Executive Educators: Leading Several Schools | Particpant handbook

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Leading Several Schools

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Executive Educators | Participant handbook

Welcome | Participant handbook

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Contents

Contents These headings can be used as links to navigate the handbook. Click ‘Contents’ at the top to return here.

Welcome

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Our Ambition

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Our vision

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Programme overview

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Curriculum

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- Residential one - Residential two - Residential three - Open module day

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Executive coaching

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360° review

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The network

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- Learning Lounge

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NPQEL

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Meet the team

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- Contacts

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Participant handbook | Contents

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Contents

Welcome Congratulations on joining Ambition School Leadership’s Executive Educators programme. Your successful application is a testament to your achievements to date and your commitment to developing your expertise in executive leadership.

You are now part of Ambition School Leadership’s national network of over 5,100 leaders at all levels, across more than 1,600 schools in challenging contexts. You all share a commitment to ensuring every child succeeds, no matter what their background, and to develop your skills as leaders to make this vision a reality.

and set of educational values. You will be supported by both your executive coach, training events and fellow executive leaders on your development journey, as you learn to change and adapt in your role. From planning for future growth to building your central leadership capacity, we will ensure you have the skills you need.

Over 200 leaders have now taken part in the Executive Educators programmes for executive leaders.

As an organisation that believes in continuous improvement, we have incorporated the feedback of previous cohorts to develop a programme that responds to the range of challenges and opportunities facing executive leaders across the country.

We ask you for your firm commitment to both the programme and our mission. To get the most from Executive Educators you should be proactive, willing to try new ideas and implement new concepts, and open to challenge and constant reflection. We have every confidence that you will rise to the challenge.

We are excited to welcome you onto a programme that puts school improvement and student outcomes at its core.

Throughout the next six months, you will learn how to deliver this at scale across your schools, with a clear vision

Thank you for joining us and welcome to Ambition School Leadership.

James Toop, CEO

Welcome | Participant handbook

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Our Ambition We are working for a fair society built on an education system where every child can thrive, no matter what their background.

Our vision We are building a network of exceptional school leaders at all levels to transform the lives of the children who need it most.

Participant handbook | Our Ambition and our vision

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Programme overview The Executive Educators curriculum has been developed based on an understanding of the needs of our participants.

The programme takes place over six months and is based on a model which fully immerses you in your learning and development. It will also give you the opportunity to build a strong network of peers who can provide support beyond the programme.

The programme explores different contexts, providing input from successful executive school leaders and experts from the wider education and commercial sectors.

We focus not just on technical skills and knowledge, but also on behaviours and mind-sets as we believe that developing these competencies together will enable you to be the best possible version of yourself.

Our programme includes:

“Executive Educators has been transformational.

My ability to think strategically and add value has been enhanced as a direct result. Materials are of the highest quality, networking opportunities are exceptional.”

Dr Alan Lee, Chief Executive, Bedfordshire East Multi Academy Trust

• Eight expert-led training days spread over three residential events

• Six hours of coaching • A peer learning group for support throughout and beyond the programme

• Access to 360° feedback tools

Programme overview | Participant handbook

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Curriculum Our programme is structured around three immersive residential training events. These inspiring events will empower you to explore your potential as a leader and offer valuable insight from nationally renowned figures.

Away from your schools and trusts, these events are an opportunity to really focus not just on your organisational priorities but also on yourself and your own CPD. Working with executive leaders in the education and corporate sectors, we have developed high-level content in areas critical to the achievement of your ambitions for your organisation.

Through these collaborative partnerships we have created a curriculum that is reflective of your needs and builds on your knowledge, supporting you to become the best leader that you can possibly be.

We deliver this content through workshops, case study exploration and keynote speakers throughout the residentials and beyond.

Opportunities to build strong and supportive peer to peer relationships are one of the most valued aspects of the programme. Our residential events offer you the unique chance to build an extensive network of fellow exceptional executive leaders who can offer you support and also benefit in return from your expertise.

Participant handbook | Curriculum

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Residential one Monday 16 October — Wednesday 18 October 2017 Your first residential will focus on your identity as an executive leader. This will look at approaches for success and how the transition from headteacher to executive headteacher impacts your sense of identity. You will explore how to build the culture you want and share your vision.

The residential will look at the challenges and opportunities leading several schools presents.

Residential two Monday 5 February — Wednesday 7 February 2018 Having explored and refined your vision and mission, your second residential will explore the strategic choices you will have to make in order to achieve your vision. You will be supported to develop a strategic plan for school improvement. The key areas this plan will look at are available are: your people and HR; their teaching and learning approach; and your supporting and enabling functions such as finance and governance.

Residential three Monday 23 April — Tuesday 24 April 2018 Your third and final residential will explore the relationships you need both as an individual and as an organisation.

There will be a focus on different types of leadership styles, reflecting on your personal preference and how this supports your role as an executive leader. You will also explore strategies for building and managing organisational brand, considering your organisation’s relationship with parents, the community and other stakeholders.

Curriculum | Participant handbook

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Optional module day Wednesday 4th July 2018 There will be an optional module day which will explore the next steps of your leadership journey. The day will examine the strategic decisions that underpin sustainable MAT growth. You will look at what need to know, and do to develop a plan for organisational growth as an executive leader.

Participant handbook | Curriculum

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Curriculum | Participant handbook

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Executive coaching Executive coaching empowers you by facilitating self-directed learning, personal growth and improved performance. As part of the programme you will have six hours of coaching with your executive coach.

Executive coaching is about recognising that you, as the coachee, know your context best and the coach trusts that you have the inner resources to find your own solutions.

Executive coaching provides a safe space to explore your challenges without judgement and to enable you to commit to action and take responsibility. However, executive coaching is not simply a conversation - it is about questions to support, and sometimes challenge, in order to uncover any blind spots or self-limiting beliefs.

In this way, conversations with your executive coach will further support you in your development as a leader.

The executive coaches commissioned to support you on this programme are some of the top coaches in the country, working nationally and internationally with senior executives of some of the largest private, public and third sector business and organisations.

We have handpicked those coaches who have extensive experience and expertise in coaching executives and top leaders like you.

Though they may not have first-hand experience of the education sector, this is considered an advantage, as they will not be tempted to give you advice, and will instead challenge you to get the best out of yourself.

Participant handbook | Executive coaching

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360° review As well as providing space to reflect and gain valuable peer and expert input, we offer the opportunity – through a 360° review - to gather honest feedback from people with whom you work with closely on a regular basis.

Through the use of this tool you will be able to identify what others view as your strengths and areas of development and how these relates to your own self-evaluation. The principal aim of this tool is to conduct a review of your competencies, allowing you to reflect on your current performance and leadership style to help you understand how you can further improve as a leader.

The review tool will become available to you after your first residential and your report will be created shortly after.

You will then have the opportunity to discuss this report with your executive coach.

360° review | Participant handbook

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The network In joining Ambition School Leadership you will also become a member of our dynamic and expanding network, comprising of over 5,100 exceptional leaders.

As part of this growing network, you will strengthen our collective impact in addressing educational disadvantage across the country. Within the network you will be offered various provisions, connecting you to new opportunities and other leaders.

Learning Lounge As part of the network, you have access to our online platform, the Learning Lounge. This platform will help you to connect with your cohort outside of the residential events, as well as with other members of our expansive network. The Learning Lounge includes a number of features to keep you connected and informed:

• Groups: generate discussions, share best practice

and receive useful updates about the programme

• Events: access to exclusive events for our network • Marketplace: access insightful resources and request specialist support

• Jobs forum: find your next role, or advertise positions to high quality candidates across our network

Participant handbook | The network

“The best thing has been the sharing of perspectives with others and the likelihood of being part of a new, influential network of leaders.”

Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive, Brooke Weston Trust, Northamptonshire

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NPQEL As part of the programme you will have the opportunity to gain the NPQEL – the new National Professional Qualification for Executive Leaders, at an extra fee.

The NPQEL involves submitting two assignments which are as follows:

• Project 1: Designing a sustainable business development strategy for you organisation (4,000 words)

• Project 2: Designing and leading an improvement project across several schools (4,000 words)

If you are interested in taking the NPQEL please get in touch with the programme delivery team who will be able to provide further information and support.

Further opportunities | Participant handbook

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Meet the team Kevin Hitchmough Executive Director, Leadership Programmes Kevin Hitchmough is Executive Director of Leadership Programmes at Ambition School Leadership. Before joining Ambition, Kevin worked in learning, coaching, talent and team development for Unilever, The Body Shop and L’Oréal.

Laura Lewis-Williams Headship and Executive Programmes Director Laura Lewis-Williams is Director of the Headship and Executive Programmes team. Laura was Deputy Headteacher at Quintin Kynaston in London, where she joined Ambition’s legacy organisation, Future Leaders, as a participant in 2009.

Anna Schofield Associate Director, Executive Leadership (Maternity Cover) Anna joined Ambition as an Associate Director for our middle leadership programmes. Prior to this she delivered a national teacher training and leadership development programme in India, before taking on leadership of their recruitment, assessment and selection function.

Lianna Horlock Associate Director, Executive Leadership Lianna has led on the design and delivery of the Executive Educators programme has seen more than 200 aspiring and current MAT CEOs develop their leadership for the challenges of this complex role.

Participant handbook | Meet the team

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Contacts Alison Woodrow Senior Associate Alison.Woodrow@ambitionschoolleadership.org.uk +44 (0) 798 487 9242

Kate McCole Associate Kate.McCole@ambitionschoolleadership.org.uk +44 (0) 790 812 6207

Meet the team | Participant handbook

Join the conversation on Twitter @Ambition_SL #ExecEducators