Introducing Ahead – ASCL’s new support services for ambitious middle leaders

Moving on up

Middle leaders are the future of our education system and they are future ASCL members. ASCL has a range of support for those middle leaders who have the desire and ambition to move into senior leadership positions and we are bringing this exciting new offer together under one new banner called ‘Ahead’.

We have various levels of support available for individual staff members and, through ASCL Professional Development, for schools who may want a short, bespoke continuing professional development (CPD) package or who want their middle leaders to engage in a longer programme of CPD.

Ahead - Middle Leaders Network – free resources and CPD for aspiring middle leaders

It is in everyone’s interest to make sure that enthusiastic, ambitious middle leaders have the skills and confidence to step up to senior leadership roles in the future. That is why ASCL has developed the Ahead Middle Leaders Network to help those aspiring to senior leadership.

Membership of the network is free to all middle leaders who want to develop their knowledge and skills in order to lead their teams more effectively and develop their careers. Membership of the network includes:

• access to dedicated web pages consisting of advice, guidance and resources to help middle leaders on their way to senior leadership
• opportunities for networking with colleagues
• a monthly email newsletter with relevant updates and information
• useful ASCL publications, including our flagship members’ magazine Leader
• early notice of relevant ASCL Professional Development courses
• a free place at the spring middle leaders seminar

Ahead - An aspiring senior leaders package for schools

This new package of support is aimed at schools wishing to give their staff the very best CPD opportunity to prepare them for their leadership journey.

The Ahead package for schools builds upon the basic Ahead Middle Leaders Network membership by giving additional benefits and support to those schools who have groups of staff aiming for leadership positions. The year-long package is aimed at groups of staff in middle leader roles who are, or have the ability to, aspire to leadership. The package is suitable for group sizes of up to 30 staff and can be organised for individual schools, groups of schools, academy chains and trusts.

The Ahead package runs over an academic year with each participant receiving membership of the network and, in addition, the school receives, for their participants:

• four, two-hour bespoke, needs matched, twilight sessions 
• access to six webinars over the year
• a 10 per cent discount on ASCL Professional Development courses for the year

Ahead - Middle leaders toolkit for improvement

Aware of the challenges that headteachers face in developing the skills of their middle leaders, this service offers a menu of in-school CPD sessions that can make a real difference to the success of middle leaders. The skills developed by the toolkit will enhance the ability of middle and emerging leaders to contribute more effectively to schools’ self-evaluation process and face Ofsted with greater confidence.

The toolkit can include a day or number of days that may cover aspects of:

• building high-performing teams
• leadership styles, including coaching and mentoring
• the cycle of school improvement, including effective target setting and monitoring
• leading highly effective teams
• inspiring and motivating colleagues
• managing complex staff issues – addressing under-performance
• influencing and negotiating
• good practice guidance
• setting objectives to ensure accountability
• monitoring progress effectively

Twilight programme

Our twilight programme of support is a truly flexible model of CPD for schools. We are able to work and engage with one school or collaborations of multiple numbers of schools, as well as for a varied number of participants. The number and length of sessions is also flexible and we can provide one facilitator for the programme or a different one for each session: the choice is yours.

The suite of twilights developed comprises three strands, one of which can be delivered for middle leaders.

Getting Ahead with CPD

ASCL Professional Development also runs a number of one-day CPD courses aimed at middle leaders, those aspiring to become middle leaders and for those who wish to become outstanding middle leaders. These courses are often designed for and are particularly suited to colleagues who lead subject areas or who have a specific responsibility in school.

We also provide a number of more generic skills and personal development based courses, such as Preparing to Become a Middle Leader, Coaching Techniques and Bringing About Change, all specifically designed for those aspiring to senior leadership posts.

To find out more about the Ahead:

• Middle Leaders Network, go to www.ascl.org.uk/ahead
• For further information about the Ahead: Aspiring senior leaders package for schools, the Ahead: Middle leaders toolkit for improvement or about the twilight programme, please email consultancy@ascl.org.uk
• To see the full list of ASCL Professional Development courses go to www.ascl.org.uk/events

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