Influence: Aspiring and New Assistant Principals

Our Influence professional learning program is designed to help aspiring and new assistant principals build the core competencies required for success.

Influence offers a unique opportunity to identify areas for growth, expand your professional networks and directly address critical skill gaps as you undertake a school-embedded strategic inquiry focus.

The program is structured around dynamic learning opportunities, enabling you to:

• apply your learning to a school improvement challenge and receive constructive feedback from peers and experienced facilitators, concentrating on the leadership dispositions and readiness for the assistant principal role
• learn through authentic case studies and real-world problems of practice
• network with a range of peers, establishing valuable connections for regional and rural leading teachers, teaching specialists and newly appointed assistant principals.

Audience

Roles

Designed for aspiring assistant principals and developing newly appointed assistant principals.

This may include:

• leading teachers
• learning specialists
• assistant principals.

School sectors

This program is available to the following school sectors:

• Victorian government
• Catholic
• independent.

Some content may contain information aligned with Department of Education priorities or initiatives.

Facilitators

Structure of program

Over approximately 6 months, you will engage in and contribute to:

• 1 online basecamp launch (1 hour)
• 4 full-day in-person workshops (6.5 hours each)
• 2 online campfire circles (1 hour each)
• 1 online presentations masterclass (1 hour)
• 1 half-day in-person summit celebration (4.5 hours)
• Self-directed learning and expedition challenge (approximately 12 hours).

Basecamp launch: start with clarity and connection

Begin the program with a clear understanding of the journey ahead. You will meet the facilitators and cohort, explore the program structure and key milestones, and prepare for the core elements of the experience, including a 360 feedback, Expedition Challenge, campfire circles and reflective learning between workshops.

Workshops

Workshop 1: My leadership journey

Explore the complexities of leadership and the shift required to step up to leading effectively from the assistant principal role. You will reflect on your leadership identity, consider how your leadership is experienced by others, and deepen your understanding of emotional intelligence and leadership impact.

Workshop 2: Influencing others

Focus on the relationships, conversations and team dynamics that shape your influence. You will explore trust, accountability, courageous conversations, coaching and delegation to strengthen collaboration and build effective teams.

Workshop 3: Partnering with community

Strengthen your ability to engage families, communities and stakeholders in meaningful ways. You will explore inclusion, trust, cultural safety and engagement, and consider how stronger partnerships can support better outcomes across your school community.

Workshop 4: Leading school improvement

Bring your learning together through a focus on strategy, influence and improvement. You will explore how to use data, align priorities and mobilise others to contribute to purposeful and sustained school improvement.

Campfire circles

Campfire circles are smaller, facilitated peer sessions of 4-6 participants that create space for reflection, challenge and support. In a structured and confidential setting, you will share progress, test ideas, receive feedback and build momentum on your Expedition Challenge alongside peers.

Presentations masterclass

Presenting with impact and engaging your target audience through storytelling is a key skill for all senior school leaders. You will refine your Expedition Challenge reflection, sharpen your key messages and prepare for the summit celebration.

Summit celebration

Conclude the program by sharing your Expedition Challenge with your campfire circle group, reflecting on your leadership growth. You will share an 8-minute reflection on 5 discovery activities that you have conducted throughout the program, linking back to application of the workshop content. The summit celebration is an opportunity to recognise your progress, celebrate your learning and look back on the journey you have taken across the program.

Expedition challenge and self-directed learning

Throughout the program, you will apply your learning through self-directed activities and an Expedition Challenge. The Expedition Challenge gives the program a practical focus, supporting you to test ideas, reflect on your practice and make progress on meaningful work already part of your role. Self-directed learning includes preparation, reflection and inquiry to help embed your learning in practice.

Learning outcomes

You will develop the knowledge and skills to:

• understand the expectations of the assistant principal role in practice, including the mindsets and skillsets of high-performing assistant principals
• demonstrate a deeper self-awareness of the impact of your leadership practices on colleagues and community
• develop and influence others using leadership strategies that build accountability, relational trust and inclusive practice
• apply culturally effective approaches to engage effectively with diverse communities and system stakeholders to build trust, cultural safety, inclusion, and shared ownership of improvement
• explore strategic leadership approaches to mobilise others and the application of data in crafting strategy and aligning initiatives to contribute to whole-school improvement.

Completion requirements

To successfully complete this program, you will need to:

• attend and participate in all events (launch, workshops, campfire circles, summit celebration)
• complete all required pre- and post-workshop activities.

Fees and financial support

We significantly subsidise costs for all participants.

Additional financial support for government schools

Victorian government school participants may be eligible for additional subsidies.

A small school CRT subsidy is available for Victorian government school participants that come from schools that have less than 100 students and covers the costs of employing a Casual Relief Teacher (CRT).

Fees and financial support