BLOG: Onwards and upwards

BLOG: Onwards and upwards In her latest blog, NASS CEO Claire Dorer talks about the need to nurture and invest in talent within special schools. She highlights the two programmes NASS has recently created in partnership with The Mulberry Bush and Talking Heads Supervision Ltd to plug the gap in development opportunities for senior special school leaders.

How can we support and develop our senior special school leaders?

In November 2023, Education Support highlighted the stress experienced by a significant proportion of school leaders in its 2023 Teacher Wellbeing Index. Over a third of headteachers leave the profession within five years of gaining their first headship, citing stress and loneliness as key factors. It’s a sobering picture – and yet, formal opportunities to support and develop our leaders are still few and far between.

For many, the headship role comes with minimal training – few believe the National Professional Qualifications equip heads effectively – and, once in post, there’s often inconsistent support and limited scope for further training and development. I have always believed that these issues are compounded in special schools where leaders find themselves managers of complex, multi-agency, multi-million-pound businesses – often only based on their abilities in teaching and learning.

Our continued support for special school leaders

At NASS, we recognised the challenge of preparing people for headship roles with our first leadership programme in 2018 and we’ve continued to offer this programme annually with Caboodle Education. A year later, we recognised the isolation of special school leaders and delivered the first supervision pilot, working with Talking Heads Supervision Ltd.

This year, we have given a lot of thought to offering opportunities for headteachers that both deepen and broaden their skills and also recognise the stress of the role and create opportunities to network and nurture. We have recently launched two events, which we think help to plug the gap in development opportunities for senior leaders.

NASS Advanced Special and AP Headship Development Programme

We have partnered with The Mulberry Bush to offer a development programme for experienced headteachers. We have worked hard to get a good balance between learning and information giving and supporting and nurturing, recognising that all school leaders are whole people who don’t stop existing once they leave the school premises. This programme is a great opportunity for experienced leaders to undertake meaningful CPD and we’d love for all special school heads, and those who manage and govern them, to consider if it might be right for them.

To find out more about this new programme and how to apply, please read the course flyer. Places are allocated in order of applications received and this course is also available to non-NASS members

The NASS and Talking Heads Retreat, 25th to 26th April 2025

For those who want something, but not a formal six-month programme, we have a different offer through our partnership with Talking Heads Supervision Ltd and EcoSensory Therapy. In April 2025 (lots of time to plan your diary!) we are offering an overnight retreat in the beautiful surroundings of the Cotswolds, aimed at senior special school leaders.

The role of nature in wellbeing is well-evidenced and, as special schools, we are often good at recognising this for our learners. We don’t always take time to do this for ourselves and this retreat creates space for you to relax, reflect and recharge in a supportive environment with a peer group who ‘get it’. At the same time, you’ll be learning skills which you can take away after the retreat to support you, your colleagues and the learners at school.

To read more about the retreat, please read the programme flyer. There are 12 spaces available and booking is now open: The NASS and Talking Heads Retreat - 25th & 26th April 2025 | NASS (nasschools.org.uk ).

Nurturing special school leaders - prioritising wellbeing and development

One of the struggles leaders often have is making and taking time and resource to support their own wellbeing and development. The cost of not doing this can be high, with burnout and stress common among special school leaders. Alongside this, the role of leadership in successful schools is absolutely pivotal – it is the primary factor that makes the difference between stronger and weaker schools. Too often, we are failing to invest in our key assets – in other industries, we’d be talking about failing to ‘manage the talent’. The talent in special schools is undoubtedly there, so let’s all take some time to invest in its nurture.