News21st March 2025

Ark celebrates graduates from our senior leadership programme

The latest graduates of Ark’s Leadership Exploration and Development (LEAD) programme were celebrated with a special awards ceremony at EdCity.

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The 2025 cohort of Ark’s LEAD programme celebrate completing the course

LEAD is a unique 18-month leadership journey designed by Ark for vice principals (VPs) who aspire to headship in the next three years.

Launched in 2017, LEAD offers two routes – one focused on primary and the other on secondary school VPs.

It is one of 50 courses provided by the Ark Learning Institute, and is central to Ark’s commitment to investing in aspiring leaders, developing future heads, and supporting talent mobility in our network. We’re proud that we’re able to promote within the network and that 75% of Ark’s current principals are homegrown.

Celebrating success

The most recent cohort of secondary school VPs came from Ark schools in Birmingham, Hastings, London and Portsmouth.

All 10 graduates attended a special awards ceremony at EdCity. The event included a networking lunch with members of Ark’s senior leadership team and Board, and an opportunity for graduates to share their experiences. The ceremony concluded with an awards presentation.

Laura Watts from Ark Putney reflected, “The LEAD programme has been transformative in developing my understanding of the breadth of the role as a headteacher and building my confidence in pursuing this next step. It has been inspiring to learn from exemplary practice in all areas of school life from across the network.”

Thom O’Brien from Ark Kings added, “The LEAD programme is more than just professional development – it’s a transformational journey. The chance for participants to gain insights from those who have walked the path before them is invaluable. LEAD is not just about learning. It’s about evolving, inspiring, and driving real change for the future.”

School Leadership Development Lead Mide Ola-Said, a previous graduate of the LEAD programme, said, “Great schools are made of great leaders. We know strong senior leadership is key to ensuring our students have a great education. This is why we recognise the value of supporting and investing in our staff at every stage of their career.”

The LEAD programme

Successful applicants are selected through a combination of an application form, their principal’s nomination, their Ark regional director’s support, and their track record of engagement with professional development.

Every VP is matched with an existing principal as a coach. These coaches have all been principals for at least three years and have undertaken a year-long coaching qualification.

The programme begins with a two-day residential, and includes action learning days, masterclasses and interview support.

The six action learning days are guided school visits to exemplary Ark schools as well as schools outside the network. These days provide participants with an in-depth understanding of Ark’s education model. Topics covered include planning, curriculum and assessment, behaviour and leading SEND.

Virtual operations masterclasses strengthen participants’ knowledge of school management, covering key systems, processes, policies and best practices. Topics include parents and community, governance, finance and HR. These virtual sessions are also open to principals for bite-sized, refresher training as part of Ark’s commitment to their ongoing development.

All graduating participants receive interview support from Ark for their headship applications, including mock interviews and feedback from the recruitment team. Internal VP candidates who apply for headship positions automatically receive an interview if they have completed the programme.