Leader Programme

Leadership Programme Supporting leaders to grow, reflect and thrive.

OUR VALUES

Our values are the principles that guide the way we interact with other individuals and groups and are especially important in a boarding community like ours. These are the values that shape our School.

Trust

Innovation

We foster strong relationships built on trust through good communications, willingness to listen and honesty.

We are excited about creating the future through being openminded, curious and embracing change.

Mutual Respect

Service

We seek to understand and embrace differences in people, ideas and experiences with tolerance and understanding.

We recognise the great rewards that individuals reap in helping, supporting and giving to others both within the School community and beyond it.

Encouragement We promote a positive atmosphere where all members of the community are supported to develop and fulfil their potential.

Dynamism We are a forward-thinking school that nurtures the leaders of tomorrow for a global workplace.

Excellence We believe in the importance of striving to be exceptional in whatever we do through the setting of ambitious goals and taking ownership of our decisions and actions.

Balance We understand the importance of supporting staff and pupils to thrive by maintaining a healthy mind and body.

Developing Your Career at Wycombe Abbey Welcome from the Director of People Leaders are at the heart of our school. You play a vital role in shaping the quality of teaching and learning, nurturing teams and driving the culture and values that make our School a place where both staff and pupils thrive. Your influence is felt every day in classrooms, departments and across the wider school community.

We value our Leaders deeply and recognise that your impact is key to the ongoing success and improvement of the School. Supporting, developing and investing in your leadership development is therefore a priority for us. We are committed to providing a wide range of high-quality professional development opportunities that enable you to grow in confidence and skill.

This brochure offers an overview of the professional development support and opportunities available. We hope it empowers you to take ownership of your professional journey and shape a development pathway that aligns with your strengths and long-term career aspirations.

If you would like to discuss your career development with a member of ELT, please speak with the HR team and we can help to facilitate this.

Sophie Harle

Read about our Masterplan

Read our Strategic Direction

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Leadership Programme How Wycombe Abbey supports New, Aspiring and Established Leaders.

1. CPD Carousels Our CPD Carousel sessions run at every INSET and create a dynamic learning environment where you can explore leadership development themes. Each rotation provides practical strategies tailored to the needs of middle leaders and you can view past CPD Carousel resources, here.

2. Private Coaching 1:1 in-house coaching sessions provide you with a highly personalised experience focused on unlocking individual potential and ambition. You are supported to overcome challenges, refine your vision and personal aspirations, and accelerate your impact with clarity and confidence.

3. Mentoring Our mentoring programme pairs new middle leaders with experienced middle leader colleagues or former colleagues who offer guidance, challenge, and real‑world leadership insight. Through guidance, challenge, and professional dialogue, middle leaders are nurtured to grow in confidence, influence, and aspiration.

4. Internal Shadowing Internal shadowing empowers you to broaden your leadership horizons by learning from colleagues across the School. By observing effective practice and strategic decision‑making first‑hand, you are inspired to refine your own approach and contribute confidently to the School’s shared vision and future direction.

5. External Shadowing The School will support an external placement for leaders to shadow a leader in another school during the School holidays. External shadowing opportunities will broaden your leadership horizons by exposing you to diverse practices and perspectives beyond our own setting. This immersive experience inspires fresh thinking, professional curiosity, and a deeper understanding of effective leadership in action. If you are interested in this, please speak to your line manager or speak to us about how we can support you in setting this up.

6. Self-Assessment Leadership Profiling Tool We are excited to be exploring the potential inclusion of a self‑assessment leadership profiling tool, subject to levels of interest. This reflective tool would empower you to gain deep insight into your strengths and development areas, building self‑awareness and clarity, and provide a powerful foundation for purposeful growth and confident leadership.

7. Resources From bitesize videos to PowerPoints, click here for an inspiring and comprehensive suite of flexible resources ranging from 10-minute practical videos to in‑depth PowerPoints. Our resources offer you immediate, accessible support whenever you need it, to lead with impact at every stage of your journey.

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8. MasterClass This streaming platform allows you to watch or listen to hundreds of video lessons from influential, inspiring world professionals delivering a unique learning experience. From Bill Clinton’s Inclusive Leadership to Bob Iger’s Teachers Business Strategy and Leadership to Jacko Willink’s Critical Leadership Training talks, there is something for everyone. Click here to browse trailers and ask HR to for details on how to access.

9. Headways Virtual Masterclasses - (ICGS) These masterclasses from the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools (ICGS) include Leadership and Strategy in Girls’ Schools, Uplevelling Your Leadership with Confidence and Authenticity, and invite staff from ICGS member schools to engage deeply with a topic central to girls and girls’ schools. All staff have login details for the ICGS who actively encourage the exchange of ideas, advancing research, strengthening leadership skills, and have a variety of resources which you may find useful.

10. The Heads' Conference - (HMC) For teaching staff, you can explore the HMC, which includes a wide variety of CPD courses. Additionally, they run the annual Senior Leadership Programme and the Aspiring Head’s Programme.

11. Apprenticeship Levy Wycombe Abbey’s investment in the government Apprenticeship Levy opens the door to high‑quality professional learning, from entry‑level qualifications to Master’s degrees. Our commitment empowers you to pursue nationally recognised development pathways with leading providers, supporting ambition, growth, and excellence at every stage of your career. Click here to browse courses and complete a training request form once line manager approval has been obtained.

12. Support for Advanced Education We support staff who wish to undertake external advanced qualifications, (eg Master’s, Diploma), as we recognise the value this brings to both your growth and our wider organisation. If you are interested in applying for support for advanced education, please complete this application form.

13. Leadership SharePoint page - MyWycombe We encourage you to regularly visit the Leadership page in the Professional Development section of My Wycombe for all information relating to Leadership at Wycombe Abbey.

For more information on our Leadership Programme, or if you feel there is anything else you would benefit from at Wycombe Abbey, please contact Suzanne Shaheen, HR Business Partner (Talent Development) at shaheens@wycombeabbey.com.

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Wycombe Abbey, High Wycombe Buckinghamshire, HP11 1PE enquiries@wycombeabbey.com +44(0)1494 520381 wycombeabbey.com Registered Charity No. 310638