Aspiring to Middle Leadership

Published 10/07/2024.  Last updated 02/09/2026

This is an Education Scotland leadership professional learning programme.

In 2026-27, Education Scotland offers Aspiring to Middle Leadership (AML) only as a self-directed programme. There is no facilitated programme this session as we refocus capacity towards curriculum.

The self-directed programme is also suitable for new middle leaders, those in an acting middle leadership role or those who are new to leading an area of work in their setting. If you are more established in your middle leadership role you might want to consider the Middle Leaders Leading Change programme.

Aspiring to Middle Leadership is underpinned by the schools-based research of John De Nobile and his theoretical model of middle leadership, which identifies eight roles. It supports participants to then focus on a specific area of Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities (IWE) with a view to leading change in that area.

Your Local Authority may offer a version of Aspiring to Middle Leadership, in partnership with Education Scotland, that uses the same materials, but is adapted to meet the needs of your locality. This includes group sessions and facilitator support. You may wish to check local professional learning bulletins to see if this option is open to you.

Teachers and educators who:

  • aspire to a middle leadership position
  • are new to a middle leadership role
  • are in an acting middle leadership role
  • who are new to leading an area of whole-school or setting responsibility.

Although the underpinning research is schools based, Aspiring to Middle Leadership is open to CLD and ELC educators and practitioners as well as teachers.

Programme aims:

Leading their own learning, participants will:

  • increase their knowledge of recent and emerging research around the roles of middle leadership
  • enquire into their own strengths and areas for development as an aspiring or new middle leader
  • increase their knowledge and understanding of the roles of middle leadership and the skills and abilities required to carry out key aspects of these roles
  • increase their knowledge and understanding of an aspect of wellbeing, inclusion, equity or equalities, with a view to leading change in this area.

Participants undertake a minimum of 4 professional learning activities (PLAs); at least 2 on the Roles of Middle Leadership and at least 2 on Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities. You can select PLAs to meet your needs. To access the PLAs, you will need to open an account at the Education Scotland website.

There are 4 short introductory activities to get you started, as well as 3 videos to support your learning, which you may choose to watch. These are available at the AML webpages.

Video 1: Introduction (watch this after the introductory activities)

Video 2: How to complete the programme (watch this after the first 2 PLAs)

Video 3: What’s next? (watch this after 4 PLAs)

To complete the programme and receive a certificate, participants complete and submit a Learning Summary to demonstrate how they have integrated the learning from the programme into their practice.

In 2026-27, Education Scotland offers Aspiring to Middle Leadership only as a self-directed programme. There is no facilitated programme this session as we refocus capacity towards curriculum.

Your local authority may offer Aspiring to Middle Leadership as a facilitated programme, using the Education Scotland materials, offering group sessions and a co-badged certificate. Check your local professional learning bulletins to see if this is an option in your area.

As a self-directed learner, you can use the open access materials at the website to start and finish the programme whenever you like. There’s no application process. We suggest the programme take around 6-10 months to complete.

A reflective journal template is provided should you wish to use it.

Each PLA takes 3-4 hours to complete, with 4 PLAs required for completion.

In addition, time will be required in your setting to put your learning into practice.

Each video lasts 30-40 minutes.

You can start and finish at a time to suit you. We recommend you take 6-10 months to complete the programme.

‘Thank you for this course. It has been really beneficial in improving my confidence and providing reassurance that I have the skills and am already a very good leader.’ ‘I enjoyed the flexibility of the course. The ability to work at your own pace and choose modules specific to your own areas of interest.’

‘This was a very worthwhile and enjoyable course. It has made me reflect on my own practice and my strengths as a middle leader and in what I believe my next steps should be. It has also given me confidence to recognise that I do have many of the skills required to be a successful middle leader and to support in the development of our school. I am much more considerate about the impact that any developments have on learners and on the curriculum and teaching offered to pupils.’

‘Thank you very much for affording me the opportunity to take part in this high-quality learning. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating and glad I can still access the course materials after the course is finished as there is so much information within the PLAs that I would like to access going forwards.’

‘I now feel more confident in taking on leadership roles within the school, which will allow me to be a more effective leader, thus benefitting the whole school community.’

‘Completing the Aspiring to Middle Leadership course has strengthened my confidence in taking on leadership responsibilities and has supported my professional growth as a reflective, inclusive, and collaborative practitioner who is committed to improving outcomes for all learners within the Scottish education system.’

‘Participating in this programme has been a highly valuable and reflective experience. It has deepened my understanding of inclusive leadership and the importance of embedding nurture, trauma-informed approaches, and differentiation into everyday practice. I have gained practical strategies to better support pupils affected by adversity and to lead staff with greater empathy and clarity. The programme also reinforced the importance of collaboration, reflective practice, and professional learning in driving school improvement. Overall, this learning has enhanced my confidence and capacity as a middle leader, and it will continue to shape how I support learners and colleagues moving forward.’

In 2026-27, Education Scotland offers Aspiring to Middle Leadership (AML) only as a self-directed programme. There is no facilitated programme this session as we refocus capacity towards curriculum.

Self-directed option: You do not need to apply. You can get started whenever you are ready. You will need to open an account at the Education Scotland website.

Your Local Authority may offer a version of Aspiring to Middle Leadership, in partnership with Education Scotland, that is adapted to meet the needs of your locality. This includes group sessions and facilitator support. You may wish to check local professional learning bulletins to see if this option is open to you.

Yes. Local Authorities and settings can facilitate Aspiring to Middle Leadership using the resources in the programme pages. A downloadable Introduction session PowerPoint presentation with facilitation notes is provided. Further presentations will be added soon. You can make use of the recorded sessions as they become available too. If you would like to deliver the programme in your setting, team, cluster or Local Authority, please contact edspll@educationscotland.gov.scot for more information and support.
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Aspiring to Middle Leadership

Published 10/07/2024.  Last updated 02/09/2026

This is an Education Scotland leadership professional learning programme.

In 2026-27, Education Scotland offers Aspiring to Middle Leadership (AML) only as a self-directed programme. There is no facilitated programme this session as we refocus capacity towards curriculum.

The self-directed programme is also suitable for new middle leaders, those in an acting middle leadership role or those who are new to leading an area of work in their setting. If you are more established in your middle leadership role you might want to consider the Middle Leaders Leading Change programme.

Aspiring to Middle Leadership is underpinned by the schools-based research of John De Nobile and his theoretical model of middle leadership, which identifies eight roles. It supports participants to then focus on a specific area of Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities (IWE) with a view to leading change in that area.

Your Local Authority may offer a version of Aspiring to Middle Leadership, in partnership with Education Scotland, that uses the same materials, but is adapted to meet the needs of your locality. This includes group sessions and facilitator support. You may wish to check local professional learning bulletins to see if this option is open to you.

Teachers and educators who:

  • aspire to a middle leadership position
  • are new to a middle leadership role
  • are in an acting middle leadership role
  • who are new to leading an area of whole-school or setting responsibility.

Although the underpinning research is schools based, Aspiring to Middle Leadership is open to CLD and ELC educators and practitioners as well as teachers.

Programme aims:

Leading their own learning, participants will:

  • increase their knowledge of recent and emerging research around the roles of middle leadership
  • enquire into their own strengths and areas for development as an aspiring or new middle leader
  • increase their knowledge and understanding of the roles of middle leadership and the skills and abilities required to carry out key aspects of these roles
  • increase their knowledge and understanding of an aspect of wellbeing, inclusion, equity or equalities, with a view to leading change in this area.

Participants undertake a minimum of 4 professional learning activities (PLAs); at least 2 on the Roles of Middle Leadership and at least 2 on Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities. You can select PLAs to meet your needs. To access the PLAs, you will need to open an account at the Education Scotland website.

There are 4 short introductory activities to get you started, as well as 3 videos to support your learning, which you may choose to watch. These are available at the AML webpages.

Video 1: Introduction (watch this after the introductory activities)

Video 2: How to complete the programme (watch this after the first 2 PLAs)

Video 3: What’s next? (watch this after 4 PLAs)

To complete the programme and receive a certificate, participants complete and submit a Learning Summary to demonstrate how they have integrated the learning from the programme into their practice.

In 2026-27, Education Scotland offers Aspiring to Middle Leadership only as a self-directed programme. There is no facilitated programme this session as we refocus capacity towards curriculum.

Your local authority may offer Aspiring to Middle Leadership as a facilitated programme, using the Education Scotland materials, offering group sessions and a co-badged certificate. Check your local professional learning bulletins to see if this is an option in your area.

As a self-directed learner, you can use the open access materials at the website to start and finish the programme whenever you like. There’s no application process. We suggest the programme take around 6-10 months to complete.

A reflective journal template is provided should you wish to use it.

Each PLA takes 3-4 hours to complete, with 4 PLAs required for completion.

In addition, time will be required in your setting to put your learning into practice.

Each video lasts 30-40 minutes.

You can start and finish at a time to suit you. We recommend you take 6-10 months to complete the programme.

‘Thank you for this course. It has been really beneficial in improving my confidence and providing reassurance that I have the skills and am already a very good leader.’ ‘I enjoyed the flexibility of the course. The ability to work at your own pace and choose modules specific to your own areas of interest.’

‘This was a very worthwhile and enjoyable course. It has made me reflect on my own practice and my strengths as a middle leader and in what I believe my next steps should be. It has also given me confidence to recognise that I do have many of the skills required to be a successful middle leader and to support in the development of our school. I am much more considerate about the impact that any developments have on learners and on the curriculum and teaching offered to pupils.’

‘Thank you very much for affording me the opportunity to take part in this high-quality learning. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating and glad I can still access the course materials after the course is finished as there is so much information within the PLAs that I would like to access going forwards.’

‘I now feel more confident in taking on leadership roles within the school, which will allow me to be a more effective leader, thus benefitting the whole school community.’

‘Completing the Aspiring to Middle Leadership course has strengthened my confidence in taking on leadership responsibilities and has supported my professional growth as a reflective, inclusive, and collaborative practitioner who is committed to improving outcomes for all learners within the Scottish education system.’

‘Participating in this programme has been a highly valuable and reflective experience. It has deepened my understanding of inclusive leadership and the importance of embedding nurture, trauma-informed approaches, and differentiation into everyday practice. I have gained practical strategies to better support pupils affected by adversity and to lead staff with greater empathy and clarity. The programme also reinforced the importance of collaboration, reflective practice, and professional learning in driving school improvement. Overall, this learning has enhanced my confidence and capacity as a middle leader, and it will continue to shape how I support learners and colleagues moving forward.’

In 2026-27, Education Scotland offers Aspiring to Middle Leadership (AML) only as a self-directed programme. There is no facilitated programme this session as we refocus capacity towards curriculum.

Self-directed option: You do not need to apply. You can get started whenever you are ready. You will need to open an account at the Education Scotland website.

Your Local Authority may offer a version of Aspiring to Middle Leadership, in partnership with Education Scotland, that is adapted to meet the needs of your locality. This includes group sessions and facilitator support. You may wish to check local professional learning bulletins to see if this option is open to you.

Yes. Local Authorities and settings can facilitate Aspiring to Middle Leadership using the resources in the programme pages. A downloadable Introduction session PowerPoint presentation with facilitation notes is provided. Further presentations will be added soon. You can make use of the recorded sessions as they become available too. If you would like to deliver the programme in your setting, team, cluster or Local Authority, please contact edspll@educationscotland.gov.scot for more information and support.
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