School leadership, particularly the importance of school-to-school support and peer-to-peer learning, is a key theme in the White Paper and demonstrates the coalition government’s commitment to ensuring high standards in this area.

Supporting other schools gives even the most accomplished teachers and leaders an opportunity to learn how to do elements of what they do better and gain new ideas. It can help to strengthen the school’s leadership capacity by providing opportunities for staff to step into leadership positions.

There are a number of initiatives that give people the opportunity to develop a leadership role that can benefit their own school and other schools across the wider system.

• Teaching schools - for outstanding schools with a track record of working with others to raise standards. They manage and plan professional development for schools, from initial teaching training through to leadership development.
• National Leaders of Education and National Support Schools (NLEs)- for outstanding headteachers who want to support schools in challenging circumstances. NLEs, together with the staff at their school, help to raise standards in other schools by sharing their skills and experience.
• Local Leaders of Education (LLE) - for successful headteachers who want to work with other heads to drive school improvement. As a LLE you will help to raise attainment and build capacity so that improvements can be sustained.
• Specialist Leaders of Education (SLE) - for experienced middle and senior leaders with expertise in a particular area. SLEs will support leaders in other schools to raise leadership capacity in their area of specialism.
• National Leaders of Governance - for highly effective chairs of governors, who use their skills and experience to support chairs of governors in other schools and academies. They work to increase leadership capacity to help raise standards so that improvements can be sustained.

For the latest publications and reports about school-to-school support and system leadership please visit our resource page.