Who Is Kathleen Cushnie?
Kathleen Cushnie is an educational leader and the Founder of Voicing Education, dedicated to helping educators reclaim their self-worth and professional voice. With nearly two decades of experience, including over ten years as Deputy Head and a tenure as Interim Headteacher at Hazelbury Primary School, she possesses deep insight into the systemic pressures of school leadership. As a certified professional coach, Kathleen serves as a “thinking partner” to dismantle workplace overwhelm, specializing in strategies for effective communication, mindset, and mental fitness. Her mission centers on the belief that sustainable leadership is rooted in self-awareness and intentional rest, ensuring educators lead with purpose and clarity.
In the high-stakes world of education, where the bell dictates the rhythm of the day and the needs of hundreds of children often supersede the needs of the adults who guide them, Kathleen Cushnie has identified a quiet crisis. As a Deputy Headteacher and Founder of Voicing Education, Cushnie has spent nearly two decades navigating the corridors of the British education system. Her journey is not merely one of professional ascent, but a deep, philosophical commitment to a single, transformative idea: that the strength of a school community is entirely dependent on the self-worth and mental fitness of its leaders.
The Roots of a Communicator
Kathleen’s professional identity is anchored in the art of communication. Before stepping into the classroom, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Audio Visual Production from London Metropolitan University. This early focus on how stories are told and how messages are received laid the groundwork for her future as an advocate for “educator voice.”
Her formal entry into the world of pedagogy began at the University of Nottingham, where she earned her PGCE in Primary Education. From the outset, Kathleen was more than a teacher; she was an observer of human dynamics. During her seven-year tenure at Lavender Primary as a Teacher and English Leader, she began to see the classroom as the “front line of societal change”. It was here that she first recognized that a teacher’s “mental fitness” is the invisible architecture of the learning environment.
The Weight of the Crown
Kathleen’s leadership journey reached a pinnacle during her eleven-year tenure at Hazelbury Primary School, where she has served as Deputy Headteacher since 2014. In 2023, she stepped into the role of Interim Headteacher, a position that offered her an unfiltered view of the “relentless pressure” educators carry.
It was during the COVID-19 lockdowns that her “moment of truth” arrived. She watched as brilliant, resilient professionals began to doubt their impact, not due to a lack of skill, but because the demands of the system had outpaced their capacity to sustain themselves. Kathleen realized that while schools invest heavily in “pupil voice,” the voices of the educators themselves often go unheard, muted by the weight of accountability and emotional labor.
“What struck me most was this – we invest so much in pupil voice, yet educator voice is often unheard. Brilliant professionals were questioning their worth, doubting their impact and, in some cases, considering leaving a career they once loved.”
This realization was the catalyst for Voicing Education, founded in 2020. She sought to create a “bubble” of psychological safety, a space where leaders could move from feeling overwhelmed and unheard to operating from a place of self-worth.
The Power of the “Thinking Partner”
Today, Kathleen is widely recognized as a “thinking partner”, a coach who doesn’t just improve performance, but restores identity. Her expertise in motivation and transformation helps educators dismantle the “gremlin” voices of self-doubt.
High-level peers, such as Nadia Baker (Chief People Officer), describe Kathleen as having an uncanny ability to guide leaders toward specific outcomes through “intent listening” and “enlightening” questions.
"A coaching relationship is one where a high degree of trust is required... I found her to be adept at putting me at ease, listening intently and guiding me through," Baker notes.
Similarly, Sarah Wright ACC highlights Kathleen’s role as a “true thinking partner” who is “empathetic, insightful, and challenging.”
Kathleen’s impact is further felt through her podcast and workshops, where she teaches that amplifying one’s voice is not about becoming louder, but about gaining clarity. She challenges the industry’s “badge of busyness,” instead advocating for a radical, disciplined approach to rest.
“I actively encourage educators to rest, and to see rest not as indulgence, but as leadership. Rest is growth. Rest is responsibility. Rest is strength.”
A Legacy of Alignment
Looking toward the future, Kathleen Cushnie is focused on shaping the next generation of school leaders. Her philosophy is rooted in Aristotle’s wisdom: “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” She believes that the leaders of tomorrow must move away from “endurance” and toward “alignment”.
Her legacy is a call to action for the educational sector: to recognize that emotional intelligence is not an optional trait, but the core of leadership. By prioritizing self-awareness and intentional self-leadership, Kathleen is ensuring that the schools of the future are healthier, more human spaces for both the educators who lead and the pupils who follow.
Editorial Note
Kathleen Cushnie’s journey serves as a vital reminder that we cannot pour from an empty cup. Her transition from a school leader experiencing the “weight of accountability” to a coach empowering others to find their voice highlights a universal truth: True leadership begins with the self.
For the educator feeling unheard or the executive navigating overwhelm, Kathleen’s story is an invitation to pause, reflect, and reclaim your professional worth. Are you leading from a place of exhaustion or alignment? Today, take the first step toward sustainable leadership by choosing to see rest and self-awareness not as luxuries, but as your most essential professional tools.
