Local area support

NCSL supports local areas across the country by working in close partnership with schools and school leaders, local authorities, dioceses, professional associations, and governor bodies to identify and inspire talented candidates to become headteachers.

NCSL has a number of initiatives to help you implement succession planning in your region:

National Succession Consultants

NCSL has recently recruited 19 National Succession Consultants who will work as a national team to promote leadership succession with local authorities, faith organisations and other significant school groups (with around 50 or more member schools). They will be assigned to regions and will also have responsibilities for particular national issues or networks.


Local solutions for leadership succession: advice for local areas

This advice document has been developed following the succession planning pilot activity between September 2006 and July 2007. It is hoped that it will provide local authorities and other organisations with some practical advice and illustrations of activities from pilot areas.


Find out how the Leadership Network can support you

NCSL's Leadership Network is a national network for school leaders and others in education-related leadership roles, with nine regional networks across the country. The network offers opportunities to develop local solutions to national issues through a programme of regional events, innovative development and policy-informing initiatives, activities and resources designed to enable network members to share in the latest thinking and practice of school leaders nationwide.

Find out how to register for the Leadership Network.

Local Solutions pilot area project

The Local Solutions project began in September 2006 and ended as a pilot project in July 2007 as the focus of the work of the College moved to national scale. The eleven pilot areas who worked with NCSL on this project included a mix of local authorities, consortia and other organisations. Each of the pilot areas analysed its leadership succession challenges and identified strategic priorities for action. They have worked with school leaders to develop a range of talent identification and talent management activities including events, conferences, coaching, mentoring, leadership shadowing and other professional development opportunities aimed aspirant leaders and current headteachers.

The learning and evaluations gained from the pilot have been used to inform the move to national scale and to assist NCSL's National Succession Consultants in their work with local authorities and other organisations across England.

Further details can be obtained by emailing tomorrowsleaderstoday@ncsl.org.uk.