Leaders Like Us
A multi-faceted programme for aspiring senior leaders from UKME/ GMH backgrounds, throughout the country, with the aim of enabling them to progress to headship. It is open to teachers and leaders in all English schools, not just Church of England schools. You can find out more via this short video: Leaders Like Us
How does the programme work?
The Leaders Like Us Programme is an 18-month learning journey, which supports you as a leader to develop your knowledge and skills in order to prepare you for headship in the next 2 – 5 years. This course is for UKME/GMH teachers and leaders all over England. The four elements interweave to give you a broad range of experiences and opportunities for learning, based on the research around what we know works with regards to UKME/GMH school leader progression and recruitment (e.g. Miller 2020). The four elements are:
| Training | Supporting you to find the right accredited training to enable you to progress to the next stage of your leadership (including NPQ courses such as NPQSL or NPQH, as well as bespoke training offered through our partners, Aspiring Heads). CEFEL’s Racial Justice Team will be able to find the right fit for your career progression and we will track you through the programme to ensure it is fully meeting your needs. |
| Shadowing | Linking you with a similar school in a contrasting location to give you the experience of seeing headship close-up and the understanding of what working in a different context might be like. The headteacher you shadow will then become a mentor to you throughout the duration of the programme. Your mentor, school and their diocese/ trust will undergo training and oversight from the CEFEL Inclusion team to ensure this is an experience which enables you to thrive. |
| Mentoring | Your mentor Headteacher will support you as you seek to progress in your career, helping to prepare you for job applications and interviews as well as supporting your personal development as a leader. The mentors will be trained and overseen by experienced UKME school leaders, within MATs or dioceses that are fully engaged in our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work. |
| Networking | You will form a cohort group with the other leaders on the programme and work together to find collective solutions to school leadership issues, to celebrate one another’s successes, to learn from each other’s stories and to advocate and encourage one another. These networks will be led by the CEFEL Curriculum and Inclusion Team, with a mix of virtual and face to face events – regionally and nationally. |
