Talking Points

Talking Points brings you a selection of high-quality broadcasts that feature guest presenters, leading educationalists and school leaders in discussion about succession planning. Over the coming months, we’ll be adding new features to Talking Points, so make sure you check back for updates.

Preparation makes perfect

Carrie O’Connor, a director at the specialist Leadership division of Hays Education, has been working with NCSL for more than three years to offer practical support and coaching to NPQH candidates on the path to becoming a headteacher.

After carrying out nearly 1,000 consultations, Carrie and her team were able to identify the common problems experienced by many aspiring headteachers when faced with their headship interview.

How I stepped up in my federation

As part of our spotlight on Winning teams, Vicky Folkes, assistant headteacher at the Federation of Abbey Schools in Darlington, talks about her experiences of progressing to senior leadership in a federation.

Distributed leadership works

Sue MacGregor talks to a primary headteacher, an assistant headteacher and a leadership expert about making distributed leadership work in our schools.

Headship round the table

Sue MacGregor talks to a headteacher, a governor and a children’s services director about the challenges and opportunities surrounding headship today.

Women into headship

Sue MacGregor explores why there’s such a discrepancy between the number of women teaching and the number of women leading, and looks at how aspiring women leaders can best progress their headship ambitions.

Heading on up – women and leadership

Dr Marianne Coleman from the Institute of Education, University of London, shares insights from the study she conducted for NCSL on gender and headship.

Tim Brighouse on leadership

In these audio clips, and transcript, Professor Tim Brighouse, Commissioner for London schools, discusses the one job he never had, but always wanted: headteacher.

Keeping the faith

The BBC’s Sue MacGregor meets with education leaders from the faith sector to find out what they’re doing to meet leadership recruitment and succession needs in their schools.

Leadership matters

David Bell, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Children, Schools and Families talks to NCSL’s Alan Sargeant about why school leadership is high up on his department’s list of priorities.

talk2learn highlights

What can be done to improve the recruitment and application process? What are the obstacles to progress for women leaders? These and other issues are covered in talk2learn highlights.