Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve the leadership skills of head teachers; and if she will make a statement.

As part of our programme to develop a school-led system, the government supports the development of excellent school leadership, together with high-quality teaching. Professional development for schools leaders, to support and develop excellent leadership, is therefore important.

The National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) enables headteachers to develop their skills in areas such as leading and improving teaching, leading an effective school and leading change for improvement. A range of short programmes are also available to headteachers to support their development, either through school-led providers of the NPQH or through self-study modules available via the National Archives located within the GOV.uk website.

The National College for Teaching and Leadership recently piloted a Multi-Academy Trust Leadership Programme. This had a heavy emphasis on high-level business and strategic finance skills in recognition of the fact that the need for leadership and business skills varies considerably between leading a single school, and running a chain of five or more schools.

A review of headteacher standards, chaired by Dame Dana Ross-Wawrzynski, was launched by the Department for Education on 17 April 2014. It brought together a group of respected professionals, including headteachers, to create new standards for the sector. The standards set out the behaviour, qualities and knowledge expected of today’s headteachers. The new National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers were published in January 2015 and are available online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-standards-of-excellence-for-headteachers

System leaders also provide support for improving the leadership skills of headteachers. For example, ‘local leaders of education’ work outside their own school, providing support to another headteacher and their school. The two headteachers work together to plan and implement improvements.