Principal Preparation Program

Course description

This seven-day program supports middle leaders in schools aspiring to principalship. Designed as a practical, six month, spaced-learning experience, participants will:

• Engage in four, interactive whole-day workshops
• Read and respond to stimulus articles/videos prior to each workshop
• Engage in three days of guided shadowing of an experienced Principal
• Receive two professional coaching sessions delivered online, on applying their learning to their professional practice
• Utilise their program journal to reflect on their learning and plan for ‘stretching’ their practice
• Deploy two data-collecting instruments to provide feedback on:
  – How participants perceive their leadership strengths compared with how others perceive them
  – Identifying key competencies and capabilities for strengthening overall leadership performance
• Work with the facilitators to undertake a Personal Leadership Inquiry, using learning and data from all aspects of the program

Key content in this program includes:
– Developing a leadership disposition
– Continuous learning for growth as a leader
– How leaders build a culture of teamwork and performance
– How leaders learn to know themselves and how they use their capabilities to build trust and influence
– Critical interpersonal skills for leaders
– Politically astute leadership
– Fundamentals of school improvement

This program connects to a qualification pathway. It is one unit of four units required to attain the Graduate Certificate in Education (Leadership) with UTAS. This program is 50% completion of the post graduate unit (ESM762 Principal Preparation Program) leaving a balance of 50% which requires only one 2500 word reflective essay based on the program learnings.

Enrol in the program to receive the Expression of Interest Form.

Participants are funded three day’s relief.

Course outcomes

Participants will further develop knowledge, expertise and capabilities aligned with the Principal Capability Framework, particularly:

• Understanding and practising authenticity as a leader
• Shaping an inclusive school culture that fosters mutual respect, agency and accountability
• Building a psychologically and emotionally safe environment
• Cultivating a feedback culture by building capacity in self and others to inquire, and seek and respond to data and feedback, for continuous improvement
• Nurturing collaborative practice and high-performing teams
• Developing educational leadership knowledge and expertise for driving school improvement