Dan Belcher, SSAT’s head of leadership programmes, follows up Prof Harris’ article last week with our latest news
Following last week’s Sunday Supplement article Why middle leaders matter, more than ever by Professor Alma Harris and Dr. Michelle Jones, we are delighted to confirm that SSAT will be offering the revised NPQML (National Professional Qualification for Middle Leadership) from January 2018 (subject to contract).
SSAT have long been committed to supporting, training and developing middle leaders. We recognise both their centrality to successful school improvement and the unique challenges they face, being on the front line of leadership and teaching. Most recently we created a flexible schools-centred model of middle leadership development through our National Award for Middle Leaders (NAML) programme. In just two years this has grown to include over 60 school providers across the country, covering primary, secondary and special schools, with more than 450 aspiring and current middle leaders having participated in NAML modules.
Building on the success of this model and in consultation with our NAML providers, we felt the opportunity was right to combine the best of NAML with the chance for participants to gain the new NPQML. We are grateful to all those who contributed to our successful application, particularly our lead schools, Shenley Brook End and Tees Valley Education. We will be working with our partners to make this the best middle leadership training available and to ensure that the next generation of leaders are fully equipped to meet the needs of students and schools.
As last week’s article highlighted, the roles of middle leaders and middle leadership cannot be narrowly defined; the terms capture such a broad range of responsibilities across school types, phases and contexts – pastoral and academic, departmental and whole-school. We embrace this diversity and complexity. We will focus on the essentials that transcend good middle leadership in all settings, as well as allowing for contextualisation and particularisation.
In addition, we will be conducting much-needed research into how the changing schools system is affecting middle leadership, and bringing this learning and understanding to the programme.
If you would like more information on becoming a middle leader SSAT provider, please contact your Relationship Manager.
