Strategy Update – June 2014
Dear Colleagues: The DCI Strategy Steering Group and DCMI directors convened the annual Blue Sky meeting on 18 – 21 May in Seoul, South Korea. For those of you who don’t know, the Blue Sky meeting agenda includes a day or so devoted to new ideas and education trends and a day for strategic initiative reports and updates. At last year’s Blue Sky, the group was introduced to team-based learning (TBL) at Duke-NUS. Throughout the course of the following academic year, many of our teachers pioneered TBL in our classrooms. Building on team-based learning, blended learning was the focus for this year’s Blue Sky meeting. The group committed to putting the DCI curriculum online as a step towards a future in which students across the network have access to the best learning resources available; a future in which our teachers are active participants in continuous curriculum development, collaborating with their colleagues across campuses to create the most engaging learning experiences for our students – both online and in the classroom. This is a long-term initiative and it will require the engagement of enthusiastic staff to help develop it further. In the first instance, we have already engaged three staff members across the network to produce pilot online modules in Term 2 of the next academic year. These projects are pilots to be tested and refined for broader use and further development across the network. One other major decision that the group made, as part of the Exceptional and Inspirational Faculty initiative, was the introduction of a Dulwich College International Qualified Teacher (DCIQT) programme to begin in January 2015. The programme is open to teachers who do not hold a QTS, currently, or do not have the required international teaching experience. The programme aims to improve the quality of student learning through the development of our teachers. We will also reward teachers on an equal basis through placement on the international teacher pay scale for undertaking the same teaching and pastoral roles alongside holding equivalent qualifications. More information and updates on this programme and the online curriculum project will be coming in August. For now, the following is a snapshot of this year’s strategic highlights and next year’s priorities. If you have any questions or want to engage in one or more of these strategic initiatives, please contact Tim Scharf at tim.scharf@indulwich.com.
Strategy Steering Group Curriculum Review Group Heads of Mandarin University Counselors College Leadership Teams
One College, Many Campuses Common across initiatives has been the collaboration of groups across colleges to develop the way forward; innovating through collaboration
The Stanford (blended learning) Team Heads of Performance, Drama, Art, Sport, and Debate Marketing Departments Heads of Schools Professional Learning Development Group
Excellence in Learning and Teaching AY 13/14 highlights Team-based and blended learning pilots, e.g., leadership and physics DCI curriculum review team in place and review process developed Common assessment, tracking and reporting framework in place DCI teacher standards, leadership profiles, and learning development in place
Next year’s priorities DCI curriculum online pilots Complete curriculum review, action research, and produce development plan Define Dulwich learning outcomes Establish baseline value-added measures and track expected progress Y1 – Y11 Establish professional learning development programme for multiple career paths Implement virtual learning platform for resource-sharing and collaboration
Exceptional & Inspirational Faculty AY 13/14 highlights Internal hire rate of 13%, 100% jobs posted on inDulwich Safer recruitment training, Safeguarding standards Defined Dulwich leadership standards Three-year contracts in place, impacted 80% of AY14/15 staff
Next year’s priorities Establish DCI as “Employer of Choice” HR data analytics to inform employee engagement and retention programmes Succession planning and leadership development Implement the Dulwich College International Qualified Teacher Programme
World-class Mandarin 一等级的中文课程 AY 13/14 highlights Dual-language in Early Years at DCB, DCS 1st annual DCI Mandarin Teachers Conference Comprehensive review of Mandarin curriculum Mandarin learning and teaching standards
Next year’s priorities Dual-language at DCSG, DCSZ Early Years… And in Junior School at DCB, DCS Mandarin teacher performance management Leadership programme for Mandarin leaders Coordinated DCI Mandarin curriculum Focus on the student experience
Innovative Co-Curricular Programmes AY 13/14 highlights to name a few Dulwich Festival of Music, ISCMS, Diverse-Cities,The Dulwich Games, Rolling Stones Masterclasses with Justin Kim, Jacob Shaw, Berklee College of Music, Royal Irish Academy of Music Debate skills workshops and tournament with Debate Mate Cross-college leadership course with Stanford OHSx Next year’s priorities Grow events and Masterclass programmes Establish DCI Music Academy, Music and Drama Society Implement development plans for priority co-curriculars ‌Performance, Drama, Art, Sport, Debate Hold first Dulwich Olympiad with Dulwich College
AY 13/14 highlights DCI university counselling programme in place from Y10 Improved recognition/profile of Dulwich among overseas admissions officers University counselling analytics in place to inform improvement priorities Piloted SAT prep and established Oxbridge interview coaching programme
Comprehensive University Counselling Next year’s priorities Strengthen parent engagement Overseas admissions officers relationship-building Centralised data collection platform, i.e., Naviance District License Formal university admissions training for Senior School staff
Relationships with the World’s Leading Universities AY 13/14 highlights Collaborative projects/events conducted with: Berklee College of Music Johns Hopkins University Royal Irish Academy of Music Royal Northern College of Music Stanford University Pre-Collegiate Studies Trinity College Dublin University of London, Goldsmiths University of Oxford Yale University To name a few… Next year’s priorities Learning partnerships aligned to strategic priorities, e.g., action research, innovation, blended learning, leadership, etc. Expand scope of hosting opportunities to include more high-profile academic lectures and guest speakers
Dulwich Culture AY 13/14 highlights Established standards for the 10 Pillars of a Dulwich school culture: Special Celebrations Assemblies Uniform and Dress Code Student Leadership House System Dulwich College Colours The Dulwich Family Marketing and Branding Tradition College Community Programmes and Charity
The 10 Pillars will become operational expectations and reviewed annually to assess adherence and consider changes, improvements – no longer a strategic initiative.
Extraordinary Service to Parents and Students AY 13/14 highlights Enhanced admissions spaces Online enquiry forms, curriculum guides, applications for prospective parents Service training for staff, standard operating procedures AMC analytics to inform improvement priorities
Next year’s priorities New website architecture, designs Prospective parent platform integration with SIMS Broader customer service training suite for staff New current parent communications platform
Innovation AY 13/14 highlights Launched DCI Innovation team and “ideas” process Staff submitted 34 ideas – with respective initiative teams Top 3 under review or in progress: Sculpture commission involving resident sculptors Outdoor learning centre Business simulation and enterpreneurial leadership programmes Next year’s priorities Establish cross-college virtual “ideas” platform Implement student-focussed innovation in partnership with external organisations Faster processing and development of ideas