Effective school leaders are an important factor for teachers’ self-efficacy, wellbeing, job satisfaction and retention. It is essential, therefore, that those considering stepping into Headship, seek first to understand what factors comprise ‘effective school leadership’.

This one-day course seeks to guide those aspiring to Headship or new to Headship as they navigate this terrain, its challenges, opportunities, threats and rewards - all of which can (and often do) happen on the same day!

The course cannot cover every aspect of Headship but through a mix of case-studies, theory and self-reflection will create space for participants to think deeply about their leadership style, what the role entails, what they will bring to it and how to set themselves up for success.

Session 1 - Why do you want to be a Head?

• Telling your story
• Personal brand
• Why should anyone follow you anyway?
• Put your oxygen mask on first

Session 2 - Leading in a VUCA world

• Complexity
• Setting your team up for success
• What happens when the worst happens?

Session 3 - You've written a vision statement, now what?

• Strategy
• Development planning
• Day to day operations
• Inspection

Session 4 - Stakeholder relationships

• Governors
• Parents and the community
• Staff (past, present and future)
• Students (past, present and future).

Presenter Profile

Kathryn Gorman

Originally trained as an English teacher, Kathryn’s career in education spans 25 years. She has taught overseas, in challenging inner-city schools and highly selective independent schools, has been a Head of Department, Assistant Head and Deputy Head and latterly was Head at an all-through, non-selective Nursery-16 setting in the independent sector.

Kathryn’s leadership is values-led and framed by authenticity. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of community and that a school is the sum of its parts. Children succeed when their school and parents work together in partnership in pursuit of shared aspirations.

Her professional interests are in the future of education and curriculum transformation, voice and agency, leadership, strategy and Governance. She is Founder and Director of Clarion Education Ltd and Associate for several consultancies including JMC Education that focus on governance, change and transformation.

Kathryn is Chair of Governors at a local primary school, a Governor at a prestigious performing arts independent school and am part of the founding board of directors of an online AP provision for neurodiverse children. She also works as a senior advisor for the Alban Teaching School Hub and as part of the Herts Governance Training team.

Cost: £250 per delegate

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