Leading for Excellence

Seeking to equip your leaders to lead the improvement of teaching in your school?
Passionate about developing leaders for the future?
Wanting to overcome boulders that are blocking improvement?

Leading for Excellence is a high-impact modular programme for middle and senior leaders with a razor sharp focus on developing leaders’ capacity to lead the improvement of teaching in their teams. The content of the programme has been developed using our research over the last ten years working with thousands of teachers, in hundreds of schools around the UK.  Content that forms the basis of the book we are currently writing, for release in Summer 2018.

With three days spread over two terms, we examine the three main barriers that inhibit adult learning and development and reflect on the extent to which these barriers affect the team that they lead. Leaders then develop action plans to implement strategies to create greater ‘openness to learning’ in their teams and a sharper focus on improving performance.

More than five hundred middle/senior leaders have taken part in this course around the country over the last four years. Here are some of the reflections from those who have taken part:-

“Firstly, I wanted to say thank you for the effort you put into the leadership course. I have always been sceptical of leadership and management, as I previously thought that the majority of leaders are leading for their own interests, but having worked with you and the group for the three days I can see exactly the type of leader that I want to be and more importantly how I can achieve this. I have already put so many of the ideas that were raised during our sessions into my practice and I am a better teacher and leader as a result. The whole course was rooted in teaching and learning and the sheer amount of quality practice that was shared means that I am able to drip feed a huge amount into my own practice. A moment that defines the change in me is the phrase, ‘modelling, modelling, modelling… If you want someone to do something show them exactly how you would like them to do it’. I applied this approach to some NQT and School’s Direct training I was leading and the feedback I received after the session was stunning. The ‘proof in the pudding’ is that I have been asked by three other schools to run the same session with their teaching staff.

Personally, I wanted to let you know just how grateful I am to have spent time on your course and how much you have moved my practice forward. I was always a great teacher, who loved the job, but now I am loving being a leader as much.”

Subject Lead, London

“Very, very good. The course lead was excellent at making you focus on the little things that make the bigger picture. It’s great to have the opportunity to have some leadership training actually. It’s something that I imagine is often over looked due to the pressures of improving an individual’s practice. But I can see how a strong leader could make more impact on a whole team than sending individuals off on CPD.”

Subject Lead, Liverpool

“I would highly recommend the Leading For Excellence program for any Middle Leaders looking to develop and enrich their leadership skills.  Over the three sessions I was given the opportunity to reflect on my strengths as a leader, what kind of leader I am already and areas that I can still grow.  Not only did I get to reflect on my own skills, but I was time to reflect on my team’s skills and given support on how to best support my them. The most useful part of the course was learning about how to have difficult conversations with my team. As the three sessions were spread out over a longer period of time, it allowed me the time to put what I learned into action and reflect on this during the next session. As teachers we need to constantly reflect on our teaching and how our children are progressing, but this course showed me how I need to reflect about I lead my team as well. Not only was the course useful but it was engaging, interactive and very well organised. I would highly recommend it to any leaders!”

Key Stage Lead, London

To discuss with us how we can deliver Leading for Excellence in your school or how we can meet your bespoke leadership training needs, from SLT away days to middle leadership training programmes, please contact us.