This unique training course provides participants with the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and knowledge in the context of special educational needs and disability (SEND) provision. Learning alongside fellow SEND professionals from the further education sector, you will explore your own leadership challenges through a combination of online learning sessions, action learning sets and coaching.
Who is this course for?
This course is suitable for
principals and aspiring principals of specialist FE colleges
leaders and aspiring leaders of SEND or additional learning needs (ALN) provision in other FE and skills settings.
Why should I do this course?
This is an ideal course for professionals who want to develop their leadership skills in the context of SEND/ALN provision, with a delivery team and fellow participants who understand SEND/ALN issues.
You will develop your knowledge and skills in a supportive environment, learning not only from course leaders and guest contributors, but also from your fellow participants.
By the end of the course you will have gained a peer network of senior leaders working in SEND/ALN. We hope that you will be able to continue to support one another as your careers develop.
Having improved your understanding of leadership and developed your skills, you will be well-placed to lead not only your own organisations but also the wider SEND/ALN system.
What does the course cover?
The course includes three main elements:
four modules delivered through online group learning sessions plus an initial orientation session
three online meetings in action learning sets
four coaching sessions.
You will also have access to a set of digital resources and be encouraged to extend your learning through peer learning experiences.
The total structured learning time for the programme is just short of 30 hours; you should allow a further 20 hours (approximately) of self-directed preparation and reflection to enable you to get the most out of the course.
This course will take place online in 2021 but subsequent cohorts are likely to follow a blended learning approach, including some face-to-face delivery, once circumstances permit.
Course Structure
Click on the icons in the diagram below to explore the course elements in more detail.
A 2-hour interactive session to kick-off the programme. Participants will leave this session with a full understanding of the programme aims, content, format and approach and will have had the opportunity to have any questions answered. Collective ‘hopes’ and ‘fears’ will be explored in a supportive environment to ensure that everyone begins the journey fully motivated. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, participants will leave this session having ‘got to know each other’.
Each participant will have 4 1:1 sessions with a leadership coach. All sessions will be confidential with a duration of 90 mins. The first session will be slightly longer to allow for additional contracting formalities to be completed.
The coaching sessions are an opportunity for each participant to reflect on the programme and discuss their thoughts and conclusions in a safe, supportive environment.
The leadership coach will act as a ‘critical friend’, providing challenge and support to facilitate the participant’s leadership journey. The coaching sessions follow the Core Sessions in the programme timeline. This is to encourage participants to use the time to reflect on the previous Core Session and to prepare for the next elements of the programme. Participants may however decide to use the time to reflect on and discuss any element of their leadership.
A 3-hour interactive session to explore the subject of leadership from the inside-out.
Before attending this core session, participants will have completed a number of short pre-module reflective activities and questionnaires and will have also had the opportunity to discuss their conclusions with their coach.
Working in pairs or small groups, participants will share the conclusions of their pre-work to explore how topics such as their values, beliefs, strengths and motivators have an impact on their approach to leadership.
Additionally, the topic of individual resilience will be explored giving participants a set of practical tools to build and grow their resilience as a leader.
Each participant will have 4 1:1 sessions with a leadership coach. All sessions will be confidential with a duration of 90 mins. The first session will be slightly longer to allow for additional contracting formalities to be completed.
The coaching sessions are an opportunity for each participant to reflect on the programme and discuss their thoughts and conclusions in a safe, supportive environment.
The leadership coach will act as a ‘critical friend’, providing challenge and support to facilitate the participant’s leadership journey. The coaching sessions follow the Core Sessions in the programme timeline. This is to encourage participants to use the time to reflect on the previous Core Session and to prepare for the next elements of the programme. Participants may however decide to use the time to reflect on and discuss any element of their leadership.
Participants meet in group of 4-6 participants (known as a set). The Set participants will remain constant throughout the programme.
Each participant allocated time to ‘present’ and explore a leadership problem/challenge. Ideally, participants will bring a significant leadership challenge that can be worked on throughout the programme.
Taking it in turns, the whole set works for the benefit of the person presenting the issue using insightful questioning.
The aim for the individual presenting the issue is to act on the issue and to reflect and learn from their action.
Action learning is often the most powerful and long-lasting element of a leadership programme with participants choosing to continue the group beyond the end of the programme.
A 3-hour interactive session to explore the complexities of leading an organisation in the SEND/ALN sector and to identify ways to lead both within and beyond their boundaries.Before attending this core session, participants will have completed a number of short pre-module reflective activities and questionnaires and will have also had the opportunity to discuss their conclusions with their coach.Working in pairs or small groups, participants will share the conclusions of their pre-work to explore the challenges faced when leading their organisation in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) environment.The subject of ‘change’ and ‘learning agility’ will be introduced, and using a ‘systems’ approach, participants will be encouraged to consider the impact of their numerous and varied stakeholder groups.
Each participant will have 4 1:1 sessions with a leadership coach. All sessions will be confidential with a duration of 90 mins. The first session will be slightly longer to allow for additional contracting formalities to be completed.
The coaching sessions are an opportunity for each participant to reflect on the programme and discuss their thoughts and conclusions in a safe, supportive environment.
The leadership coach will act as a ‘critical friend’, providing challenge and support to facilitate the participant’s leadership journey. The coaching sessions follow the Core Sessions in the programme timeline. This is to encourage participants to use the time to reflect on the previous Core Session and to prepare for the next elements of the programme. Participants may however decide to use the time to reflect on and discuss any element of their leadership.
Participants meet in group of 4-6 participants (known as a set). The Set participants will remain constant throughout the programme.
Each participant allocated time to ‘present’ and explore a leadership problem/challenge. Ideally, participants will bring a significant leadership challenge that can be worked on throughout the programme.
Taking it in turns, the whole set works for the benefit of the person presenting the issue using insightful questioning.
The aim for the individual presenting the issue is to act on the issue and to reflect and learn from their action.
Action learning is often the most powerful and long-lasting element of a leadership programme with participants choosing to continue the group beyond the end of the programme.
A 3-hour interactive session to explore how to be an effective leader of others.
Before attending this core session, participants will have completed a number of short pre-module reflective activities and questionnaires and will have also had the opportunity to discuss their conclusions with their coach.
Building on the work completed in the previous Core Sessions participants will work in pairs or small groups to explore concepts such as psychological safety, power, influence and a range of different leadership styles.
Participants will identify ways of harnessing their individual strengths as a leader to achieve not only their organisation’s vision but to have an impact in the wider SEND/ALN sector.
Each participant will have 4 1:1 sessions with a leadership coach. All sessions will be confidential with a duration of 90 mins. The first session will be slightly longer to allow for additional contracting formalities to be completed.
The coaching sessions are an opportunity for each participant to reflect on the programme and discuss their thoughts and conclusions in a safe, supportive environment.
The leadership coach will act as a ‘critical friend’, providing challenge and support to facilitate the participant’s leadership journey. The coaching sessions follow the Core Sessions in the programme timeline. This is to encourage participants to use the time to reflect on the previous Core Session and to prepare for the next elements of the programme. Participants may however decide to use the time to reflect on and discuss any element of their leadership.
Participants meet in group of 4-6 participants (known as a set). The Set participants will remain constant throughout the programme.
Each participant allocated time to ‘present’ and explore a leadership problem/challenge. Ideally, participants will bring a significant leadership challenge that can be worked on throughout the programme.
Taking it in turns, the whole set works for the benefit of the person presenting the issue using insightful questioning.
The aim for the individual presenting the issue is to act on the issue and to reflect and learn from their action.
Action learning is often the most powerful and long-lasting element of a leadership programme with participants choosing to continue the group beyond the end of the programme.
This final Core Session is led entirely by the participants.
In the time between completing the previous Core Session and this final Core Session, the participants will have worked individually, in pairs or in small groups to influence not only their organisation, but within the wider SEND/ALN sector.
Participants will present a summary of their personal learning journey, highlighting the impact on themselves, their organisation and the wider SEND/SLN sector, to an audience composed of their peers and invited guests from the SEND/ALN sector.
This Core Session will also be an opportunity to capture feedback on the programme for future cohorts and to celebrate the completion of the individual and collective leadership journeys.
A library of digital resources will be available to participants. It will include public-domain videos, audio clips, websites, articles, blogs, vlogs, book summaries to supplement each of the core sessions. Some of the resources will support pre-work for each the core sessions. Additional resources will be provided for participants wishing to explore topics in more detail. As the programme develops, participants will be encouraged to suggest items to add to the library.
Peer learning is at the heart of this programme. As well as taking advantage of learning alongside other SEND professionals, participants will be encouraged to organise visits, discussions or group activities with fellow participants outside the structured learning time of the programme itself.
How will my achievements on this course be recognised?
Natspec will issue a course completion certificate to all participants who complete the course.
Who is involved in the delivery of this course?
Course leader: Simon Whitehouse
Simon will deliver each of the four leadership modules and facilitate the action learning sets. He has over 20 years’ experience in designing and facilitating leadership programmes for leaders at all levels within private and public sector organisations in the UK and abroad. He has worked with leaders in the UK further education sector since 2009 including on national programmes such as the Principals Qualifying Programme and Aspiring Principals Programme and with individual FE colleges, including specialist colleges.
Coach: Jane Ragless
Jane will be coaching course participants. She is an experienced coach, coaching trainer, manager, and practitioner. Currently Deputy Head of Learning in Foundation Programmes at Chichester College, she has delivered the ‘License to Coach’ programme across the college group, developing participants’ ability to create a coaching ethos within their provision. Jane has been involved with SEND in further education for over 20 years. Instrumental in the creation of a quality driven, robust RARPA process, she received the Chichester College Group STAR award for innovation in teaching, learning and assessment.
Coach: Franki Williams
Franki will be coaching course participants. She provides coaching to senior leaders in the FE sector as well as delivering bespoke consultancy and training. She is currently completing a Level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring, accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management. Franki has worked in SEND provision as a teacher, manager and leader and has a specialist interest in working with young autistic people and those with profound and complex needs. She has an M.Ed. in Severe, Profound and Complex Needs from the University of Birmingham.
When will this course be delivered?
The majority of this course takes place over a six-month period, with a final reflective session in which you will consider course impact, around 10 weeks later.
Key dates for the January 2021 cohort:
Optional tech drop-in session: 7 January
Orientation session: 13 January
Coaching: weeks beginning 25 January, 1 March, 26 April, 14 June
Sessions on Leading Yourself, Your Organisation, Others, The Sector: 10 February, 31 March, 26 May, 29 September
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Simon will deliver each of the four leadership modules and facilitate the action learning sets. He has over 20 years’ experience in designing and facilitating leadership programmes for leaders at all levels within private and public sector organisations in the UK and abroad. He has worked with leaders in the UK further education sector since 2009 including on national programmes such as the Principals Qualifying Programme and Aspiring Principals Programme and with individual FE colleges, including specialist colleges.
Jane will be coaching course participants. She is an experienced coach, coaching trainer, manager, and practitioner. Currently Deputy Head of Learning in Foundation Programmes at Chichester College, she has delivered the ‘License to Coach’ programme across the college group, developing participants’ ability to create a coaching ethos within their provision. Jane has been involved with SEND in further education for over 20 years. Instrumental in the creation of a quality driven, robust RARPA process, she received the Chichester College Group STAR award for innovation in teaching, learning and assessment.
Franki will be coaching course participants. She provides coaching to senior leaders in the FE sector as well as delivering bespoke consultancy and training. She is currently completing a Level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring, accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management. Franki has worked in SEND provision as a teacher, manager and leader and has a specialist interest in working with young autistic people and those with profound and complex needs. She has an M.Ed. in Severe, Profound and Complex Needs from the University of Birmingham.