Welcome to the Leading Professional Standards Toolkit, designed to help develop leadership across all levels of your organisation. This toolkit builds on the Professional Standards for Leaders (2021) by spotlighting 10 key leadership themes which cut across the Professional Standards for aspiring, middle, senior leaders and CEOs/Principals. The 10 themes explore what connects leaders and enables them to lead effectively. The 10 key themes are:
In the following video, Professor Steve Corbett, University of Portsmouth, introduces the toolkit and explains how it aligns with the Professional Standards and 10 key leadership themes.
We have created 10 ‘voices from the sector’ videos mapped to the 10 key leadership themes. In each video, leaders and managers discuss how they use the Professional Standards, underpinned by the leadership themes, with their staff.
After watching the videos, you may wish to ask yourself:
We have mapped professional development opportunities available from the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) resources to the 10 key leadership themes. This will be useful if you or your staff have recently completed a Training Needs Analysis to help identify areas of development.
Browse the table below to view resources which match each of the 10 key leadership themes.
| Professional Standards Leadership Theme | Theme Description | Professional Development Opportunity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Reflective practice | Leaders recognise the importance of reflecting on one’s leadership or management style, considering its impact on oneself and others. | Professional Development Leadership Cards | |
| 2. Building positive relationships | Leaders develop positive and collaborative relationships with internal colleagues, learners and key external stakeholders including employers. | ||
| 3. Inspirational teaching and learning | Leaders foster an environment that supports inspirational teaching, through encouraging Continuous Professional Development and robust quality assurance which has a positive impact on learners. | Teaching for mastery: classroom resources Assessment for learning: effective practice guidelines Mentoring Framework for Practitioners in Further Education | |
| 4. Innovation and forward thinking | Leaders are solution-focused, innovative, and forward-thinking in delivering a high-quality learning environment is a common expectation. | CfEM action research resources Blog on developing innovative mindsets for leaders | |
| 5. Ethical leadership | Leaders understand and practise ethical leadership, including consideration of ethical decision-making. | Leading for Sustainability: a Toolkit for Leaders | |
| 6. Role model and cultivate a positive working culture | Leaders create and maintain a positive working culture within the organisation, with attention to professional development, work life balance, inclusivity, social awareness, and emotional maturity. | Mental health and emotional wellbeing | |
| 7. Strategic leadership | Leaders understand and contribute to organisational governance, strategy, quality assurance, and sustainability. | Governance Development Programme module overview Board leadership and organisational development | |
| 8. Effective communication | Leaders utilise effective written and verbal communication skills to build professional relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. | ||
| 9. Finance | Leaders have an understanding of effective financial management and ensure the financial viability of the organisation. | ETF finance leadership programmes | |
| 10. Policies and legislation | Leaders have an understanding of local and national policies and seek to enable change where required. | The FE and training conversation: research summary FE teacher recruitment and the landscape of FE |
Below are additional resources relating to the Professional Standards for Leaders. Resources will open in new tabs.