With the support of our Principal, I have enrolled on the National College for School Leadership, ‘Leadership Pathways’ programme, targeted at senior leaders and aspirant senior leaders looking to;
- develop whole-school leadership
- potentially aspiring to headship but requiring further development before
registering for NPQH - interested in learning at this level and looking for access to development activities
Having undertaken the ‘Leading from the Middle’ course towards the end of my middle management journey and feeling very comfortable with the content, I wanted to take the next step a little more swiftly. Perhaps not quite ready for NPQH, ‘Leadership Pathways’ represented a formal career professional development opportunity. A stepping stone to NPQH perhaps.
What is Leadership Pathways
Leadership Pathways is a mix of online diagnostics, networks and self-directed learning are coupled with three face-to-face, core days sessions;
Core Day 1: Taking first steps
Core Day 2: Engaging with change
Core Day 3: Sharing leadership learning
This learning package is supplemented by six coaching sessions, (in my case with our Principal),
- Getting started
- Building a pathway
- Sustaining momentum
- Supporting the planning process
- Supporting change
- Embedding new practice
that underpin a school based impact project (in my case, an area of Parental Engagement).
I plan to use this opportunity to hold myself accountable to the ‘Area Improvement Plan’ that I have written and to keep my professional self focused. If you are looking to gain an insight into the NCSL provision, I will try and post my thoughts here using the #LP hashtag.
Interesting, as part of the course, there is an internal blogging tool for self reflection. Where applicable, I will simply cross-post but where I review the provision / experience I will probably only post here.
My upcoming Leadership Pathways activities
Read Programme Induction (done). Read the Guide to the Online Diagnostic (done). Explore the Online Network (done). Complete your online diagnostic (done).
So, the 360° diagnostic survey has been completed, invitations sent to an array of colleagues and returns are starting to drop into my inbox. Next step, schedule of the core day dates and get on with the self-directed learning.
Stepping up to leadership: Understanding self
You can find out more about each self-directed learning unit here.
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