SSAT’s Leading Edge network
Become part of the only national network exclusively for high-performing schools.
We understand the challenges of achieving and sustaining high performance and believe they are best met with the support of like-minded professionals.
We connect you with colleagues across the country, fostering structured collaboration and providing regular insights into best practice.
Start date
Leading Edge year begins in April, but applications welcome at any time
Format
National network. Year-long programme of activities
Cost
£1,695 + VAT
Need more information?
Get in touch or call 020 7802 2300
The national network for high-performing schools
High-performing schools have been connecting through the Leading Edge network for over 20 years. The programme has evolved in that time, but the core purpose remains the same: to support successful schools to further develop their practice through collaboration with like-minded colleagues.
Following the SSAT’s ‘By schools, for schools’ principle, the network is led by a steering group of headteachers from within the network. An annual programme of activities provides opportunities for headteachers, senior leaders and middle leaders to share practice.
Leading Edge Innovation Grants offer an insight into some of the creative and interesting work going on across the network.
Welcome to the Leading Edge programme. As a school leader at times you have to choose where to invest time and energy and which networks you choose to belong to. At the heart of Leading Edge is a group of innovative, energetic and like-minded schools that are actively looking to collaborate and learn from one another.
For us it is at the core of our commitment to challenge, grow and improve as a school far beyond simply comparing ourselves to the school ‘down the road’. We truly value the partnership, collaboration and inspiration of the work we do together and welcome you to be a part of it.
Rob Carter, Executive Headteacher, St Paul’s Catholic College. Chair of the Leading Edge headteachers’ steering group
What schools are saying about the Leading Edge Network
“A humbling experience. Great to connect with high performing schools and leaders.”
Nick Robinson
Executive Principal, Trinity Academy, Halifax
“A really useful opportunity to network with and learn from other high-performing schools.”
Erika Podmore
Headteacher, Eltham Hill School
“Leading Edge helps school leaders to share good practice and helps to identify and implement actions to support high performance in our schools.”
Felicity Corcoran
Principal, St Michael’s Catholic College
Leading Edge 2025-26 – More opportunities than ever to connect
Connections for headteachers and senior leaders – join a Leading Edge school improvement triad to visit other schools and share ideas. Meet informally with other like-minded headteachers in our headteacher discussion groups.
Connections for middle leaders – regular subject-specific sharing practice webinars led by subject leaders in the network.
Leading Edge annual conference – Leadership insights from within and beyond the network. Agenda for 2025 coming soon. See the 2024 agenda and feedback here.
Peer review your practice – apply to be accredited as ‘transforming’ in SSAT’s Framework for Exceptional Education. Receive feedback on your practice from another school and a member of the Leading Edge team.
And Leading Edge is not just a network on paper. Throughout the year, we support our member schools in making useful connections, sharing practice and visiting each other. If you’re looking for collaboration, ideas and inspiration, we’d love to welcome you to the network.
As a result of working within the SSAT Leading Edge group, Churchdown has elements of all schools we have worked with in this incredibly strong network of school improvers. We have also shared our high-performance strategies with others and so, just like there are elements of other schools in Churchdown, there are elements of Churchdown in many other schools.
Dave Potter, Headteacher, Churchdown School
Book a call with Alex Galvin, Senior Education Lead
Speak with Alex Galvin to learn more about the benefits of joining the Leading Edge network.
Book a call
The Framework for Exceptional Education
The Framework for Exceptional Education is SSAT’s flagship self-review and improvement framework. Fully revised for 2024 by a team of exceptional headteachers and senior leaders from the Leading Edge network, the framework captures what best practice looks like in 12 key areas of practice. If you are not familiar with the framework, you can find full details here.
Leading Edge schools can apply to be accredited as ‘transforming’ in up to four strands of the framework per year.
Accreditation process
- Schools identify one or two strands of the framework to apply for, selecting particular areas of strength.
- Participating schools are paired for peer review – each school receives a peer review and undertakes a peer review for another school in the network.
- A member of the Leading Edge team visits to complete a moderation visit and confirm the accreditation.
- At the end of the process, participating schools will have received two feedback reports on that aspect of their practice, identifying distinctive strengths in their practice, as well as suggestions for further development.
The collaboration [the framework] offers is a valuable chance to assess teaching practices and witness diverse pedagogical methods firsthand. Grateful to all the staff and students we engaged with this week.
Alastair Tucker, Senior Leader, Kennet School
Find out more
How do strong schools stay strong?
Back in 2018, schools in the Leading Edge network worked collaboratively to try and articulate how schools become high-performing and how they stay there. In the next Leading Edge year, we will be revisiting this piece of work and would love you to join the conversation.
Leading Edge Conference 2024
View what was on offer at last year’s Leading Edge Conference.
Framework for Exceptional Education Sample
View a sample of the Framework for Exceptional Education.
Key information
Membership criteria
The network’s purpose is to connect high-performing schools who are looking to further develop their practice through collaboration. At present, eligibility is based on performance data, Ofsted outcomes and other indicators of high performance that the school chooses to share.
The membership criteria will be revisited by the steering group once the new Ofsted framework is published.
*Prices exclusive of VAT
Schools need to be an SSAT member to be part of the Leading Edge network.
