Connecting with the Standard for Middle Leadership

Talking trusted teaching - Middle Leadership resource

This resource is aimed at teachers in or aspiring to middle leadership roles, providing you with an opportunity to discuss and reflect on the Standard for Middle Leadership (SfML), with a particular focus on 2. Professional Knowledge and Understanding and 2.2 Professional Responsibilities.

In this professional discussion Kathleen Kerrigan, Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Glasgow, and Jacqueline Morley, Teaching Standards Education Officer at GTC Scotland, explore the role of middle leadership and how we ‘understand and demonstrate self-awareness and inspire and motivate others’. (2.2.2)

Read the recording transcript

Chapters

Using the outline of 2.2.2, the discussion explores 4 key themes, with the video split into the following chapters:

Session overview (0:00 - 03:11)
Welcome, introduction to speakers and provocation overview (03:12 - 04:38)
Part 1: The role of the SfML as an underpinning framework to ‘becoming, being and growing’ as a middle leader (04:39 - 08:34)
Part 2: The professional and personal credibility of a middle leader as the lead learner (08:35 - 25:08)
- What does it mean to be recognised as the 'lead learner' within our teams or departments? (08:35 - 20:55)
- How can middle leaders balance the dual role of being a learner and a leader? (15:30 - 20:47)
- In what ways does the Standard for Middle Leadership support reflection on who are 'becoming' as leaders and just what we are 'doing' (20:50 - 25:08)
Part 3: The middle leadership role in growing leadership skills and capacities in others (25:10 - 32:21)

Part 4: The professional responsibilities for Middle Leadership as a learner and a leader for helping colleagues engage meaningfully with the suite of Professional Standards (32:23 - 46:30)
Conclusions (46:30 - 47:33)

Reflective questions

Part 1 - the SfML and ‘becoming, being and growing’ as a middle leader

How do you see the SfML as a framework to guide our professional journey — from aspiring to experienced middle leader?

Part 2 - middle leader as ‘lead learner’

What does it mean to be recognised as the “lead learner” within our teams or departments?
How can middle leaders balance the dual role of being both a learner and a leader—remaining open to feedback while guiding others?
In what ways does the SfML support reflection on who we are becoming as leaders and just on what we are doing?

Part 3 - middle leadership supporting professional growth for colleagues

The SfML says ‘as a middle leader you - 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. What do you understand by this?

Part 4 - the role of the Professional Standards for Middle Leaders as a learner and leader

What is the role of Professional Review and Development (PRD) and Professional Update?

The Standard for Middle Leadership and political insight

Registrants who participated in Standard for Middle Leadership events said they appreciated the chance to reflect on their professionalism and to connect with other middle leaders.

The 5 reflective questions below accompany the video 'Talking Trusted Teaching: the Standard for Middle Leadership and political insight'. These questions are for existing or aspiring middle leaders. You can use them to reflect further or use in professional discussions with colleagues.

Reflective questions

Think of an example of when you or a colleague have used political insight to improve an outcome. What did you/they do and why was it successful? You could use four key words – power, influence, policy and trust – to explain this.
Can you think of situations in your role where the Control-Influence-Accept model would be useful? (See 25:14 'How can middle leaders influence the policy agenda?' in the video for discussion of this model).
How can you support colleagues in developing political insight and to question and shape the educational landscape?
How do your professional values (social justice, integrity and trust and respect) influence your leadership decisions?
“Political does not equal politicised.” In which times and situations is it particularly important to remember this?