The session will examine what outstanding middle leadership looks like in the role of HOD / HOF. It will also cover a range of strategies to monitor, evaluate and review teaching and learning in colleagues’ departments and examine ways to improve further and develop the teaching and learning of colleagues and students. This includes classroom practice, quality of homework, student-teacher relationships and skills development.
Colleagues will come away confident in developing and implementing a ‘vision’ for their department/faculty in terms of teaching and learning, and with the means to create it.
James Nichols is a teacher, school leader and trained ISI inspector with over fifteen years of middle and senior leadership experience in both the maintained and independent sector. A former Head of Year, Head of Department, Head of House, Assistant Headteacher (Learning and Teaching and Head of Sixth Form), Deputy Headteacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead and Head, James has worked with both internal and external stakeholders to achieve educational, commercial and operational goals within school settings. James left Headship in April 2025 to set up two new educational organisations: JSN Education, which works with schools to enhance their curriculum provision, leadership and staff development; and Political Education For Students, which enthuses, engages and educates young people in the importance of political literacy through workshops, seminars and supra-curricular opportunities. James also has a passion for supporting Oxbridge students, something that continues through the work that Political Education For Students undertakes. In his spare time, James likes cooking, reading, politics, history, writing and travel.