Strategy / Leadership Standards
📐 National Competency Framework

National Leadership Standards

A national competency framework defining what effective school leaders know, do, and demonstrate — with four-level progressions, performance indicators, evidence requirements, career progression, and certification expectations. All descriptors are illustrative.

📐 How the framework works

The framework names six leadership competencies, expresses each through observable behaviors and performance indicators, and grades each across a four-level progression — Emerging → Developing → Proficient → Distinguished. Certification confirms a leader is at least Proficient across all six. The same competencies anchor the National Readiness diagnostic and the certification pathway.

📐 1 · Vision & Strategic Direction Core

Behaviors: sets and communicates a shared vision; aligns school improvement plans to national goals; uses evidence to set priorities.

EmergingStates a vision but it is not yet shared or used to guide decisions.
DevelopingCommunicates a vision and begins aligning some plans and priorities to it.
ProficientLeads a shared vision that consistently guides improvement planning and resourcing.
DistinguishedBuilds collective ownership of a vision that drives sustained, evidence-based improvement system-wide.

Performance indicators: improvement plan aligned to national goals · staff can articulate the vision · priorities traceable to data.

📚 2 · Instructional Leadership Core

Behaviors: protects time for learning; observes and improves teaching; uses assessment data to guide instruction.

EmergingMonitors compliance but rarely engages directly with the quality of teaching.
DevelopingObserves lessons and gives feedback, though follow-through is inconsistent.
ProficientRuns regular cycles of observation, feedback, and data review that lift instruction.
DistinguishedCultivates a self-improving instructional culture where teachers lead peer improvement.

Performance indicators: documented observation cycles · data used in planning · measurable gains in teaching quality.

🔑 3 · People & Talent Development Pipeline

Behaviors: develops staff; grows teacher-leaders; supports retention and succession.

EmergingManages staffing reactively with limited attention to development.
DevelopingProvides professional learning and identifies some emerging leaders.
ProficientBuilds a deliberate talent pipeline and visibly improves retention.
DistinguishedDevelops leaders who advance system-wide; the school becomes a talent source for the region.

Performance indicators: staff development plans · teacher-leaders in post · retention above benchmark.

⚙️ 4 · Organizational & Operational Management Core

Behaviors: manages resources, systems, and safety; ensures sound governance and data integrity.

EmergingMaintains basic operations but systems are informal or inconsistent.
DevelopingEstablishes routines and manages resources to plan in most areas.
ProficientRuns efficient, transparent systems that free time and resources for learning.
DistinguishedDesigns resilient systems others adopt; resources are strategically tied to outcomes.

Performance indicators: clean audits · accurate data returns · resources mapped to priorities.

🤝 5 · Community & Stakeholder Engagement Context

Behaviors: builds family and community partnerships; communicates transparently; responds to local needs.

EmergingCommunicates with families mainly when problems arise.
DevelopingEstablishes regular communication and some community partnerships.
ProficientSustains active partnerships that support learning and trust.
DistinguishedMobilizes the community as a partner in improvement; the school is a community anchor.

Performance indicators: engagement plan · partnership agreements · stakeholder satisfaction.

⚖️ 6 · Ethics, Equity & Professional Conduct Core

Behaviors: models integrity; advances equity for all learners; upholds professional standards.

EmergingMeets minimum conduct expectations with limited focus on equity.
DevelopingActs ethically and begins to address equity gaps deliberately.
ProficientEmbeds equity in decisions and consistently models professional conduct.
DistinguishedChampions equity beyond the school and sets the ethical standard for peers.

Performance indicators: equity actions documented · no conduct concerns · narrowing outcome gaps.

📂 Evidence Requirements — click each to expand what counts as evidence

▸Vision & Strategic DirectionPortfolio

School improvement plan aligned to national goals, communication artifacts, and a data-informed priority log reviewed by a verifier.

▸Instructional LeadershipObserved

Documented observation-and-feedback cycles, evidence of data use in planning, and verifier observation of an improvement conversation.

▸People & Talent DevelopmentRecords

Staff development plans, evidence of teacher-leaders developed, and retention data against the regional benchmark.

▸Operational ManagementAudit

Audit outcomes, accuracy of data returns, and a resource map linking spending to improvement priorities.

▸Ethics, Equity & ConductAttested

Documented equity actions, clear conduct record, and attestation from the regional implementation unit.

Career Progression

The standards anchor a transparent progression across the leadership career.

  • Teacher-Leader
    Demonstrates competencies at Emerging–Developing within a defined remit.
  • Aspiring Leader
    Reaches Developing across most competencies; eligible for academy preparation.
  • School Leader
    Certified at Proficient across all six competencies.
  • System Leader
    Operates at Distinguished and develops other leaders across a region.

Certification Expectations

What certification confirms (illustrative thresholds).

6/6
Competencies at Proficient or above
≥3
Evidence sources per competency
1
Verifier observation required
3 yr
Renewal cycle tied to continued learning
📜 Open Certification
International benchmarking

Aligned to leading frameworks, adapted to national context

The framework is calibrated against widely used national and international leadership-standards frameworks and the broader OECD evidence base on school leadership. Benchmarking is used to confirm that the six competencies, the four-level progression, and the evidence model are comparable in rigor to mature systems internationally — while the descriptors and thresholds are adapted to national priorities and context. Comparisons are general and illustrative; no specific external standards are reproduced here.

🧭 Run the Readiness Diagnostic 📜 Certification & Licensure 🧭 Back to National Strategy

All data shown is illustrative sample data created for demonstration.