Outstanding Leadership of a Sociology Department

ABOUT THIS COURSE

This full-day CPD course, Outstanding Leadership of a Sociology Department, is designed to equip subject leaders with the tools, vision, and strategies needed to lead high-performing Sociology departments. Through a blend of practical guidance, strategic planning, and collaborative reflection, participants will explore how to drive consistency in teaching and learning, raise student outcomes, and build a strong subject identity across the school. The course supports leaders in developing a compelling departmental vision, embedding robust quality assurance, and nurturing a culture of excellence and support.

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BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Leave with an actionable leadership plan tailored to your department’s needs and next steps
• Gain a clear understanding of what “outstanding” leadership looks like in the context of Sociology
• Learn how to implement consistent, high-quality teaching and learning across your department
• Take away proven strategies for tracking performance, closing the attainment gap, and using student voice effectively
• Explore practical ways to raise the profile of Sociology through trips, displays, and whole-school engagement

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PROGRAMME

10.00am: Welcome & Vision of Outstanding Leadership

• What defines “outstanding” in Sociology leadership (Ofsted/real-world lens)
• Developing a compelling vision rooted in high expectations
• Leadership styles that build strong departments

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10:30am: Leading Outstanding Teaching & Learning in Sociology

• Identify and implement strategies for consistent, high-quality teaching and learning across their department
• Understand how to model outstanding pedagogy as a subject leader
• Develop engaging, rigorous curricula and schemes of work
• Balance consistency with autonomy to empower effective teaching

• Department expectations: assessment, feedback, homework, adaptive practice

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11.15am: Break

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11.30am: Consistency & Leading the Team

• QA cycle: What should Sociology leaders check and why?
• Departmental consistency:
  • Use of department meetings and communication
  • Shared teaching approaches
• Leading CPD for non-specialists or new staff
• Handling difficult conversations with empathy and clarity

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12.15pm: Lunch

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1.15pm: Quality Assurance and Monitoring Performance

• Using assessment data and baseline data to track progress and identify trends
• Gathering meaningful student voice through surveys, interviews, and learning walks
• Conducting effective book looks and work sampling: what to look for and how to feed back
• Monitoring key groups (PP, EAL, gender) to reduce the attainment gap and identify students for intervention

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2.15pm: Break

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2.25pm: Trips, Displays & Subject Identity

• Building cultural capital: enriching trip ideas
• Making displays powerful
• Budget and resource management
• Raise the profile of the sociology department across the school

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3.00pm: Action Planning and Closing

• Leadership audit: Where are you now?
• 30/60/90-day plan: Actions to build towards “outstanding”

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3.30pm: Depart