Leading from the Inside Out

The way adults work together becomes part of every child’s experience of school

School leaders carry responsibility for people, decisions and outcomes while responding to what is immediately in front of them. There can be little space to notice how trust is developing, where responsibility sits or how the culture is being experienced across different parts of a school or trust.

Culture is shaped through the relationships, routines, decisions and expectations that people experience every day. Organisational clarity matters, so does whether people can be honest, share expertise, work across difference and take responsibility for something shared.

Leading from the Inside Out gives a small group of leaders sustained time to think together and pay attention to these questions. The work is responsive to the group, the context and what participants are noticing in practice.

The programme runs for ten months with a group of six to ten leaders. Participants meet regularly as a cohort and have time between sessions to reflect on what they are noticing and learning through their work.

Individual coaching can be added where it would be useful. The centre of the programme remains the learning, trust and shared responsibility that develop within the group.

The programme is designed to support:

• greater clarity in leadership judgement and choices;
• more honest and constructive relationships;
• stronger connections across roles, teams or schools;
• greater capacity to step back from immediate demands;
• a more shared understanding of how culture is being shaped.

Who it is for

For leaders in schools and multi-academy trusts

A school or trust can arrange Leading from the Inside Out for a group of six to ten people. A cohort may include headteachers, deputies, senior leaders, central team colleagues and others whose work shapes culture across the organisation.

Within a multi-academy trust, the programme can bring together leaders from different schools who may have few opportunities to think and learn with one another beyond operational meetings. Individual leaders can also enquire about joining a forthcoming open cohort.

Research and evidence

The programme draws on research and practice across relational trust, organisational culture, adult learning, social capital, psychological safety and belonging. It also carries what I have learned through co-founding Gesher and working across its strategy, governance and culture, alongside my work as an AoEC-qualified executive coach and accredited action learning set facilitator.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the programme run?

The programme runs for ten months, usually across an academic year. This gives the group time to build trust, return to important questions and connect the work to the realities of school life.

How many people take part?

Each cohort has between six and ten participants. The group is small enough for honest conversation and large enough to bring different roles, experiences and perspectives into the work.

Can a school or trust commission its own cohort?

Yes, a school or multi-academy trust can arrange a cohort for its own leaders. Individual leaders can also enquire about the next open cohort.

How is the programme priced?

The core programme is priced per participant. The total investment depends on the number of people taking part and whether any individual coaching is added. I confirm the full scope and cost before a school, trust or individual commits.

 Is individual coaching included?

Individual coaching is available as a separately priced addition. This allows participants to explore something in greater depth while keeping the core programme focused on the group and the wider culture.

What informs the programmes?

The programme draws on research and practice across relational trust, organisational culture, adult learning, social capital, psychological safety and belonging. It is also informed by Nancy Kline’s work on attention and the conditions in which people think well. The programme creates reflective space for strategic thinking, while paying attention to the relational infrastructure within the group and across the organisations participants lead.

It also carries what I have learned through co-founding Gesher and working across its strategy, governance and culture, alongside my work as an AoEC-qualified executive coach and accredited Action Learning Set facilitator.