Future Leaders

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Future Leaders is a UK schools-led charitable organisation that aims to widen the pool of talented leaders especially for urban challenging secondary schools. It was founded in March 2006 by Nat Wei, a former founder of Teach First.

1 The programme
2 Future Leaders' mission statement
3 Future Leaders beliefs
4 Other

[edit] The programme

Future Leaders recruits, trains and supports its participants through a two-year talent management programme that leads them to senior leadership of a school within 12 months of commencing training, and guides them to become a headteacher within 4 years of starting the programme. Participants benefit from a lifelong network of like-minded individuals and a world-class intensive training programme based in the UK and abroad that is designed specifically for leadership in urban schools and is run by top education and business leaders. Their first year of training is an apprenticeship under a highly-successful urban headteacher as a supernumerary resident at senior leadership level, often as an Associate Deputy Head. They also receive bespoke coaching support from an in-school peer tutor, an external leadership coach, and regular mentoring from their headteacher during term time. In their second year, participants are given support in finding their first substantive post as a senior leader - usually as a Deputy Head. Participants are paid their current salary in their residency year, and a salary commensurate with the new post they should achieve in their second year.

Future Leaders recruits current or former teachers who have strong leadership potential and who are looking for a route into senior leadership of challenging urban schools. There is no minimum age or experience required to apply to the programme, save Qualified Teacher Status and the ability to work in the UK, but the programme is very competitive to join and selects individuals with strong leadership potential and whose own personal mission is best aligned with Future Leaders' mission and aims.

In 2006, Future Leaders recruited 20 mission-driven individuals to be fast-tracked into senior leadership and will recruit another 40 in 2007.

[edit] Future Leaders' mission statement

Every child has potential. We help them to realise it by developing leaders for challenging urban schools............

[edit] Future Leaders beliefs

There are five main beliefs that provide the foundations for the training programme:

1. EVERY CHILD - All children can achieve even in the most complex urban environments

2. NO EXCUSES - Adults (teachers and other school staff, parents and carers) are responsible for ensuring all children reach their potential

3. HIGH EXPECTATIONS - Providing a high quality education is vital for a fair society that affords every child the full range of opportunities in life

4. LEAD LEARNING - Great schools are led by great leaders who have a focus on learning and attract, develop and coach great staff to reach every child

5. NO ISLANDS - A large number of excellent school leaders can lead to a sustainable improvement across the education system. This is crucial to enable all children to succeed.