Career pathway: academic or pastoral leadership?

🏷️ Free of charge for TIOB members
📍 Online
🎥 Watch live or on catch up

Course Outline:

Boarding staff truly do it all – combining care, leadership, and adaptability on a daily basis. With many TIOB members on the cusp of senior roles, this webinar offers an opportunity to reflect on two key pathways: academic and pastoral leadership.

We’ll explore the distinct demands and rewards of each route, the skills and attributes required, and how your experience in boarding can translate into broader leadership success. This session will support delegates in making confident, informed decisions about their next career step.

Training topics:

• Line management in academic vs. pastoral roles
• Shared and differing priorities in both leadership pathways
• Core skills and personal attributes for success
• Leveraging transferable skills from boarding roles

Learning outcomes:

• Gain insight into the opportunities and challenges of academic and pastoral leadership
• Understand what defines effective leadership in each domain
• Learn how to articulate and apply boarding-related skills in leadership applications.

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Speakers:

Matthew Oakman, Headteacher, Saint Felix School

Matt studied History at Oxford (St Edmund Hall) before completing his PGCE at Keble College. He began his career at Bryanston School as Assistant Housemaster and History and Politics teacher, before moving to Wellington College. Over twenty-five years, he held key roles including Head of Hockey, Director of Sport, Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Head (Pupil Performance and Academic), and Senior Master. In 2023, he became Head of Saint Felix, where he has led curriculum innovation, facility upgrades, and a new mentoring programme. Matt is married to Rossana and they divide their time between Suffolk and Brighton; they have two gorgeous cats (Mia and Dillon) and enjoy life by the sea and in the countryside.

David Walker FTIOB, Executive Director, Boarding and Director, BSA/TIOB

David Walker has over 20 years’ experience in boarding education, having worked in a variety of schools across the UK and Africa. His career includes leadership roles in both senior and prep school settings, complemented by service as a prep school governor and trustee of a multi-academy trust. Before joining the BSA, David was Deputy Head Pastoral at a large co-educational independent school in the South-East, where he oversaw student welfare and pastoral care. His extensive background in safeguarding, boarding leadership, and governance gives him a broad perspective on the sector, enabling him to support schools in delivering outstanding pastoral provision.