The charity Teaching Leaders, which works to develop middle leaders to work in schools in challenging circumstances, has received the government funding to support its work in the coming years.
Set-up in 2008, Teaching Leaders trains both subject and pastoral leaders and to date has trained or is currently training almost 2,000 middle leaders.
The new Department for Education funding – the amount of which has not been revealed – will be used to develop and deliver the charity’s Fellows programme for secondary middle leaders nationwide.
CEO James Toop said: “We have demonstrated over the past eight years how high-quality middle leaders make a direct impact on teaching quality and the educational outcomes of disadvantaged children. The new contract will support Teaching Leaders to expand its existing programme and increase its impact in those areas with the greatest level of disadvantage.
“Our work will ensure that more children can break the cycle of educational disadvantage, do well at school and succeed in later life. Over the past eight years, we have proven that growing a movement of outstanding middle leaders is an effective way to both improve pupil outcomes and nurture the headteachers of tomorrow.”
Education secretary Nicky Morgan said: “High-quality school leaders are an essential part of delivering our vision of educational excellence everywhere. We are making good progress towards this goal with Ofsted rating 87 per cent of schools as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ for leadership and management, but we are not complacent.
“Alongside the National Teaching Service, which will place some of our best teachers and middle leaders in schools that need them most, Teaching Leaders are playing a vital role in driving forward our vision – working with schools in challenging areas to identify talented middle leaders to inspire young people and developing them into brilliant future leaders.”
Teaching Leaders is also to pilot new delivery methods for its training in less populated parts of England. For more information on the training programme, or to apply, visit www.teachingleaders.org.uk