We know that students’ outcomes depend upon the quality of teaching which, in turn, depends upon the quality of school leadership. As we emerge from the shadow of the pandemic and find all our students struggling to counter the impact of lost learning – our most disadvantaged students falling behind their more fortunate peers – it will require first class school leadership to close the disadvantage gap. It follows, then, that the investment in leadership represented by the National College of Education (NCE) leadership development programmes could not have been developed at a more opportune time.

Along with a number of highly experienced and successful school leaders and academics, John Tomsett (@johntomsett) and I are tutors on the Level 7, Postgraduate/ Masters programme.  It has been a great process shaping the content of the course. I have worked with John on the “Turning Theory into Practice” sessions where we take the course content and relate it to what we have been doing in schools. The delegates have really appreciated learning from people who have walked the walked.

We will bring our 60+ years of working in and leading schools, most recently in York & Blackpool respectively, to enrich these programmes.  The experience has enabled us to begin the important process of distilling into teachable chunks the wisdom gained from being secondary head teachers for literally decades. We deliver a series of evening seminars to extend the excellent programme materials by setting them in the context of day-to-day school leadership. Alongside this programme for senior leaders there are also leadership development programmes for middle and future leaders available. All programmes are fully funded via the Apprenticeship Levy. There is a January (closing date end of November); May (closing date end of April) and September (closing date end of July) cohort for each of the leadership programmes.

If you are responsible for the professional development of staff – at a school, multi-academy trust or local authority level – and would like a discussion with John or myself about establishing a cohesive leadership professional development programme, please email me at stephen@leadinglearner.me.

You can find out more information and register your interest here.

Senior Leadership Programme (Level 7 Senior Leader, Postgraduate Diploma & MSc in Education Leadership & Management Extension)

This Postgraduate Diploma and L7 Apprenticeship qualification with the Masters extension combines course content full of relevant theory from both education and the business world, with the doing-it-for-real element of applying what is learnt to what is happening in the delegates’ schools right now. The fact that the L7/ Postgraduate Diploma with Masters extension is fully funded by the Apprenticeship Levy is just an added bonus. The main thing is the high quality teaching and learning that is taking place, which is grounded in research evidence and delivered by some of the best practitioners in the country.

The L7/ Postgraduate Diploma programme consists of four core modules – Leading Strategy; Leading People; Leading Operations and Leading Transformation. There are two different routes to then achieve the Masters (MSc) qualification or for more experienced colleagues there is the potential to study for a MBA (additional cost of £7,000).  More information is available in the PDF below.

L5 Education Management Programme

The programme consists of five core modules – Leading People; Operational Management; Managing People & Building Relationships; Personal Effectiveness & Decision Making; and Finance & Project Management. Please see the PDF below for more information.

L3 Future Leaders Programme

The programme consists of four core modules focused on delivering with and through – strategy, transformation, operations and people. A specialised option is available for classroom based support staff who wish to develop their leadership skills.

You can find out more information and register your interest here.