Good Practice Case Study

STASSH 'Internship Programme' for Senior Leaders

Aims

To provide opportunities for senior staff to:

• experience leadership in different environments
• undertake practical CPD
• share practice first hand
• contribute to raising standards across STASSH institutions
• develop professional networks for senior staff
• prepare for future headship

To provide opportunities for STASSH to:

• strengthen leadership development
• raise standards by shared working

Target Group

Deputy Headteachers and Assistant Headteachers across STASSH schools, senior staff at Oaklands

Programme Outline

All participating institutions will swap one member of their leadership team with another STASSH institution for a period of one week.
The process works as follows:

• STASSH members indicate if they wish to be involved in the scheme each year
• Each institution identifies a preferred area of specialism for an internee placement
• Each institution sponsors one member of senior staff as an internee for the programme
• Potential internees complete a short application form  with brief reference from the HT. This will include their specialist area of work but not preferred placement
• A sub-group of STASSH members will co-ordinate the placements to match internee specialism with requests from receiving institution
• Once placements have been made it will be agreed which week these will take place. It is recommended that placements are co-ordinated so that they do not overlap over a TWO WEEK period.

Protocols for working in institutions

Protocols for working pre-agreed between schools including core activities for all internees to be involved with whilst on placement (e.g. – lesson observations, student tracking)

Outcomes

• Internees will be required to produce a short report highlighting key aspects of good leadership and management they have identified from the visit – this to be shared with their home school and placement school.
• A one-day conference will be held in the spring term 2008 to share the learning experience and identify core issues for development of the scheme.
• It is anticipated this may contribute to NPQH evidence, MSc/Ad Dip work or some other qualification

Definition

An ‘internee’ is a member of the leadership group who will spend a week in another institution gaining practical experience of leadership and management and provide support and expertise to the receiving institution.

Further Information

Contact:  Alan Gray,
Headteacher at Sandringham School, St Albans

Tel:  01727 759240
Email:  head@sandringham.herts.sch.uk

• top