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The application round for LftM is now open. Find out how to apply.

Leading from the Middle

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Important notice - changes to the programme and application process

Leading from the Middle (LftM) remains popular and oversubscribed, therefore we are amending the programme delivery and recruitment process. Find out more about these important changes and how they affect you.

Overview

Leading from the Middle (LftM) is a 10-month professional development programme for middle leaders.

The programme supports the leadership development of middle leaders in five key areas:

  1. Leadership of innovation and change
  2. Knowledge and understanding of their role in leading teaching and learning
  3. Enhancing self-confidence and skills as team leaders
  4. Building team capacity through the efficient use of staff and resources
  5. Active engagement in self-directed change in a blended learning environment

Leadership coaches are school-based and play a key role in developing middle leader colleagues by supporting and challenging them throughout the programme. The programme also provides leadership coaches with a valuable opportunity for their own professional development and training.

Eligibility

LftM is available to a wide range of middle leaders in subject-based and pastoral roles and with different levels of experience. The online materials and experience of tutors reflect this variation. Experience has shown that participants with between two and six years' experience in a middle-leader role gain maximum benefit from participating in LftM.

Examples of eligible middle leader roles include:

Leadership coaches

Experience shows that the leadership coach role has been most successfully undertaken by an experienced leader within the school. A leadership coach should be an individual with a number of the following attributes:

Pre-sessional activities for leadership coaches:

Collaborative groups

When proposing your collaborative, please bear in mind that the typical size is between 18 and 24 middle leaders. To discuss your proposed collaborative further, please contact your regional provider. For information on working as part of a collaborative group, please see benefits to collaborative groups.

Availability

The next application round for LftM will open on 18 May 18 2009. There is no formal closing date, as each regional provider will close their application round once all places have been allocated.

Because the programme is extremely popular, we anticipate that the programme will be oversubscribed. Unfortunately, NCSL is unable to fund any further places for this cohort once all existing places have been allocated.

Contact us

If you have any queries and are unable to reach your regional provider, please email lftm@ncsl.org.uk. This inbox is checked regularly during office hours and we will respond to your email as soon as possible.