new online
programme
for headteachers
Learning to Walk in the Dark – Headteacher Online Coaching Circles
for Resilience, Wellbeing and Future-Focused Leadership
Led by Viv Grant – Director, Integrity Coaching
Launching May 2026 | Limited places available
Confidential online coaching circles offering emotional support, reflection and clarity for Headteachers stewarding their schools and the futures of our young people
Led by Viv Grant, Director – Integrity Coaching
A Different Kind of Leadership Development for Headteachers
This is not just another leadership programme.
Learning to Walk in the Dark Coaching Circles Programme is a unique small-group coaching experience for Headteachers, created for those seeking a deeper, more reflective and more sustainable approach to leadership in today’s complex educational landscape. This new programme is fully online and designed to fit around busy schedules.
Designed specifically as headteacher coaching, the programme supports leaders who are navigating uncertainty, emotional pressure and the long-term demands of school leadership and who recognise that resilience and wellbeing are essential to leading well.
Led by Viv Grant, these intimate coaching circles offers a rare opportunity to step away from the relentless pace of headship and into a confidential, supportive space for reflection, emotional support and clarity. Here, you are invited to slow down, think deeply and reconnect with what truly matters — for you, your school and the young people you serve.
This is leadership development for Headteachers that begins with the person, not the performance.
Not inspection frameworks, strategies or metrics – but the human being at the heart of the role, and the inner resources needed for resilient, future-focused leadership.
Who This Programme Is For
This programme is designed for Headteachers who:
- Carry the pressure of headship – holding it together publicly while navigating complex personal and professional challenges behind the scenes
- Are questioning traditional, performance-driven models of leadership and seeking a more humane, values-led approach
- Want space for reflection and emotional support, not just strategies or quick fixes
- Are seeking headteacher coaching that supports wellbeing, resilience and sustainable leadership over the long term
- Feel called to lead with integrity, authenticity and purpose, even in uncertain and demanding contexts
If you are looking for a leadership programme that tells you what to do, focuses on compliance, or prioritises performance metrics alone, this may not be for you.
If you are ready to explore how you are being as a leader — and how that shapes your wellbeing, your leadership and the future of your school – you are in the right place.
The Invitation
Headship can be isolating.
The pace is relentless.
The expectations are unyielding.
Learning to Walk in the Dark invites you into a different kind of leadership space – one that values reflection over reaction, depth over speed, and wisdom over certainty.
This is headteacher coaching that recognises the emotional and human realities of school leadership. A confidential, supportive environment where you are invited to step out of constant doing and into thoughtful presence.
Here, you will be supported to explore the inner dimensions of leadership, alongside a small group of Headteachers who understand the pressures, responsibilities and uncertainties of the role.
This is a place to pause, to speak honestly, and to reconnect with the kind of leader you want to be – not just for today, but for the long term and for the futures entrusted to your care
The Inspiration Behind the Programme
This programme is inspired by Viv Grant’s personal journey with cancer in 2023, and the profound lessons that emerged from living and leading through uncertainty.
These experiences reshaped Viv’s understanding of leadership and illuminated powerful insights around:
- Living with uncertainty rather than resisting it
- Navigating adversity with courage and compassion
- Letting go of ego-driven leadership
- Leading with greater authenticity, wisdom and humanity
These insights now sit at the heart of Learning to Walk in the Dark, shaping both the coaching approach and the structure of the programme.
What You Will Gain
By participating in our Learning to Walk in the Dark Coaching Circles Programme, you will:
Inner resilience and courage – Develop the capacity to stay grounded and steady in the face of uncertainty and change – Learn how to sit with discomfort rather than be overwhelmed by it
Leadership wisdom and perspective – Gain tools and perspectives for leading with wisdom rather than fear – Move away from ego-driven leadership towards a more reflective, values-led approach
Connection and purpose – Reconnect with your deeper sense of purpose as a leader – Become part of a trusted community of Headteachers who understand the realities of the role
The Book at the Heart of the Programme
At the centre of the coaching journey is Viv Grant’s book, Learning to Walk in the Dark.
Unlike any other leadership book, it invites leaders to explore what it truly means to lead when certainty is unavailable — and how darkness, discomfort and challenge can become sources of growth rather than obstacles to overcome.
Throughout the programme, the book is used to support:
- Guided reflection
- Facilitated dialogue
- Thought-provoking coaching questions
- Shared exploration within the group
Drawing on original artwork, reflective writing and coaching prompts, participants are supported to develop the inner clarity, resilience and strength needed to lead with deeper purpose.
What Headteachers Say
What participants from our first cohort shared about their experience…
Video Testimonials
Headteachers share their experiences of the Learning to Walk in the Dark Coaching Circles Programme in these videos below.
Alison Dolan, Headteacher,
Kingsthorpe Primary School
Collette Woodburn, Former Headteacher,
Voluntary Aided School
Kim Garland, Headteacher,
Brimsham Green School
Alison Harvey, Headteacher,
Bridgewater Primary School
A Rare and Exclusive Opportunity
This is a programme led personally by Viv Grant.
Group sizes are intentionally small to preserve trust, depth and psychological safety.
- Two cohorts: Morning or Afternoon
- Maximum of 10 Headteachers per cohort
- A confidential, highly held coaching space
- 6 x 1.5 hour online small group coaching sessions
- 6 x Learning to Walk in the Dark Coaching Circles Programme Reflection Journals (1 per session)
Investment: £899 per person + VAT
Programme Structure & Themes (2026)
A six-session reflective journey unfolding across the academic year.
Session times:
Each session runs either 8.00–9.30am or 4.30–6.00pm
| Date | Theme | Focus & Expected Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 7th May 2026 | The Need for a New Kind of Leadership | Understand why traditional leadership models no longer serve today’s complexity and how uncertainty can become a catalyst for growth. |
| Thu 4th June 2026 | Moving Beyond Ego-Driven Leadership | Explore how ego-based leadership limits growth and develop a more reflective, wisdom-led approach. |
| Thu 2nd July 2026 | The Descent – Recognising and Accepting Darkness | Learn how challenge and vulnerability can become powerful sources of learning and insight. |
| Thu 10th Sept 2026 | Navigating the Darkness – Finding Meaning in Uncertainty | Develop tools for deep reflection, presence and attentive listening while living with uncertainty. |
| Thu 8th Oct 2026 | The New Dawn – Emerging with Wisdom and Purpose | Integrate learning into renewed purpose, authenticity and clarity. |
| Thu 12th Nov 2026 | Leading with Wisdom – Re-Visioning the Future | Create a values-aligned vision and personal roadmap for sustainable leadership. |
Each session builds on the last, supporting a deepening reflective journey across the year.
Find Out More
To find out more, or to explore whether this programme is right for you, please contact:
Hannah Dalton
Head of Client Relations