Specialist Leaders of Education (SLE)

Specialist Leaders of education (SLEs) are outstanding middle and senior leaders in positions below the headteacher, with at least two years’ leadership experience. They have a particular area of expertise (such as a subject area, early years, behaviour or school business management) and a successful track record of school improvement.

SLEs support leaders in other schools. They have excellent interpersonal skills, are able to work sensitively and collaboratively with others and have a commitment to outreach work. They understand what outstanding leadership practice in their area of specialism looks like and can help other leaders to achieve it in their own context.

The SLE role is about developing other middle and senior leaders so that they have the skills to lead their own teams and improve practice in their own schools. This may be done through one-to-one peer coaching or facilitated group support and could involve a variety of activities, such as data analysis, coaching or joint action planning.

Wave is able to provide different types of deployment, one deployment might be a two-day diagnostic exercise, whilst another might require a three-month, full-time support role. Teaching schools are responsible for the recruitment, designation, brokerage, deployment and quality assurance of SLEs.

  • Lucy Holloway
  • Amanda Jack
  • Simon Rickett

Local Leaders of Education (LLE)

Local leaders of education (LLEs) have made and continue to make a significant contribution to supporting schools since the programme was introduced in 2008. LLEs provide a range of school-to-school support and coaching and mentoring for head teachers