Professional development

• Accelerate to Headship
  • Who is Accelerate to Headship for?
  • Programme details
  • Benefits
  • Costs
  • Apply
  • Providers
  • Information sessions
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Contact details
  • Appeals

Accelerate to Headship

Do you have the drive, ambition and passion to run your own school in as little as four years? Accelerate to Headship is an intensive leadership development programme for outstanding individuals with the ability and commitment to follow this accelerated route to becoming a headteacher.

There are two main routes through the Accelerate to Headship programme.

Tomorrow's Heads

Teachers, former teachers and other non-teaching professionals who have the drive to lead primary, secondary or special schools in England should apply to Tomorrow’s Heads.

Future Leaders

Current or former teachers committed to managing a challenging urban secondary school in London, the North West, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, Bristol, or on the south coast should apply for Future Leaders.

Key facts

Duration

Both routes are intensive, demanding, three-year leadership development programmes, which will give you all the knowledge and experience you need to apply for the National Professional Qualification in Headship (NPQH), the mandatory qualification for headship. On completion of NPQH, you’ll then be eligible to run your own school – and change thousands of children’s lives.

Delivery method

Both programmes are built around your personal development needs, with an emphasis on school-based activity, learning on the job, and coaching and mentoring. Throughout, you’ll receive one-on-one support from your own personal leadership development adviser who will act as a critical friend and coach.

Who can apply?

Those who have their sights set firmly on headship and on impacting children’s lives. A self-assessment questionnaire is available to help you decide whether to apply for the programme. You can also view a presentation about Accelerate to Headship, which provides detailed information about the programme and the two routes. (Please note: the application deadline, referred to in the presentation, has been extended. The regions in which Future Leaders is available, also referred to, now include Bristol and the south coast.)

Next application round

The application rounds for both the Tomorrow's Heads and Future Leaders routes are currently open.

These additional application rounds are to fill new places that have been opened up on the programme.