“What is your five year plan?” It is a question that once haunted me every time a performance management meeting appeared in my diary. In the fast paced and often unpredictable environment of a school, where one cannot always be certain what challenges tomorrow will bring, projecting five years into the future can feel like contemplating an impossible horizon.

I began the Pele Trust Leadership Development Programme with what I would describe as accidental leadership experience. These were skills gathered through intuition and necessity rather than by deliberate design. However, I completed the course with something far more valuable: a fully realised vision of a future I am proud to pursue, backed by the understanding required to achieve it.

The programme exposed me to a wealth of academic literature that served as a retrospective mirror. It taught me exactly why certain elements of my existing practice had flourished and, perhaps more importantly, why other parts had faltered. A primary thread that resonated with me was the discourse surrounding Emotional Intelligence, often referred to as EQ. While I had always considered empathy a cornerstone of my practice, the course grounded this instinct in the science of affect.

Through the lens of Daniel Goleman’s research, I developed a deeper level of self-awareness by recognising that a leader’s emotional resonance dictates the very climate of the staffroom. Understanding the neurological basis of how stress impacts teacher performance allowed me to pivot my approach. I moved from simply being kind, which is a passive trait, to being emotionally intelligent. This meant using empathy as a strategic tool for stability, psychological safety, and professional growth. For the first time, I possessed the evidence and research needed to justify my leadership style to myself and my peers.

On the other side of that emotional coin was the challenge of navigating difficult conversations. Historically, this was an area where I lacked both confidence and conviction because I tended to shy away from the friction that often accompanies change.

However, after engaging with the works of Ruben and Gigliotti on the complexities of communication, I began to view these interactions not as conflicts but as essential leadership duties. The programme provided a safe harbour to practice this by utilising roleplay with peers to deconstruct the mechanics of a tough dialogue. I left these sessions equipped with practical frameworks, right down to using structured worksheets to map out the intent and desired outcomes of a meeting before crossing the threshold of the room. This shift from avoidance to preparation has been transformative for my professional efficacy and the clarity of my expectations.

Though the course consisted of eight sessions throughout the academic year, the true learning happened in the weeks between. The programme effectively re-tuned my perspective, opening my eyes to the examples of leadership happening around me at all times. I began to observe the micro-leads occurring in every corridor, which are those quiet moments of influence that keep the heart of a school beating.

It became clear that the fundamental strength of the Pele Trust lies in its commitment to distributive leadership. By observing my colleagues through these new academic frameworks, I realised that leadership is not a lonely spot at the top of a pyramid. Instead, it is a pervasive energy that exists at every level. This realisation has empowered me to empower others, ensuring that our collective efforts are always pulling in the same direction toward student success.

Engaging in professional dialogue with peers from different settings allowed for a cross pollination of ideas that I found invaluable. We shared our triumphs and our anxieties with equal candour. This sense of a shared journey reinforced my commitment to the Trust as a whole. It reminded me that while our individual schools have unique identities, we are part of a broader ecosystem dedicated to excellence. This networking facet of the course did not just build my skills; it built my professional community.

During my time on the programme, I held responsibility for the leadership of Literacy. This provided a live environment to apply my learning in real time.

Using the clarity, precision, and structured communication models I had studied, I led the implementation of a new approach to transcription across the school. By applying the principles of EQ and clear communication, I was able to build a shared sense of purpose among the staff. We moved away from fragmented practices toward a unified, evidence based strategy. A year later, the data speaks for itself. The positive impact on the writing of our children is tangible evidence that the Leadership Development Programme does not just develop individuals; it directly enriches the daily school experience for our pupils.

Ultimately, I am now firm in the belief that leadership is a craft that can be honed rather than a gift one is born with. I now possess the knowledge, the vocabulary, and the evidence based experience to lead with intentionality. The University’s curriculum provided the map, but the Pele Trust provided the landscape in which to explore it.

So, what is my five year plan? For the first time, the edges of that answer are crisp. The picture may not be fully painted yet, but I know with certainty that leadership – principled, empathetic, and evidence led – is the canvas it will be built upon. I look forward to contributing to the continued success of our Trust, armed with the conviction that effective leadership is the most powerful tool we have for changing lives.