Growing Great Leaders
Overview
Delivered in partnership with Inspiration for All, this peer-mentoring programme pairs school leaders with senior business executives to drive social mobility and enhance leadership capability.
Specifically designed for Headteachers, Executive Heads, Deputy Heads, and System Leads in schools with 35% or higher Free School Meal entitlement, the initiative bridges the gap between the educational and corporate sectors.
The Inspiring Partnership Programme provides mentoring, coaching and listening. The conversations are a tailored professional space where individual senior managers can discover more about themselves as leaders and develop their perspectives and core practices, often with immediate results.
About this programme
This programme supports and develops leaders in schools who have strategic responsibility. It is crafted to each person’s professional development needs - their individual journey.
Through nine monthly sessions, participants are matched with senior partners from firms such as Linklaters, KPMG, EY, and BNP Paribas, gaining a trusted, objective sounding board. These conversations enable school leaders to step back from operational management, reflect on high-level strategic decisions, and develop the adaptive leadership skills needed to improve outcomes for their students.
At the centre is a trust-based relationship that aims to:
- Develop confidence, personal effectiveness and resilience
- Help build vision, engagement and culture
- Support dealing with organisational ambiguity and uncertainty
- Examine common confusions - authority, values
- Understand what is meant by culture and high performance
What's included?
There are nine sessions per month throughout the school year (October to June). The sessions take place online and/or face to face. They are at a time and place to suit you, and can take place during scheduled school time to make it accessible for leaders with busy timetables.
Please note: Places for this course are not free as part of the CPD package
What participants think
"What’s brilliant is the rare, safe space to “download” with a non-judgmental peer who isn’t your line manager. Gold dust in school leadership.”
Rebecca Hickey, Secondary Director, Harris Federation
“It was a great opportunity to stop and reflect, and having Jeff asking the right question at the right time was brilliant. The programme made me realise that the more strategic I can be – by carving out this time – the more impactful I will be.”
Darren Rubin, Primary Executive Headteacher, Tower Hamlets
“I’ve learned a lot from Dave. Having someone on a leadership level that gets it and understands it from a different angle is really important. We’ve reflected together on our own strategic direction of our organisations, and what it takes to be an effective leader. It’s been really useful.”
Matt Lawrence, Primary Headteacher in Manchester
“It gives you that different perspective, being able to speak to someone in the same role. Secondly, it gives you that space for self-evaluation, which improves your practice. And third, it’s a brilliant networking opportunity.”
Phil Drivers, Assistant Principal of Newcastle Sixth Form College
“It’s not just the support...it’s the ripple effect throughout the school and community – having that link is brilliant.”
Fozia Nisar, Head Teacher of Montgomery Primary School, Birmingham