In a primary school, undertaking a subject leadership role gives teachers the opportunity to make an impact beyond their own classroom and develop new skills and expertise; it can offer meaningful development opportunities for primary practitioners and is often the first experience of leadership. The role of a subject leader also brings challenges especially for those new to the role or those who do not see themselves as ‘expert’ in a specific subject area.

SSAT’s Effective Primary Subject Leadership programme consists of four live online workshops, each 90 minutes long. These practical workshops combined with intersessional tasks are based on the experiences, activities and tasks undertaken daily by subject primary subject leaders.

The programme is ideal for those aspiring to or new to subject leadership roles. It is also suitable for those with experience wanting to refresh knowledge, understanding and skills to better lead their areas.

Online workshop one

Wednesday 10 March 2021

15:30 – 17:00
The role of the primary subject leader and creating a vision.

Online workshop two

Wednesday 24 March 2021

15:30 – 17:00
Understanding the subject in practise – what are current strengths and areas for development?

Online workshop three

Wednesday 28 April 2021

15:30 – 17:00
Practical ways to develop the subject in a primary setting.

Online workshop four

Wednesday 12 May 2021

15:30 – 17:00
Communicating to others and preparing for external scrutiny.

Projected outcomes

SSAT’s Effective Primary Subject Leadership online programme will enable participants to:

• secure understanding of the subject leadership role and expectations for that role
• clearly articulate a vision for their area of responsibility and curriculum intent
• acquire the necessary skills and confidence to carry out their role effectively
• explore ideas and strategies to help them ensure high quality teaching to impact the achievement of all pupils
• consider how they can best support the development and expertise of colleagues
• evaluate strengths, identify areas for improvement and determine future action in their subject area
• reflect on how they can continue to enhance their own subject knowledge

Key Speaker

Laura Burton

Laura joined SSAT in 2019 as a Senior Education Lead for the Primary Network. She has worked in a diverse range of primary schools as a senior leader and has also worked for her local authority. Laura is passionate about enabling meaningful collaboration to share best practice and empowering schools to refine their practice.