Programme structure
The New Visions programme includes:
- a choice of groups within your region (North, The Midlands and South)
- cross-phase groups of around 20 headteachers working with a highly-skilled facilitator and consultant head
- one two-day residential and four further one-day sessions over 10 months
- enquiry approaches which engage headteachers in personal and collaborative reflection on issues that are important to them
- study visits to other schools and other learning activities between face-to-face sessions
- e-learning and online dialogue
Blended learning
The face-to-face sessions draw on a wide range of learning methods including:
- peer support through the development of mentoring, coaching and critical friendship
- action learning sets
- self and situation analysis tools
- study group work on specially commissioned thinkpieces and case studies from successful practice elsewhere
- visits to other schools
- self-reflection
- networking
Programme themes
The real issues that headteachers confront every day provide much of the content of the programme. These are illuminated through six themes which relate directly to NCSL's Strategy for Leadership Learning 
(6 pages) and the new National Standards for Headteachers.
New Visions is based on a professional learning model.
Day 1: Learning-centred leadership
- The principles of learning-centred leadership
- An analysis of the perceptions of the school from different standpoints
- Using hard data to focus on ‘how well is your school doing?’
Day 2: Leadership and accountability
- What does it mean to be accountable as a head?
- Mapping the moral territory of leadership
- Exploring moral dilemmas in context and through case studies
Day 3: Interpersonal leadership
- Reflecting on self as a learner
- Exploring the links between effective relationships, a positive school climate and securing high performance
- Analysing the emotional climate of the school
Day 4: Leading change, creating alignment
- Aligning vision, values and purpose
- Exploring models for leading change in schools
- Considering the relationship between emotional security and a climate of innovation and change
Day 5: Building leadership capacity
- Why share leadership?
- Developing organisational capacity for leadership at all levels
- Challenging organisational structures and reconfiguring organisational design
Day 6: Developing a community of practice
- The school as a community of practice
- Reviewing personal learning and developing a continuing personal learning strategy
- Consolidation, closure and celebration
