Sustained, structured professional development changes how you lead. Not as a one-off, but across a full year, alongside peers who understand exactly what you are carrying.
What is this programme?
Sixth Form Leadership Essentials is a structured, year-long programme designed specifically for the complexity of post-16 leadership. Developed and delivered by Claire Green, ASCL Post-16 and Skills Specialist, former Director of Sixth Form, and author of The Sixth Form Slant, alongside a carefully selected group of expert practitioners, the programme combines in-person sessions, live webinars and peer coaching to support you across a full academic year.
Why is it needed?
The Schools White Paper, the Post-16 Skills White Paper, ongoing qualification reform, and growing Ofsted scrutiny have placed sixth forms firmly under the spotlight. Destinations data, retention rates, curriculum coherence and value for money are now front-of-house accountability questions, and you are expected to answer them confidently.
Yet heads of sixth form are still among the most professionally isolated leaders in education. You hold together curriculum, data, safeguarding, mental health, attendance, culture and external accountability, often without a peer in your setting who truly understands the role. One-off conferences offer inspiration. What they cannot offer is the sustained support, the thinking space, and the practical tools to lead your sixth form with strategic clarity, week after week, across a full year.
Programme structure
Spnsored by Unifrog, this blended, year-long programme runs from 29 September 2027 to 4 July 2028 and combines two full in-person days, seven live online webinars, and two structured peer-coaching sessions (NB dates to be confirmed). Sessions are scheduled around the academic year’s key pressure points. A self-review tool runs throughout to build your thinking between sessions without adding to your workload.
For fees, who this programme is suitable for, and the benefits of completing this programme, see the tabs below. Details of each session and speaker bios will follow shortly.
This programme is led by Claire Green, ASCL Post-16 and Skills Specialist. Claire is Post-16 and Skills Specialist at ASCL, supporting school and college members on all issues impacting post-16 and the skills agenda. Claire represents ASCL members in meetings with a wide range of government agencies and stakeholder groups, lobbying for improvements within post-16 education. Claire also oversees the running of the ASCL Post-16 Advisory Group.
Claire has worked in secondary education for twenty years, originally a history teacher holding department and faculty leadership roles before moving into sixth form leadership positions on the senior leadership team at two large and high-performing secondary schools. Claire has worked for several years as a Director of Sixth Form, shaping strategy, curriculum pathways and assessment reform. Claire also writes a blog focused on sixth form leadership - The Sixth Form Slant - through which she has provided support and guidance for sixth form leaders across the country.