• APPLICATIONS FOR 2012 ARE NOW OPEN:  |  Please call us if you have any application queries.
  • Teaching Leaders Impact  |  GCSE passes up by 15% in our first cohort’s departments, 1.5 times as fast as their schools.
  • Teaching Leaders Impact  |  70% of the first cohort have been promoted or given extra responsibility since beginning the programme

Improvement Initiative

The Teaching Leaders programme provides a really special opportunity for middle-leaders to undertake an impact-focused project with the aim of raising standards, grades, and life chances of the pupils in the participant's area of responsibility. This Improvement Initiative is the main focus of the Teaching Leaders programme, where the skills and concepts participants acquire are put into practice - with measurable results:

  • At the start of the programme, each participant selects a target group of 100-200 underachieving pupils using performance data, combined with their own knowledge and observation in their area of responsibility.
  • The participant then plans a strategy to improve the attainment and development of pupils in their target group. For example, the participant might consult their team to develop a more accessible scheme of work, organise after-school classes, or provide a small number of disruptive pupils with support to improve their behaviour.
  • We encourage participants to be creative with their Initiative: each of their situations is different, and we support them in developing a unique plan and strategy during their first term on the programme.

The Improvement Initiative is agreed with their Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and throughout the implementation they are supported by their leadership coach and Problem Solving Discussion Group (PSDG).

Participants evaluate their progress with the initiative at the end of each term, reviewing which aspects are successful, and planning their course of action for the following term. Find out more details in our participant handbook.

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The most successful Improvement Initiatives are celebrated with awards, and participants are able to demonstrate measurable impact in their school:

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“In my new role as Head of Maths, I wanted support for the transition to managing a faculty. I faced many challenges, one of which was tackling the underachievement among Y9 and Y10 pupils. Teaching Leaders encouraged me to target them for my Improvement Initiative, and the personalised coaching helped me strategically plan and implement a programme of interventions involving all stakeholders, and encouraging student and parent voice.

“The results have been really rewarding: In Sept 2008 when I took over the department was 'unsatisfactory' at KS4; in Sept 2010 it was held up as a leading example of best practice in the school."

Emma Soper, 2009 cohort

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Other examples of previous Improvement Initiatives:

"My goal is that a group of ca. 60 students who have missed their KS3 school target grade will, at a minimum, achieve their KS4 target grade, as set by the school."

"I have chosen to focus on a group of 75 students who have caused behaviour concerns in the last year and or have the potential to cause disruption to learning this year."

"I will focus on Year 10 Gifted and Talented students. These students experienced weak and ineffectual teaching for a large part of this year and therefore underperformed in the SATS tests."


Find out more:

overview and mission   participant experience   improvement initiative   training and support   unique experiences  participant stories