LIONHEART BESPOKE LEADERSHIP TRAINING PATHWAY
ASPIRING TO MIDDLE LEADERSHIP
A bespoke programme of learning from Lionheart to provide teachers who are aspiring to move into middle leadership, or have recently taken a middle leadership position, the opportunity to gain the knowledge and expertise required to become an expert leader.
This programme of career development will enable you to widen your network of support across the Trust. The programme aims to work with a select cohort, enabling clear support for each participating individual.
Who can join the middle leadership pathway?
We welcome applications from colleagues who:
Æ Have been teaching for a minimum of 3 years at one or more Lionheart schools
Æ Teach in any keystage; primary, secondary or sixth form.
Æ Aspire to progress into a leadership position, or those in middle leadership who wish to cement their understanding
What commitment is required to participate?
We ask every participant to commit to undertake the full pathway, which will comprise:
Æ A two-day (weekday) conference at the start, including five workshops, a keynote speaker and an overnight stay in Leicestershire
Æ A further five 1-hour online workshops, taking place after school across the academic year
Æ A willingness to keep a leadership journal to record your reflections and learning
Æ A small reading list, including useful blogs, while being mindful of your workload
Æ Coaching/mentoring by a senior colleague in the Trust, with occasional touchpoints to discuss progress and/or offer support
Æ Opportunities to connect with a smaller group of fellow participating colleagues for reflection and sharing of successes
Æ A final session to share learning from the pathway and consider next steps
When will it take place?
The pathway will run from January to June 2026, with participants completing within the same academic year.
Session Focus Outcome
1. Vision, mission and values Understanding and articulating your leadership vision.
2. Leading teaching and learning Modelling, exemplifying and driving high-quality classroom practice.
3. Data driven leadership Using a range of data to inform decisions and areas for further enquiry.
4. Quality assurance and quality control
Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness and efficacy of your team.
5. Communication skills for impact Planning and handling necessary conversations. Getting the most from line management opportunities- upwards and horizontally.
6. Resource Management Effective use of the resources that leaders can deploy: people, time, budgets
7. Developing the staff you lead Building capacity and supporting professional growth
8. Leading Change Implementing and sustaining improvement
9. Building a collaborative culture Fostering teamwork and shared leadership
10. Importance of diversity and inclusivity
Understand the value of diversity and inclusion in educational settings.
Reflect on personal leadership values and align to school, trust ethos.
Understanding how vision influences culture and decision making.
Draft a personal leadership vision statement.
Can articulate and understand the LHT Teaching and Learning principles and their importance in a lesson/ sequence of lessons.
Develop strategies to improve departmental wide pedagogy.
Analyse data sets to identify priorities for improvement.
Create an action plan based on trends to implement improvements.
Design a quality assurance cycle for subject/ phase Explore how this process can support effective performance management and identify strengths and areas for development to build a stronger team and improve provision.
Practice structured conversation frameworks Understanding relevant policy and systems that are there to support you.
Build emotional intelligence and resilience.
Create a resource audit
Priorities spending and staffing based on impact.
Plan a development pathway for team members
Use a range of different coaching models to support staff.
Plan a change initiative using a structured change model. (EEF, Kotter etc)
Communicate change effectively.
Facilitate effective team meetings
Develop strategies for distributed leadership
Understand the impact of inclusive leadership on student outcomes and staff wellbeing.
Develop strategies to foster inclusive environments in classrooms and teams.
The pathway comprises ten workshops, detailed overleaf, of which five will be delivered in the two day conference.
Final: Reflective Leadership and Next Steps
Consolidation of learning and planning future growth
Complete a leadership self assessment
Create a personal development plan. Participants present on their leadership journal, reflections, actions and evidence of impact.
How to apply
Expressions of interest are invited from colleagues who meet the eligibility criteria and wish to develop skills to enable progression into middle leadership.
Submit a letter of interest to your school’s Associate Principal/Head of School, by 5th December 2025, detailing:
Æ Why you are interested in progression to middle leadership and your interest in the course
Æ Any impact you have already had in your teaching role, including responsibilities held