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Who we are

About us

The Scottish College for Educational Leadership (SCEL) supports the leadership professional learning of all educators for the benefit of our young people, schools and communities. Powerful leadership is vital to a school's success. Our innovative, high quality leadership programmes and services help ensure educators have the right learning and development opportunities to make a real difference to the outcomes for children and young people.

We are part of Education Scotland, the national improvement agency for education in Scotland. We are committed to embedding our values of excellence, creativity, integrity and respect in everything we do.

SCEL was originally established in April 2014 following recommendations in Teaching Scotland’s Future and is committed to ensuring the best possible leadership at all levels across Scotland's schools.

Our vision

Our vision is to work in partnership with the profession and other national organisations to deliver an education system in Scotland where every teacher and early years practitioner benefits from excellent leadership learning and development so as to make a direct difference to young people and society.

What we aspire to do

Our mission is to bring clarity and coherence to educational leadership in Scotland, ensuring that all teachers and early years practitioners engage with the most relevant, meaningful and inspiring professional learning and development. We will achieve this by:

Sustainable

Building and growing a new, sustainable organisation that understands and adds real value to teachers, practitioners and pupils in Scotland.

Knowledgeable

Establishing the expert role of SCEL at home and internationally by building a strong knowledge and research base which ensures ongoing improvement and leading edge learning.

Engaging

Engaging across and beyond the system - enhancing relationships, networks and communities to identify and share best practice in leadership learning and development.

Coherence

Providing access to a robust, relevant and fit for purpose suite of leadership learning programmes and opportunities that draw on international best practice to meet unique local and national needs, strengthening individual and collective leadership capacity across Scotland.

Your experiences

Read more from people who have taken part in our educational leadership programmes.

School

Leadership

I like the practical aspect of the programme. As we move into next term it’s very much a practice based approach, which means we’ll be able to carry out a meaningful project that helps deliver improvement in our own school while learning about the theoretical context of leadership.

Teacher

Leadership

Excellent delivery and really engaging. Practical thinking strategies and thought provoking. Will definitely take my ideas back to school.

System

Leadership

Being a Fellow has raised my profile within my local authority and beyond, as I have been asked to participate in Leadership developments at local and national level. All of these have helped me develop my own leadership thinking and practice which have had impacts for learners not only within my own schools, but those outwith.

SCEL Community

Conversation and idea sharing with our team, partners and practitioners across the education system is key to our success.

Our team

Our partners

Our Fellows

Associates