Professional development

• Middle Leadership Development Programme
  • Who is MLDP for?
  • Role of the facilitator
  • Role of the learning colleague
  • Programme details
  • Apply
  • Background to the programme
  • Contact details

Middle Leadership Development Programme

The Middle Leadership Development Programme (MLDP) is examining the feasibility of clusters of schools running their own middle leadership development programmes with National College support.

The programme provides opportunities for middle leaders to focus on themselves as learners and develop their knowledge, skills and understanding of adult learning, ultimately enabling support of other middle leaders.

Key facts

• The College is testing a new delivery model, and this programme is being expanded to incorporate a further 150 clusters from autumn 2010.
• The focus is on developing leadership of teaching and learning, in order to reduce in-school variation and narrow the achievement gap, while addressing key leadership strategies.
• The programme has been developed on the assumption that effective middle leaders understand the changing context within which children and young people are learning and that, as leaders, they have experience of effective leadership and learning and know how they are achieved.
• As part of the programme, participants will undertake a leadership challenge, aimed at achieving impact and improvement for pupils and students.
• Everyone involved is required to register online prior to commencing their respective roles.

Duration

The programme takes approximately ten months to complete. School clusters start on a tranche-by-tranche basis.

Delivery method

There are two main centres for learning: one within the cluster and one within the individual participant's own school. In-cluster sessions will provide opportunities for participants to learn alongside each other, with facilitator support; while sessions in schools will enable participants to undertake follow up tasks, supported by their colleagues.

Who is MLDP for?

Groups (clusters) of schools with an identified lead school and at least one (preferably, two) facilitator. Clusters will need to contain at least one high-performing school (rated good or outstanding by Ofsted).

While the minimum number of schools per cluster is two, we anticipate that the average cluster will contain five or six. Cluster schools will need to contain enough middle leaders for the cluster to be able to run MLDP cohorts for a minimum of two years.

To test the delivery model, we are looking for a broad range of cluster types. For example, different types and phases of schools, different cluster arrangements including local authority-identified clusters, federations and clusters based on children’s trusts, and some schools already delivering leadership development or training.

Next application round

Open now until Thursday 30 September 2010.