Speaker Profile

About the Presentation

Developing Middle Leaders: The Key to Sustainable School Improvement

This presentation explores the critical role of middle leaders in driving sustainable school improvement, drawing on practical experience from the STEPS professional development programme. It highlights how structured support, strategic alignment, coaching, and collaboration can build leadership capacity and enable middle leaders to lead meaningful, evidence-informed change within their schools. The session emphasises the importance of investing in middle leadership as a key lever for long-term impact on teaching, learning, and whole-school development.

About the Speaker

Tony is Principal of Crumlin Integrated Primary School in Northern Ireland, where he leads with a strong commitment to inclusive education and community engagement. Alongside his school leadership role, Tony works as a mentor with the Education Authority, supporting middle leaders and newly qualified principals across the region.

Outside of education, Tony is an accomplished musical theatre performer, appearing in productions at venues throughout Northern Ireland. His creative background enriches his approach to teaching and leadership, blending performance, empathy, and innovation in all aspects of his work.

Tony Young

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