Guidance

Join the Expert Middle Leaders programme to develop future leaders

The Expert Middle Leaders programme develops middle leaders working in challenging schools to increase leadership impact and improve pupil outcomes.

From:
Department for Education
Published
8 January 2019
Last updated
15 April 2020 — See all updates

What you can get

Over 2 years you’ll get:

  • intensive leadership development training
  • individual, virtual coaching sessions, throughout the life of the programme
  • regional face-to-face training delivered outside of school hours
  • visits to successful schools in similar challenging contexts
  • personalised curriculum through e-learning options, online forums and peer learning groups
  • a 5-day summer residential at the start of the programme for new cohorts, that brings middle leaders together from across England
  • a 3-day residential at the start of year 2
  • membership of an alumni network
  • optional National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) accreditation

Who can apply

This programme is available to middle leaders who work in an Ofsted rated grade 3 (Requires Improvement) or grade 4 (Inadequate) school which is within one of the category 5 and 6 local authority districts (including Opportunity Areas).

To qualify, you will already be an experienced middle leader (for example, a head of department, a head of year or in a whole-school middle leadership role) in a challenging primary or secondary school.

You will be able to demonstrate that you:

  • are in an established middle leadership role with responsibility for the learning outcomes of at least 2 members of staff
  • have met or exceeded expectations as part of a recent in-school performance management process
  • are committed to working within your current school for the duration of the programme
  • have high potential to progress to a senior leadership role

When it’s available

New cohorts will start the programme in September 2020 and 2021.

What it costs

The new programme is free to eligible schools.

How to apply

To be selected you must:

Find out more

Visit Expert Middle Leaders for more information.

Updates to this page

Published 8 January 2019
Last updated 15 April 2020 + show all updates

  1. Updated to reflect change from Teaching Leaders to Expert Middle Leaders, and dates.

  2. First published.

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