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Senior Leadership Programme

United Learning's Senior Leadership Programme (SLP) develops and accelerates talented leaders across the country. It is a comprehensive course for middle leaders aspiring to senior leadership or newly appointed senior leaders working in any UK school.  

Combining leadership expertise, theory and practice, webinars are immersed in an educational context and facilitated by United Learning leaders.   

Programme Overview

How it’s delivered

We understand the varying commitments of school leaders and support flexible working. That’s why we've designed our programme to be:

  • Fully online, with term-time only webinars 
  • After school hours on varying days of the week 
  • Accessible through live attendance and recorded sessions 

Each session is planned and delivered by leaders who are experts in their area. 

Time and commitment

November 2024 Programme launch
November 2024 - June 2025 Live online sessions via Microsoft Teams
July 2025 Final online celebration event

Learning objectives

By the end of the programme, learners will be expected to do the following:

  • Identify the role and responsibilities of a senior leader in whole school leadership and in securing consistently positive student outcomes
  • Understand how to lead school improvement through high leverage practices
  • Know how to employ a strategic approach to lead change
  • Establish effective management practices to strategically and inclusively lead your team
  • Enhance personal effectiveness, confidence, and resilience in preparation for senior leadership

Who can apply

You must be a middle leader aspiring to senior leadership or a newly appointed senior leader from a UK school to be eligible for this programme.  

For example, you might be an assistant or deputy headteacher looking to enhance your skills, or a head of department looking to progress into a senior leadership role.​  

This is a non-selective programme. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you will automatically be approved. 

Applications open in September 2024.

Programme sessions

Information for applicants

This valuable and flexible course is delivered from November to July. You will spend time completing 17 online sessions and writing a learning log to submit at the end of the programme and use as a tool to discuss your learning with your line manager or mentor.  

Webinars are delivered live after school hours to support teaching commitments and encourage professional networking opportunities. If you can’t make a session, you can watch it as a recording to help you manage your time and workload. You will benefit from additional support from your line manager or mentor, should you wish to provide their contact details, through regular updates and guidance we provide them. You will also have support from the programme coordinator throughout.    

To complete the course, you must watch all of the webinars and submit a series of learning logs. After successful completion of the programme, you will receive a digital certificate to recognise your professional development commitment.  

You’ll also gain access to a network of leadership expertise within United Learning; this includes continued access to recordings and resources, the opportunity to create learning sets with other leaders and a termly bulletin to keep up to date with the latest information about United Learning's leadership.  

Mike Collingwood, 2023 cohort

This has been one of the most effective leadership courses I’ve attended in my career. I now feel ready to take the next step into a leadership role.

Mike Collingwood, 2023 cohort
Sharon Blinston, 2023 cohort

I’ve learned how to be recognised as a senior leader and the different ways to effectively motivate and inspire others. The programme also helped me consider my role as a future leader and what kind of leader I would like to be.

Sharon Blinston, 2023 cohort

Contact details

If you have any queries, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help.

United Learning comprises: United Learning Ltd (Registered in England No: 00018582. Charity No. 313999) UCST (Registered in England No: 2780748. Charity No. 1016538) and ULT (Registered in England No. 4439859. An Exempt Charity). Companies limited by guarantee.
Registered address: United Learning, Worldwide House, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SB.

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