1. SLEs will work beyond their own schools, supporting individual or groups of leaders using a high-level coaching or facilitation approach …. This may involve a variety of support approaches, for example:
one-to-one support
facilitated group support
use and analysis of data
diagnosis of strengths and areas for development
SLEs are outstanding middle and senior leaders … with at least 2 years experience in a particular field of expertise. SLEs have the capacity, skills and commitment to support other individuals or teams, in similar positions in other schools.
SLEs will act as ‘system leaders’, supporting individual leaders and teams in other schools by using a high level coaching or facilitation approach. …SLEs will support high quality professional development of leaders and may also potentially play a key role in the future development of school-to-school support, by identifying outstanding future leaders.

2. The Mathematics SLE toolkit
Although the SLE role is new, there are some clear pointers as to what is required and the above quotes from the National College give a flavour. The clear message is to work with a school or group of teachers, to get to know their own situation and enable them to develop their practice from within. This is a work with, not a done to model.
Therefore the key skills of coaching and mentoring are a vital part of an SLEs tool kit. For further support related to this see section 1.2 of the ‘Schools Working Together’ materials ( This section and, indeed, the entire Schools Working Together microsite ( would be ideal to use either on your own or with other mathematics SLEs for your own professional development.
Another key SLE role is to develop systems and structures within the Teaching School alliance to enable subject leaders and other potential influencers to work in the same way in their own institutions. As the SLE role develops, the intention is that leadership of CPD becomes distributed across all schools in the alliance so that SLEs are not always the direct providers but play the important role of leading, managing and deploying suitable support. This is the vital “system leader” aspect of the role referred to above; identifying and developing talent wherever it exists.
In this toolkit we offer mathematics SLEs some specific tools, some related to direct school-to-school support and others related to building the capacity of the alliance as a whole. Because of the system leader role referred to above, these may relate to the work of others who you are supporting as well as being used directly by you as SLE.
Click on a circle in the diagram for help with who you might need to work with, pointers to effective practice to help you evaluate your work, specific advice and practical strategies and
quick links to useful resources.