6 minute read
by Vaughan Connolly 40
Such a finding may not surprise school improvement researchers who often implore schools to invest time in school improvement initiatives (Stoll, Fink and Earl, 2003). But to rethink curriculum time remains a bold ask in the current climate (Jacobs and Alcock, 2017). There are, however, multiple ways to square this circle. The first is to do less, but to do it well. Such was exemplified by the Neath-Port Talbot Local Education Authority who implemented the principles of high reliability schools to successively raise the performance of 11 secondary schools over a 15-year period. Such sustained improvement is very rare (Mangan, Pugh and Gray, 2005), making this initiative extremely interesting. A key feature of this reform, exemplifying how 'less can be more', was schools' sustained focus on a limited number of goals, with time for all to be involved (Stringfield, Reynolds and Schaffer, 2016).
A second, perhaps more radical way to find time for school improvement, is to reconfigure allocated curriculum time. This was the approach adopted in a three-year study of 'learning to learn', which followed a Year 7 cohort through to Year 9, in an English comprehensive. After reconfiguring their timetable, this cohort received approximately 400 lessons on 'learning to learn' with time reallocated from other curriculum areas. The results were highly impressive. When compared to predecessor cohorts, pupils' attitude to learning showed positive gains, and academically, all pupils exceeded expectations. Most importantly, however, pupils in receipt of pupil premium showed addition benefits. This initiative both raised attainment, and narrowed the gap (Mannion and Mercer, 2016) in a clear display that less can indeed be more.
Similar stories abound in different fields. In a short trial of the four day week, Microsoft Japan saw sales rise by 40% (Kleinman, 2019). A New Zealand accounting firm made headlines with gains made by moving to a four-day week. Such was the wide spread interest in this story, that the NZ Government is considering ways to implement this more broadly post Covid (Roy, 2020).
With all this in mind, it is sobering to recall that the England's standard school timetable is based upon a model of 'industrialised' education from the 1890s (Shedd, 2003). Yet today's schools are vastly different to their Victorian forebears. The world learners are preparing for is vastly different and this difference is accelerating. Now more than ever, it's time to be bold, about time.
BIO Vaughan Connolly is a teacher of Computer Science and Physics, and has held various leadership roles in both state and independent schools in England and internationally. He is completing a PhD in the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge and is interested in school innovation and how we succeed in the fourth industrial revolution. Vaughan would like to thank the ESRC and DFE for supporting this research.
Introduction and Background
Previous research in industry and higher education has shown a strong, statistically significant correlation between employer/university leadership style and employee/student performance, motivation, and wellbeing (Moss, 2016). In particular, an inclusive style of leadership, with attributes such as individualised consideration, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and empathy (see Table 1), have been shown in these settings to have a strong positive influence on wellbeing.
However, the impact of inclusive leadership on secondary school students has been overlooked. Sevenoaks School, in conjunction with Professor Gloria Moss, undertook a rigorous, quantitative study, the only one to date, on whether the strong association between leadership style and student performance observed in higher education and industry also exists in the secondary school environment, with mathematics teaching as the focus.
Methods
The same validated survey method as used in the industry and higher education studies was used, an online anonymous multiple-choice questionnaire that students completed either at the start of lessons or as homework. The survey collected demographic data on students’ gender, nationality, year group and ethnicity, as well as posing 34 questions concerning students’ assessments of their mathematics teachers’ inclusive leadership styles. Teachers’ inclusive leadership score was defined as the sum of the scores across all 34 questions. It also asked 12 self-reflection questions about students’ own productivity, motivation and wellbeing in the field of mathematics – with student performance defined as the sum of these 12 scores. The responses to the 46 non-demographic questions were noted on a Likert scale. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from Buckinghamshire New University Ethics Committee on 11th January 2019. Participation was voluntary and data was collected between 26th March 2019 and 3rd August 2019.
In total, 721 students completed the questionnaire (response rate of 66.1%). 32 students did not complete one or more questions in the questionnaire and these surveys were subsequently removed, resulting in responses from 689 students included in the final analysis. It was found that through their leadership behaviours, mathematics teachers scored highly in providing an environment that allowed students to be themselves and operated on the basis of fairness. In contrast, students also felt that teachers did not always encourage students to express their concerns or opinions, particularly minority voices. Insights from such question analysis can be directly fed back into staff continued professional development (CPD) and discussions around how best to develop the aspects of teaching practice on which teachers scored least well.
A scatterplot of student performance versus mathematics teachers’ inclusive leadership score (Figure 1) produced a correlation coefficient of r = 0.81. This result indicates a strong positive linear correlation between these variables, consistent with the correlations found in the earlier studies. The results show that the more inclusive are teachers’ leadership style, the better students perceived their performance. Additional analyses also revealed an association between inclusive leadership and the three components of student performance – namely, productivity (r = 0.72), wellbeing (r = 0.75), and motivation (r = 0.76).
Table 1: Competences underpinning the concept of inclusive leadership in secondary education.
Competence Description
Individualised consideration Teachers showing individual interest and offering one-to-one support for students Idealised influence Teachers having admirable qualities that students want to identify with Inspirational motivation Providing an appealing vision that inspires students Intellectual stimulation Encouraging students to develop their ideas and be challenged Unqualified acceptance Being inclusive in considering students Empathy Putting oneself mentally and emotionally in the student’s place Listening Actively listening to students Persuasion Being able to influence students Confidence building Providing students with opportunities and recognition Growth Encouraging students to reach their full potential Foresight Having the ability to anticipate events and where they might lead Conceptualisation Having a vision about possibilities and articulating that vision to students Awareness Being fully open and aware of environmental cues Stewardship Articulating the belief that the school’s legacy is to contribute to society Healing Helping students cope with any burdens
Conclusions
Overall, a strong, statistically significant positive association was found between mathematics teachers’ degree of inclusiveness and student performance. This correlation did not differ by gender or by nationality. However, the strength of the association decreased significantly with students’ advancing age, indicating increased student self-motivation, resilience and ability to act as independent learners.
In terms of what the results reveal about the Mathematics Department in this study, the student responses to the 34 questions evaluating teachers’ inclusive leadership behaviours reveal that the department is strong at allowing students to display authentic behaviours, serves the broad needs of students and operates on the basis of fairness. Areas of potential
