Aspiring to Middle Leadership

Published 10/07/2024.  Last updated 16/07/2025

This is an Education Scotland leadership professional learning programme.

This programme can support aspiring middle leaders to develop their understanding of the roles of middle leadership and the skills required to carry out the main aspects of these roles.

The 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.

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. 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. This is optional if you undertake the self-directed option.

In 2025-26, there are two ways to access the programme with Education Scotland:

  1. Facilitated cohort: Recruitment is from 18th August to 7th September 2025 when you can apply to be part of a facilitated cohort. The application form will be available in the How do I get involved section below during this window. Numbers will be limited as we are trialling a new collaborative space for AML at our website. This will be sited within a dedicated programme area. There are 3 live session dates participants are expected to attend. See Duration and key dates for the live session dates.
    The cohort will all start and finish at the same time. The deadline for completion is Sunday 31 May 2026.
  2. Self-directed: You can use the open access materials at the website to start and finish whenever you like. There’s no application process. This option is more flexible. There will be 3 optional live sessions to support you, but you can choose to watch a recording instead. Duration and key dates for the live session dates. You will need to register for these sessions. Recordings are added to the website as soon as possible after the live session. This option may suit you if you prefer to work on your own, at your own pace, or don’t enjoy/benefit from online breakout discussions. You won’t have access to the collaborative space, but you can submit your learning for certification at any time.

1)    Facilitated cohort: This runs from October to May.

  • 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 the learning into practice.
  • The 3 online sessions each last 90 minutes. Provisional dates are:
    • Weds 1st October – Induction
    • Tues 20th January – Touchpoint
    • Weds 29th April – Looking Ahead

There are 2 optional drop-ins too:

  • Tues 25th November – optional drop-in
  • Mon 2nd March – optional drop-in

The facilitated cohort will all start and finish at the same time. The deadline for completion is Sunday 31st May 2026.

2)    Self-directed programme: You can start and finish at a time to suit you.

  • 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 the learning into practice.
  • The 3 optional online sessions (or recordings) each last 45 minutes. You will need to register for these. Provisional dates are:
    • Weds 3rd September – Introduction
    • Mon 12th January – Completion
    • Tues 12th May – What’s next?

For self-directed learners, there is no deadline for completion. We recommend you take 4-8 months to complete the programme.

Here are some post-programme comments from the 2023-24 cohort:

‘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.’

‘Thank you for the insightful and well organised remote course. It was truly great, providing valuable learning experiences that exceeded my expectations.’

‘I thought your support and communication around accessibility was excellent. Honestly helped me complete the course with my self-esteem intact! 5 gold stars for you :)’

‘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. The meet up sessions were very positive and it was great to chat with others in the break out rooms.’

‘The element of choice with the PL helped to individualise the course content. I am glad the PLAs will remain open so I can work through them at my own pace.’

‘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.’
  1. Facilitated cohort: If you would like to apply to be part of the facilitated cohort, the application form will be available here from 18th August 2025. We will let you know the outcome of your application as soon as possible after the recruitment window closes on 7th September. (Please note where applications exceed places, we reserve the right to close the window early.)
  2. Self-directed option: You can get started here whenever you are ready.

For both options, you will need to open an account at the Education Scotland website.

Please note that 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. 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. 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 16/07/2025

This is an Education Scotland leadership professional learning programme.

This programme can support aspiring middle leaders to develop their understanding of the roles of middle leadership and the skills required to carry out the main aspects of these roles.

The 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.

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. 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. This is optional if you undertake the self-directed option.

In 2025-26, there are two ways to access the programme with Education Scotland:

  1. Facilitated cohort: Recruitment is from 18th August to 7th September 2025 when you can apply to be part of a facilitated cohort. The application form will be available in the How do I get involved section below during this window. Numbers will be limited as we are trialling a new collaborative space for AML at our website. This will be sited within a dedicated programme area. There are 3 live session dates participants are expected to attend. See Duration and key dates for the live session dates.
    The cohort will all start and finish at the same time. The deadline for completion is Sunday 31 May 2026.
  2. Self-directed: You can use the open access materials at the website to start and finish whenever you like. There’s no application process. This option is more flexible. There will be 3 optional live sessions to support you, but you can choose to watch a recording instead. Duration and key dates for the live session dates. You will need to register for these sessions. Recordings are added to the website as soon as possible after the live session. This option may suit you if you prefer to work on your own, at your own pace, or don’t enjoy/benefit from online breakout discussions. You won’t have access to the collaborative space, but you can submit your learning for certification at any time.

1)    Facilitated cohort: This runs from October to May.

  • 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 the learning into practice.
  • The 3 online sessions each last 90 minutes. Provisional dates are:
    • Weds 1st October – Induction
    • Tues 20th January – Touchpoint
    • Weds 29th April – Looking Ahead

There are 2 optional drop-ins too:

  • Tues 25th November – optional drop-in
  • Mon 2nd March – optional drop-in

The facilitated cohort will all start and finish at the same time. The deadline for completion is Sunday 31st May 2026.

2)    Self-directed programme: You can start and finish at a time to suit you.

  • 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 the learning into practice.
  • The 3 optional online sessions (or recordings) each last 45 minutes. You will need to register for these. Provisional dates are:
    • Weds 3rd September – Introduction
    • Mon 12th January – Completion
    • Tues 12th May – What’s next?

For self-directed learners, there is no deadline for completion. We recommend you take 4-8 months to complete the programme.

Here are some post-programme comments from the 2023-24 cohort:

‘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.’

‘Thank you for the insightful and well organised remote course. It was truly great, providing valuable learning experiences that exceeded my expectations.’

‘I thought your support and communication around accessibility was excellent. Honestly helped me complete the course with my self-esteem intact! 5 gold stars for you :)’

‘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. The meet up sessions were very positive and it was great to chat with others in the break out rooms.’

‘The element of choice with the PL helped to individualise the course content. I am glad the PLAs will remain open so I can work through them at my own pace.’

‘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.’
  1. Facilitated cohort: If you would like to apply to be part of the facilitated cohort, the application form will be available here from 18th August 2025. We will let you know the outcome of your application as soon as possible after the recruitment window closes on 7th September. (Please note where applications exceed places, we reserve the right to close the window early.)
  2. Self-directed option: You can get started here whenever you are ready.

For both options, you will need to open an account at the Education Scotland website.

Please note that 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. 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. 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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