Mike Collingwood had a unique experience of United Learning’s Senior Leadership Programme as he joined as an external participant. Mike works at Kelvedon Academy, a non-United Learning school.
Entering the world of teaching in 2011, Mike has progressed to his current position of Acting Assistant Head. He said: “Over the years, I’ve been an English Lead, class teacher, Year Team Leader of Year 4, and a Curriculum Leader. I also worked at the school I attended as a child, during which I obtained an NPQ in Senior Leadership.”
“I wanted to develop my own knowledge and understanding of what it takes to be an effective leader in a school,” said Mike, explaining why he applied. “I was intrigued to hear from a variety of professionals from both primary and secondary and how they manage leadership roles in high pressure situations.”
He added: “The programme also appealed as it was a virtual course, so this gave me a large amount of flexibility.”
Mike feels prepared to take on leadership responsibilities after completing the programme.
He said: “It’s had a huge impact. I would say it has been one of the most effective leadership courses I’ve attended in my career. I have developed knowledge in a variety of leadership fields and now feel more confident dealing with these effectively. I was very impressed with the themes covered across the course and I now feel ready to take the next step into a leadership role. It has also inspired me to want to find out more about the areas covered and I’ve since gone on to have conversations with senior leaders and found further knowledge.”
Looking to the future, Mike said: “The course has really empowered me to actively start pursuing a leadership role within the primary sector. It has given me a real passion to want to succeed as a leader and apply the knowledge that I’ve learnt. I’m now hoping to find a suitable leadership role in the not-too-distant future.”
The senior leadership programme is open to both United Learning employees and external school staff.
If you’re an aspiring or recently appointed senior leader, click the relevant link below to find out more and apply.
If you’re interested in a career with United Learning, explore our current vacancies to see if there’s a role for you.