1. Specialist Leaders of Education Briefing for potential applicants
Guidance and
Application Process
Summer 2016

2. SLE Application Process - Summary
The Dales Teaching School Alliance invites applicants with proven expertise to become Specialist Leaders of Education in their chosen specialism. The application process is open until Friday 30th September. Applicants must return the attached application form and a reference from their current Head Teacher will be sought. Applicants will be invited to an Assessment Interview on Friday 7th October when they will be asked to deliver a presentation to a selection panel. The panel will decide whether the applicant successfully meets the criteria and will inform the applicants thereafter. Successful applicants will attend a training seminar in November – date tbc.

3. Prioritisation Criteria,
The Dales Teaching School Alliance is looking to recruit SLEs with the following areas of expertise:
Mathematics
Literacy
STEM
Transition from primary to secondary education
Assessment
Inclusion
SEND
Creative curriculum

4. The Assessment Interview
Applicants will be invited to demonstrate their experience in their chosen specialism to a small panel of professionals.
The panel will include:
Head Teacher from the Dales School (National Leader of Education)
Teaching School Alliance Coordinator from the Dales School
Teaching School Alliance Coordinator from a different Teaching School Alliance (Secondary)
Head Teacher from a different Primary School (Local Leader of Education)
NCC Senior Officer
Applicants will be required to deliver a 10 minute presentation on their experience of delivering their specialism with staff from their own or other schools and of their leadership of their specialism. The panel will ask questions and discuss their presentation and experience. Following the Assessment Interview the panel will decide whether the applicant fully meets the criteria and on whether to designate them as a Specialist Leader of Education.

5. Timeline
Deadline for Application – Friday 30th September Assessment Interview - Friday 7th October Decision regarding designation – W/C 10th October Training on the role of a SLE – Date in November

6. Specialist leaders of education – guidance information
Background and vision
The role
Eligibility
The designation process
Training
Deployments
Quality assurance and impact monitoring

7. Background The White Paper (2010)
“As we create the national network of Teaching Schools, we will also designate ‘Specialist Leaders of Education’ – excellent professionals in leadership positions below the head teacher (such as deputies, bursars, heads of department) who will support others in similar positions in other schools.”

8. The Vision The SLE role should be about:
improving outcomes for children
leaders supporting leaders
drawing on specialist knowledge and areas of expertise
being flexible, to meet the needs of supported schools
sustainability – helping schools to improve their own leadership capacity.
The SLE concept is very closely linked to the vision for teaching
schools, since teaching schools are responsible for the designation,
de-designation, brokerage and quality assurance of SLEs.
There are now over 7000 SLEs designated around the country with
Ultimate target of around 10,000 to ensure full national coverage.

9. “To me the role of an SLE is to help improve outcomes for all young people, not just those at your own school. An SLE must see themselves as a leader of education, not as a leader of an institution.
An SLE must be multi skilled and be able to coach, mentor, demonstrate, train and facilitate... Most importantly, like any good leader, they need to have the emotional intelligence to know which approach / style to adopt dependent on the context or situation.”

10. The role
An SLE is a middle or senior leader with a particular area of expertise, who
will support middle/senior leaders in other schools.
Deployment will be based on need and demand. Deployment types will vary.
No pre-defined time commitment, but estimate an average of 15 days a
year.
We think there will be many benefits for SLEs and their schools, e.g.:
opportunities to work independently, to be creative and try out new ideas
developing coaching and facilitation skills
the opportunity to network with peers
gaining experience of different school environments
the chance to learn from ideas and approaches used in other schools
developing skills and knowledge which can benefit their own school
the knowledge they are helping others to improve and are having a positive impact on outcomes for children.

11. “It developed my understanding of different approaches, as my partner school had some great ideas… I was able to share this good practice with colleagues back ‘at base’.
It developed my range of leadership styles, as you must be sensitive as an SLE and empathising with your partner school / colleagues is vital.
My SLE role has been a fantastic learning experience for all involved, but especially for me!”

12. Eligibility
SLEs can come from any school, not just outstanding schools
The eligibility criteria focus on
Experience
Track record
Capacity and commitment
Skills
Full details can be found on the Government UK website
applicants website, along with an agreed list of areas of specialism for SLEs
Teaching schools will also set their own prioritisation criteria,
according to need/demand in a given area

13. The designation process
Teaching School advertises vacancies
Application forms completed and submitted to the Teaching School along with Headteacher reference and confirmation of support
Teaching Schools invites all applicants to an assessment interview, which will usually include an individual presentation
Teaching School will notify applicants of the outcome of the assessment interview and whether recommended for designation
The Teaching School will confirm designation and certificate will be issued by Teaching School

14. Training
Core Training: (one day)
An introduction to school-to-school support
to equip SLEs with the tools and techniques for effective school-to-school support and to enable SLEs to support change and ensure impact when supporting others
Delivered locally following assessment interview and designation as an SLE
Coordinated through designating teaching school

15. SLE deployment Commissioning
SLE support could be commissioned (and potentially funded) by
schools, local authorities, diocesan bodies, academy trusts, the
Department for Education…
Brokerage
Teaching schools are responsible for brokering SLE support within their
alliance or area. They will receive requests for SLE expertise, and
allocate the right SLEs to the schools needing support.
Deployment
Models and types of deployments will vary, depending on need, e.g.:
a two-day diagnostic exercise
half a day’s support each week for two terms
a three-month full-time support role

16. Quality assurance and impact monitoring
Teaching schools are responsible for the quality assurance of SLEs and
will need to demonstrate the impact of SLE deployments on outcomes
for children.
For each deployment, the SLE’s school, the supported school and the
teaching school will agree the scope of the work, objectives and
impact measures, which will be reviewed and monitored at the end.
Ultimately the SLE’s designation may be reviewed if there is a lack of
evidence to demonstrate the impact of their work.

17. The Dales Teaching School Alliance: The Dales School, Cowpen Road,
Further information:
education-a-guide-for-potential applicants
Application deadline: Friday 30th September 2016.
The Dales Teaching School Alliance:
The Dales School,
Cowpen Road,
Blyth,
NE24 4RE