What’s special about this course?
Classes packed with real-life scenarios that we'll solve together, and phase-specific support including an 'ask me anything' with a secondary headteacher. You'll walk away with peer relationships that you can lean on throughout your headship journey.
Class 1
Tuesday 24 September
4pm to 5.30pm, on Zoom
With Dr Vic Carr
Getting your team to work with you and for you
Learn how to:
- Build a team and get genuine buy-in at pace
- Spot talent and develop the right people (and see work come off your plate!)
- Hone your people processes and make them clear, to avoid issues later
- Manage the self-doubt that people management can bring
Class 2
Tuesday 8 October
4pm to 5.30pm, on Zoom
With Dr Vic Carr
The really tricky people problems
Learn how to:
- Handle those difficult and sometimes painful conversations
- Lead formal procedures, including capability, disciplinary and appeals
- Run a restructure with clarity and empathy
- Keep your head and get creative if you can’t solve an issue first time
Your expert course trainer
Dr Vic Carr
Dr Victoria Carr (Vic) is a primary headteacher with 12 years’ headship experience that spans 2 different but equally challenging schools. She is a Chartered Manager, a senior fellow at Leeds Beckett University and a fellow in the Chartered College of Teaching.
Vic is passionate about coaching and leadership and published her first book, Leading with Love, last year. Her second book, on school improvement, is coming this October. Vic is also mum to Tom and Izzy – and school dog Gus!
You can connect with her on X (formerly Twitter) at @HappyHead74.
Who can attend
This course is for you if you’re:
- Feeling new to headship
- Preparing for a new headship role
- Aspiring to headship any time soon
This course caters for leaders in all phases and settings.
Not quite right for you? Take a look at our people management course for new and aspiring senior leaders instead.
This course is exclusively available to The Key's Whole School members. If you're not yet a Whole School member,
find out more here.
More reasons to love this course
Active learning, not passive instruction
Your live classes won't just be lectures. Vic will engage the class, invite discussion, prompt breakout activities and leave plenty of room for Q&A. You'll learn by doing, with practical tasks between classes and regular feedback from the trainers and your class colleagues.
Learn with a cohort
of peers
Learning virtually doesn't mean learning solo. This course is designed to be rich in energising interaction between you and your colleagues - it's your safe space to ask questions and seek peer feedback, and make connections for life.
Develop your own menu of practical strategies that work
Apply what you learn straight away, with practical strategies drawn from expert advice and excellent practice. Adopt the best of what works, for immediate change and lasting impact in your school.
Earn a certificate of achievement
Complete your classes and get a certificate of achievement from The Key for your learning record.
What other participants have said about our courses
“I now know what steps
to take to be an
effective leader"
“This course gave me confidence, opportunities to share good practice, and up-to-date research”
"The tasks were very practical and a brilliant way to
secure that knowledge"
Frequently asked questions
Live classes are held on Zoom, and you’ll collaborate on practical tasks with small groups of colleagues in breakout rooms. You’ll have practical tasks to complete independently between your two classes, and 24/7 access to your own online course community forum.
Ideally, yes! Working together with your colleagues is where much of the magic happens, and you’ll have opportunities to ask Vic questions directly. But we know that some school days run away, so you’ll be able to catch up on-demand if you have to miss a class. We’ll let you know when the class recording is available.
Deeply practical tasks. They’ll help you put learning into practice immediately and get ahead on work you need to complete in your day-to-day role. You might work with colleagues on a task, and get supportive feedback.
Yes! This course was built for full-time school leaders. You'll attend two 90-minute classes in Autumn, after school at 4pm. Outside of that, expect practical tasks to complete at any point ahead of the next class, and an on-tap peer community to engage with as you like. All your practical tasks will directly relate to your day job - they’ll never take you more than an hour.
Yes! You’ll get a certificate on completion of the course.
Just email any questions to cpd@thekeysupport.com. We’ll get back to you within 2 working days.
These courses are included as part of The Key's Whole School membership and places are exclusively available to those members.
If you're not yet a Whole School member, find out more here.