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Career progression and leadership development in teaching

Information about career development for current teachers, plus opportunities for leadership and headteacher roles in Suffolk.

Teacher's story: about my career development

"The kind of teachers we want in Suffolk are the ones who want to move up the career ladder and bring their innovative experiences to benefit the children."

Hear from Lisa Tweed, Headteacher, Risby Church of England VC Primary School, Risby, Suffolk.

Your development and career progression matter. Suffolk is seeking skilled, motivated teachers who are ambitious about their future and want to progress to middle leader and leadership roles.

Development includes the opportunity to learn both within your own school setting and in partnership with other schools.

Suffolk’s Teaching Schools provide a range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and career based development taking responsibility for growing and developing the workforce. Specifically supporting the NQTs induction and their development in their first years of teaching, they also support middle leader and leadership development in partnership with the Local Authority.

Aspiring to be a Middle Leader?

Suffolk is developing Middle Leaders ready for future progression and development in their careers.

Courses include:

  • The Suffolk Primary Middle Leaders programme - move from the role of the classroom teacher into that of a Middle Leader with key responsibilities for school improvement
  • National Professional Qualification of Middle Leadership (NPQML) via the Suffolk Teaching Schools
  • Aspiring Deputies course - a 2 day programme that will consider the wide range of knowledge and skills needed to be a successful Deputy Head’

Aspiring to be a Headteacher?

Suffolk is seeking future Headteachers with a passion for learning and the ambition to raise attainment in our schools.

Courses include:

  • Acting Headteacher Opportunities Scheme – develop leadership skills by taking on an interim headteacher role with support from the Local Authority
  • National Professional Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH); contact the National College for Teaching and Learning (NCTL) for more information and where you can get support with applications
  • Ready for Headship Programme for Aspiring Headteachers – 12 months away from their first post
  • Headteacher Induction Programme – a comprehensive Local Authority Headteacher Induction Programme for all Headteachers new to the role or for Headteachers that are new to working in Suffolk including the HT Mentoring Scheme, facilitated by experienced Headteachers.

"As a school, we like to be forward thinking and look outwards to seize different opportunities. This could be by visiting outstanding schools, both inside and outside of the county or learning different techniques and styles from each other’s lessons.We have also enrolled on the good to unstoppable programme through the local authority, which is a professional dialogue where we share practices with three different schools."

Hear from Lisa Tweed, Headteacher, Risby Church of England VC Primary School, Risby, Suffolk.

Systems leadership courses

Delivered by Suffolk Teaching Schools including:

Further information is available on GOV.UK.

Teacher's story: about my career development

"I’m about to undertake Specialist Leader in Education training, as well as a NPQSL. In September, I will also begin my training to become a facilitator for an Outstanding Teacher Programme."

Hear from David Barrett, Assistant Headteacher, Barrow Church of England VC Primary School, Barrow, Suffolk.

Find out more

Contact us

Email teachsuffolk@schoolschoice.org with any questions about teaching in Suffolk.