Programme to boost leadership opportunities for teachers announced

School standards minister Nick Gibb has launched a government-funded programme designed to help schools in areas of greatest need.

The new support aims to help future school leaders and develop opportunities for talented teachers.

The Teach First’s two-year ‘Leading Together’ programme is funded through the Department for Education’s £75 million Teaching & Leadership Innovation Fund.

The announcement is part of the government’s drive to support teachers’ development and attract the best and brightest recruits into the teaching profession.

Following the launch, the Schools Minister took part in a roundtable discussion on the benefits of leadership opportunities in schools with local headteachers and Russell Hobby, chief executive of Teach First.

School standards minister Nick Gibb said: “There are now a record number of teachers in our schools – 15,500 more than in 2010 – but we want to build on this and help schools attract and keep the best and brightest people working in our schools.

“Last week the education secretary announced a strategy to drive recruitment and boost retention of teachers, working with the unions and professional bodies, and we’ve been consulting on how to improve development opportunities for teachers, whether they decide to move into a leadership role or want to continue teaching in the classroom.

“This programme from Teach First is one of thousands of new training opportunities that we have created through our £75 million Teaching and Leadership Innovation Fund, supporting schools in the areas of greatest need to help nurture the leaders of tomorrow. It was a pleasure to hear school leaders speak so enthusiastically about our plans to raise the status of the teaching profession.”