Future Leaders is a UK schools-led charitable organisation that aims to widen the pool of talented leaders especially for urban challenging secondary schools. It was founded in March 2006 by Nat Wei.
Future Leaders currently operates in London, the West Midlands and the North West and has plans to expand to other areas in future years. Future Leaders is supported by the National College for School Leadership, the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and Absolute Return for Kids.
Future Leaders recruits, trains and supports its participants through a two-year talent management programme that leads them to senior leadership of a school within 12 months of commencing training, and guides them to become a headteacher within four years of starting the programme. Participants benefit from a lifelong network of like-minded individuals and a world-class intensive training programme based in the UK and abroad that is designed specifically for leadership in urban schools and is run by top education and business leaders. Their first year of training is an apprenticeship under a highly-successful urban headteacher as a supernumerary resident at senior leadership level, often as an Associate Deputy Head. They also receive bespoke coaching support from an in-school peer tutor, an external leadership coach, and regular mentoring from their headteacher during term time. In their second year, participants are given support in finding their first substantive post as a senior leader - usually as a Deputy Head. Participants are paid their current salary in their residency year, and a salary commensurate with the new post they should achieve in their second year.
Future Leaders recruits current or former teachers who have strong leadership potential and who are looking for a route into senior leadership of challenging urban schools. There is no minimum age or experience required to apply to the programme, save Qualified Teacher Status and the ability to work in the UK, but the programme is very competitive to join and selects individuals with strong leadership potential and whose own personal mission is best aligned with Future Leaders' mission and aims.