Successful Year Team Leadership (Secondary)

This three-part programme is designed to provide Year Leaders with the skills and knowledge required to succeed in this fascinating, influential and challenging role. Rooted in relevant theory, the emphasis is firmly on the practical – focusing on the ‘how’ and ‘what does this look like in practice?’.

Participants will explore how to create a strong year group culture and identity, lead with both authority and warmth and positively influence pupil achievement and outcomes. Feedback from previous participants has been consistently strong, with Year Leaders leaving the programme feeling empowered and able to approach the role with greater confidence and intentionality.

Programme Overview

This programme is designed for secondary school colleagues with a Year Team leadership role, which involves leading the work of other colleagues in pastoral care and supporting pupil achievement. It is suitable for both colleagues new to the role, as well as more experienced colleagues looking to deepen their expertise.

These sessions will focus primarily on the practical challenges and opportunities of Year Leadership, making reference to elements of two key documents:

• Core Principles for Behaviour and Attitudes Leadership
• Core Principles of Personal Development Leadership

This will be enhanced by relevant research. Sessions will support participants in developing their expertise in practical terms while also deepening their understanding of some of the theoretical frameworks that successful leaders operate within.

Session Overview

Sessions will run from 9am to 12 midday*

Session 1 – Thursday 4th March 2027

• Purpose and value of Year Leadership

• Developing a year group identity and culture: creating a sense of belonging, running

assemblies, vision and messaging, making the most of whole school ethos and values

Session 2 – Thursday 18th March 2027

• Ensuring excellent tutor time and leading tutor teams

• Working effectively with behaviour and attendance

Session 3 – Thursday 15th April 2027

• Working with vulnerable pupils/families

• Influencing pupil achievement and outcomes

*Participants are encouraged to attend all three sessions in this 3-part series to ensure continuity of learning.

This programme is aimed at secondary school colleagues with a Year Team / pastoral leadership role. It is suitable for colleagues both new to the role, as well as more experienced colleagues looking to deepen their expertise.

Facilitation

This course will be facilitated by Tom Boulter, Director of Secondary Education at River Learning Trust, who has extensive experience of working with pastoral leaders in schools. Other experienced pastoral leaders from within the trust will facilitate some sessions.

*This course is funded for colleagues working in River Learning Trust schools.
For OTSA Partner Schools, the cost is £161.02 per person. For non-partners, the cost is £316.09 per person (Eventbrite fees are included).

Most schools and trusts run their own CPD programmes. This programme is being run by River Learning Trust with places offered to colleagues in other schools in partnership with OTSA. Do you have any spare places on school or trust led events/programmes that you would open up to colleagues in other schools? If so, please get in touch (info@otsa.org.uk).

Payment

Payment is required at the time of booking by credit card, debit card or Paypal. Unless otherwise stated, a ticket gives admission to one person at face-to-face and online events. In the event that you share an online event link with other people who then attend the event, including sharing your screen, or you arrive at a venue without a ticket and we are able to admit you, we will invoice you or your organisation for additional tickets retrospectively.

Refunds

No refunds will be given with less than 30 days notice.

In the event of a refund request, please note that the Eventbrite booking fee of 6.95% plus 0.59p per ticket is not refundable.

To keep our event fees as low as possible, we are not able to issue invoices for payment by cheque or bank transfer and we are not able to reserve places without payment.

We strongly recommend that you take out ‘event ticket insurance’ which may cover the cost of your fee should you be unable to attend the event.