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We believe that it is important to invest in and equip leaders and that is what we aim to do.

One of the books that started to shape PiXL at its inception was The Four Disciplines of Execution by Covey et al. That book contains some approaches which PiXL have adapted for use in school leadership. We know that the execution is as important as the vision, and we have leadership tools to help you do that.

At PiXL, we believe in the importance of setting a Wildly Important Goal (WIG), doing a pre-mortem, addressing leadership behaviours which will help you achieve the WIG, and personalised support for you to get there.  Leadership is about creating buy-in from stakeholders, creating winning moments and a culture of celebration of what has been achieved, as well as getting the balance between high care and high challenge. In every national conference, associate visit and Networking Hub, you will hear the messages about leadership coming through. If we want to have the impact that we desire in our schools, for the sake of our young people, then our leadership is key.

There are many different leadership development opportunities that you can access as part of your subscriptions such as:

Partnership with leadership authors and thinkers

We think it is important that we sharpen our own thinking on leadership by reading the latest thinking and research in this area. We are delighted to be working with renowned leadership authors and speakers such as Matthew Syed, Steve Munby, Jaz Ampaw-Farr, Damian Hughes and Ethan Kross.

The School of PiXL Leadership

One of the ways we do this is through our School of PiXL Leadership, which offers leadership development opportunities as part of the subscription and also additional opportunities at an extra cost.

As part of the subscription, all PiXL schools have access to leadership-focused special events like 'In Conversation With...' and bespoke offers each year. 

Secondary and Post 16 PiXL schools have access to Engagement Leadership, which is a course about the PiXL Principles in currency (improving outcomes) and character and culture (improving life chances).

PiXL Podcasts

1. PiXL Pearls

Reflection is an important part of leadership, so we provide you with PiXL Pearls. These are short reflections about leadership. We have four full series ready for you to catch up on, with new episodes coming soon! Available wherever you enjoy your podcasts. 

2. The PiXL Leadership Bookclub

This podcast has also been hugely popular. If you would like to hear how school leaders have taken non-educational leadership books and used them in their contexts, then click the title and listen. 

 

The additional School of PiXL Leadership courses are as follows, and are low-cost enhancement opportunities for PiXL members. Sessions contain a mixture of presentations from experienced leaders, small group discussions, practical top tips and an opportunity to build your professional network: 

 

•  Raising Standards Leader Programme: looking at the most effective leadership approaches and behaviours that lead to real impact as an RSL. A blend of theory and practical detail, this course is a must for any new RSL or for anyone who wants to re-visit their role. 


•  Exceptional Senior Leaders’ Programme: an innovative leadership programme aimed at aspiring and practising Deputy Headteachers. Previous delegates’ feedback has been that this course has honed their leadership skills in both current and future roles – many have gone on to Headship and are part of our alumni network.   


•  New Middle Leader Programme: for colleagues who are brand new to middle leadership and those who have been in post for less than two years. 


•  Established Middle Leader Programme: for middle leaders who have been in their current role for 2-5 years and who might be aspiring to Senior Leadership roles in the next few years. 
 

•   Making Change Leader: a comprehensive digital course for those responsible for supporting students to change their habits, attitudes, effort and behaviours.
 

•   Headteacher Coaching: We know that being a Headteacher at the moment has some fairly unprecedented challenges, and we want to support you. Led by accredited coaches, the sessions are for you to bring whatever challenge or issue you want to discuss and work through it with your coach.
 

If you are not yet a member of PiXL but would like to be part of these new headteacher groups this year, do contact leadership@pixl.org.uk for a discussion. 
 

 

  • PiXL’s work is truly remarkable and has been a saviour and sanctuary of common sense and really useful strategies at a time of madness!

    Headteacher, PiXL Secondary school

  • For me, PiXL is a community of like-minded learners who have a moral imperative to raise standards and support children and schools to be better – who wouldn't want to be in PiXL?

    Executive Headteacher, PiXL Primary school

  • PiXL provides a reassuring touchstone, and never more has that been so important to school leaders. PiXL is populated with like-minded and motivated colleagues who give due thought and consideration about how to best approach the myriad of decisions school leaders take every day. I've worked with PiXL for 8 years now and every meeting leaves me inspired to try new ideas, reassured about things my school is doing well and resolved to continually do better for the young people in my school.

    Headteacher, PiXL Secondary school

  • Post-16 support and resources are top quality — the adaptability of resources makes tailoring them to your students straightforward. The PiXL team are always open to suggestions and strive to ensure hard-working and innovative staff have a support base. They inspire teachers of all levels of experience.

    Senior Leader, PiXL Post 16 school

  • I can honestly say this has been one of the instrumental factors in our success story. The ideas, resources and expertise, which has been so willingly shared by the whole PiXL team, has enabled our Sixth Form to continually change and radically improve. Every single meeting has been packed with fresh ideas and practical tips to help students thrive, both academically and also as a well-rounded individual.

    Headteacher, PiXL Post 16 school

  • PiXL is more than just a network of schools; it is a welcoming organisation, with highly experienced people, offering unparalleled professional support and CPD. PiXL will continue to improve the education system and culture of the schools, Sixth Forms and colleges who introduce and embed their strategies, as it has already.

    Senior Leader, PiXL Post 16 school

  • We have used PiXL in our personal development package, in our interventions, in whole-school teaching and learning CPD and with our staff through PiXL Change. My respect for PiXL has grown and grown.

    Senior Leader, PiXL Post 16 school

  • PiXL has been a huge support network for our academies during these challenging times and has guided us, assisted us and provided us with resources to support our leaders, teachers and pupils. The PiXL team listen to us, take on feedback, ask us what we need and adapt their research and provision in order to suit all of our school’s different needs.

    Executive Headteacher, PiXL Primary school

  • As a member, PiXL provides our school with a wealth of professional development opportunities and high-quality resources for all areas of the core curriculum. Their approach of diagnosis, therapy, testing and revisiting enables us to easily identify children’s next steps on a one-to-one, small group and whole-class basis and then tailor our interventions and whole-class teaching to fill their gaps.

    Executive Headteacher, PiXL Primary school

  • The opportunity to work with such a strong, supportive, diverse team of highly–skilled professionals from across the country, as a PiXL family, has been a very valuable experience in developing the breadth and depth of my knowledge and skill–set, both as a teacher and a leader. Schools, staff and children lie at the heart of everything they do. The question on everyone’s lips is always: ‘What do schools need?’

    Executive Headteacher, PiXL Primary school

  • The beauty of PiXL is that you can pick and mix what you need and make it work for your school; you can be as PiXL as you want to be – it's a continuum.

    Headteacher, PiXL Secondary school

  • I trust my leaders with PiXL: PiXL leadership moves with the times and develops all tiers of leaders, ranging from my new middle leaders to my most experienced Heads of School. It has inspired them to question and challenge themselves, whilst holding their hand and supporting their next steps.

    Headteacher, PiXL Post 16 school

  • In a world of uncertainty, PiXL continues to show its true worth to schools across the nation. The integrity and humility with which the organisation works are quite unique in the world of education support and their drive to focus on the best for our young people is indubitable. Constantly offering support in key areas where the need is greatest, PiXL continues to be the greatest source of support imaginable.

    Headteacher, PiXL Secondary school

  • PiXL is completely driven by its values and moral purpose, acting solely in the interests of the young people in our schools by helping and supporting staff to choose the most appropriate, evidence-informed strategies and resources for their students. PiXL is an incredibly agile organisation in which the exceptional team is able to provide whatever support schools need in the interests of their students.

    Senior Leader, PiXL Post 16 school