Meet Steve Mills, Retired Headteacher, Whitehill Junior School, Hitchin
After 13 years as Headteacher at Whitehill Junior School in Hitchin, Steve Mills looks back on a career shaped by service, relationships and a strong sense of community. From guiding the school through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic to building a culture where families felt genuinely supported, Steve's reflections highlight the importance of staying true to your values and putting people first.
"Have a strong moral compass and do what you feel is right for your school and its community."
What are you most proud of?
It would be easy to highlight a few special moments from my time at Whitehill, but two things stand out above all else.
The first came during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the face of an unprecedented global crisis, the way the school responded to lockdowns and changing ways of working was nothing short of exceptional. At a time when schools often had little guidance and were working things out for themselves, our focus remained firmly on supporting our families. The impact of that work was recognised nationally when our response was featured on national news and acknowledged in a published book.
The second is the sense of community that exists at Whitehill. We worked hard to lower the drawbridges and reach out to families. While many schools are described as community schools, I truly believe Whitehill has embodied what that means. One visitor described us as a school that "hunts" rather than "fishes" when looking to support families - a subtle but significant difference that has always stayed with me.
What have you learned?
In 13 years of headship, I have probably learned something every day.
The biggest lesson has been the importance of being true to yourself. That doesn't mean being stubborn or refusing to listen to others. It means having a strong moral compass and doing what you believe is right for your school and community. Learn from others, absolutely, but recognise that every school is different and every community has its own needs. What works in one setting may not be right in another.
A piece of advice I was given just before becoming a headteacher was to learn when and how to say "no". It buys you time - and as any headteacher knows, time is one of your most valuable resources.
What would you like your legacy to be?
If families look back on their time at Whitehill with fondness and a bucketful of positive memories, then I will consider my time as headteacher a success.
I don't need recognition or countless name-checks from former pupils and parents. If people feel they were part of a great school where everyone worked tirelessly to help children succeed, that is enough for me.
Parents have often told me that I made an effort to understand every child and find something special about each one. Those comments mean a great deal. Sometimes the smallest things had the biggest impact—whether that was a conversation on the playground before school or a simple interaction that helped start the day positively.
What's next?
My decision to retire was never about falling out of love with the school or the children who made every day special.
Following the death of my mum in 2025, I wanted more time and headspace to support my dad. Headship is a role where your teacup is never empty; there is always something on your mind and another challenge waiting around the corner. Retirement offers the chance to create a little more space in my life and enjoy a diary that is no longer full months in advance.
That said, I won't be slowing down completely. I have been asked to support apprentices through Education and Sporting Futures, an organisation I have worked with for many years. Being able to give something back and help develop the next generation is an opportunity I am really looking forward to.
And, as I keep telling parents, it will hopefully stop me from having to watch Homes Under the Hammer every day!