New School Leaders

An outline of the particular support offered by the Board of Education for established, new and aspiring headteachers.

Established headteachers will know what a challenging, demanding, complex, exhausting and hugely rewarding career it is!

Along with the learning, laughter and fun of teaching and inspiring children, there can be big issues to manage, and a broad range of relationships with staff, parents and governors to maintain.

The Board of Education supports headteachers from the earliest point of considering an application for a post, then through the appointments process, the first two years and beyond.

Read more about what support is available for headteachers and other school leaders.

Headteacher Commissioning

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New Headteacher Commissioning June 2024

It is vital the as a headteacher is appointed to their new headship they are warmly welcomed into their role. We do this with tea, cake and Bishop Stephen Lake. ​ Bishop Stephen and Carol Lake host headteachers newly appointed to their role at their home, offer refreshments and a blessing. These are wonderful occasions that recognise the important role that headteachers fulfil. ​Recent research into flourishing by Briggs and Reiss has identified three dimensions of flourishing; the material, the relational and the transcendent. Our headteacher commissioning celebrations blend all three dimensions in a most wonderful way. ​

As a headteacher present described:​

‘Sincere thank you for your kind invitation to the commissioning service and afternoon tea party, giving us both a warm and generous welcome. It was wonderful to meet with you all again, catch up and share precious times together, reaching out with joy, love, respect and compassion. We are at our finest when we are supporting one another.’​

The transition to the Programme for Church School Flourishing and trust led recruitment may result in trusts offering a different model of training for aspiring and newly appointed headteachers. If a school has engaged with the Programme for Church School Flourishing the SDBE trained Champion for Church School Recruitment will be able to advise on the trust career pathway available.

Commissioning and Afternoon tea

New or aspiring heads

Those aspiring to school leadership will be encouraged to know how the Board of Education actively supports this journey to headship through focused training opportunities and an advisory involvement in headteacher recruitment processes from advert planning to interviews.

New headteachers are welcomed by the Board of Education, who delight in each appointment and commit to working closely with every new headteacher. Following the successful appointment, an advisor will visit the new headteacher, this marks the beginning of a two year induction process involving training, school visits and commissioning. The two year programme of induction is included in the SDBE Partner Service Agreement (PSA). The new headteacher training programme within the induction offer includes:

Advice on:

• The importance of a Christian vision
• The headteacher as a spiritual leader
• Developing and leading impactful collective worship
• The SIAMS process of evaluation and inspection
• Where to find help and support from the Board of Education and elsewhere.

Upcoming Introduction courses include:

Introduction to the Diocese for New Headteachers : 17th September 2024

Introduction to the Diocese for New Headteachers : 5th February 2025

Development Session for New Headteachers : 11th March 2025

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world"
Mahatma Gandhi