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National Award for Middle Leadership

Middle leaders are the engine room of successful schools. Become a Delivery Partner for the National Award for Middle Leaders (NAML) programme to inspire and equip your aspiring and current middle leaders.

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Start date
You decide. Facilitator training will be provided at a date and time to suit you.

Format
Delivery partner (annual licence) and consultancy models available.

Cost
SSAT members: £1,350 + £225 per module
Non-members: £1,825 + £325 per module

Develop your current and aspiring middle leaders.

SSAT have supported the development of thousands of current and aspiring middle leaders, enhancing their skills and increasing their impact. This extensive experience is packed into ten high-quality, fully resources modules ready for you to deliver. The programmes’ flexible modular structure enables you to tailor content to meet the professional development needs of your context, whether you are a single school or a group of schools.

Benefits:

More effective and confident middle leaders
Empower your teams and improve communication
Develop a strong culture among middle leaders
Build leadership capacity and drive school improvement

Accreditation: All modules will be accredited by SSAT. Participants will receive a certificate for modules completed

Delivery partner training and resources:

SSAT provide online facilitator training for two of your team who will deliver the module content to your participants. Facilitators have access to full module resources and tutor notes.

National Award for Middle Leaders modules

Create your own bespoke programme by selecting your modules and personalising the resources for your leaders. Each module is approximately two-hours. Delivery partners must deliver a minimum of six modules.

Module 1: Vision, values and the moral purpose

This first module begins by reflection on the importance of vision, values and moral purpose.

Aims for the session:

To consider what a ‘vision’ is and its importance for school leadership.
To reflect on the relationship between vision and values.
To reflect upon our own values and moral purpose.
To shape the vision for our team or area of responsibility.

Module 2: Developing your leadership approach

This module looks at developing leadership approaches to improve effectiveness. It includes the importance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence, as well as exploring leadership characteristics and styles.

Aims for the session:

To become more self-aware as leaders, reflecting on leadership characteristics and behaviours.
To consider the importance of emotional intelligence and understand the impact of behaviour on team performance.
To explore the impact of different leadership styles and a situational leadership approaches.
To understand how leadership contributes to organisational culture.

Module 3: Prioritising and managing tensions

This module explores some of challenges faced by middle leaders and how these might be addressed.

Aims for the session:

To discuss the challenges faced by middle leaders and reflect upon research evidence.
To develop strategies for prioritising and time management.
To consider the balance of leadership and management within middle leadership roles.
To reflect on the middle leaders role as both ‘buffer’ and ‘bridge’ between their teams and senior leadership.

Module 4: Leading and managing innovation and change

This module explores the complex issues involved in leading and managing change. It includes practical tools for change management as well as how to handle the emotional aspect of change.

Aims for the session:

To reflect on the theory and practice of leading change in order to lead more effectively.
To explore practical change management tools.
To understand the emotional impact of change.
To reflect on the role of innovation – “doing things differently in order to do them better”.
To consider strategies for implementation planning.

Module 5: Using data to support progress and achievement

This module looks at what data we collect and why and gives participants the opportunity to review their current practice. (An additional recorded session provides a grounding in some key statistical concepts around the use of data and how these are relevant to understanding school accountability measures).

Aims for the session:

To consider what data we collect and why.
To think about both the advantages of data analysis and its pitfalls.
To discuss how middle leaders use data.

Module 6: Principled curriculum design

This module focuses principled curriculum design, drawing upon SSAT’s Four Pillars – Intent, Content, Delivery and Experience.

Aims for the session:

To consider what we mean by curriculum.
To reflect on the principles of effective curriculum design – including SSATs Four Pillars.
To discuss Ofsted’s focus on curriculum within the current framework.
To apply the principles to the current roles.

Module 7: Effective teaching and learning

This module explores theory and practice for effective teaching and learning.

Aims for the session:

To reflect on how high-quality teaching has a long-term positive effect on pupils’ life chances, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
To critically consider research into pedagogical approaches shown to have impact, drawing implications for practise whilst aware of any personal bias.
To reflect on and plan how to implement and support the development of teacher practice overtime growing an excellent, evidence-informed teaching team.

Module 8: Quality assurance

This module considers the role of middle leaders in quality assuring provision and addressing needs.

Aims for the session:

To consider middle leaders’ roles and responsibilities in quality assurance.
To reflect on a variety of quality assurance processes, including performance management.
To support middle leaders in holding themselves and others to account.
To consider approaches to managing difficult conversations.

Module 9: Building a high performing team

This module looks at the key ingredients to building a high-performance team.

Aims for the session:

To explore characteristics of high performing teams and dysfunctional teams.
To reflect on how failures can become powerful learning opportunities.
To evaluate the effectiveness of teams you lead and considered how you can improve performance.
Be equipped to support a culture that builds strong teams and shares good practice.

Module 10: Professional learning and developing your team

This module explores how we plan for professional development.

Aims for the session:

To identify your own and others professional development needs.
To consider various professional development activities and their cost-effectiveness.
To identify appropriate support and professional development for members of your team.
To evaluate the impact of professional development on teacher development and pupil outcomes.
To consider a progression pathway for yourself and your team.

Book a call

Speak with Senior Education Lead Dr Dan Belcher, to learn more about the benefits of SSAT’s leadership programmes.
Book a call

Why SSAT?

SSAT’s experience and impact in leadership development is hard to rival. Many school and system leaders have grown and honed their skills through our leadership programmes. We are passionate about developing leaders at all levels, equipping and supporting them to make a difference and create a brighter future for pupils.

Price information

SSAT members

Non-members

Annual license

£1,350

£1,825

Module cost

£225 per module

£325 per module

Price information

SSAT members

Annual license

£1,350

Module cost

£225 per module

Non-members

Annual license

£1,825

Module cost

£325 per module

*Prices exclusive of VAT

Example: National Award for Middle Leaders annual licence + six modules = £2700 (member price).