Professional Knowledge and Understanding

Curriculum, Pedagogy, Leadership and Strategic Vision

2.1.1 Understand how to develop and demonstrate a strategic vision

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As a middle leader you:

• contribute to the shared strategic vision, ethos and aims for the school and learning community and effectively lead these with your team/s and across your area/s of responsibility. You lead and demonstrate this strategic vision, which underpins the work of your team/s in inspiring and motivating every learner, through the adoption of collegial practices and collaborative approaches
• support and contribute to a strategic vision that embraces Learning for Sustainability
• act as a leader of and for learning and are committed to your own on-going professional learning acting as a ‘leading learner’ to support colleagues and the learning community to enhance practice

2.1.2 Have knowledge and understanding of political, economic, sociological, technological, legal and environmental trends and developments to enhance positive outcomes for all learners

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As a middle leader you:

• regularly share and apply your enhanced knowledge and critical understanding of research and developments in education policy and legislation across the learning community to support positive learning contexts  
• ensure you have enhanced knowledge and critical understanding of contemporary developments in education and society (including the role of digital technologies); the environment and the wider global community (including trends and changes in family patterns, work patterns, the media, leisure and politics) and relevant current and emerging legislation

2.1.3 Have an enhanced and critically informed understanding of Curriculum  

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As a middle leader you:

• engage critically with research and developments in curriculum and work collaboratively with others to ensure this learning is creatively applied to improve outcomes for every learner in the learning community where appropriate taking account of Gaelic medium
• promote and support learning beyond curricular areas/ subject boundaries and of cross curricular subjects, e.g. literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing, Learning for Sustainability, interdisciplinary learning and digital literacy
• enable digital literacy and the use of digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning
• ensure effective learning experiences for learners with additional support needs

2.1.4 Have knowledge and understanding of Leadership and Management related to your context

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As a middle leader you:

• continuously widen your knowledge and critical understanding of leadership and management concepts and practices related to your context and work collegially and collaboratively with others to ensure this is embodied in practice
• consider the implications for your leadership and impact on the learning community in terms of respectful relationships across the learning community in support of attainment and achievement, curriculum design and content
• in both your personal and professional life, and in the way you lead and empower the learning community, exemplify the vision and culture you seek to develop throughout the learning community and across teams

2.2 Professional Responsibilities

2.2.1 Understand and demonstrate Political Insight

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As a middle leader you:  

• have an insight and understanding of the dynamics of political power and influence in the relationship between schools and society in general and the local community and context
• have an insight and understanding of the dynamics of political power and influence and how this aligns with your Professional Values and expectations
• understand the impact and implications of political insight for your leadership and management practices and the work of school and learning community

2.2.2 Understand and demonstrate self-awareness and inspire and motivate others

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As a middle leader you:  

• continually develop self-awareness
• regularly challenge your thinking and practice through critical reflection and enquiry
• manage yourself and others effectively, supporting and enabling teacher professionalism through a commitment to collegial and collaborative practice
• build and sustain professional and personal credibility by modelling your commitment to on-going professional learning, integrity and ethical practice, and Learning for Sustainability
• support and enable a culture of trust and respect
• use cultural and emotional intelligence to explore bias, through questioning your own assumptions and identifying how these influence your work and relationships
• use insight of any personal bias and strategic leadership to mitigate the negative impact of bias and ensure equity of access, opportunity and support
• display confidence and courage in the way you deal with criticism and conflict
• encourage and enable the development of leadership skills and capacities in others and cultivate trust and respect among colleagues by creating leadership opportunities across and beyond the school
• work co-operatively and strategically to develop trusting relationships with parents/carers and families and a wide range of partners to support partnerships in learning

2.2.3 Judge wisely and decide appropriately

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As a middle leader you:  

• analyse and define situations clearly
• take a positive solution-focused approach to your work
• know how and when to make decisions and use a wide range of robust and credible data to support and inform your judgements
• actively engage in professional debate and dialogue and actively encourage and seek views from across the learning community – from colleagues, parents/carers and families, children and young people, partners, other schools and the Local Authority/employer to inform your professional judgement and decision-making
• create, design and share approaches to achieving improvement and display an awareness of the positive and ethical use of power and authority

2.2.4 Communicate effectively

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As a middle leader you:  

• regularly display and communicate your deep commitment to the education, wellbeing and inclusion of every learner through your everyday thinking and practice
• communicate effectively and actively build positive working relationships and inclusive practices within the school, learning community, with colleagues, parents/carers/families and partners
• support, encourage and facilitate learners’ participation in decisions about their own learning and the life of the learning community and its environment
• listen attentively and purposefully and express your ideas and feelings clearly
• engage in professional dialogue, provide constructive feedback and show commitment to the development and implementation of effective communication in and beyond the school
• demonstrate your commitment to openness and honesty with others through your effective use of a variety of means of communication including, as appropriate, social media
• have a clear and critically informed understanding of – and respect for – confidentiality and consistently apply this knowledge and insight to all engagements, practices and procedures