Leadership training to empower headteachers
Further funding for academies that have benefitted more than 2,000 so far.
Training opportunities for school leaders will continue to be supported by the Scottish Government helping develop leadership skills, improve job satisfaction and benefit pupils and staff.
The Scottish Government is providing £395,000 to the Head Teachers' Leadership Academies (HTLA), run by Columba 1400, which will be matched by the Hunter Foundation.
This brings total Scottish Government support for Columba 1400’s HTLAs to £790,000 since 2025-26, with this year’s funding expected to help up to 280 school leaders to develop their leadership skills.
Recent evaluation of the Leadership Academies revealed 2,000 headteachers and school leaders have already benefitted from the training, with participants reporting increased confidence and resilience, and improvements in their leadership abilities.
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said:
“Our support for Columba 1400’s leadership academies will ensure even more school leaders feel empowered to deliver excellence and equity in education, providing the opportunity to develop knowledge, confidence and skills.
“Education leaders are looking out for and caring for our children and young people everyday, and I recently met with graduates of the Head Teachers’ Leadership Academy who gave glowing feedback on the transformative experience of participating in the leadership academy and how it helped to reaffirm their leadership abilities.
“It is fantastic that 2,000 school leaders have already benefitted from the programme, returning to schools to deliver the progress we have seen, reflected in the rising attainment and narrowing of the poverty-related attainment gap in this year’s Qualification Scotland results. Hundreds more opportunities for development will be available through our continued support for the programme.”
Sir Tom Hunter said:
“The Hunter Foundation has backed the Head Teachers' Leadership Academy from day one because we know that leadership matters. We're delighted that the Scottish Government has renewed its commitment to this partnership. If we want the best outcomes for Scotland's young people, we need to invest in the people who lead our schools. Strong leadership creates opportunities, raises aspirations and makes a lasting difference in communities across the country.”
Marie Clare Tully, Chief Executive of Columba 1400, said:
"I am delighted that the Scottish Government and The Hunter Foundation have reaffirmed their commitment to the Columba 1400 Head Teachers' Leadership Academy.
“This continued investment reflects a shared belief in the importance of values-based leadership and will enable a further 280 school leaders to take part in our academies in 2027. The greatest outcome of these experiences is seeing school leaders reconnect with their values, rediscover their sense of purpose and remember why they went into teaching in the first place. Time and again, we see the impact of that ripple out into schools and communities across Scotland, creating the conditions for children and young people to thrive.”
Alison Rooney, headteacher at Langloan Primary School and Nursery Class in Coatbridge, who recently took part in a HTLA, said:
"The Head Teachers' Leadership Academy gave me the space to reconnect with what matters most as a leader. The impact has stayed with me long after the Academy ended, influencing how I lead, how we work together as a staff team and how we create opportunities for children and young people to thrive. I'm delighted that future school leaders will continue to have access to this incredible experience."
Background
Columba 1400 is a Scottish charity founded in 1997 and opened in 2000, dedicated to helping young people, especially those from tough realities, and the key adults in their lives discover their leadership potential through values-based leadership academies. In September, Columba 1400 confirmed 2,000 headteachers and deputy heads had participated in HTLAs since the programme began, and that independent evaluation showed:
- 96% of graduates reported increased confidence
- 93% reported increased resilience
- 94% reported improved leadership abilities
- 94% rated the experience as very or extremely valuable
The HTLAs equip senior professionals in education with the confidence, resilience, and skills they need to create lasting change in their school and communities. Headteachers are invited to register their interest to participate in the 2027 HTLAs here.