Leadership and Innovation Networks (LIN)

The Leadership & Innovation Networks (LIN) directorate is one of six directorates in the Trust and its work spans a variety of areas:

• Membership services - there are cover 2,400 secondary schools affiliated to the Trust and there is also a ‘Family of schools’ affiliation scheme that enables primary schools to affiliate. Affiliated schools are assigned to a region and can seek support from Regional Coordinators. School views are represented through a Regional Steering Group. Schools are entitled to three free or heavily subsidised events per annum.
  
• Conferences and events – a major benefit of school affiliation is access to the Trust's National Conference, this is the largest education conference held in the UK and is attended by 1,500 headteachers. There are also a number of other smaller conferences and events coordinated throughout the year for various Trust directorates, and affiliated schools are entitled to three free or heavily subsidised events each year.
  
• Leadership programmes – the Trust currently offers the following programmes:
  a) Developing Leaders – a two-year programme for teachers in their first five years of teaching;
  b) Aspirant Headteachers – a four-term programme for senior leaders considering applying for headship;
  c) Strategic Leadership in ICT (SLICT) for headteachers and Team SLICT for senior leadership teams;
  d) Governance and Finance training.
  
• iNet (International Networking for Educational Transformation) – this is the Trust's international arm and networks are being developed in Australia, Chile, Hong Kong, Holland, China, Northern Ireland and Wales.
  
• CPD activities – the Trust also supports the delivery of ICT-focused subject-based CPD through a network of training centres. In partnership with the BBC and the OU, we produce material for TeachandLearn.net, and also support Teachnet (another online resource for teachers). The Trust also holds the contract for ‘Teachers International Professional Development’ (TIPD).
  
• ICT developments – the Trust's ICT Adviser provides ICT advice to schools and works closely with ICT companies and organisations eg Becta, Cisco and Microsoft. The Trust has launched an ICT Register for schools to enable schools to support each other in the development of ICT.