Haberdashers’ Accelerated Leadership Development Programme

HABERDASHERS' WORKING TOGETHER

Part of the Haberdashers’ Working Together programme

Haberdashers’ Accelerated Leadership Development Programme (HALD) is a 2-year programme programme aiming to recognise, develop and retain high performing middle and senior leaders from our schools, developing our pipeline of future Headteachers and Principals.

There are many benefits to becoming a member of the staff team at a Haberdashers’ school – professional collaboration and professional development are taken very seriously at all of our schools and excellent staff underpin all that they deliver.

In active partnership with our schools, Working Together is the support that the Company can offer by sharing ideas and best practice across our schools. Through communities of collaboration, school staff, leaders and governors meet throughout the year to troubleshoot, innovate and develop strategies to support individual school priorities. School groups themselves also host events and programmes of professional development responding to emerging needs and common themes.

HALD is a great example of this. Each year, the programme begins with a residential in June, facilitated by Jan Shadick, CEO of Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South.

This residential guides participants to discover their leadership effectiveness and develop their leadership behaviours and practice. A team of coaches, senior and executive leaders from our schools and industry lead the rest of the programme design and facilitation.

Headteachers and Principals identify potential applicants that meet the participant profile and potential applicants are invited to attend a short webinar before committing. The 2-year programme is open to senior leaders from right across the Haberdashers’ community.

HABERDASHERS' WORKING TOGETHER

HALD provides high potential middle and senior leaders with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to deliver excellence now and grow into Principals of the future. The programme aims to develop, support and retain talented leaders in education, recognising their contributions, enabling them to fulfil their ambitions with us.

The programme is rooted in research by Hay McBer – one of the world’s leading consultancies on strategy and performance – and is focused on leadership behaviours and their impact on others.

Participants will discover your own effectiveness as a leader from the results of a 360-degreeLeadership Competency Survey based on feedback from your colleagues. They will learn about your own Motive Profile and how it impacts on their leadership behaviour and practice their leadership skills using simulation exercises. The residential also give participants an opportunity to share their thoughts, feelings and insights with colleagues in a secure, supportive environment.

Download the Programme for 2025-2026 here.