Sustainable School Leadership in Scotland's Secondary Schools

We are delighted to invite you to a full-day conference dedicated to Sustainable School Leadership in Scotland’s secondary schools. This event brings together School Leaders from across Scotland and is delivered in partnership with School Leaders Scotland and the Sustainable School Leadership research team at the University of Nottingham.

Grounded in the Sustainable School Leadership (SSL) research findings and the aspirations in the SLS manifesto, the interactive conference will explore the six key themes from the SSL project:

1. School Leadership has changed substantially in recent years
2. Leaders are working beyond their educational remit
3. Not a pipeline crisis (yet) – it’s a sustainability crisis
4. Leadership Diversity – a problem that no-one really owns
5. Preparing for Headship – importance of developmental experience
6. One-size policy does not fit all

Through expert input and collaborative discussion, participants will engage with a conceptual model for sustainable school leadership (Greany, Thomson, Perry and Collins, 2026), using it as a lens to reflect on the challanges and opportunitues in their own context.

At this pivotal moment for Scottish education following the parliamentary elections, this conference creates space for leaders to step back, think deeply, and act strategically. Together, we aim to:

• Reframe the narrative from crisis management to long-term sustainability
• Influence the direction of Scottish education, ensuring policy and practice are grounded in the lived realities of schools
• Strengthen the profession, by identifying how leadership can be made more attractive, diverse, and sustainable
• Equip leaders with clarity and confidence to navigate complexity and lead meaningful change
• Build a collective voice, positioning school leaders as key partners in shaping the future of the system

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher School Leaders Scotland