Heading Up Webinar Series 2026-2027

In January 2026, Saxton Bampfylde launched Heading Up, a webinar series designed to support senior leaders considering Headship and preparing for leadership opportunities over the next one to three years.

The programme aims to help aspiring Heads reflect on whether Headship is the right next step, develop their leadership thinking, and gain practical guidance on applications, recruitment processes and career progression. It also enables us to build relationships with talented leaders as part of our commitment to helping schools identify and appoint outstanding candidates.

We have been encouraged by the strong engagement from senior leaders across a wide range of schools and sectors, demonstrating both the breadth of talent within education and the growing interest in Headship as a realistic and rewarding future career path.

The series combines thought-provoking leadership discussions with practical advice drawn from our experience supporting schools, governing bodies and candidates through senior appointments. In earlier sessions, Senior Advisor Martin Reader encouraged participants to reflect on the balance between “being” and “doing” as a leader, and to develop an authentic leadership narrative grounded in their own values and beliefs. Helen Pike, Master of Magdalen College School, shared reflections on the changing educational landscape, the importance of embracing leadership opportunities, and the need to promote greater diversity in school leadership. Both speakers offered candid perspectives on the challenges and rewards of Headship.

Alongside these leadership discussions, Saxton Bampfylde Partners Alice Brent-Smith and Jo Ogilvy have provided practical advice on letters of application, professional profiles and navigating recruitment processes.

From September onwards, the series will focus on some of the most important aspects of preparing for Headship, including strategic leadership, working effectively with governors and bursars, international opportunities, and understanding the recruitment, assessment and interview processes. We encourage senior leaders considering future Headship opportunities to join us.

There is still an opportunity to join the remaining webinars:

• 22 September 2026 – Changing Your Thinking: from operational leadership to strategic leadership, international opportunities, and lessons learned from leadership applications.
• 24 November 2026 – Compassionate Leadership in Education, featuring Jan Cresswell.
• 26 January 2027 – Know Thyself: understanding your leadership style and the role of psychometric assessment in leadership development.
• 11 May 2027 – Working with Your Bursar/COO/CFO: developing financial and commercial awareness for Headship and interview preparation.

Whether you are actively seeking your first Headship or simply beginning to explore future leadership opportunities, Heading Up offers valuable insights, practical guidance and the opportunity to learn from experienced school leaders and search consultants.

For further information or to register for upcoming sessions, please contact the Saxton Bampfylde Schools Team at: Sarah.Seabrook@saxbam.com