Developing the leadership team

Get tips on how to develop your leadership team using a leadership framework, and use our self-evaluation tool to help your leaders review their leadership capacity.

Last reviewed on 20 April 2026
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 777
Contents
  1. Give our self-evaluation tool to your SLT to review their leadership capacity
  2. Work together to identify areas for development
  3. Create a framework for leadership development 
  4. Use coaching to develop practice
  5. Key characteristics of effective leadership teams
  6. Leadership CPD from The Key

Give our self-evaluation tool to your SLT to review their leadership capacity

It will help your senior leadership team (SLT) identify the areas of their leadership role they feel most confident in, as well as any aspects where they'd like more support or professional development.

We've included suggestions of the evidence that your staff can use to support each statement, and space to RAG-rate their current skills and knowledge.

KeyDoc: leadership capacity self-evaluation tool DOCX, 135.5 KB
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Get your middle leaders involved too

Give our middle leaders' skills audit to your phase, department or subject leads.

Work together to identify areas for development

Identify areas for development – group your findings into key leadership areas (e.g. teaching and learning) Form targets based on those areas – match these to specific roles and responsibilities (e.g. your assistant headteacher to lead on pupil progress meeting outcomes)  Decide on