Middle Leader Quality Assurance Review
Developing middle leadership through an in-person peer review programme driving school improvement at a hub level
Overview
The Middle Leader QA Review translates the rigorous principles of our national Quality Assurance Review into a subject-specific context. It is designed for hubs within the Network of Excellence that want to build evaluation capacity from the ground up. By empowering subject leaders to act as peer reviewers, hubs can create a self-sustaining culture of professional challenge and subject-level improvement.
A great opportunity to share ideas and see how another school operates at all levels. Particularly worthwhile being able to review a subject you lead on in your own school in order to magpie ideas and have professional dialogue.
James Aldred, Headteacher, The Garibaldi School
The Approach
The programme is hub-led and flexible. While it requires a cluster of at least three to four schools to ensure a breadth of experience, the reviews do not need to be direct swaps between the same two schools. Instead:
- Schools within the hub rotate between hosting a review and sending their middle leaders to review a subject in another participating school.
- The process is overseen by at least two Senior Leaders from the hub, who are trained by the Challenge Partners central team to act as Lead Facilitators. This training is excellently reviewed by participants.
- Challenge Partners provides the comprehensive training, toolkits, and resources, while the hub manages the local scheduling and focus.
100%
of Lead Facilitators reported that the training prepared them to effectively develop the skills and confidence of their middle leaders
Key benefits
Gain confidence
Subject leaders prepare and present their curriculum strategy, rationale and impact to visiting reviewers, strengthening confidence and clarity. Their presentation is triangulated through learning visits, discussions and review of documentation and data.
Professional dialogue
The review creates dedicated time for rich, evidence-based professional dialogue, enabling host and visiting subject leaders to reflect, share practice and test their thinking
Identify leading practice
The review highlights leading practice and the impact of subject leadership, enabling effective strategies to be shared and showcased across the hub.
Identify next steps
The review enables deep reflection on the subject area, with agreed strengths and next steps captured as WWWs and EBIs in the report, guided by the Lead Facilitator.
Learn from others
Visiting subject reviewers gain valuable professional development by observing different leadership approaches, asking probing questions and gathering ideas to take back to their own schools.
Individual CPD
Receive individual CPD and coaching from an experienced Lead Facilitator, helping them refine their evaluative practice through feedback, quality assurance and structured reflection.