A small team with the School Business Manager, the Assistant Head (CPD) and some input from an external consultant for objectivity and consistency, have developed this programme which includes 6 key elements:

A pre programme planning and development phase localises the programme to meet the individual school’s needs and highlights any tensions that may need addressing.

“It was the pupils who recognised that support staff didn’t always use the same words as teachers to tackle poor behaviour.”

As part of the skills audit (which fits into national leadership frameworks) each participant identifies areas of strength against 20 leadership attributes.

“It’s been a real eye opener-evaluating my own skills and being made aware that I’ve got so much to offer. I can do all these things”.

“I realise I’m good at what I do.”

External mentors, recruited with proven leadership experience, a sense of commitment and social responsibility play a key support, challenge and progress monitoring role with participants. Appropriate matching of participants and mentors is critical.

“Meeting my mentor has given me so much confidence and allowed me to evaluate my own practice.”

“Since working with my mentor I’ve been looking at myself from a different angle and it’s given me a great boost: I’m now able to confront staff and have the difficult conversations with parents”

“Mentors have got a lot out of this too.”

Participants develop a personalised training plan to cover gaps in their experience and these might be met through visits to other organisations, leading projects or attending external training.

“I’d never been to visit another school before and I was so worried about going but afterwards I realised how much I got out of it and I’m off to another one now.”

“I didn’t think we’d be allowed to do this sort of thing and it would just be for teachers.”

“I’ve met up with others doing a similar group across the LA and now we’re going to meet regularly.”

Central Training for all participants and mentors covers commonly identified needs such an emotional intelligence or communication. It is spaced across the programme to keep it invigorated and refreshed. The Project team needs to focus on what is right for the institution. Finding the right time is challenging particularly but worth it.

“After those coaching sessions I thought: next time I’ll know how to deal with it and now I do feel confident at dealing with difficult people”

“I can’t pretend it’s easy in our school to release a group of 8 of us on the same day but we’ve managed it.”

As materials, Conyers have produced a handbook which schools can localise to reflect their own identity and circumstances. Participants can use it flexibly to create a reflective log of their training, a diary of progress and a record of meetings with mentors.

“I’ve kept it with me and just jotted down things every day. I’ve done so much.”

A guidance booklet is available for those running the programme. These materials have been revised after trialling in a variety of schools.