Frequently asked questions for the Fellowship Programme

1. What is the Fellowship Programme?
The Fellowship Programme is provided by the National College and lasts for nine months. It aims to provide a leadership and management development opportunity of the highest quality for experienced headteachers, with a particular focus on system leadership.

2. Who is it for?
Participants are composed of National Leaders of Education (NLEs). Since the Fellowship focuses on system leadership and policy development, it follows that membership of this group is an entirely appropriate qualifying requirement. Some depth of system leadership experience is an added advantage.

3. What does the programme consist of?

For the 2010-11 cohort, there were eight key elements:

the completion of a 360 degree diagnostic
access to regular professional coaching sessions
a threshold event, which provides an introduction to the Fellowship programme, perspectives on system leadership, a mechanism for choosing the pathway and an introduction to the intended commission. This event is an intensive introduction to the programme and begins the process through which participants get to know each other and learn about their experience as NLEs
a challenge session and dinner at which the commission challenge is announced
a pathway development experience, typically through choice of a top leadership and management programme provided by a reputable business school and undertaken with senior leaders outside the field of education or participation in an exchange with colleagues in Singapore through the National Institute of Education
a pre-commission session and dinner, at which there is further bonding of the Fellowship group and preparation for the commission
the Fellowship commission, through which participants have presentations related to the challenge from a range of leading policy makers and senior managers, and access to expert witnesses and expert support, in order to address and advise on an educational question of national strategic importance
feedback to the challenge owners who will be senior policy figures or politicians, followed by the submission of a final report

4. How did participants benefit from the programme?

Participants have generally regarded the Fellowship programme as a unique and very good development experience. They valued the quality of many of the inputs, plenary facilitation and most pathway provision, and relished the opportunity to engage in real-time policy development.

In terms of contributing to, or meeting, personal goals and development, the great majority of participants rated the impact of the programme highly. Participants valued the contribution of the programme to their personal goals and missions and validated what they had to offer the system. For one, there was a strong and causal impact:

"I believe I am a better, stronger and more effective leader as a direct consequence of the programme. I am actively engaged with my own teams in transformational and experimental leadership. This is having a strong impact within my schools and within my local authority."

New knowledge was cited by several participants, in terms which included: greater awareness of cutting edge practice; understanding of working in a chain of schools; and greater awareness of future education policy. For one, "system design has taken my thinking to another level", although another felt the programme should have been more radical.

Particular benefits ranged from personal benefits to gaining the breadth of vision, skills and perhaps confidence to contribute to policy synthesis and analysis. Some were able to focus more on their personal goals and what they had to offer the system. Coaching and the 360 degree exercise helped some to see themselves and their motivations more clearly, and the quality of the pathway was for others a profound and challenging learning experience. Together these elements helped clarify thoughts and provide exposure to other leaders and ideas.

There was general satisfaction at being able to influence or contribute to the wider picture. For one, this was expressed as "giving a real sense of having impact on policy and engaging with policy makers". Above all, participants valued the opportunity to work with like-minded people to seek ways forward, describing this in such terms as "great", "interesting" and "exciting".

5. Was there any benefit to participants’ schools?

The emergent benefits to participants’ schools were more in evidence than might have been expected so soon after completion of the programme. One participant gave a concrete and detailed example which includes commission-style working.

"Future Highdown is an initiative I have launched which is focused on improving leadership across the school and, separately, across the senior officers of Reading local authority. Within school we are working with our students to identify opportunities to develop and expand their leadership skills and grow them through their time in school and on into the future. Within the LA, secondary heads and senior LA officers are working together to develop leadership awareness and work together to solve deep-seated problems."

Several other schools were forthcoming about the effect of the Fellowship programme. Some, for instance, were making better use of coaching. In one school, coaching was "becoming embedded and supporting the impact plan of a partner school"; another was "analysing what works well when staff support colleagues in other schools as consultants". A third found the coaching materials useful in developing its practice. Participants’ personal development had not gone unnoticed within their schools. One said, for example:

"My personal leadership development has changed as evidenced by other colleagues. My overview and insights into system leadership have helped me view the school in a different way, which helps strategic planning."

Benefits could be linked with all elements of the Fellowship programme, not least the opportunity to engage with and learn from fellow NLE participants. Several had communicated aspects to colleagues and governors in their schools and in one case discussed with governors and the leadership team the implications of the thinking of the Commission for their already outstanding school.

In general there is much evidence that the Fellowship programme expanded the thinking and horizons of participants in a way which encompassed their schools. This included deeper thinking about system leadership and planning further challenges, a greater focus on distributed leadership and strategic management, and the introduction of new ideas and possibilities such as franchising. Participants typically asserted that the experience was guiding their thinking for the future and that a vision of the broader picture enabled them to make a greater contribution.

6. What is expected of participants?

If you are thinking of applying for the Fellowship programme, you should be ready to:

make a commitment to the whole programme: because it is an entity, because it is a major investment in your development, and out of respect for your fellow headteacher participants. Your governors and leadership team should support the time out that will be required
be a receptive and reflective learner as well as a valuable contributor. Your vast experience and know-how are a fantastic resource, but not the only one
take some things on trust, such as coaching, and be ready to take collective responsibility for others, such as developing and delivering clear, coherent and realistic policy advice
meet and work with other top leaders in other occupations

One of the most difficult challenges for a group of leaders is to exert leadership within a group in contrast to leadership of a group.

7. How can I find out more?
You can find out more by contacting Jodi Davis on 0115 872 2598 or by email at fellowship@nationalcollege.org.uk.