Transforming the role of women leaders in state and independent schools

IPSWICH, England, Aug. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- "Leadership can be a lonely pursuit even in the most settled of times. This excellent book, written with authenticity, wisdom and insight, is an inspirational read that is destined to make a real difference." Richard Gerver award-winning speaker and best-selling author

The Magic in the Space Between by Ian Wigston, published by John Catt Educational, documents a unique mentoring programme created in response to the inequitable lack of female leaders in state and independent schools. Ian brought together a team of experienced leaders from business, the public sector and the military to empower nearly a hundred women to explore their potential for school leadership. Without a shared educational background, the mentees found effective ways to communicate, considered their role from new perspectives and learned new approaches, objectively reflecting on leadership style, reaffirming and  developing leadership skills.

The book charts their journey and explores the mentoring process, comparing the roles of mentoring and coaching and the positive use of psychometric assessment. It examines how mentoring, in tandem with collaborative projects undertaken by the women, provided a platform for each of them to develop a range of skills which saw more than a quarter achieve promotion within two years.

As well as telling the stories of individual success, frequently challenging their own assumptions, the book includes contributions from former Schools Minister David Laws, actor Juliet Stevenson and Commodore Mel Robinson, one of the most senior women in the British Navy.

The book concludes with proposals to address the continuing problem of building a pipeline for future women's leadership in education.

To learn more about The Magic in the Space Between, by Ian Wigton priced at just $24.95 please click here.

About the Author

Ian has been an independent consultant and coach for more than 25 years. He specialises in coaching, innovation and leadership development. He has undertak­en projects for organisations as diverse as Barclaycard, Boeing, and the Church of England and has been an advisor to the UK Government on Education Policy.

Ian and his wife Hilary established Bright Field Consulting in 2013 and presently work with state and independent schools in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.

About the publisher - John Catt Educational

Recently celebrating 60 years of publishing high quality guidebooks, magazines and educator-focussed professional development books, John Catt Educational is the leading independent publisher in the sector. John Catt Educational publishes up to 50 books a year and works with some of the most highly regarded educational authors in the United Kingdom – including, amongst others: former Secretary of State for Education Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP; Former Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools Sir Michael Wilshaw; and Sir John Dunford, former general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.

SOURCE John Catt Educational