New Headteacher Induction Toolkit

The purpose of this toolkit is to signpost main sources of information and support for key areas of responsibility for the role of Headteacher. It is intended to work alongside the following:

• National Development Programme for New Headteachers offered by the Partnership (Rob Phillips)

• Education Support Adviser (ESA) discussions

• Experienced Headteacher mentor (meeting once per half term and phone support)

• New Headteacher support network offered by Richard Lashley (CCC Education Support Adviser)

The main areas to be covered by this toolkit are:

• Agreed handover after appointment

• The Role of the CCC Mentor & National Leadership Programme (Leadership Coach)

• CCC Sharepoint/Porth, Teacher Centre & Data

• Leadership

• Finance

• Wellbeing & HR

• SER/SDP

• Policies, Governance & Legal

• Health & Safety, Safeguarding

• Attendance & Education Welfare Service (EWS)

• Admissions

• Buildings & Procurement

You will receive a link to a survey to ascertain your level of confidence in these key areas. Each area within the record needs to be rated as RED, AMBER or GREEN to indicate progress/level of confidence and discussed with Richard Lashley or your ESA. This will help us to tailor support to your needs.

• Please refer to the Professional Standards HERE.

• The link to the CCC PORTH is HERE.

• The link to the Welsh Government ‘Running & Managing a School’ section is HERE.

Handover After the Appointment of a New Headteacher

The National Development Programme for New Headteachers outlines the importance of an effective handover from the outgoing headteacher and/or ESA to the new headteacher. An example of an effective handover would include copies of the most recent:

Self-Evaluation Report and/or associated monitoring documents

School Development Plan

Financial Statement

Governing Body details and minutes

School Handbook and statutory policies

 In addition, and as appropriate:

·         Notification of any ongoing safeguarding or HR issues

This component will include information of the LA’s policies and processes with regard to (in no particular order): 

• LA Induction with practical advice from key staff.

• Finance (EIG and grants) 

• Auditors 

• Governance 

• Key dates in managing school year 

• Child Protection and Safeguarding 

• Admissions 

• Attendance 

• Health and Safety 

• Human Resources 

• Additional Learning Needs 

• Legal Support 

• Managing absence 

• Data protection / management 

• Wellbeing

The Role of the CCC Headteacher Mentor

As part of our strategy for developing sustainable models in Carmarthenshire schools, we are offering the support of an experienced headteacher as part of the mentoring and support programme to all newly appointed, acting and/or new to headship. The aim of the mentor programme is to ensure that new colleagues receive support from an experienced and trained mentor during their first year (or two as required). 

Mentors are headteachers that have significant experience of leadership and know the Local Authority well. The Local Authority will offer a training programme for all mentors in mentoring and coaching, so they will be well equipped to support new or acting headteachers in these challenging educational times. 

The Relationship 

At the heart of the partnership process is a professional relationship between two colleagues. The success of the relationship will depend on there being:

• Flexibility  

• Clear commitment  

• Trust  

• Personalised support  

• Availability 

Benefits for the new Headteacher 

These include:

• a named contact within the Local Authority to support the settling in process;

• someone who is a point of contact to support basic queries; and

• feeling welcomed to the Local Authority and supported at LA headteacher meetings. 

Benefits for the Mentor  

These include:

• the opportunity to share knowledge of the Local Authority and the experience of substantive headship; and

• professional development and training in mentoring and coaching.

Practicalities of the mentor partnership 

The mentor and the new or acting headteacher will need to observe appropriate confidentiality protocols. Any information arising from the arrangement that needs to be shared with others should only be shared by mutual agreement. Mentors will be allocated a new, acting and/or new to Carmarthenshire headteacher in a school that closely matches the mentor’s own setting where possible. The mentor or ESA will phone to make contact with the new colleague and to arrange a visit (if safe to do so). 

It would be helpful if the mentor and the new headteacher discuss areas where they would like support so that the mentor can identify support and direct them to Richard Lashley ( rlashley@carmarthenshire.gov.uk ). The mentor and new/acting headteacher will arrange dates for future meetings.

National Development Programme for New Headteachers in Wales

From Autumn 2018, a regional consortia programme has been delivered to new and acting headteachers. This was the first programme to be endorsed by the National Academy for Educational Leadership in Wales. 

The key aspects of the programme are:

• It subscribes in its design to the Regional Professional Learning Model

• The content is based on the Professional Standards for Teaching and Leadership

• Developing Schools in Wales as Learning Organisations and Education in Wales: Our National Mission

• The duration of the programme and sequencing of learning activities is consistent across Wales

• There are common expectations about the progress that will be made by participants and how this will impact on their leadership practice

• Although a national programme, it will be coordinated through the regions

Each candidate is allocated a Leadership Coach and given membership of a peer group for support throughout the programme. The Leadership Coach will be an experienced, serving Headteacher who will provide coaching support to a new Headteacher as they take up their first headship role. They will aim to help them to become highly effective in their roles by increasing their leadership skills and confidence, while encouraging learning, self-reflection and development.

The Leadership Coach will:

• Meet* with the participant during the first half term of the programme and will discuss with him or her their main priorities for development in the programme

• Meet with the participant in between delivery days for a short period to support and encourage the participant, and to provide guidance where this is needed

• Agree with the participant on progress following the programme leading up to impact evaluation

*Meetings may be online or in person when it is safe to do so

The Leadership Coach will be expected to:

• Support the new Headteacher in exploring and understanding his/her own potential and assist them in building resilience.

• Build a trusted, respectful and supportive relationship

• Engage with the participant in a reflective, supportive and professional manner

• Maintain the focus on the programme’s methodologies and assumptions as well as its content.

• Identify significant patterns of thinking and behaviour.

• Encourage new perspectives.

• Provoke discussion around personal objectives and the development of the school.

• Listen, encourage and advise as necessary on interpersonal matters

• Respect confidentiality

• Commit to the role for the whole duration of the programme

• Be reasonably available to meet and/or discuss programme and individual needs.

The Leadership Coach will not:

• Know the answers to everything 

• Be working ‘hands-on’ in school.

Sources of Information & Key Contacts

The first port of call should be PORTH

PORTH contains a range of information, including policies, HR, Data, Curriculum and Leadership related documents. This is the ‘go-to’ place for information for Headteachers.