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

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

How it’s delivered

15 sessions are delivered online from November to July.

Each session is facilitated by expert school leaders who showcase best practice, explore evidence-based research and offer practical solutions for leading school improvement.

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

  • Fully online
  • Term time only
  • Scheduled in advance
  • Easy to catch up on missed webinars
  • Supportive through regular communications

After each webinar, participants will complete a learning log to help them apply their learning to their role and have quality conversations about their development with their line manager.

Who it's for

Participants must be working in a UK school (can be local authority, academy or independent school) and be either:

  • An aspiring senior leader
  • A newly appointed senior leader

Time commitment

Participants must complete 15 x 1 hour online sessions. The timeline for this course is:

  • 6 November 2024 – programme launch with Sir Jon Coles, United Learning CEO
  • November 2024 to June 2025 – 13 webinars delivered 16:30 – 17:30 every other Wednesday during term time
  • 3 July 2025 – celebration event
  • 4 July 2025 – programme ends
  • 11 July 2025 – certificates of completion sent

We estimate that participants will take an additional 20 minutes per session to complete a learning log.

Cost

£300+ VAT per school (for up to 5 participants).

We work directly with schools and their headteacher, individuals cannot apply themselves. This helps us to provide the best professional development experience we can for participants and maximise the impact on school improvement beyond United Learning.

Schools can put forward up to 5 participants to join the Middle Leadership Programme or Senior Leadership Programme.

This payment is non-refundable. No refunds are given if a participant withdraws or cannot complete the programme.

This course is funded for United Learning schools.

How to apply

External Schools: Headteachers can register their interest by completing this form by 9 October 2024: https://forms.office.com/e/ZxLC2ZLxJx 

A member of the United Learning Professional Development team will be in touch with you to discuss further. United Learning reserves the right to close the application early should the programme reach maximum capacity.

United Learning Schools: We run an internal nominations process that closes on 9 October 2024. Visit United Hub for more information.

Schools should confirm their application by 9 October 2024. 

United Learning reserves the right to close the application early should the programme reach maximum capacity. 

For any enquiries, email leadership@unitedlearning.org.uk. 

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.

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