Category: leadership

‘Coaching for Good’ Conference

‘Coaching For Good’ Conference

Thursday 21st May

University of Edinburgh Business School

On Thursday 21 May 2026, we’re bringing together people passionate about shaping the future for a full-day, cross-sector conference exploring coaching as a catalyst for human-centred change.

Developed in partnership with Deloitte and sponsored by Skyscanner, this inaugural event brings together leaders from across sectors to spark bold conversations, fresh insights and meaningful connections.

Benefits of attending

Over the course of the conference, you will hear from leading voices in coaching, leadership and organisational development, meet and network with colleagues from across sectors, and explore how coaching is evolving in response to this changing landscape.

You will have the opportunity to participate in:

  • Keynote contributions from Amy Brann, Hetty Einzig, Danielle Macleod and Sam Isaacson
  • Practice-led CPD sessions to strengthen coaching capability and leadership impact.
  • A cross-sector panel exploring ‘Coaching in a Data-Driven World’.
  • Opportunities to connect with peers across sectors, and an invitation to join the year-long ‘Coaching for Good’ Community of Practice launching at the conference.

The conference fee includes plenary sessions, panel discussions and CPD learning opportunities, as well as time for networking and collaboration with fellow participants.

To book your place visit Coaching for Good: Keeping Humanity at the Heart of Change.

Join us to deepen your practice, expand your influence, connect with peers, and help define how coaching will evolve. Together, we will consider how coaching can help shape a more connected, resilient and hopeful future.

Leading the How of Change

Applications for the 2026 sessions for our Leading the How of Change programme go live at 9am on Monday 1st December. This is a fully funded, one day professional learning programme for Headteachers and those who hold the Standard for Headship. Attendance at an in person session counts for 6 hours of CPD, and the online sessions count for 4 hours of CPD time.

The 2026 session options are as follows:

Tuesday 27 January – Glasgow (in person)

Tuesday 3 February – Dundee (in person)

Thursday 26 February – Edinburgh (in person)

Tuesday 3 March – online

Thursday 21 May – online

The application forms are linked on our website, and will remain open until venues are at capacity, at which point we will close the relevant application form. Places are extremely limited so please only apply for one session – we can’t accept multiple applications.

Here is some feedback from our 2025 session attendees:

“Today gave valuable headspace for focusing on things I CAN control and influence”

“I’ll steal some of these tools for work with my staff and leadership teams”

“I thought action learning sets were really powerful and felt a sense of clarity after this exercise”

“I am leaving uplifted rather than downcast”

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by emailing edspll@educationscotland.gov.scot if you have any questions or queries.

Please note that conference packages are booked as per the number of programme participants and cannot be changed after booking. Unfortunately this means cancellations are unrecoverable, leading to unnecessary expense to Education Scotland, potentially impacting future programming and events. If you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible.

Launch of Leadership Academy (Phase 1)

Leadership Pathway poster

Applications are now open for our first Senior Leadership Pathway cohort!

Please share this information with members of staff in your school who you see as our future Head Teachers!!

This pathway will provide aspiring HTs with the skills and opportunities they will need to be in a position to apply for senior leadership roles in the future.

Tap a talent on the shoulder and give them an opportunity to begin climbing the leadership ladder.

Information session will be held online on Monday 17th November at 4pm.

Contact clpl@scotborders.gov.uk for more information.

Application forms can be requested from CLPL team or from your Headteacher.

Leadership Opportunity – DYW

I am pleased to share an SBC leadership opportunity for promoted staff to operationally lead the Developing Young Workforce (DYW) Schools and Pathways monthly network.

 

This role offers a valuable chance to contribute to our collective efforts in improving career education and positive destinations, with a focus on coordination and collaboration across schools and partners while offering whole authority leadership experience and the opportunity to being fresh ideas to the group.

 

Key Responsibilities Include:

 

  • Operational Leadership of the monthly DYW Schools and Pathways network meetings.
  • Organisation and Coordination of meeting logistics, agendas, and follow-up actions.
  • Liaison with partners including Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and DYW Borders to ensure alignment and collaboration.
  • Sharing Good Practice across schools to promote effective approaches and innovation.
  • Feedback of National Messages to ensure schools are informed of current developments and opportunities.
  • Linking with strategic leaders to ensure the network’s work complements wider planning and priorities.
  • Organising of potential professional learning opportunities for staff involved in DYW and pathways work.

 

If you have a member of your promoted staff team who would be well-suited to this role, please encourage them to express interest.

 

Teacher leader networks: Opportunities to lead SBCway priorities

Teacher leader networks: Opportunities to lead SBCway priorities
Rationale: As part of our new ‘Leadership Academy’, we recognise the need to provide strategic leadership opportunities for our classroom teachers. Teacher leaders will also provide additional capacity within the ‘Team Around the Cluster’ model, offering schools within each cluster access to expert support and advice about key #SBCway improvement priorities. These teacher leader roles provide a unique opportunity for experienced practitioners to lead, with support, out-with their own classroom and school.

SBCway-linked roles
For the priority areas listed below, teacher leaders will:
✓ Be classed-based but the school’s lead practitioner for ongoing specific priority developments.
✓ Remain up-to-date with SBCway developments.
✓ Attend regular (max. half-termly) twilight webinars.
✓ Support with ongoing evaluation of improvement developments.
✓ Join and engage with relevant SchoolHouse channel.
✓ Promote key messages to wider staff team, liaising with HTs.
✓ Support school / cluster improvement activity as directed by HTs.
✓ Commit 10hrs of individual CPD time to the role

SBCway priorities
To ensure key priorities receive proportionate teacher leader attention, the following opportunities have been allocated according to school size.


Commitment: Teacher leaders, by definition, are classroom based. They will commit 10 hours of their individual CLPL time to this development opportunity. School leaders may choose to provide additional time if appropriate. Additional CLPL sessions may be offered over the school year.
Middle leaders: In most secondary schools and some primary schools, these teacher leader roles will already sit within the remit of existing PTs or other middle leader roles. As such, there is no requirement to appoint additional individuals into these roles unless there is an appropriate rationale to do so.
Recruitment process: The opportunity to be a Teacher leader should be offered to all teachers. Headteachers should discuss these opportunities with staff. If necessary, informal interviews can be conducted to select the most suitable candidates.
Vacant roles: If a school/group of schools is unable to appoint teacher leaders, Headteachers will be the designated point of contact for improvement activity. But Headteachers will not be required to fulfil the expectations of the teacher leader role

As part of our new leadership academy approach, please send the ‘sign up’ link to any staff you have nominated for these opportunities. All responses should be submitted by Friday 26th September.

Teacher leader sign-up

 

Apple Learning Coach

As an ALC, teacher leaders will:

  • Act as a coach and mentor to educators using the iPad and other digital tools
  • Support staff to develop their teaching practices using digital technologies.
  • Develop and lead professional learning within your school or cluster.

 To become an ALC, candidates must complete the certified ALC programme:

  • Self-paced online modules (Units 1–6) and reflective portfolio
  • Two days of virtual workshops led by Apple Professional Learning Specialists
  • Final Coaching Portfolio, including a Coaching Action Plan tailored to your setting.
  • Total CLPL is up to 43.5 hours.

To be considered for the ALC programme, candidates must:

  • Have Apple Teacher recognition
  • Be willing to coach at least one educator in a primary, secondary, or local authority setting
  • Have HT / leadership approval

To find out more or apply: coaching

  1. Attend a virtual info session (optional but recommended)
  2. Gain approval from HT / leadership
  3. Apply online > Apply to Apple Learning Coach – Apple Education Community

 

Education Scotland Leadership+ – summary videos and next webinar

We hope this finds you well and looking forward to the February break (or having enjoyed it, depending on when you read this!)

We’re pleased to let you know that two 15-minute summary videos are now available from our first two Leadership+ webinars. These feature Dr Karen Edge on Leadership for Capacity and Wellbeing and Dr Simon Breakspear on the Art of Strategic Subtraction.

We are developing a dedicated webpage for Leadership+ which will include any additional resources highlighted by the speakers and some ideas about how you might use the videos with your teams. We’ll let you know when this is ready.

Four of our five winners have now claimed their copy of Simon Breakspear’s new book, for being the top chat pane users during the session. We have a few extra copies to give away and will draw these at random from those who attended his session. We’ll be in touch with those lucky recipients in due course!

Our next Leadership+ session will be held on Monday 24th February with Dr Paul Bloomberg: From People to Process: Advancing Agency through Complex Change. You can sign up here.