Leaders Like Us Cohort 3 (2025-26) Participant & Mentor Application Form

Please complete this form as fully as you are able to, so that we can evaluate your current suitability for the Leaders Like Us programme. You will see that most of the questions are required, whereas others are optional. This is to give you as much opportunity as possible to show your suitability for the programme.

In your application, please make direct reference to the programme itself as set out here: Leaders Like Us - Future Headteacher Programme - Foundation For Educational Leadership (cefel.org.uk) and the Church of England's Vision for Education: The CofE Vision for Education - Foundation For Educational Leadership (cefel.org.uk)

Thank you for taking the time to complete the form.

Personal Information

Name

Phone number This is in case we need to discuss your application with you further.

Email address This is so that we can contact you about your application.

Alternative email address if you gave us your work email address - This is to enable us to contact you just in case you leave school, and your school disables your email and/or you do not have access to the email.

School Name

I am interested in -

Application Questions

Participant Questions

The Leaders Like Us programme is a multifaceted programme opened to teachers from a UKME/GMH background. This is a direct response to the recommendations from the report of the Archbishops’ anti-racism taskforce: FromLamentToAction-report.pdf (churchofengland.org)

These questions are to evaluate your suitability to complete the LLU program successfully.

Please choose the ethnicity that best describes you:

Do you have the support of your headteacher to undertake the programme? You will need time out of school to complete the programme, so it is essential your headteacher supports that.

Yes my headteacher supports my application to the programme and can confirm this separately.No my headteacher is unable to support my application to the programme.

If no - please explain why your headteacher is unable to endorse your application so we can better support you in being accepted on the programme if you are successful in your application:

Headteacher Endorsement

Headteacher's name

Headteacher's email address We will contact your headteacher directly to confirm that they support your participation in the programme.

Headteacher's PA name: We know that headteachers are busy. We ask for the headteacher's PA name and email address to support in the administrative process of receiving your endorsement form.

Headteacher's PA email address:

Do you hold QTS?

Please choose a statement that best describes your current place of work:

Other, please state:

Please choose the statement that best describes your current job title/career:

Please choose the statement that best describes your immediate aspirations: My immediate aspiration is to be:

Why would you like to take part in the Leaders Like Us programme with the Church of England? Please note, you do not need to work in a CofE school or attend a CofE church to take part, but we are looking for participants who share our Vision for Education (see link above).

What experience do you already have of impactful school leadership? Please include any relevant qualifications in your answer (e.g. NPQs).

What (if any) other leadership experience do you have? This is an optional question which enables you to share leadership experience from other sectors, if that applies to you.

The Leaders Like Us Programme is an 18-month learning journey that supports middle and senior leaders from UKME/GMH (UK minoritised ethnic/global majority heritage) into senior leadership (including headship) roles within the next five years through our bespoke multifaceted programme. The LLU programme has four aspects. Two aspects are compulsory (Mentoring and Networking), and two are optional (shadowing and training). The following questions will assess your suitability, capability and ability to complete the Leaders Like Us programme. Please kindly answer them to the fullest extent possible.

Network sessions:

These questions are about your participation in the network sessions.

As part of the Leaders Like Us programme, you will be required to attend the network sessions. This is a compulsory aspect of the Leaders Like Us programme. Attendance would be taken at each session. There are ten network sessions across the 18-month duration of the programme. Three of the ten network sessions are termed as ‘Faith and Leadership’. The ‘Faith and Leadership’ sessions are the only optional network sessions. There are two face-to-face sessions; these are the LLU launch event to usher in the start of your programme and the LLU celebration event to signify the end of the programme. These are whole-day events, and you will need to request a day out of school. As part of the network session, you will have a full online day. You will also need to request time out of school to attend this session. All other network sessions are twilight online sessions hosted on Zoom. Please find all provisional dates and times here:

I agree to attend ALL the network sessions, including the Leaders Like Us launch.

Mentoring:

These questions are about your engagement with your mentor.

As part of the Leaders Like Us programme you will be assigned a mentor. This is a compulsory aspect of the Leaders Like Us programme. Please find further details of mentoring here: Hosts and Mentors 2024-25 - Foundation For Educational Leadership (cefel.org.uk)

I agree to having a mentor

The Curriculum & Inclusion (C&I) Team will do its best to make meaningful matches; however, it can’t guarantee that every specific request will be met. To help the C&I team match you to a mentor, please answer the questions below.

Reflecting on your current job title, please click the statement below that best describes the type of mentor you desire.

I would like to have a mentor who is:

in middle leadership

in senior leadership

an assistant headteacher

a deputy headteachera headteachera CEO

Reflecting on your current sector and your aspirations to go into leadership, I would:

like a mentor who works in the primary school sector.

like a mentor who works in the secondary school sector.

like a mentor who works in an all-through school.

like a mentor who works in an alternative school.I do not have a preference. I welcome a mentor who works in any of the above sectors.

The C&I team values all. As such, we have mentors from all heritages and genders. These questions are not compulsory and we can not promise that we will meet these requests.

Please choose the statement that best describes your desires.

I would like to have a mentor that is:

Female

Male

No preference

I would like a mentor who is from an:

UKME/GMH background

I have no preference on the heritage of my mentor

As part of the LLU programme, you will have the opportunity to shadow a senior leader. In most cases, this will be your mentor. We welcome mentors from all geographical areas in the UK. We strongly encourage our LLU participants to explore regions and schools beyond their geographical location. We understand that this might not be possible for all participants due to life commitments. We will cover the cost of your transportation to travel to your mentor. To help us match you to a mentor, please answer the questions below:

I live/reside/work in and around this postcode/locality:

Please choose a statement that best relates to your capacity.

I welcome mentors from all geographical areas.I would like a mentor who is local to my postcode above.

I have no preference.

Diocese: (if applicable)

Not applicableBirminghamBlackburnBristolCanterburyCarlisleChelmsfordChesterChichesterCoventryDerbyDurham & NewcastleElyExeterGloucesterBath & WellsGuildfordHerefordLeedsLeicesterLichfieldLincolnLiverpoolLondonManchesterNorwichOxfordPeterboroughPortsmouth & WinchesterRochesterSalisburySheffieldSouthwarkSouthwell & NottsSt AlbansSt Eds & St IpsTruroWorcesterYorkI am an active member of a Catholic Diocese - Please state below

Name of Catholic Diocese: (if applicable) This is so we can match you with a mentor from a Catholic School.

Shadowing:

These questions are about the optional shadowing aspect of the Leaders Like Us programme.

As part of the Leaders Like Us programme, you will have the opportunity of shadowing an experienced senior leader for a week. This is optional. Please indicate if you would like to partake in the shadowing experience. Please find further details of the shadowing aspect here: Hosts and Mentors 2024-25 - Foundation For Educational Leadership (cefel.org.uk)

Yes, I would like to partake in the shadowing aspect of the programme.No, I would not like to partake in the shadowing aspect of the programme.

If yes how many days would you like to shadow an experienced senior leader:

12345

Training:

These questions are about the optional training aspect of the Leaders Like Us programme.

As part of the Leaders Like Us programme, you will have access to two main training pathways, namely, Aspiring Heads and any NPQ of your choice. If you have the capacity, we welcome LLU participants completing both Aspiring Heads (a six-month programme) and any NPQ of your choice (Please check if you are eligible for the state funded NPQs

Funding for national professional qualifications (NPQs) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). If you choose to complete both Aspiring Heads and an NPQ, please reflect and ensure you have the capacity to complete both programmes, as attendance is a criterion in ‘passing’ both training pathways.

Aspiring Heads:

This question is about your desire/aspiration to enrol and complete the Aspiring Heads programme.

Would you like to complete the Aspiring Heads programme?

YesNo

Training Pathway - NPQ:

This question is about your desire/aspiration to enrol and complete an NPQ with the CofE.

The CofE is one of the leading providers in the delivery of NPQS. You can only choose one NPQ programme. Please read the success criteria (Standard NPQs - Foundation For Educational Leadership (cefel.org.uk) for each option before selecting your chosen training pathway in order to ensure you meet the entry requirement for your chosen NPQ programme.

Would you like to complete an NPQ with the CofE?

YesNo

Are you completing an NPQ with another provider

YesNo

If yes, name of provider and name of NPQ:

To build community, we use WhatsApp to create a group. If your application is successful would you like to be added to the WhatsApp group;

YesNo

Is there anything else you would like us to consider about your application? This question is optional, but you may have additional information you would like to share which isn't requested elsewhere.

How did you hear about the Leaders Like Us programme:

Other, please state.

Name of person who recommended Leaders Like Us: (if applicable)

Mentor Questions

The Leaders Like Us programme is a multifaceted programme opened to teachers from a UKME/GMH background. This is as a direct response to the recommendations from the report of the Archbishops’ anti-racism taskforce: FromLamentToAction-report.pdf (churchofengland.org).Bottom of Form

The C&I team values allyship and welcomes mentors from all backgrounds and heritages. The Leaders Like Us programme needs mentors from all heritages for the programme to flourish. As a mentor, we will pair you with an LLU participant. To help the C&I team in pairing mentors with mentees, please answer the following questions below:

Please choose the ethnicity that best describes you:

Please choose a statement that best describes your current place of work:

Other, please state:

Diocese (if applicable)

Location/postcode of school ( this is to help us match mentee and mentors in similar geographical location for ease of transportation).

Please choose the statement that best describes your current job title/career:

Psychological safety is an essential aspect of our programme. The C&I team take safeguarding of both our mentors and mentors. We recognise that our mentors are in different stages on their Equity, diversity, inclusion and justice journey. We will provide training for all mentors to ensure that they are well-equipped to mentor teachers from a UKME/GMH background. Please answer the following questions to help us understand your current EDIJ status and identify further training required for you, our esteem mentor to flourish in this role.

Why would you like your school to be a host school/mentor for the Leaders Like Us programme with the Church of England? Please note, your school does not have to be a CofE school and you do not need to attend a CofE church to take part; but we are looking for hosts/mentors who share our Vision for Education (The CofE Vision for Education - Foundation For Educational Leadership (cefel.org.uk)

What training have you received/delivered in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in your school? Please make specific reference to racial justice/anti-racism training.

How is your school working towards a culture of belonging and inclusion? Please discuss the impact on staff, governors, pupils, the school environment and ethos.

What leadership experience do you have to offer? This is an optional question which enables you to share additional leadership experience which shows your suitability to mentor a Leaders Like Us participant.

My school's rating by Ofsted/ SIAMS/ ISI Please select the option which best describes your school. Please note this is an essential requirement.

Rated Good or better by Ofsted and SIAMS

Rated Good or better by OfstedRated Good or better by ISIRated as RI

Accommodation for Participants

We are willing to provide accommodation in our local community for the participant, and take responsibility for ensuring it is appropriateWe are unable to provide accommodation locally

Capacity for participants This is so that we can allocate mentees accordingly

I understand that as a Leaders Like Us host/ mentor, I am expected to attend training provided by CEFEL and be accountable to the CEFEL Inclusion team for my responsibility to the mentee.

I understand and am ready to become a mentor/ host

Endorser's name

Endorser's job title

Endorser's email address We will contact your endorser directly to confirm that they support your participation in the programme.

Chair of Governors/MAT/Diocese Do you have the support of your Chair of Governors/MAT/Diocese to undertake the programme? Please note we cannot process your application without the support of your Chair of Governors/diocese/ MAT. Please provide the name of an endorser whom we can contact about your application.

Yes, I have the support of my Chair of Governors for my application Yes, my diocese/ MAT supports my application for the programme

Is there anything else you would like us to consider about your application? This question is optional, but you may have additional information you would like to share which isn't requested elsewhere.

How did you hear about the Leaders Like Us programme:

Other, please state.

Name of person who recommended Leaders Like Us: (if applicable)

Privacy

Please read our privacy notice to understand how we will process the data you submit in this application: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/CEFEL_Programmes_Privacy_Notice_2022_v1.pdf

Please confirm whether you consent to us processing your data to progress your application:

Yes I have read the privacy notice and understand how the Church of England Foundation for Educational Leadership will collect and process my data.

Contact Information