ELM October 2015

EDUCATION LEADER AND MANAGER

Representing leaders and managers in education P O L I CY

THE LOOMING SKILLS EMERGENCY page 6

PROFILE

IS A MERGER ON THE CARDS FOR FUNDING AGENCIES? page 14

M A ST E R C L A S S

INVESTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF STAFF page 18

OCTOBER 2015 @ATL_AMiE

F E AT U R E

HOW SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES ARE COPING WITH NEW DUTIES TO PROTECT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM RADICALISM page 8

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ELM / OCTOBER 2015

INSIDE 4

Welcome

6 8

As the CBI and others warn of a gathering storm in terms of skills shortages and stagnating growth, schools and FE colleges face major challenges of their own.

Both sectors are struggling to come to terms with huge financial pressures – particularly acute in FE, given its unprotected status – but felt in every corner of the territory. At the same time, both schools and colleges will be expected to do more with less and play a full role in delivering the kind of growth the economy needs.

There are important additional pressures too, with so-called ‘coasting’ schools forced to become academies – notwithstanding the inconvenient lack of evidence to suggest that academies are better than maintained schools – and FE and sixth form colleges about to begin the local area review process, which is expected to be a catalyst for more rationalisation and merger.

Of course, no one would argue with the necessity of a review, given the serious financial challenges faced by the FE sector as a result of the cuts imposed under the banner of austerity, and the need for the education and skills offer to match the needs of local communities. But the process is troublingly narrow in its scope and could be usefully broadened to include schools and other providers. There is also a danger that it could add further to the financial pressures colleges already face.

We have heard little from government to suggest it has a real-world solution to underperforming schools or a clear idea of how to ensure the FE sector rises to today’s skills challenge, while the exchequer deals out blow after blow in brutal cuts. These are difficult issues, but we will only rise to the country’s skills and productivity challenge if we resolve them.

Education news including post-16 area reviews

Skills crisis

New legal duties to prevent radicalisation

12 14

Leadership standards

Peter Lauener on the EFA and SFA

16-17

Northern Ireland view and the latest from AMiE

18 20

Talent management

Returning to work following maternity leave

22

Funding for FE

ELM is the magazine from ATL, 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD Tel 020 7930 6441 Fax 020 7930 1359 Email info@amie.org.uk Website www.amie.atl.org.uk Editor Paul Stanistreet ELM is produced and designed for ATL by Think, Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH Tel 020 3771 7200 Email info@thinkpublishing.co.uk

PETER PENDLE AMiE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Managing editor Rica Dearman Group art director Darren Endicott Advertising sales Michael Coulsey or Anthony Bennett 020 3771 7200 Account manager Kieran Paul Managing director Polly Arnold ATL accepts no liability for any insert, display or classified advertisement included in this publication. While every reasonable care is taken to ensure that all advertisers are reliable and reputable, ATL can

give no assurance that they will fulfil their obligation under all circumstances. The views expressed in articles in ELM are the contributors’ own and do not necessarily reflect ATL policy.

Official policy statements issued on behalf of ATL are indicated as such. All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of ATL. Cover: Paul Blow

GET IN TOUCH

www.facebook.com/atlunion @atl_amie @DavidG_amie

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NEED TO KNOW

NEWS IN BRIEF

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST EDUCATION SECTOR NEWS

GET INVOLVED IN YOUR UNION AMiE is looking for volunteers who would like to make a difference by joining our press and policy panel. The panel helps shape AMiE’s press and consultation responses and it’s a great opportunity for members to make their voices heard.

Ken Merry, active AMiE member and head of department for business, computing and education at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology, has contributed to the panel’s work. “I discussed the then draft Common Inspection Framework document and how ATL/AMiE might position their response. It was useful to have my voice heard. I’ve had a couple of emails since, which take a couple of minutes to respond to, so time is not an issue.”

To find out more about how to get involved, contact Mark Wright, AMiE’s assistant director for leadership and management, at mwright@amie.atl.org.uk.

AREA REVIEWS LOOM LARGE FE AND SIXTH-FORM colleges across the country are preparing for the government’s programme of post-16 area reviews, which will see colleges closing and merging in a move to bring ‘greater efficiency’ to the sector.

AMiE, which in welcoming the idea of a review in principle also questioned the legitimacy of a process that excludes other types of provider, is urging members to be at the forefront of negotiations and to ensure they have representation on area review steering groups.

College leaders will need to think about how best to articulate their institution’s value to the local economy and show how they are responding to local economic demand.

The government announced its review of post-16 education and training institutions in England in July, to address “the significant financial pressures on institutions” and “the need to maintain very tight fiscal discipline”.

It believes the sector must “move towards fewer, often larger, more resilient and efficient providers”, enabling “greater specialisation” and

the creation of institutions that are “genuine centres of expertise”.

The area reviews, the first wave of which began in September, will “provide an opportunity for institutions and localities to restructure their provision to ensure it is tailored to the changing context and designed to achieve maximum impact”.

They will focus on FE and sixth-form colleges, although “the availability of all post-16 academic and work-based provision” will also be taken into account. Five further waves of reviews will begin every three months until December 2016. They should be completed by March 2017.

The reviews can be initiated either by the government or by a group of local providers working together. Each review will be led by a steering group, including college governors, local education providers, local authorities and local enterprise partnerships (LEPs). The government will work with individual institutions, local authorities and LEPs in defining the areas to be covered and how the review will be carried out, within a national framework.

At the time of writing, official government guidance on carrying out the reviews was still to be published.

In a letter to skills minister Nick Boles, ATL and AMiE welcomed the announcement as an opportunity to address gaps in provision, support local economic growth and better meet the education and training needs of young people, but warned that the reviews would have to be conducted comprehensively, if they were to be “legitimate, useful and fair”.

It raised concerns that the government had not recommended representation from school sixth forms, HE institutions or university technical colleges on the area review steering groups.

AMiE is also calling on the government to play a supporting role in the process, arguing that funding cuts have left colleges ill-prepared to conduct the reviews on a voluntary basis. There is a danger that the reviews will add to the financial burden on colleges.

Members with concerns or views should get in touch with AMiE using the contact details on page 17.

APPRENTICESHIP LEVY COULD HIT PROVIDERS Larger schools and colleges could be affected by plans set out by the government in its consultation on the new apprenticeship levy, which closed at the start of October.

The proposal will force larger employers to pay for apprenticeships and encourage them to take apprentices on, in order to recoup the levy paid. The levy will be applied to larger employers across all sectors – including the private, public and charitable sectors – and could affect large schools and colleges.

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AMiE understands that in order to fund apprenticeships to the current level, the levy would need to be 0.5 per cent of payroll for employers with more than 250 employees. Employers contributing will be able to recoup this levy through employing apprenticeships. However, it is unclear what scope there is for the recruitment of apprentices by schools and colleges or what the potential impact on payroll will be.

These are all issues AMiE will be watching closely.

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NEED TO KNOW

A HELPING HAND ON WORKLOAD As the government’s Workload Challenge and AMiE’s own surveys have highlighted, workload is one of the main reasons for teachers and leaders leaving the profession.

Workload issues are among the most commonly raised concerns in our casework.

This was reflected in AMiE’s most recent workload survey, which found that nearly two-thirds (61%) of respondents had seen workload increase in the past three years.

To address these concerns, ATL and AMiE are launching a new project on workload and work-life balance in November.

The project will look at how we can take an organisation-wide approach to tackling workload. There will be a project website with tools to help members analyse workload issues, as well as information, resources and case studies.

Collette Bradford, director of organising at ATL, said: “ATL has supported members with resources and activity around workload agreements in recent years.

Now the education system and context has changed at a fast pace and our members are telling us it is their most serious concern.

“ATL and AMiE are listening, and we will support our members to act and to begin to address these most important issues in their school or college.”

Members should keep an eye on the ATL and AMiE websites for more details.

NEW AMiE PRESIDENT APPOINTED

LEADERSHIP REP OF THE YEAR

Fiona Rawlings is the new president of AMiE. Fiona has a background in both schools and FE. She began her career as a chemistry teacher in a South Wales comprehensive school in the early 1980s before gaining a post as a lecturer in chemistry in a nearby FE college. It was while at the college that she progressed to her first management position, in 1997.

She became active in an informal Association of College Management group (now the AMiE Wales group to which Fiona still belongs) and went on to serve as both chair and secretary of her AMiE branch, as well as ACM president and treasurer.

“I’m really looking forward to my term of office as AMiE president,” Fiona said. “Education is in a period of constant change and challenge, with major changes to curriculum and qualifications, cuts in funding and declining teacher recruitment and retention. I will work closely with the other officers in ATL to ensure that the voice and needs of leaders and managers in education are heard.”

NOMINATIONS are open for AMiE’s 2016 leadership rep of the year award. If you feel your union rep deserves recognition for the work they do on behalf of AMiE members, please let us know.

You’ll find further details on the postcard enclosed with this issue of ELM. To nominate your AMiE rep, visit: www.atl.org.uk/ repawards. The closing date for nominations is 18 December 2015.

SUPPORTING OUR VISION FOR INSPECTION ATL’S RADICAL vision for the reform of school inspections in England has received well over 1,000 pledges of support.

The ATL report, A New Vision for Inspection in Education, sets out the principles for a new system of school inspection that will hold schools to account, but also help them to improve the learning and development of all young people.

The report calls for highquality education to be defined “by what is right for pupils in a given school, not by criteria chosen because they are easy to measure or politically favoured”.

The nature of inspection, it argues, should be “supportive, not adversarial; advisory, not dictatorial; empowering, not punitive”, with self-assessment and

professional dialogue central to a reformed regime.

Since the publication of the report, members have been sharing their views and experiences on inspection and these were included in our evidence to September’s Education Select Committee on Ofsted. The evidence highlights members’ concerns about Ofsted’s role in driving excessive workload, damaging staff morale and undermining good leadership, and calls for fundamental change to the inspection regime, setting out its proposals for a new, peer-led, supportive and rigorous system.

AMiE will keep members updated on progress on its inspection campaign. A New Vision for Inspection in Education is available at: www.atl.org.uk/ visionforinspection.

ENGLISH BACCALAUREATE CONSULTATION BEGINS THE GOVERNMENT is consulting on detailed proposals to ensure all pupils who started Year 7 in September 2015 will take the five English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects – English, maths, science, a language and history or geography – when they sit their GCSEs in 2020.

The timeline for the consultation had not been confirmed at the time ELM went to press. However, AMiE believes it offers an important opportunity for practitioners to tell policymakers that one size does not fit all and that more creative subjects, such as design, drama and music, could be marginalised under a narrower curriculum.

ATL/AMiE has joined a campaign to reform the EBacc and help protect creativity in our schools. For more information and to sign the petition, see: www.baccforthefuture.com.

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P O L I C Y M AT T E R S

THE SKILLS CHALLENGE

The CBI has warned of a looming ‘skills emergency’. A fixation on testing, a diminished careers service and an FE sector decimated by cuts has left us ill-equipped to respond WORDS PAUL STANISTREET

PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY IMAGES

T

he latest CBI education and skills survey makes for sobering reading.

The survey, carried out by the CBI and education provider Pearson, highlights employers’ concerns about skills shortages in sectors such as engineering, manufacturing, construction, and science and technology. Two-thirds of the businesses surveyed expect the need for staff with higher-level skills to grow sharply in the years ahead, with more than half anticipating that they would not be able to access enough skilled workers to fill these jobs. Most employers fear that economic growth would be held back by these shortages.

The survey was published in the wake of George Osborne’s summer budget, which set out the government’s stall to create a highly skilled, more productive economy, including plans to introduce an apprenticeship levy on large firms as a way of meeting its target of 3 million new apprenticeships. However, the CBI warns that the levy would not equate to higher quality, or deliver the skills employers need, and would do little to help small or medium-sized businesses.

Only two per cent of apprenticeship

starts in 2013-14 were higher apprenticeships leading to graduatelevel qualifications, it says, arguing that employers needed to have more control in the design and delivery of apprenticeships to improve their quality.

Apprenticeships are only part of the story, of course, though ministers seem, rather often, to forget this. The survey warns that too many young people are leaving school without the “solid educational foundations” necessary to succeed in the workplace or to progress in education and training. The figures, again, are stark. In 2014, 38.3% did not achieve a grade C or better in GCSE English, while 37.6% failed to reach this standard in maths. Around half of survey respondents reported problems among some employees in basic literacy (50%), numeracy (50%) and IT skills (46%).

The CBI also raises concerns about the quality of careers guidance and support, noting that 77% of employers felt careers advice for young people was not good enough. It urged improvements “to aid young people in their transitions from school into work and to minimise the risk of their falling into unemployment”.

More than 940,000 of those aged

between 16 and 24 are currently not in education, employment or training.

And it isn’t just young people who will need to improve their skills to keep the economy competitive. Most of the jobs created between now and 2022 will be high-skilled ones, the CBI says, and filling them “will mean many people already at work will need to add to their skills”. Education, the report argues, “has become a continuous, lifelong process through which skills are regularly upgraded to adapt to fastchanging environments”.

Curriculum and testing Quite rightly, the report argues that the foundations for advanced skills must be laid early, not only through a grounding in writing, reading, maths and science, but also through the development of behaviours “essential for success in work and life”, such as resilience, enthusiasm, curiosity and creativity. This chimes with the view of the Governor of the Bank of England, who, in an interview in May, remarked that improved productivity could be achieved through investment in skills and innovation, empowering people at work and encouraging more creativity.

WHAT EMPLOYERS SAY

THE CBI/PEARSON EDUCATION AND SKILLS SURVEY FOUND THAT:

68+32 55+45 69+31 85+15 74+26 66+34 68%

55%

69%

85%

74%

66%

expect to need more staff with higher level skills in the years ahead

fear they will not be able to recruit enough skilled workers in the future

report problems in recruiting STEM graduates

rate attitude as the most important factor in recruiting school leavers

want a mix of vocational and academic requirements

are involved in apprenticeships

6 ELM | OCTOBER 2015

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“CH WI FR AG

P O L I C Y M AT T E R S

Clearly, if we are to respond to these challenges, we need a school curriculum that is geared to delivering the skills and resources young people need to thrive in the modern world. And teachers and leaders must be trusted and given the freedom and flexibility they need to get the best out of every pupil.

Instead, in the early months of the new government, we have seen a continuing squeeze on curriculum time for creative and practical learning, threats of punitive interventions against ‘coasting’ schools, and a reinforcement of ministers’ fixation on exams and high-stakes testing. All of this loads yet more pressure on children, parents, teachers and education leaders – hardly the environment we need to produce creative, resilient young people.

Children need to learn at their own pace, within a broad and balanced curriculum, freed from pressure to continuously perform against the latest government target. And they need good, independent careers guidance and support that gives them an accurate, informed view of their options later on.

FE financial meltdown It is not surprising, in such an environment, that many young people leave compulsory education with their appetite for learning diminished. Yet if we are to respond to the skills challenge, in the context of an ageing population, we need to cultivate a love of learning and encourage people to think of themselves as learners throughout

“CHILDREN NEED TO LEARN AT THEIR OWN PACE, WITHIN A BROAD AND BALANCED CURRICULUM, FREED FROM PRESSURE TO CONTINUOUSLY PERFORM AGAINST THE LATEST GOVERNMENT TARGET.” 3 MORE INFORMATION Download the full survey here: http:/news.cbi.org.uk/ reports/education-and-skills-survey-2015

73+27 51+49 73%

51%

have links with at least one school or college

with links have increased engagement over the past year

their lives. Adults must be able to access lifelong learning at every stage of their career so their skills levels can be continually improved, in line with the changing needs of the economy and their own desire for professional and personal development. Yet FE, which has, for many years, provided just this sort of opportunity to adults and young people alike, has borne the brunt of education cuts, with adult skills funding hit particularly hard.

A National Audit Office (NAO) report, published in July, said that there had been a ‘rapid decline’ in the finances of the FE sector in England, with almost half of colleges in deficit in 2013-14,

more than double the number in 2010-11. Between autumn 2013 and summer 2015, the FE Commissioner had to intervene in 22 colleges in serious financial difficulty. It seems inevitable that some colleges will be forced to close. Meg Hillier, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, put the matter plainly. “I do not believe it is any exaggeration to say the future sustainability of the further education sector is at risk of financial meltdown,” she said. It is little wonder that experienced teachers and leaders are leaving the profession in droves.

On the same day that the NAO report was published, the government announced a further 3.9 per cent cut to the adult skills budget, on top of the 24% cut already planned for nonapprenticeship adult FE in 2015-16.

These cuts can only further reduce the opportunities for adults and young people to gain new skills or retrain, and plunge the sector further into financial uncertainty.

Restructure The government also plans to ‘restructure’ the post-16 education and training sector through a series of area-based reviews, with a focus on specialisation and the creation of ‘fewer, larger, more resilient’ providers. There is a distinct danger this will mean only a further reduction in the flexibility of the sector and a further narrowing of opportunity, particularly if providers are focused in large, urban areas – as looks likely – making access harder for those learners who lack the means to reach these providers. AMiE has met with the Skills Funding Agency to discuss the area reviews, which are clearly fundingdriven and could leave leaders to fight it out among themselves how to share a smaller pot. Overall, it is a downsizing, whatever way you look at it.

As the CBI survey argues, education and skills underpin our future economic success. The challenges are enormous.

A useful start would be for the government to move away from its damaging fascination with testing and its all-consuming obsession with apprenticeships at the expense of other forms of provision, ditch the ideological attachment to academies and stop funding free school places where they are not needed when FE is so much in need of support. We need policy that is based on evidence, not ideological faith in the market.

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F E AT U R E

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F E AT U R E

Preventing radicalisation Education establishments have new legal duties to prevent children and young people from becoming radicalised. But what education staff know or feel about it is another matter WORDS PAUL STANISTREET ILLUSTRATION PAUL BLOW

S

ince 1 July 2015, all schools and colleges, as well as a range of other ‘publicfacing’ bodies, have been subject to a new duty to have ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. The Prevent duty, as it is known, has significant implications for education leaders and their staff, yet it is far from clear that many are prepared for, or even familiar with, the new legislation. A survey of ATL/AMiE FE college members found that almost a third (30%) were unaware of their duties under Prevent, while nearly half (45%) had received no training whatsoever. Some were confused about the new legislation and anxious about what it will mean in practice.

All of which, of course, raises serious questions about the new duty and the degree to which it is likely to have the desired impact in terms of keeping children and young people safe and encouraging them to think critically.

Department for Education guidance (included in the DFE’s policy paper, Preventing extremism in the education and children’s services sector, which can be found at www.gov.uk) says that it is essential school staff “are able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation, and know what to do when they are identified”. Protecting

children from the risk of radicalisation, it says, “should be seen as part of schools’… wider safeguarding duties, and is similar in nature to protecting children from other harm (for example, drugs, gangs, neglect, sexual exploitation), whether these come from within their family or are the product of outside influence”.

One way of “building pupils’ resilience to radicalisation”, the guidance says, is by “promoting fundamental British values and enabling them to challenge extremist views”. The duty should not deter schools from debating controversial issues. They should continue to provide a “safe space” within which children and young people can develop “the knowledge and skills to be able to challenge extremist arguments”.

Schools’ duties include: assessment of the risks affecting children (and where appropriate making a referral to the Channel programme) and ensuring policies are in place to mitigate them; working with local safeguarding children boards, local authorities, police and other partners; staff training so

they understand the duty and have the confidence to identify children at risk; and ensuring safety online.

The government’s guidance for FE institutions, including sixth-form colleges and independent training providers, in England and Wales, refers to their “important role… in helping prevent people being drawn into terrorism, which includes violent extremism, but also non-violent extremism, which can create an atmosphere conducive to terrorism and can polarise views which terrorists exploit”. To comply with the duty, FE providers, like schools, are expected to make risk assessments, engage with partners, train staff and keep students safe online, as well as assess the risk of any external event or guest speaker engagement, and develop clear policies on the use of prayer rooms and other faith-based activities. Ofsted will be looking at radicalisation and extremism as a safeguarding concern at schools and colleges, and will want to see it reflected in policies and procedures.

Teaching, not policing

“IT IS NOT THE JOB OF TEACHERS OR SUPPORT STAFF TO POLICE THOSE THEY TEACH.”

It is important, therefore, that staff working in schools and colleges understand the legislation and the extent of their role within it. It goes without saying that AMiE members, like all education staff, are committed to the well-being and safety of their pupils OCTOBER 2015 | ELM 9

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F E AT U R E

and students. This is already an important part of a teacher’s job. Yet there must be clear limits to this role.

It is not the job of teachers or support staff to police those they teach. The regulations should be interpreted in terms of safeguarding, not surveillance.

Nor should teachers be expected to act in a way that stifles students’ opportunities for safe and educational debate. This is clear in the guidance and should be just as evident in practice. Students must have the opportunity, where appropriate, to express their views, seek advice, ask questions and ultimately further their understanding. Children and young people must feel able to ask difficult questions without fear of the consequences.

Most of these themes were picked up in the ATL/AMiE survey. Some members expressed concern that the limits of the role were not clear, while others felt uncomfortable with the new duties. One respondent was disturbed at the prospect of having to identify a student who “seeks political or moral change” as a potential cause for concern.

“I have sought moral and political change all my adult life and brought up my children likewise,” the member said. “Without this we would still have

allows them to raise questions about the new duties. Yet, as the above comment suggests, training thus far has not always been fit for purpose. According to the survey, only 55% of ATL/AMiE FE members had received training. Of those who had received training, 35% said the training had been online, while 38% had been trained by an internal colleague.

Just over a third (35%) reported that the training was of less than one hour’s duration. Thirty per cent said the training was ‘OK’ and 15% described it as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. A third (34%) who had received training said they still felt they did not have adequate awareness of their responsibilities under Prevent. Sixteen per cent said their training asked them to go beyond what they saw as their responsibilities under Prevent. One member said: “The training was very poor. The expectations of my line manager are that I will deliver group tutorials and have ‘conversations’ with these students to ascertain whether I need to let the safeguarding team know if I have any concerns.”

The position for leaders The survey findings confirm what AMiE officers are hearing anecdotally. School

“STAFF MUST HAVE ACCESS TO PROPER AND THOROUGH TRAINING.” slavery, work 16-hour days in factories and there would be no universal suffrage.” Another member felt that the new duty had the potential to make matters worse rather than better, and make sensitive relationships with learners more difficult.

“This is such a complicated issue which has been massively oversimplified… The training has the potential to do more harm than good, for example by exacerbating sensitive situations… [It] caused me to feel panic and stress. I do not feel any more confident or competent about my role now… it will just add to an already massive body of ‘information’ that serves to exacerbate tensions between communities in Britain.”

Training Clearly, good training in the new duty is essential. Staff must have access to proper and thorough training, which

and college leaders and managers face a range of competing priorities and view the Prevent agenda as something that requires only a basic level of compliance.

For that reason, many are opting to distribute responsibility to staff, mainly through online training. “Leaders are in an invidious position on this issue,” says Mark Wright, AMiE’s assistant director with responsibility for leadership and management. “Clearly, their staffing resources need to be totally committed to learning in order to meet performance expectations. Yet to engage fully in Prevent training would divert staff time away from this into policing and social care. There is little time for staff to be instigating difficult conversations unless the evidence is clearly on show to warrant this intrusion, which could easily disturb the learning relationship.

Leaders are unlikely to prioritise Prevent duties when the opportunity cost of this is a diminished focus on teaching and

COMPLYING WITH PREVENT School and college leaders have additional responsibilities under Prevent duties.

They are advised to: • take a proactive approach to demonstrate the school or college is compliant with the new expectations, for example by seeking partnerships with others on this issue, adding behavioural expectations to job descriptions, etc • consider apportioning a lead responsibility, ideally a member of the senior management team • review all policies and ensure this agenda is embedded across all relevant policies and not simply left as a submerged stand-alone policy item • ensure staff are trained and confident about what is expected of them in order to ensure the school or college is compliant • assess the baseline risks relating to the Prevent agenda.

The Department for Education has a dedicated Prevent helpline: 020 7340 7264. Concerns can also be raised by email: counter.extremism@education. gsi.gov.uk. Please contact AMiE for further advice or assistance.

learning. The need to excel in this is the key driver of behaviour for both leaders and teachers.”

Rather than relying exclusively on online staff resources, leaders might find ways to mention the duty to staff when opportunities arise, for example, in staff meetings, in order to help embed the Prevent duty in other work. Online resources are often very generic, so it will be important for leaders to signal how Prevent can be embedded in the ways of working of a particular school or college. The main thing is for leaders to impress upon staff the need to approach Prevent sensitively and on the basis of reasonable evidence, just as they would with any other safeguarding issue.

Clearly, different institutions will face different challenges, depending on the communities they serve. One thing should be clear, though: the best way to turn children and young people away from groups that advocate violence and terrorism is not to close down debate, but to practise those ‘fundamental British values’ of democracy, freedom of speech, and mutual respect and tolerance.

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FEATURE

Chasing excellence The latest national standards for headteachers offer aspirational guidance for school leaders.

Used properly, they can help headteachers provide the strong, professional leadership needed in challenging times WORDS PAUL STANISTREET

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he Department for Education published a revised set of non-mandatory leadership standards for headteachers, to relatively little fanfare, at the start of the year. The new National standards of excellence for headteachers are aimed at headteachers, aspiring headteachers and governing boards, and replace the National standards for headteachers published in 2004.

What makes these standards particularly valuable are their deliberately aspirational nature and exceptionally broad relevance. They do not attempt to encapsulate an acceptable minimum standard – as do the obligatory Teachers’ standards – and go well beyond offering a straightforward list of boxes leaders need to tick. Used properly, they can not only shape headteachers’ own practice, but can inform and challenge leadership practice across the

whole school, and, indeed, in other educational settings.

The standards are intended to offer guidance to headteachers, whatever their job description and wherever they happen to be in their careers, in order to underpin best practice. “The values and ambitions of headteachers determine the achievements of schools,” the standards say. Their leadership “has a decisive impact on the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievements in the nation’s classrooms”, creating a climate in which academic standards are high and teachers’ professional development needs are recognised. The standards are organised into four domains: qualities and knowledge; pupils and staff; systems and process; and the self-improving school system. They include the articulation of “clear values and moral purpose”, leading by example, with “integrity, creativity, resilience and clarity”, establishing an ethos “within which all staff are motivated and supported to develop their own skills”, and providing “a safe, calm and well-ordered environment for all pupils and staff”.

The standards were devised through a process of consultation with the sector.

This co-creation approach had a major impact on the final shape of the standards. AMiE was one of the organisations involved at the drafting stage. Mark Trusson, AMiE member and interim headteacher and education consultant at St Dunstan’s Academy, Glastonbury, was principal of The Taunton Academy when AMiE invited him to contribute to the review of the standards last year. “At the time, we were looking at ways to develop the leadership team, and one of our stated intentions was to create a set of standards that could be used by the academy to help develop leaders and to assess and appraise against. It was timely that I was asked to contribute,” he says.

It was an opportunity to lobby for change and shape the final set of standards. “My involvement was in reviewing the draft standards. I fed my thoughts to Mark Wright, AMiE’s assistant director for leadership and management, via written correspondence

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FEATURE

and a meeting before we both attended a consultation meeting at the Department for Education, with a Department official and Dame Dana Ross-Wawrzynski, who was leading the process. She was keen to hear our views and she acknowledged several of the points we made.”

It was positive to see how the feedback from AMiE directly informed the final version, which you could see had changed from earlier draft proposals.

Indeed, the collaborative spirit with which the guidance was created is reflected in the standards themselves, which set clear, useful and accessible benchmarks by which school leaders can aim their leadership efforts to help empower the teaching profession, improve the educational experience of pupils and raise school standards.

It is important that school governors use the standards with respect – as a thought-provoking set of developmental standards designed to support headteachers on a career-long journey – rather than as a checklist of expectations or a crude means of performance management. “They are a useful appraisal starting point,” says Trusson.

However, the standards should be used only to inform the appraisal of headteachers rather than as a set of mandatory benchmarks a headteacher must be assessed against as part of the appraisal process. Headteachers can also

NATIONAL STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR HEADTEACHERS The new standards “define high standards, which are applicable to all headteacher roles within a self-improving school system”. They are “intended as guidance to underpin best practice, whatever the particular job description of the headteacher”.

The standards can be used to: • shape headteachers’ own practice and professional development, within and beyond the school • inform the appraisal of headteachers • support the recruitment and appointment of headteachers

them particularly useful and welcome.

“Rather than constituting a simple tick list, they can help stretch headship capacity, whether applied by someone new to headship or by an executive head with great experience. Although called headship standards, the best leaders will be distributing these across the leadership team and beyond so that they inform the culture and ethos of the school.”

Leadership standards, Wright says, can be a useful tool for education leaders,

ILLUSTRATION: IMAGE SOURCE

“THE STANDARDS ARE INTENDED TO OFFER GUIDANCE TO HEADTEACHERS, WHEREVER THEY ARE IN THEIR CAREERS” use the standards to have a constructive conversation with governors about the areas in which they believe they need to develop.

Other dangers to be guarded against in applying the standards include a failure to review performance regularly enough and insufficient openness to challenge from staff who have an alternative view. Staff feedback is important. It would be a mistake to discuss the standards only within the senior leadership team and not allow them to inform ongoing practice, as intended. The guidance also encourages the use of the standards in identifying potential leaders and providing a framework for training middle and senior leaders.

According to AMiE’s Mark Wright, it is the “richly aspirational” nature of the revised standards that makes

whether in a school or college setting.

“They shine a light on what good leadership looks like and, ideally, should inform the behaviour of senior leaders and offer staff a view of how they should be led. They provide a useful aid should staff feel a need to challenge upwards in the interests of helping to keep their school or college on track.”

Trusson agrees: “The standards are succinct and attempt to create something practical and useful for schools to use.

They are forward-thinking and make good attempts to embrace the wider attributes and ambitions of modern headship – outward-facing and entrepreneurial leadership, to give two examples. Overall, given the current context of complicated leadership life in schools and academies, these standards can be a useful tool and benchmark for wider leaders and governors set in a

• provide a framework for training middle and senior leaders aspiring to headship.

The standards are set out in four ‘Excellence as Standard’ domains: • qualities and knowledge • pupils and staff • systems and process • the self-improving school system.

The full document is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/ national-standards-of-excellence-forheadteachers.

readily available, succinct and direct enough format that was, for me, worth the time spent on the consultation.”

As in FE, school leaders are operating in an increasingly demanding climate.

Principals and headteachers must find ways to ensure leadership is a dynamic and consultative process, aimed at creating an environment within which teaching and learning can thrive, against (and in spite of) a backdrop of excessive workload, obsessive performance management and an intrusive and overbearing accountability system. Add to that picture declining teacher recruitment and retention, and reduced funding and rising costs, and it becomes clear that the pressures are enormous. One result of the excessive audit culture that has pervaded both sectors over more than a decade is that, far from improving standards, it undermines the potential for effective leadership, increasing stress and uncertainty, as well as the volume of work. In a context characterised by ongoing turbulence and constant oversight, leadership standards give a sense of perspective, rooting leaders in a set of values that do not change with the political and financial weather.

AMiE takes all the opportunities it can to influence government and speak out about the challenges AMiE members face. Our voice is strongest when it involves serving leaders and managers, such as Mark Trusson. If you would like the opportunity to contribute and make a difference in this way, contact Mark Wright (see page 17).

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PROFILE

Keeping it simple A MERGER BETWEEN THE EFA AND THE SFA REMAINS THE ‘ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM’, BUT JOINT CHIEF EXECUTIVE PETER LAUENER’S FOCUS IS ON SIMPLIFYING FUNDING AND MAKING FRONT-LINE SAVINGS WORDS PAUL STANISTREET

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eter Lauener cut his teeth at the Manpower Services Commission, the organisation responsible for coordinating UK employment and training services, in the 1980s. It was a chance to address the enduring problem of creating “high-quality vocational routes for young people into jobs and FE” and was useful preparation for his current role as chief executive of both the Education Funding Agency and the Skills Funding Agency. “I learned a lot from the leaders of that organisation,” Lauener says. “I learned a lot from their passion and commitment, from their can-do attitude and from the policies and programmes they were implementing, putting together structured education and training programmes, and trying to bridge that divide between education and training.”

Although he began work as a labour market economist, watching colleagues “at the sharp end”, working with local partners to improve opportunities for young people and adults convinced him

that his vocation lay elsewhere. He began working at the Commission’s Manchester area office in what he terms “the space between strategy and delivery”. It’s a space he has occupied happily ever since.

It is now almost a year since the government announced that Lauener, already chief executive of the Education Funding Agency, would also lead the Skills Funding Agency. The move was widely welcomed as a step towards a more joined-up approach to schools and FE, and Lauener accepted the role, believing that the synergies between the two organisations could be exploited to simplify funding and save money.

The move was timely in a period of significant policy turbulence and financial constraint. In his role, he says, it is not enough simply to understand strategy, “you also need to understand the pressures at the delivery level”. Lauener’s job, as he sees it, is to make “it as easy as possible for others to do their jobs, particularly those working in schools and colleges”, in part by ensuring the funding system

is “as simple and as straightforward as possible. That’s the fundamental reason I took the job,” he says. “I believe passionately in the agenda of better opportunities for young people and adults for skills and education, but I think there is scope for making the funding as simple as possible in both organisations, and for making savings and sharing services between the two organisations. The more we save in that way, the more can go to the front line.”

Skills funding The need to simplify funding is a common issue across both agencies, Lauener says. “I’m a great advocate of the Alison Wolf reforms, which significantly simplified the old 16-19 funding system and put the authority for developing curriculum with colleges and schools. I’m looking to apply those lessons to adult funding and apprenticeship funding, where I do think there is scope for simplifying the existing set of arrangements.” The adult skills budget, in particular, he says,

CV EDUCATION

Peter Lauener was educated at George Watson’s College, in Edinburgh, and at Durham University, where he studied economics.

PREVIOUS ROLES

He worked as a labour market economist before joining the Manpower Services Commission, where his work involved developing training programmes and stimulating local

economic development and productivity. He later held a variety of directorlevel posts within the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and the Department for Education and Skills.

of the new Education Funding Agency. He was appointed chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency in November 2014, combining the two roles.

CURRENT ROLE

Lauener was chief executive of the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) between 2010 and 2012, when the YPLA was abolished and he became head

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“had become too complicated. We’re looking to develop a system which is much more based on local decisionmaking about who the priority groups are and what the outcomes should be, and maybe less on funding particular qualifications,” he says. Lauener has set up a new steering group, led by Ann Limb, chair of the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership and a former college principal, to advise the SFA on simplifying adult skills funding.

The Funding Reform and Localism Steering Group, which will comprise representatives from FE, local enterprise partnerships and combined authorities, will help shape how adult skills provision, with the exception of apprenticeships, is funded.

Both agencies have moved to web-based systems under Lauener’s

on. There are no current plans for a single agency.”

Impending challenges It is not only the two agencies that face common challenges. The schools and FE sectors do, too, with financial pressures – particularly acute in FE, but felt by providers in every sector – set to increase with the government’s autumn spending review. “One of the big divides in government is between those departmental policy areas that are protected, and those that are not,” Lauener says. “The schools budget is protected up to the age of 16. The 16-19 budget is not protected and the adult skills budget is not protected. The apprenticeship budget is not formally protected, but there is a very strong commitment to increasing the

“IF MINISTERS DECIDE THAT THE BETTER WAY AHEAD IS TO MERGE, THAT’S FINE, BUT IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT I’M WORKING ON.” leadership, a process that has not always been straightforward, but has, he says, created still more opportunities for consolidation between the two, while, at the same time, helping simplify communication with schools, colleges and training providers. Lauener has also been looking for opportunities to share services such as human resources, finance and IT between the two agencies, while attempting to join up work in FE, with a single team supporting the government’s post-16 area reviews across the EFA and the SFA. Given the synergies and the need to rationalise education funding, is a merger between the two agencies on the cards? The question, Lauener acknowledges, is “the elephant in the room”. However, while there are synergies, there are areas of work that are distinct, which means a merger is not necessarily the most efficient or effective way to run the two agencies.

“I didn’t take this job on the basis that there would be a merger,” he says.

“I took it on the basis that there were lots of synergies and lots of scope for shared services and savings, and I would do my best to find them. If ministers decide at some point that the better way ahead is to merge, that’s fine, but it’s not something that I’m working

number of apprenticeships.” There is no doubt, he says, that the FE and skills sector faces a lot of challenges.

Providers should expect a “constant drive for efficiency and savings”, whatever the specific outcomes of the spending review.

While many providers are struggling, others continue to enjoy relatively good financial health. What does Lauener think the best leaders and managers are getting right? “The first thing I look for is good governance, where the board of trustees or the governors are clear about their role to set the strategic framework, to put the accountability arrangements in place, but allow the executive to manage and lead. The second thing is strong leadership from the head or principal, the chief executive and their senior teams. Leadership is absolutely paramount. I then look to see organisations that are getting their offer right”, offering “courses that pupils or students or learners want to follow, and quality that gives pupils, learners, students what they want”. That, Lauener says, is “the single most important factor. When things start going wrong, it’s often because institutions fail to plan for a local demographic fall. They assume they will be able to continue to recruit, even when numbers are

falling.” Leaders must also have a good idea of their cost base, he says, to ascertain the extent to which they can afford to run loss-making provision.

These issues, Lauener argues, are best resolved at institutional level, rather than through top-down intervention.

Despite the financial constraint on the sector, Lauener is convinced that the government’s flagship plan to create 3 million apprenticeship starts during the parliament is realistic. “People said at the start of the last parliament that 2 million could not be reached and it was exceeded.” There was also an increase in the number of craft and technical, and higher apprenticeships, as well as a general improvement in quality, Lauener says, providing a solid foundation for an increase in this parliament. There are also positive moves to increase employer contribution and secure greater private-sector buy-in, he adds, including the apprenticeship levy on large firms, initiatives to get employers involved in the design of apprenticeships, and changes in procurement rules, which mean that all bids for government contracts worth more than £10m must demonstrate a commitment to apprenticeships.

The SFA has been working to increase the number of employers involved in apprenticeships, particularly in under-represented sectors, but there are also clear roles for schools and colleges in helping meet the target. “What I expect schools to do is to make sure they are focused on all their young people, whether it is an 11-16 school or an 11-18 school. I expect 11-18 schools to take as much interest in the young people who are not going to stay on as they do in the ones who are, and make sure that they understand what the opportunities are. Colleges also have an important role here. Generally, colleges do careers guidance pretty well, but I would like to get a smoother transition from college provision onto apprenticeships.” Lauener would like to make it easier both for young people and adults to benefit, and for employers to get involved. “I want employers that want to invest in their young people’s and adults’ skills, and see it as a win-win – a win for the apprentice and a win in productivity and business operation for them.”

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COMMENT: NORTHERN IRELAND

Vocational value THE GERMAN APPRENTICESHIP MODEL IS MUCH ADMIRED IN NORTHERN IRELAND

GUEST COLUMNISTS DANNY LAVERTY (FIFTH FROM LEFT) HEAD OF SCHOOL IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; MICHAEL MELAUGH (FIFTH FROM RIGHT) HEAD OF SCHOOL IN CRAFT SERVICES, NORTH WEST REGIONAL COLLEGE, NORTHERN IRELAND

T

he focus of policy attention on apprenticeships has resulted in many in the UK looking to Germany for an example of a successful apprenticeship model.

A project funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme gave staff at Northern Ireland’s North West Regional College (NWRC) an opportunity to see first-hand how the apprenticeship system in Germany works.

The project is timely. The Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland has proposed a new apprenticeship model, influenced by the German example, to begin in 2016. Visiting our partner college, Staatliche Berufsschule Eichstätt (SBE), in Bavaria, gave 12 staff from NWRC, including four AMiE members, access to one of the best apprenticeship systems in the world. The German model is successful because apprenticeships are valued, are focused on skills development and are employer-led, with investment in the individual by the employer recognised as an integral part of company strategy. With clear progression routes available, the vocational route is often the first choice of many over academic study at university.

SBE’s students are enrolled in areas such as construction, business and administration, metalwork and joinery. The college also enrols young unemployed people serving apprenticeships.

The project aims to provide participants with the opportunity to travel, and to experience industrial and cultural diversity. NWRC staff travelled to

Eichstätt in November 2014 and to Bavaria in April 2015 to experience the teaching and learning approaches of the host organisation. In return, some 34 staff from Bavaria have visited NWRC. The project will contribute to participants’ understanding of: • best practice in the teaching and assessment of vocational subjects within construction and engineering • problems and solutions associated with the transfer of students and staff within Europe • cultural outlooks of the two partner organisations • established and emerging vocational training and assessment methodologies, thus enabling greater transferability of skills and knowledge.

Evidence gathered over the course of the project will enable both organisations to improve their training programmes. It will also inform other providers, stakeholders and funding agencies of what adaptations are needed to current training to take account of the European context and enable greater mobility of tutors and students. The project will benefit local industries as an example of best practice, and the training provision can be disseminated and acted on.

The strong culture of vocational education in Germany was particularly noticeable. Its education system recognises differentiation at lower secondary level, with each state (Land) responsible for its own education policy. Secondary education includes different types of school, all of broadly equal value: Gymnasium (generally academic, preparing pupils for higher education), Realschule (strong on science, maths and languages), Hauptschule (geared towards entry to structured apprenticeships) and Gesamtschule (combining the above three).

Participating AMiE members found the experience to be fulfilling and they have been promoting the project within their schools. There has been good communication with the partner organisation and the regional Erasmus+ coordinator in Germany.

NWRC staff have also contributed to a paper, ‘Vocational Education and Training in Northern Ireland’ (see below), for a journal in Germany.

3 MORE INFORMATION

For more on Erasmus+, email Michael.Melaugh@ nwrc.ac.uk or Danny.Laverty@nwrc.ac.uk. For SBE, see www.berufsschule-eichstaett.eu/hp1/Startseite. htm. Email mlanghammer@atl.org.uk for the paper.

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R E S OUR CE S/C ON TA C T S

LEADING WITH LESS

A

MiE’s free leadership seminars are under way. This year we will be exploring the practical measures that can help you to lead and manage effectively given the reality of shrinking funds and the impact this is having on schools and colleges.

Members attending previous seminars have told us how useful these events are, providing an opportunity for you to share ideas with peers who are wrestling with similar issues.

Dates still to come: • London – 20 November • Birmingham – 27 November

The programme is as follows: 10:00 – registration and refreshments 10:30-10:45 – welcome and introduction to the day 10:45-12:15 – workshops: • the importance of talent management • leading teaching & learning • ethical leadership & influence 12:15-1:00 – lunch 1:00-1:30 – leadership with less, including presentation by leaders successfully wrestling with this issue 1:30-3:00 – workshops 3:00-3:30 – Q&A, plenary and close.

To claim your place, register at www. amie.atl.org.uk or call 01858 461110.

FREE TO AMiE MEMBERS Come to our free training event designed to cover issues that you and your colleagues are currently facing.

Topics covered include the role of an AMiE rep, contracts of employment and improving AMiE organisation in the workplace.

Who should attend?

Any rep or member interested in being a rep or in becoming more involved with AMiE. Please contact Ellie Manns, AMiE organiser, to discuss this informally.

Where and when The event will take place on 13 November at the AMiE office in

Market Harborough, Leicestershire, starting at 10:00am and finishing at 3:30pm approximately.

Not a rep?

Come along and find out more about getting involved in AMiE. This is an excellent opportunity to gain a wider understanding of the role, meet colleagues and share ideas. Reasonable travel costs and accommodation will be met by AMiE where required. Please pass this information on to any AMiE colleagues you feel would be interested.

To book, please email Ellie Manns on emanns@amie.atl.org.uk as soon as possible to reserve your place.

LEADERSHIP COURSES FOR MEMBERS AMiE has a UK-wide network of elected representatives and members of staff who can help you with your queries.

For more information on your regional contact and their contact details, please see amie.atl.org.uk/aboutamie/your-union/contact-us.asp.

Here is a selection of course names and dates.

CREATING A HIGH-PERFORMANCE TEAM Newcastle 18 November 2015 Nottingham 12 February 2016

GETTING THE NEXT FIVE PER CENT Manchester 28 January 2016

LEADING OTHERS Leeds 2 February 2016

MANAGING PERFORMANCE THROUGH CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS Exeter 14 March 2016 Manchester 23 May 2016

For more information on these courses and to book, please see amie.atl.org.uk/join-in/cpd/overview.asp Please note: 2016 courses are not yet bookable.

ABOUT AMiE We are the only union to represent managers and leaders across the entire education sector, providing: • help, advice and support: a confidential helpline, online guidance and a network of professional and experienced regional officers to support you in your role as both an employee, and as a manager or leader; • excellent personal and professional development: accredited training and development opportunities for you in your role as a manager or leader; • a voice in the education debate: an opportunity to influence policy and get involved in issues that affect you; • publications and resources: a range of free publications focused on contemporary leadership issues; • more for your membership: discounts and rewards for you and your family on a range of products and services.

And, with 50% off your first year’s membership*, there’s never been a better time to join AMiE. Join online at amie.atl.org.uk/join or call 0845 057 7000 (local call).

Let AMiE take you further.

WHO CAN JOIN? Colleges: AMiE welcomes managers at all levels in FE colleges, sixth-form colleges and adult education providers.

Schools: We warmly invite school headteachers (including those in academies), deputy headteachers, assistant headteachers, acting headteachers, bursars and business managers to join AMiE. We also have many members in national organisations, training organisations and other areas of the education sector, including HE.

CONTACTING AMiE AMiE 35 The Point, Market Harborough Leicestershire LE16 7QU Tel: 01858 461110 Fax: 01858 461366 amie.atl.org.uk National helpline Tel: 01858 464171 Email: helpline@amie.atl.org.uk David Green Assistant director of AMiE (employment services) Tel: 01858 411540 Mobile: 07711 929043 Email: dgreen@amie.atl.org.uk Mark Wright Assistant director of AMiE (leadership and management) Tel: 020 7782 1530 Mobile: 07436 805330 Email: mwright@amie.atl.org.uk For membership queries, please contact the membership department on 020 7782 1602 or email: membership@atl.org.uk. *TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY, VISIT AMIE.ATL.ORG.UK FOR FULL SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS, MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY AND FURTHER INFORMATION.

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MASTERCLASS

Great expectations

WITH MANY CPD BUDGETS BEING CUT, THE SUCCESS OF ONE COLLEGE’S LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAMME IS A REMINDER THAT TALENT MANAGEMENT IS MORE THAN A ‘NICE TO HAVE’ WORDS PAUL STANISTREET

T

hese are difficult economic times for the education sector. Leaders and managers, tasked with doing more with less, face difficult choices. It can be tempting to see CPD as an area that can be cut back on without much obvious cost. But with resources shrinking, it is more important than ever to maximise the talent of staff, particularly leaders and potential leaders – those upon whose creativity, resilience and imagination the future of an institution can rest. Many colleges recognise this. This article considers one – Salford City College – which is seeing huge benefits from investing in the ongoing development of its staff.

Salford City College, one of the largest tertiary colleges in the north west, takes the professional development of its staff seriously. But, of course, it is not immune to the huge financial pressures that have meant difficult change in many organisations, particularly in FE. Faced with the challenge of managing substantial budget reductions while simultaneously developing its curriculum to meet local skills requirements and improve the quality of teaching and learning, the college embarked on an ambitious programme of staff development.

Exceeding Expectations was led by leadership consultant and former college principal Peter Rushton. The programme aimed to support the development of managers at all levels within the college in order to create resilient and imaginative leaders with entrepreneurial skills and a flair for innovation and quick decision-making. It is an outstanding example of a provider prepared to nurture its own talent, notwithstanding the associated risk of staff moving on to more senior positions elsewhere.

All of the college’s managers and supervisors engaged in the 12-month

programme, a total of 135 over a four-year period. Each participant underwent a 360° appraisal to help them focus on their leadership strengths and areas that required more development. They attended a range of self-reflective and leadership sessions, including teamwork activities, all with a strong focus on how they could further develop their skills, motivate their teams and strive for further improvements and development in the college. Participants were mentored through the programme, sometimes by an internal colleague, sometimes by an external mentor. The mentor provided support, kept the candidate on track and gave them an opportunity to discuss their progress.

WHAT IS TALENT MANAGEMENT?

Participants focused on real issues that affected their work within the college – ‘improving procurement’, for example – and worked on the issues individually and in small groups. The idea was to develop and equip staff members not only to identify risks and issues, but also to seek solutions. Each candidate worked on a project that would result in a development or improvement in the college. Projects were diverse and included ‘Creating a talent pool of students to match to employers within the professional and financial services sector’, ‘Encouraging independent learning and autonomy’ and ‘Creating a usable computer-assisted language learning platform for ESOL learners’.

Salford City College

The term ‘talent management’ emerged in the 1990s and was popularised in the 2001 McKinsey study, The War for Talent. It refers to a systematic process for identifying staff with natural ability and developing them as potential leaders.

It involves nurturing skills and talents at all levels of an organisation, so that people can progress and take on key leadership positions.

The term is widely used and sounds like something that should be taken for granted and occur naturally. However, it is much more than a straightforward human resource issue. In essence, it is a philosophy of leadership that stresses the importance of having the right staff in the right roles.

Talent management is critical to organisational success and is a more fundamental concern than day-to-day human resource management. It is essentially about taking a personalised approach and developing the person, as opposed to the role. It focuses on unlocking potential and building capacity, especially in relation to leadership.

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MASTERCLASS

Every completed project has been taken forward to one degree or another, and the college reports “some very positive impacts” as a result.

Staff from every tier of management in the college completed the programme, graduating at an awards ceremony attended by governors. The positive impact was felt both individually and organisationally. At an organisational level, the college saw its success rates improve among learners at higher levels and put in place clearly defined succession planning. It also benefited from staff making more informed decisions and developing skills in managing people and dealing with difficult situations. The impact was just as evident at an individual level. The majority of promoted posts within the college are now filled internally rather than by external candidates. Two of the participants were appointed principals of other FE colleges, while four became

deputy principals of other colleges.

Several participants went on to pursue accreditation to postgraduate level.

“The programme has had a very impressive impact,” says Rebekah Wilkins, director of marketing and services to learners at Salford City College.

“We have seen internal and external promotions for some staff and strongly feel that the programme has been a large part of their personal development. Many of the projects have been implemented and we have seen improvements in certain standards and cost savings in some key areas of the business.

“Staff working together, sharing ideas and reflecting on their leadership skills has continued after the programme was completed and the feedback from all who took part was very positive. We would very much recommend the programme to others.”

The college approach was firmly underpinned by a commitment to

“WE HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN STANDARDS AND COST SAVINGS IN SOME KEY AREAS OF THE BUSINESS.”

investing in its staff for the future good of the organisation. Importantly, there was understanding and acceptance of the risk of staff seeking career progression elsewhere. College leaders were prepared to look beyond the short-term loss of talented staff and appreciated that the benefits, in terms of improved teaching and learning and longer term stability and success, outweighed the costs. This is important, particularly in a sector which has often struggled to recruit and retain high-quality leaders.

The choices are quite stark.

Organisations that fail to put in place effective leadership development programmes and processes, and do not recognise the need to establish effective succession planning and nurture staff to fill current and future key strategic roles, will be vulnerable not only to staff retirement, but to key leaders moving elsewhere. According to the Department for Education’s 2011 school workforce census, just over a third of all headteachers are aged over 50, while over half take early retirement between 55 and 59.

The same survey also shows how many potential leaders are being overlooked.

The majority of senior leaders are middle-aged white males, while women and ethnic minorities remain underrepresented. In areas where black students form the largest ethnic group, only 11% of headteachers are black.

Education providers simply cannot afford to overlook the talent of so many of their staff. Courageous and sympathetic leadership is required if leaders are to develop all the talent around them, setting ambitious standards while being aware, sensitive and supportive in dealing with concerns about workload and other pressures. The best leaders create a work environment that motivates and supports staff, and make leadership development a top priority, providing training and coaching to help unlock potential. In doing so, they offer other leaders and potential leaders a role model, which can make the possibilities of leadership seem worth striving for.

3 MORE INFORMATION For a more detailed account of talent management with lots more case studies, read The Importance of Talent Management, by Peter Rushton, the latest publication in AMiE’s Outstanding Performance Series. If you have not already received a copy, you can order one via the AMiE website at: www.amie.atl.org.uk.

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ADVICE

School and college managers are often asked to consider requests from staff to come back to work part time following a period of maternity leave and it can be a source of concern. But members should make sure they fully understand the legal implications WORDS JAYNE PHILLIPS, SOLICITOR AND DEPUTY HEAD OF ATL’S LEGAL & MEMBER SERVICES

I am a headteacher at a secondary school and the head of history has been on maternity leave for six months. She has been with the school for seven years. She emailed me the other day with a request that when she returns to work, she does so on a part-time basis working three days, Monday to Wednesday. I have no other part-time staff, as I am concerned that parttime working results in a drop in teaching standards and pupils suffer from the lack of continuity. I may possibly consider the request if she relinquishes her head of department post, but what are my legal obligations?

This is a very common situation, which often results in calls from members to ATL/AMiE. You should be aware that, with female employees who are seeking part-time work in order to look after their children, it can be indirect sex discrimination to refuse their request. Indirect sex discrimination occurs when the employer adopts a policy that applies equally to everyone, but one gender is disadvantaged by it.

It is generally recognised that women are more likely to take primary responsibility for childcare. Therefore, an employer who adopts a policy of only allowing staff to work full time is likely to place women at a disadvantage.

A woman whose request for part-time working is refused may make a claim of indirect sex discrimination at an employment tribunal.

job-share the full-time post. (However, as this is a head of department post, it would be sensible to conduct a competitive selection process for anyone interested in applying for the other half of the role.)

It may be just as easy to recruit another part-time employee as it is to appoint someone full time, as there are many teachers wishing to work part

“IT COULD BE INDIRECT SEX DISCRIMINATION TO REMOVE THE TEACHER FROM THE POST.” An employer can justify such indirect sex discrimination if he or she can satisfy an employment tribunal that the policy is necessary to achieve a legitimate aim, and that there is no other means of achieving that aim. It would not be enough for you simply to state that part-time working results in a drop in teaching standards and/or that pupils suffer from the lack of continuity.

You would need clear and convincing proof that this is the case. In reality, the experiences of our members suggest that part-time teachers do not negatively impact on teaching standards and nor do pupils suffer from such arrangements; often quite the opposite.

It is imperative that you seriously consider this request. You should arrange to meet with the teacher and discuss the situation with her. It may be useful to speak to other headteachers to see if they have had experience of this situation and what lessons they drew from it. There may be another member of staff who is also interested in reducing their hours and could

time. If you would rather the teacher who has made the request work a different pattern, you should discuss this with her.

Essentially, you should make every effort to accommodate a request to work part time and, indeed, it could mean that you are able to retain the skills and commitment of a valuable member of staff.

Finally, it could also be indirect sex discrimination to remove the teacher from the head of department post.

Many people work in job-share arrangements or part-time positions whilst retaining such responsibility.

You would have to justify any decision to take away that role. From experience, the tribunals do not agree with arguments justifying removing part-time employees from positions of responsibility.

3 MORE INFO AMiE is here to help. If you are experiencing any difficulties with employment or staffing issues, you can contact us. See page 17.

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U N I O N M AT T E R S

TRADE UNION REFORM The government is moving fast with plans for trade union reform. It means things are about to get tougher – both as a union member and a leader WORDS ADRIAN PRANDLE, ATL’S DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC STRATEGY AND NEGOTIATIONS

T

he end-of-term leaving present from Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, was the publication of the Trade Union Bill.

The bill presents extensive regulation of trade union activity and a powerful attempt from the government to limit the freedom to withdraw labour should employment relations break down.

First up, the politics. Well, you could crudely say that the government just doesn’t like unions. There’s also the spin appeal of the inconvenience factor – the parents and commuters whose working days are disrupted by strikes in schools and on public transport. But the added bite is the attempt to undermine the future and security of the Labour Party, in part by breaking funding links, and through undermining the effectiveness of the unions that support it. But as a union not affiliated to any political party, is it right that ATL/AMiE and its members are caught up in this highly ideological, fiercely partisan battle?

We have to look at what’s actually in the bill to answer that question.

For starters: • all ballots for industrial action must pass a turnout threshold of 50% of eligible members • picketing and protests, it is proposed, will be much more heavily regulated – for example: it will become compulsory for all picket leaders to possess and present on demand a letter and wear an armband identifying them as such; and unions will have to produce detailed plans of protests, potentially including how union representatives will be using social media • employers must have two weeks’ notice of industrial action and mandates for action end four months from the date of the ballot.

A further major change proposed outside the wording of the bill is the removal of the regulation prohibiting the use of

agency workers to cover the duties of striking employees.

Among other changes, the bill also gives ministers the power to require public-sector employers to publish information on costs of, time spent on and number of employees engaged in trade union facility time. The bill then enables ministers, whenever they wish, to make regulations (without the need for new legislation in the House of Commons) to limit the hours and costs of facility time.

One other measure is particularly complex for the education sector. There will be a threshold of support for action that will need to be passed for those working in important public services.

Democratic principle No longer would a yes vote win with a simple majority – the core democratic principle in this country. In addition to a majority of voting members supporting action, 40% of members eligible to vote must have supported the action. So, let’s say union membership was 20-strong, with all eligible to vote in a ballot. Ten people would have to vote to pass the 50% hurdle turnout. But 40% of the eligible membership is eight people. So if only

in the process of being defined by government, but its intention with education is that it applies to those teaching in the 5-16 sector. Government has indicated that if the majority of members being balloted are teaching in that sector, then the threshold will apply.

So FE colleges with pupils as young as 14 are unlikely to be bound by the 40% threshold, as most staff will be undertaking post-16 teaching. Sixth forms attached to schools probably will be bound, as the probability is that more staff are engaged in secondary education than tertiary. But what about those that teach both sides of the 5-16 boundary, whether at the lower or higher end? Whatever is decided, the implication is extra workload for unions certainly, and possibly, leaders and managers working out which staff pull towards the extra threshold being enforced and which pull away.

The Trade Union Bill is a restriction of the right to protest and a major limitation of levers to secure fairness at work. ATL/ AMiE has always viewed strike action as a last resort, but the potential to do so is important in making sure your views are taken seriously by government. As a leader you may find strikes become less common; this is certainly likely with

“THE TRADE UNION BILL IS A RESTRICTION OF THE RIGHT TO PROTEST AND A MAJOR LIMITATION OF LEVERS TO SECURE FAIRNESS.” 10 people voted, then six or seven yes votes (ordinarily a simple majority) would not be a valid mandate for taking action. Eight yes votes would be necessary – which, in this case, looks a lot like 80% support. If all 20 members participated, then 11 yes votes would be sufficient: it’s the lowest number that forms a majority, but it also surpasses the extra 40% threshold.

If you didn’t get distracted by the numbers, you’ll have spotted that this threshold applies only to those working in important public services. This is

coordinated national strikes. But you will have tricky employment relations to manage and potentially division and a lowering of morale amongst staff, particularly given new freedoms around agency workers and pressure from government to keep your school or college open.

All in all, the Trade Union Bill is an ill-conceived and vindictive piece of legislation that will do nothing to solve employment relation breakdowns in future and, as such, ATL and AMiE will continue to fight against it.

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FINAL WORD

As FE colleges contemplate the increasingly desperate state of their finances, calls for a major review of FE funding have been made by two influential voices.

The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) produced a report last month*, which argued that the UK has a graduate overrecruitment problem, with too many graduates entering non-graduate jobs, which do not require, nor utilise, the skills they have developed whilst studying for degrees.

This report came hard on the heels of another, authored by Alison Wolf**, a respected labour market expert and author of the Wolf review of vocational education, that concludes the FE sector, which provides the bulk of the UK’s post-secondary training, faces possible collapse.

Taken together, these reports paint a bleak picture of young people’s opportunities to get access to the training and development they need whilst in education, and then in work, to gain the knowledge, skills and experience to progress to secure, well-paid, high-skilled employment.

The CIPD report describes a labour market in which the number of graduates has significantly outstripped the creation of high-skilled jobs. This is a major problem: the UK has, at 54% of the population, the second-highest graduation rate in the OECD. But nearly 59% of those who graduate are in non-graduate jobs, a percentage exceeded only by Greece and Estonia.

Commenting on these depressing figures, Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD, said: “…we need to start a national debate about how to generate

more high-skilled jobs, which means organisations investing more in developing their leadership and management capability, building more progression routes and improving work organisation and job design, so that people’s ideas and skills are used more effectively in the workplace.”

All this is perfectly sensible, and needs to be said. But the problem with graduate underemployment does not rest only with employers, as Wolf’s report clearly shows.

Wolf argues that FE is underfunded, and that its mission to provide training for adults has been under-valued and sidelined, with the majority of FE colleges gaining the bulk of their funding training 16- to 19-year-olds.

Wolf argues further that an “unstable, inefficient, untenable and unjust” funding system is destroying education provision for school leavers who do not wish to go to university. She argues: “In England, regrettably, the 19+ education system is rarely discussed

THESE REPORTS PROVIDE A DEVASTATING CRITIQUE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S SKILLS POLICY M A RY B O U ST E D, AT L G E N E R A L S E C R E TA RY

as an entity, or an interlocking system, even in the context of labour market demands for skills. Debates over HE take place as though FE and adult training did not exist.”

Wolf analyses total spending on the adult skills budget, which has been declining as a proportion of total spending on education, and is now, in absolute terms, less than what is spent on either pre-primary education or on taxpayer contributions to university teaching costs. Current planned spending patterns, including the 24% cut in adult education funding, can only make matters worse.

Wolf contrasts the student funding levels of about £2,150 (in 2012) for a full-time college student with the funding of about £8,400 for a university student. She concludes: “The result is a system that is not producing highly qualified technicians at a time when there is strong labour market demand for them, and when many of those currently in work are nearing retirement. Apprenticeship numbers are overwhelmingly in areas that are cheap to deliver. Among apprenticeships that lead to a higher level craft or technician level award, less than five per cent are in engineering, manufacturing technologies or science, and only about one per cent in ICT.” Taken together, these reports provide a devastating critique of the government’s skills policy. FE, the sector built to provide the technical skills so desperately needed in the UK, is being starved of funds, whilst HE is allowed virtually uncontrolled expansion. The government’s response to this crisis is remarkable.

Disregarding the experts’ advice, the parlous state of college finances and the continued turbulence within FE, it was announced in July that the post-16 education and training sector must fund self-organised area reviews, resulting in fewer, larger colleges.

There is no sense in this, and no effective skills policy.

*Over-qualification and skills mismatch in the graduate labour market , CIPD, August 2015 **Heading for the precipice: Can further and higher education funding policies be sustained? Professor Alison Wolf, The Policy Institute at King’s, June 2015

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SAFEGUARDING & SAFER RECRUITMENT ONLINE TRAINING Our online Safeguarding and Safer recruitment training courses are designed to provide all levels of staff within a school with the skills they need.

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Safer Recruitment modules

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