Ideas for developing students' cultural capital
First published in SecEd on 18 June 2015. Every year, participants on the Future Leaders headship development programme visit schools across the country to observe best practice in different contexts. This includes secondary and primary schools in the independent and state sector. The aim is to give them a range of ideas to implement in their current senior leadership team posts and to help them identify the type of school they would like to lead as a head. Afterwards, the Future Leaders come together to reflect on what they have seen. Unsurprisingly among a group of senior leaders committed to improving outcomes for disadvantaged children, the liveliest debate is usually around the independent schools. A common reflection this year was about how teaching and learning was taken for granted in these schools, and how they placed a lot – in some cases more – emphasis on developing the social and cultural capital and networks that will form the bedrock of future success for their