors described her leadership as unsatisfactory.

"Teachers claim heads bully staff" – according to the NASUWT.

"Headteacher assault by boy 11" – An 11 year old boy has been excluded from a Cardiff primary school for assaulting his head teacher.

Media Friendly has devised a course specifically for head teachers to help them deal with the media – both when the chips are down, but also when you want to raise the profile of your school through publicising your achievements. Drip feeding out regular positive stories will not only improve your school's image but also help to develop a good relationship with your local media.