leadership development and support on a shoestring

The position of head teacher, like any CEO, can be very solitary.

Inevitably, it is difficult to find support within the organisation itself, and external competition makes peer support from other CEOs a rare commodity.

Ian Morton is the head teacher of Brampton Primary School in East Ham. Dealing daily with very difficult circumstances, Ian’s need was for more immediate, more relevant and more accessible support. His challenge : to identify a format which would meet his needs – within his limited budget.

Our story

“Ian’s deeply committed to his own development, and his frustration with the resources available surfaced one day over coffee. Ian felt very clearly that he needed leadership orientation, rather than the input-based training available, and support for the isolation and stress attaching to his position.

It was immediately obvious to us that Action Learning Sets would meet most of Ian’s needs. Action Learning Sets are far from theoretical : they address real issues, and they do it through the medium of a peer group. At the same time, they have the potential to act as a hothouse for leadership development. Finally, as a shared resource, the investment required would be divided equally between all participants.

Two years later, the group is still meeting, testimony to its own success. Newham’s head teachers participating have effectively created their own, ongoing, free development resource, and we are now working with one of the heads on an innovation project, adapting our techniques for use with some of her troubled and challenging pupils - age nine.”