Shane Leaning is a British international education consultant, author, and podcaster based in Shanghai, China. He is the host of the "Education Leaders" podcast and co-author of the book "Change Starts Here: What if Everything Your School Needed Was Right in Front of You?" (2025). Leaning specialises in organisational development for international schools and is recognised for his work in bilingual education and school change management.

Early life and education

Leaning completed his Executive Masters in International Education at King's College London, where he conducted research on teacher perceptions of home language use in international schools. This research would later inform his approach to bilingual education and multilingual learning environments.

Career

Teaching career (2009-2015)

Leaning began his career as an teacher in the United Kingdom in 2009. Originally he taught in Secondary, before moving in to primary EAL (English as an Additional Language) education. In 2012, he moved to China where he continued his teaching career while developing expertise in curriculum development and instructional leadership in international school settings.

Nord Anglia Education (2015-2023)

In 2015, Leaning joined Nord Anglia Education, eventually serving as Regional Head of Teaching & Learning Development for China Bilingual Schools. In this role, he oversaw professional development across 11 schools in the region and was responsible for developing regional education strategy and key performance indicators.

During his tenure at Nord Anglia, Leaning created the "Becoming Bilingual" programme, which was initially implemented across 11 schools and later adapted for global use. The programme reflects his research-based approach to multilingual education, emphasizing the development of home languages to enhance second language acquisition.

Leaning also developed a self-evaluation professional development programme with accompanying coaching for school principals, which received a Net Promoter Score in the 90s. He co-developed regional education strategies that contributed to market-leading growth in the China region.

Independent consulting (2023-present)

In September 2023, Leaning transitioned to independent consulting, establishing himself as an organisational development coach for international schools worldwide. Operating from Shanghai, he provides coaching and strategic guidance to education leaders globally, with his work reaching over 100 countries through various platforms.

Leaning has worked as a consultant with schools across the United States, Europe, and Asia. His clients include major international school groups such as United World College and Harrow International Schools, along with individual institutions worldwide. While his client base is predominantly in Asia, his influence extends globally through his consulting, podcast, and published works.

Published works and media

"Change Starts Here" (2025)

Leaning co-authored "Change Starts Here: What if Everything Your School Needed Was Right in Front of You?" with Efraim Lerner, published by Routledge in August 2025. The book introduces their double diamond model for educational change, adapted from the British Design Council's framework specifically for school environments.

The book presents 40 strategically crafted questions organised into eight stages, designed to help school communities discover internal solutions rather than relying on external consultants. The methodology emphasises community-driven change and building organisational confidence.

Education Leaders Podcast

Leaning hosts the "Education Leaders" podcast (formerly "Global Ed Leaders"), which consistently ranks in the top 5% of podcasts globally and has achieved #1 status in the Education category across multiple regions. The weekly show alternates between expert interviews with renowned educators and strategic solo episodes addressing international school leadership challenges.

The podcast has produced well over 100 episodes and features prominent guests including education leaders, researchers, and policy makers. It serves as a platform for discussing school improvement, staff development, and educational innovation.

Professional recognition and affiliations

Leaning holds several professional credentials and affiliations:

CollectivEd Fellow at Leeds Beckett University's Carnegie School of Education
Teacher Development Trust Associate in the United Kingdom, where he leads training and supports professional development leaders in schools worldwide
TEDx speaker (Guangzhou, 2017) - presented "Learning a second language? Develop your mother tongue"
Co-founder of Work Collaborative (2024), a research and advocacy organisation promoting community-driven educational change

Leaning has been featured in numerous podcasts and publications, including Schools Week newspaper. He has delivered keynote presentations at conferences across Asia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and regularly appears as a commentator on international education topics.

Expertise and methodology

Bilingual education

Leaning's expertise in bilingual education stems from his background as an English as an Additional Language (EAL) teacher and his research on home language use in international schools. His approach emphasises translanguaging strategies and positions students' home languages as assets rather than obstacles in second language acquisition. His 2017 TEDx presentation "Learning a second language? Develop your mother tongue" outlined his philosophy that developing mother tongue proficiency enhances second language learning outcomes.

Organisational change management

The double diamond model represents Leaning's primary contribution to educational change methodology. The framework guides schools through two phases: exploring the challenge (Connect → Discover → Define → Align) and solving the challenge (Develop → Learn → Deliver → Sustain). This approach addresses "change fatigue" in schools while building sustainable transformation capacity.

International school leadership

Leaning's work focuses on the unique challenges facing international school leaders, including managing culturally diverse teams, balancing educational excellence with commercial viability, and implementing change in complex multicultural environments.

Current activities

Leaning continues his work as an organisational development coach, serving international schools globally from his base in Shanghai, with reach extending to over 100 countries. He launched the Education Leaders Academy in 2025, offering intensive leadership development programmes for international school leaders.

Through his association with the Teacher Development Trust, he leads training programmes and supports professional development leaders in schools worldwide. He also provides strategic consulting services to major international school organisations including the International Curriculum Association.

Leaning maintains an active speaking schedule, delivering keynote presentations and workshops at international education conferences across Asia, Europe, and North America.

As co-founder of Work Collaborative, he is currently co-authoring a white paper titled "Creating Conditions for Community-Led Change in Schools," which builds upon the methodologies outlined in "Change Starts Here."

References

Leaning, Shane; Lerner, Efraim (2025). Change Starts Here: What if Everything Your School Needed Was Right in Front of You?. Routledge. ISBN 9781032979243.
"About Shane." Shane Leaning. Retrieved 2025.
"Education Leaders Podcast." Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2025.
"Consultant Biography for Shane Leaning." International Curriculum Association PD Hub. Retrieved 2025.
"Using The Double Diamond Model for School Changes." Teacher Development Trust. November 2024.
Leaning, Shane. "Learning a second language? Develop your mother tongue." TEDxXiguanED, Guangzhou, 2017. TED.com.
Various articles and interviews. Schools Week. Multiple publications.

This profile was compiled from publicly available sources and professional materials as of September 2025.