engage

Your Career• 3 Min read

6th March 2019

How to get promoted to a leadership position at your school

Once you have worked with us to secure a fantastic teaching position in your ideal chosen school, it’s natural to wonder what your next steps will be – whether this be in a year’s time, or five years’ time. You can start planning a future at your new school from the day you begin teaching, and aiming for those coveted leadership positions.

There are different routes towards securing a leadership position in the Education sector, and Engage is here to help you on the journey that best suits you.

Progress in your current role

Keep educating yourself

To be a great teacher, and to eventually become a great education leader, you should be passionate about learning more and growing your vocation. Paying close attention to your continued personal development will give you extra skills as a teacher that you can rely on in the classroom, and also add increased value to your post in the eyes of your employer; who will see that you are committed to improving as an educator.

You should look out for CPD events in your local area, such as those run by Engage Education and our partners, Creative Education. Our CPD events are completely free to attend , and give you new skills to manage and excel in your career, and you’ll receive a certificate for each event that you complete.

CPD events can take the form of:

  • training courses and workshops
  • studying for a qualification or accreditation
  • online courses/webinars/podcasts
  • observation and shadowing, mentoring
  • peer group exchanges
  • attending exhibitions and conferences
  • international exchanges
  • self-reflection and research

Our previous CPD events have covered topics related to:

  • subject knowledge enhancement
  • mental health support in the classroom
  • revision strategy training
  • leadership skills
  • effective teaching assistant use
  • subject leader training
  • behavioural management
  • time management
  • coaching and motivational skills

If you’re considering a particular course, first check that it is accredited by the UK Continuing Professional Development Service (CPDUK) in order to ensure that the CPD you receive is of the highest possible quality.

Take on extra responsibilities

As a newly qualified teacher, or a teacher just starting out in a new school, there’s no reason not to start looking for extra opportunities right away. This will show the Senior Management Team at your school that you’re striving to improve as a teacher and excited to hit the ground running in your new role. Even if no promotion opportunities are available now, taking on extra responsibilities will put you at the forefront of the SLT’s mind when a vacancy does arise.

Most schools offer a host of Teaching & Learning Responsibilities (TLRs) which require you to take on extra responsibilities for specific roles within the school. TLRs are recognised responsibilities which also come with extra payments based on bands TLR1, TLR2, and TLR3, dependent on the type of role you take on. Finding a mini promotion by securing a TLR early on in you career is a great accomplishment, giving you new challenges and allowing you to take ownership of your new role and make it your own.

Rather than making big jumps between positions, these smaller steps allow you to build up to larger responsibilities and show a clear progression in your career. If you feel like you already have too much on your plate, Engage are here to help you structure your teaching life, ensuring you still have a work/life balance and can still take on your extra responsibilities. Teachers with TLRs are also entitled to additional non-contact time, in accordance with the STPCD.

Relocate to a new school

You may feel that there is a lack of opportunities for promotion at your current school, or that you’ve got all of the experiences you wanted to get out of the institution and now it’s time to move on. It might be time to relocate to another school which has more vacant leadership positions. At Engage we have a multitude of unfilled senior and middle leadership positions, and the expertise to prepare you to interview successfully for them.

Relocate to the UK

For teachers not already based in England, you may be thinking about relocating to the UK where the progression to leadership roles is generally much faster than elsewhere due to the combination of teacher shortages in core subjects and excellent teacher training opportunities.

If you’re suffering from a teaching grad hiring freeze, or slow progression in your career, Engage can provide support in the relocation process to add respected international experience to your teaching resumé. From an all-expenses-paid trip to iday for quality interviews, to visa and relocation support once you have secured your new job, relocation is a fantastic choice for many teachers looking to fast track their teaching careers.

As a teacher who was placed in a role by an Engage consultant, don’t hesitate to get in contact with your consultant or our Wellbeing & Community executive Donato to talk about your career goals and discover what roles are available to you.

Find out what teaching jobs in England are currently available through Engage today!

Join Engage to fast-track your career

Irish teachers working in England can experience much better job opportunities and faster career progression than they might expect in Ireland. In addition, Irish teachers who register with Engage receive comprehensive relocation support from our Dublin-based team of former teachers from the moment they get in touch.

To secure reliable full-time work in England, register with Engage Education.

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