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Course overview
This highly practical short course will prepare new or aspiring senior leaders for the demands and considerations of whole-school leadership. Based on educational research and theory, participants will explore the 'need to knows' before starting as a senior leader, including appropriate professional knowledge and how to gather evidence to understand a school's culture. We'll discuss how to formulate a plan for the first term, and how to plan for designing and embedding long-term strategy.
Course aims
Course content
This course prepares leaders to be:
Knowledgeable and informed. This course will present attendees with desirable theoretical knowledge and educational research. We will discuss practical strategies to support colleagues to become well-informed about a new setting or to understand an existing setting as a member of the senior leadership team.
Strategic and prudent. Attendees will examine how to survive and thrive through effective planning.
Sensitive and self-aware. Attendees will be introduced to workload reduction strategies. We will consider how to become mindful and introspective leaders.
Webinar 1:
Desirable professional knowledge
Types of knowledge a school/ colleagues might expect you to have
Relevant professional bodies
Creating a plan for your professional learning
Understanding school culture and evidence-gathering
Strategies for gathering evidence before you start including: what to prioritise on your school visit; documentation to request before you start and how to analyse; practical tips for your first meetings with key staff.
Webinar 2:
The first term
How to formulate a plan for the first term that: builds on your existing knowledge of the school; accounts for how to gather further meaningful knowledge; enhances your knowledge of your role within the wider senior leadership team.
Designing and embedding a long-term strategy
How to prioritise aims
Planning for working with colleagues in middle and senior leadership positions
Building evaluation into your delivery
Your Instructor
Catherine Priggs
Catherine has worked as a senior leader in two schools, each with very different contexts. In both schools she has created and delivered programmes to support colleagues to step into senior leadership. She has also managed and led staff induction (including for senior leaders) in both settings.
