Rosie’s story: professional supervision helped me when I stepped up into a new role

I spotted Education Support’s Professional Supervision Service on LinkedIn and when I read the description I felt like it was just what I needed. I had been in a director post for a number of years, then as part of a restructure I got my vice principal role (which while I was pleased about) also felt like a scary step up!

I was offered six sessions of funded professional supervision which took place online making them accessible. We didn’t set an agenda or a particular goal – it was more about the exploration rather than the destination which I found useful. The facilitator was brilliant at drawing our things that mattered to me and sparking up important conversations.

At times it felt hard to fit the sessions into my schedule, but I always felt better afterwards. Taking a break from my day for a sense check with someone who gets it, really helped develop my practice and made me consider how I respond to challenging situations and take care of myself.  It felt like self-care and ultimately made me more effective in my role, so it was worth carving out time in my busy day.

I also felt really well matched with my supervisor who has experience in the education sector, so they were a fantastic person to sound ideas off and check I was on the right path. They helped me focus on what’s important and the priorities in my new role. They also recommended useful literature for outside of the sessions which further expanded my knowledge as I took on a bigger role.

The whole experience was really valuable – I highly recommend the service to my colleagues and any leaders working in education.  

Further education leaders in England can sign up to receive six funded one-to-one professional supervision online sessions, which are completely confidential. You will work with a qualified supervisor to focus on your mental wellbeing and help you develop new coping strategies to feel more fulfilled and in control.