Leading Learning: A Guide for Aspiring Directors of Education in Local Government
- truthaboutlocalgov
- Oct 19
- 7 min read
Stepping into the role of Director of Education within a local authority is one of the most strategically influential moves you can make in public service. It’s a position that demands not only deep expertise in education policy and practice, but also the ability to lead complex systems, influence political decision-making, and build trust across diverse partnerships.
As Director, you’ll be responsible for shaping the educational landscape of your borough, city, or county from early years through to post-16 and lifelong learning. Your decisions will directly impact school performance, inclusion, safeguarding, and the life chances of thousands of children and young people. You’ll be expected to lead on SEND reform, school place planning, capital investment, and workforce development, all while navigating the pressures of funding constraints, political scrutiny, and national reform agendas. This guide draws on sector research, leadership frameworks, and direct feedback from current Directors of Education to help aspiring leaders understand what the role truly entails. It outlines the critical skills you’ll need to develop, shares reflections from those already in post on what they wish they’d known from day one, and highlights common pitfalls that can derail even the most experienced professionals.
Whether you’re a Head of Service preparing to step up, or a senior leader in education looking to transition into local government, this guide is designed to help you lead learning with clarity, confidence, and impact.
What Does a Director of Education Actually Do?
The role of Director of Education is one of the most complex and high-impact positions within a local authority. While the scope varies depending on the council’s structure, political priorities, and geography, the core responsibilities consistently centre around strategic leadership, system-wide influence, and improving outcomes for children and young people. Here’s a breakdown of the key areas:
Strategic Leadership of Education Services
You’ll oversee a broad portfolio of statutory and discretionary services for children and young people aged 0–25. This includes early years provision, school improvement, SEND services, alternative provision, and post-16 education. You’ll be expected to set a clear vision for inclusive, high-quality education and ensure that services are aligned with national policy and local needs.
School Place Planning and Capital Investment
Ensuring there are enough school places in the right locations and of the right quality is a core responsibility. You’ll lead capital investment programmes, often worth tens of millions of pounds, working with planning teams, developers, and school leaders to deliver future-proofed, inclusive learning environments.
Policy and Partnership Development
You’ll advise elected Members, Chief Executives, and senior officers on the implications of national reforms from curriculum changes to funding shifts. Building strong relationships with Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), diocesan boards, colleges, universities, and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) is essential to delivering joined-up services.
Workforce and Skills Strategy
Education doesn’t stop at the school gate. You’ll play a key role in shaping local skills strategies, supporting young people to become work-ready, and aligning education pathways with the needs of the local economy. This includes working with employers, careers services, and further education providers.
Safeguarding and Inclusion
As a senior leader, you’ll be responsible for ensuring that safeguarding is embedded across all education settings. You’ll also champion inclusive education ensuring that children with SEND, those in care, and those at risk of exclusion receive the support they need to thrive.
“You’re not just managing services you’re shaping the future of your community through education.” Director of Education, London Borough
This is a role that requires strategic vision, operational grip, and the ability to lead across systems. It’s about more than delivering services it’s about creating the conditions for every child and young person to succeed.
Essential Skills to Develop
To succeed as a Director of Education in local government, you’ll need to cultivate a broad and deep skillset that spans strategic leadership, political navigation, and operational delivery. This is not a role for technical specialists alone it demands the ability to lead across systems, influence diverse stakeholders, and drive meaningful change in complex environments.
Here are the core competencies to focus on:
Strategic Planning and Policy Interpretation
You’ll need to interpret national education policy from SEND reform and curriculum changes to funding frameworks and inspection regimes and translate it into coherent, locally tailored strategies. This includes aligning education priorities with wider council objectives such as regeneration, public health, and community cohesion.
Leadership and Change Management
Leading multi-disciplinary teams across education, inclusion, and early years requires more than line management. You’ll be expected to inspire, challenge, and support your staff through periods of transformation, budget pressures, and service redesign. Change management skills are essential to ensure reforms are embedded and sustainable.
Political Acumen and Stakeholder Engagement
Directors operate in politically sensitive environments. You’ll need to build trust with elected Members, respond to scrutiny, and engage confidently with MAT CEOs, headteachers, regional DfE teams, and health partners. Understanding the political landscape and how to influence within it is key to securing buy-in and delivering results.
Data Literacy and Performance Analysis
Evidence-based decision-making is central to the role. You’ll need to interpret performance data, identify trends, and use insights to drive improvement across schools and services. This includes understanding Ofsted outcomes, attainment gaps, EHCP volumes, and workforce metrics and presenting them clearly to senior stakeholders.
Emotional Intelligence and Resilience
Education leadership is emotionally demanding. You’ll be supporting staff through challenging circumstances, managing conflict, and responding to crises all while maintaining your own wellbeing. Emotional intelligence helps you lead with empathy, while resilience ensures you can sustain your leadership over time.
“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”Warren Bennis
These skills aren’t developed overnight but they are essential for anyone aspiring to lead education at a strategic level. The best Directors are those who combine technical expertise with human insight, and who never stop learning.
What Current Directors Wish They Knew on Day One
Through our survey and sector interviews, current Directors of Education shared candid reflections on the realities of the role insights they wish they’d had when they first stepped into post. These lessons offer invaluable guidance for aspiring leaders preparing to take on one of the most demanding and rewarding roles in local government.
1. The Role Is More Political Than You Expect
“You’ll spend as much time influencing as you do delivering. Understanding the political landscape is essential.”
While technical expertise is important, success often hinges on your ability to navigate political sensitivities, build trust with elected Members, and respond to scrutiny with confidence. Directors must be politically astute, able to anticipate shifts in priorities, and skilled in presenting complex issues in ways that resonate with both politicians and the public.
2. SEND Will Dominate Your Agenda
With Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) rising by 11% year-on-year and a projected £4.6 billion deficit in the Dedicated Schools Grant by 2026, SEND is no longer a niche concern it’s a strategic and financial priority. Directors must understand the legal framework, funding pressures, and the operational challenges of delivering inclusive education across diverse settings.
“SEND isn’t just a service it’s a system-wide challenge that touches every part of the education landscape.”
3. Relationships Are Everything
Success in this role depends on the strength of your relationships. Whether it’s with MAT CEOs, headteachers, diocesan boards, regional DfE directors, or internal colleagues in planning, finance, and children’s services trust and collaboration are essential.
“You can’t lead education in isolation. The quality of your partnerships will define your impact.”
4. You’ll Need to Be a Systems Leader
Education doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Directors must lead across systems integrating education with health, social care, housing, and economic development. This means thinking beyond schools and understanding how wider determinants affect learning outcomes.
“Seeing the whole system is key. You’re not just leading education you’re influencing the conditions in which children grow and learn.”
5. You Can’t Do It Alone
The scale and complexity of the role make it impossible to succeed without a strong leadership team. Investing in staff development, succession planning, and distributed leadership is essential for sustainability.
“Build a team that can lead with you not just follow you. That’s how you create lasting change.”
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Even experienced Directors of Education acknowledge that the role comes with hidden challenges. These aren’t just operational missteps they can undermine strategic progress, damage relationships, and impact outcomes for children and young people. Here are five cautionary tales shared by current postholders:
Micromanaging Instead of Empowering
Trying to control every detail from school improvement plans to SEND casework can stifle innovation and demoralise your team. Directors who succeed create space for others to lead, delegate effectively, and focus on strategic priorities.
“Trust your heads of service. If you’re in the weeds, you’re not steering the ship.”
Neglecting Your Own Wellbeing
The pressure is relentless. A recent survey found that 80% of school leaders describe their workload as unacceptable, and 83% struggle to find time for strategic leadership. Directors are not immune. Without boundaries and support, burnout is a real risk.
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Prioritise your wellbeing it’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity.”
Underestimating the Complexity of SEND
SEND is not just a service it’s a system. Retrofitting inclusion after the fact is costly and ineffective. Directors must embed inclusive practice from the outset, across capital planning, workforce development, and curriculum design.
“If SEND isn’t part of your strategy, it will become your crisis.”
Failing to Communicate Vision Clearly
A compelling vision is essential but it must be understood and owned by your team. Without clarity, staff lose direction, and initiatives stall. Directors must communicate consistently, connect strategy to daily practice, and listen as much as they speak.
“Vision without communication is just a poster on the wall.”
Ignoring the Power of Early Engagement
Whether it’s a new school build, curriculum reform, or a partnership with a MAT, early engagement with stakeholders is critical. Waiting until plans are finalised to consult can lead to resistance, delays, and missed opportunities.
“Bring people in early not just to inform, but to co-create.”
Final Thoughts
Becoming a Director of Education is a career-defining move one that places you at the strategic heart of your local authority and at the moral heart of your community. It’s a role that demands not only technical expertise and policy fluency, but also emotional intelligence, resilience, and a deep commitment to improving lives. You’ll be leading learning across your borough, city, or county shaping the conditions in which children grow, thrive, and succeed. Your decisions will influence school performance, inclusion, safeguarding, and the future workforce. The impact of your leadership will be felt not just today, but for generations to come. Stay curious. Stay connected. And never stop learning. Because the best education leaders are those who never stop growing.
