Online course · Leadership · 15-hour certificate of completion

Becoming a Middle Leader

The leadership training most new middle leaders never get. A practical, self-paced course for new and aspiring Heads of Department, Co-ordinators, Year Heads and Phase Leaders in international schools. Finish with a 90-day plan for your team, a 15-hour certificate of completion and a place in the Leaders' Circle.

Enrol now for $75

Secure checkout · 14-day refund · Start straight away · Certificate of completion

What you will gain

By the end of the course

Lead your team with confidence

Make the move from colleague to leader, build trust, run meetings that lead to action and delegate well.

Improve teaching beyond your classroom

Give developmental feedback, use work scrutiny and student voice, and turn data into action.

Finish with a 90-day plan

Put your learning to work straight away, and earn a certificate for 15 hours of professional development.

Who it is for

Is this course for you?

Yes, if you are:

  • New to a Head of Department, Year-Head, subject Co-ordinator or Phase Leader role
  • Preparing for your first leadership post
  • An experienced middle leader who wants a sharper, more practical toolkit

In five modules you will learn how to lead a team of former peers, improve teaching beyond your own classroom, handle difficult conversations fairly, and turn school priorities into a focused improvement plan. Every lesson ends with a practical task, and you finish with a 90-day leadership plan and a certificate for 15 hours of professional development.

What you get

  • 22 short lessons across 5 modules, at your own pace
  • Your 90-day plan for leading your team, built as you go
  • Ready-to-use templates for meetings, observations and difficult conversations
  • A 15-hour certificate of completion when you finish
  • A Participant Workbook (your Leadership Journal) and a guide to the research behind each module, both to download
  • Membership of the Leaders' Circle, a community of middle leaders in international schools
  • Lifetime access, including future updates

$75

Enrol now

Secure checkout · 14-day refund · Start straight away · Certificate of completion

Curriculum

What you will learn

5 chapters · 23 lessons and activities

Chapter 1: Welcome and Your Leadership Starting Point
  • Free Checklist: The Middle Leader's First 90 Days Free preview
  • Welcome and How This Course Works
  • What a Middle Leader Actually Does Free preview
  • Self-Audit: Your Leadership Starting Point
Chapter 2: Leading Your Team
  • From Colleague to Leader
  • Building Trust and Team Culture
  • Running Effective Department Meetings
  • Delegation That Works
  • Inducting and Mentoring New Teachers
  • Workload and Wellbeing: Yours and Your Team's
Chapter 3: Leading Teaching and Learning
  • Leading the Curriculum
  • Lesson Observation and Developmental Feedback
  • Work Scrutiny and Student Voice
  • Using Data to Improve Outcomes
Chapter 4: Difficult Conversations, Accountability and Parents
  • Preparing for a Difficult Conversation Free preview
  • Managing Underperformance Fairly
  • Leading Up and Leading Down
  • Working with Parents and Handling Complaints
Chapter 5: Planning for Improvement
  • Writing a Department Improvement Plan
  • Monitoring and Evaluating Impact
  • Your 90-Day Leadership Plan
  • Knowledge Check
  • Course Summary and Certificate

Your course leader

Why I made this course

I’m Jacques Tredoux. I’ve worked in schools for more than twenty years, led schools in three countries and chaired international accreditation visiting teams. Too many good teachers are promoted into leadership and left to work it out alone. I built this course from real situations in real schools, so every lesson gives you something you can use on Monday.

More about Jacques

Free sample lesson

Try a complete lesson from Module 4

Preparing for a Difficult Conversation is the full lesson, built around a free 10-minute animated film. It includes the CLEAR framework, a real school example, a phrase bank, role-play cards and a planner you can use the same week.

Free. 13 pages. Instant download.

Pages from the free sample lesson Preparing for a Difficult Conversation

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How does the course work?

It is a self-paced online course on our learning platform. You can start straight away and work through the 5 chapters at a pace that suits you, on a laptop, tablet or phone.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes. When you finish, you receive a certificate for 15 hours of professional development to add to your CPD record.

Can I try it before I buy?

Yes. These lessons are free to watch before you buy: Free Checklist: The Middle Leader's First 90 Days, What a Middle Leader Actually Does, Preparing for a Difficult Conversation. Use the Free preview button on the enrolment page.

Can I buy it for my team?

Yes. School licences give a group of staff the same course with one invoice and a certificate for each person. See our school licences page or contact us for a quote.

What if it is not right for me?

Email us within 14 days of buying and we will refund you in full.

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Free download

The Middle Leader’s First 90 Days

A practical checklist for new heads of department, year leaders and team leaders: three phases to work through, from listening and learning in your first 30 days to leading your first improvement by day 90.

Download it straight away. We will also send you a quick email to confirm your address. Once you confirm, you get a copy of the checklist and four short follow-up tips over the next ten days. You can unsubscribe at any time.

We use your details only as described in our privacy policy.

Start this week

Self-paced, practical and certified. Enrol today for $75, or train a whole team with a school licence.

Secure checkout · 14-day refund · Start straight away · Certificate of completion