Autumn 2013
In this edition Pupil premium: making an impact Support for heads: never walk alone Developing your team Taking charge of your career Governor development Reaching out: specialist leaders of education
Pupil premium: making an impact How you use the pupil premium is more important than ever. In this article, Jeremy Sutcliffe highlights the recent announcements and talks to school leaders involved in finding effective strategies. For nearly two decades John Dunford has been urging governments to provide schools with extra money to educate disadvantaged children. So when the coalition
Leadership interview: creating confident young learners
government introduced the pupil premium two years ago he was one of its most vocal supporters. “The pupil premium is one of the best policies in education we have seen for many years. It’s something I personally was advocating as far back as 1995 – that schools should be given additional money to recognise the greater size of the task of educating disadvantaged young people,” says the former general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).
Autumn 2013
“The good news is schools are not being held to account for how they spend it but on the impact that they make. That gives considerable latitude to schools.” John, who retired three years ago after 12 years
free school meals (FSM). In another significant
as ASCL leader, has now taken up a new role
development, the Deputy Prime Minister Nick
as Pupil Premium Champion. His task will be to
Clegg announced in July that the premium in
talk to schools about the most effective ways
primary schools would rise to £1,300 per eligible
of using the extra money and feed back issues
child and David Laws announced in September
raised by school leaders to ministers and civil
that the premium in secondary schools would
servants.
rise to £935, both from September 2014. And just this week, the Children’s Minister Edward
The appointment is one of three new measures
Timpson announced that looked after children
announced in July by Schools Minister David
will attract an increased pupil premium of
Laws, designed to raise the attainment of
£1,900 from £900 in 2014 to 2015. Also,
disadvantaged pupils. From the start of the
funding will be based on the number of children
new academic year, schools will be held to
looked after from the first day of care rather
account by Ofsted for the attainment of their
than for six months or more. Other children
disadvantaged pupils and the progress they
included are those adopted from care under
make, with particular emphasis on closing the
the Adoption and Children Act 2002 and
achievement gap with other pupils.
those children who leave care under a special guardianship or residence order.
In addition, schools judged by Ofsted as ‘requiring improvement’ and that also raise
The additional money is linked with proposals
concerns about the attainment of disadvantaged
to set higher floor standards – with primary
pupils will take part in a pupil premium review.
schools required to get at least 85% of their
They will be supported by an experienced
pupils, except for those with particular special
headteacher from another school with the aim
needs – to reach a good level of attainment at
of developing a strategy for using the premium
the end of key stage 2.
more effectively. With significant extra money targeted on Since the premium was introduced in April
helping disadvantaged pupils to achieve, it
2011 it has grown substantially. All schools now
is inevitable that school leaders should face
receive an additional £900 per disadvantaged
additional accountability, says John Dunford.
pupil, with the criteria based on eligibility for 2
Autumn 2013
“The good news is schools are not being held to
“One of the most interesting statistics is that
account for how they spend it but on the impact
disadvantaged children do best in schools
that they make. That gives considerable latitude
where there are either very few disadvantaged
to schools.”
children or very many. It’s a U-shaped graph,” says John.
The size of the task schools face in closing the achievement gap is clear from the latest
“The picture is very variable across the country.
attainment figures. In 2012, 68% of pupils
London schools have made considerably more
eligible for the pupil premium achieved level
progress than elsewhere. For example, the
4 or higher at the end of key stage 2. The
gap of 5 A* to C grades including English and
comparative figure is 84% of all other pupils – a
maths between pupil premium children and the
gap of 16 percentage points.
rest is under 20% in London, whereas in West Berkshire and Wokingham, for example, the gap
Moreover, the gap widens considerably by the
is 40%.
time pupils take their GCSEs, with only 38.5% of pupils eligible for the premium achieving five
“The gap on average is less in city areas than
A* to C grades in 2012, compared with 65.7%
elsewhere and that is because of the pressure
of their peer group – a staggering gap of 27.2
there’s been to raise attainment over the last 10
points.
years. You can’t raise attainment in cities unless
3
Autumn 2013
you improve the achievement
strategies that produce little or
on three themes: numeracy,
of disadvantaged pupils,
no impact.
literacy and leadership. Each
because the proportion of
will be tested in participating
disadvantaged pupils is much
As part of the government
schools and then measured
higher.”
effort to provide leadership
against progress in schools
support for schools struggling
not using the intervention to
The introduction of the pupil
to raise the attainment
determine its effect.
premium has focused attention
disadvantaged pupils, the
of both policymakers and
National College for Teaching
The Closing the Gap: Test and
school leaders on identifying
and Leadership (NCTL)
Learn project has been billed
effective intervention strategies
undertook a closing the
as the biggest randomised
to help disadvantaged pupils
gap action research project
controlled trial ever held in
catch up with their peers.
(published April 2013). The
schools. The programme is run
project, led by a group of
by CfBT in partnership with
In 2012, a new online
national leaders of education
Durham University, Oxford
toolkit was developed by
(NLEs) focused on the most
University and CUREE, the
the Education Endowment
effective strategies employed
centre of expertise in evidence-
Foundation and the Sutton
by teaching school alliances.
based practice in education.
identify the most promising
This autumn a major two-year
Dr Keith Watson, director of
and cost-effective ways to
research project involving over
teaching and learning for the
target their pupil premium
750 schools and 190 teaching
Portswood, St Mary’s and
money. The toolkit identifies
school alliances has begun to
Weston Park family of primary
‘effective feedback’ as the
test six of the most effective
schools in Southampton,
highest-impact strategy for
interventions identified by the
who also works with around
low cost. It also asks serious
action research project. The
70 schools in the Portswood
questions about high-cost
chosen interventions will focus
Teaching School Alliance,
Trust to help school leaders
“Closing the gap in achievement will be the biggest challenge in education for the next 10 years and the more we can know about the right kind of interventions to improve pupil progress the better.” 4
Autumn 2013
believes the project has the
Helen Newcombe, assistant
It is empirical evidence such as
potential to transform the way
principal responsible for the
this that excites John Dunford
teachers and school leaders
pupil premium at The Heath
as he prepares to go around
work.
School, Runcorn, has built on
the country to engage with
her own study of successful
school leaders and bang the
“Closing the gap in
interventions – with her
drum for a policy he believes
achievement will be the
colleague Nicola McNamee
will make a real difference to
biggest challenge in education
– using the pupil premium
the life chances of thousands
for the next 10 years and the
at The Heath School. The
of disadvantaged children.
more we can know about the
research led to new strategies
right kind of interventions
being introduced at The Heath
“It’s a huge task but equally
to improve pupil progress
to tackle underachievement
there is a big incentive for
the better. What’s fantastic
by disadvantaged pupils,
schools to raise attainment
about the project is that it
targeted on three areas –
across the board by putting
works on two levels. First and
transition from primary school,
in place policies that raise the
foremost, it’s about identifying
engagement and literacy.
attainment of disadvantaged
the things that work best and
young people. After all, that’s
implementing them. But also
“We have seen a measurable
why most people came into
it’s about shifting the way we
impact. At GCSE we have
teaching, to help children from
work and the way we go about
reduced the gap between
disadvantaged backgrounds
things as a profession.
FSM and non-FSM students
to do well in life. I think this
achieving five A* to C grades
policy and this role that I have
“It will ensure that our
including English and maths
is absolutely at the core of
decisions are far more
over the past three years
the mission of the teaching
informed by research. That has
and this year’s GCSE results
profession for social justice and
got to permeate right the way
indicate a reduction of over
life opportunities.”
down from school leadership
5%” she says. [Please note
to every level of the school –
this is based on un-validated
Jeremy Sutcliffe is a
from NQT training to middle
data.]
freelance education writer
leadership and all the rest.”
and author.
Next steps Take a look at the closing the attainment gap and improving standards section of our member website: www.nationalcollege.org.uk/closing-the-attainment-gap-and-improving-standards
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Autumn 2013
Support for heads: never walk alone Support networks are a leadership must-have, whether you’re an aspiring head, still fresh to the post or an established system leader. Nick Bannister reports. Chris Wheatley has been on
including the National
your school up to a degree so
something of an odyssey since
Professional Qualification for
that you can grow capacity
he became a headteacher in
Headship (NPQH), across the
beyond your school. It’s
2001. Just four years after
East Midlands.
daunting and although my
starting his first headship
school is in good hands you do
at Manvers Junior School in
“The role of head is
Cotgrave near Nottingham,
unrecognisable from how
Chris had taken the school to
it was when I started,” he
Chris says that although there
outstanding status. A year later
says. “The key thing that has
is risk, trailblazing system
he joined his current school,
changed is that the job has
leadership like his is “becoming
Cotgrave Candleby Lane
become much more business
part of the continuation of
primary, and had taken that
savvy. Nowadays you need
leadership development”.
school to outstanding by 2008
to be a business planner or a
– the same year he won a
project manager.”
headteacher of the year award at the Teaching Awards.
need to be brave.”
“The reason you leave the classroom is because you
He says that although
want to spread your ethos as
such changes have created
wide as possible,” he says.
Nowadays he has a number of
opportunities for the
“That’s why you go from key
strings to his bow, including
school system, the ongoing
stage leader to head of year
national leader of education
transformation has inevitably
to deputy, to head, executive
(NLE), chief executive of a
brought with it insecurity:
head and to, in my case, a
growing trust of schools,
leaders like him are taking
trust CEO.”
running a teaching school
risks, he says.
alliance and playing a leading
Chris Wheatley’s talk of
role in Inspiring Leaders,
“We are ploughing new
spreading an ethos far and
a partnership of schools
furrows and there is a lot of
wide chimes with aspiring
delivering NCTL leadership
risk and bravery associated
headteacher Esther Brooks,
development programmes,
with this. You have to give
who has just become head of
6
Autumn 2013 school at Hillcroft Primary in
management level through
sure you have recovery time
Caterham, Surrey.
deputy headship,” she says.
and that you look after yourself
“NPQH was significant in my
as a headteacher,” she says.
“When I started my PGCE I
development in that it gave
“You can feel so alone but
just wanted to be the very best
me frameworks and models
there are people you can talk
teacher I could be,” she says.
that I could use to think
to. It’s a time of considerable
“Then as a deputy I realised
about change, leadership
change. There is a great sense
that I could make a difference
and school improvement at
of accountability in terms of
to many more children. That
different stages of a school’s
our role as headteachers.
was when my interest in the
development.
You are always concerned about that but you should
role started. I knew that if I went for headship I could
“Halfway through NPQH our
recognise that there are other
make a real difference to
school received a ‘good’ Ofsted
headteachers out there.”
hundreds of children.”
judgement. I could start thinking then about how to
For Kerry Hill, who has just
It is still very early days but
get the school to outstanding
started her second headship,
Esther seems confident about
and my NPQH work has helped
the support and advice of
her position and her ability
me to set that direction, for
other leaders has been crucial
to make a success of it. She
example helping me to think
in her first years of headship.
puts this down to professional
about distributing leadership
She is coming to the end of
support, experience and
across the school.”
the two-year period of support provided through Head Start
completing NPQH in July this Esther says that although a
– a programme designed to
really strong work ethic is a
support aspiring and new
“Before I started NPQH
vital component of modern
heads from the moment they
in November 2012 I was
headship, leaders need to
graduate from NPQH and
fortunate to have had a
guard against over work –
throughout the first two years
lot of significant leadership
and seek support from fellow
of headship.
experience at a senior
leaders. “You need to make
year.
“NPQH was significant in my development in that it gave me frameworks and models that I could use to think about change, leadership and school improvement at different stages of a school’s development.” 7
Autumn 2013 “It’s been invaluable,” says Kerry, who is
must tick off – it needs to be regarded as a
now headteacher of Eyres Monsell Primary in
crucial part of the job.
Leicester after 18 months as head of a small
Within one week of starting my headship at
rural primary near Melton Mowbray. “I receive
Eyres Monsell I‘d spoken to four or five different
face-to-face contact with my mentor, Liz Moore
heads in the area, asking for their advice and
of Thrussington Primary. We meet every half
support.
term and constantly email.” “Headship can still be a lonely and stressful The advice Kerry receives from Liz is often
job. There are parts that you can’t share with
focused on the hard practical realities of
family, friends or some colleagues, such as
headship, she says. “As a new head starting
issues like performance management of staff
in a new school you will get a sense of what is
or safeguarding issues with children. The more
working well and what is not working. In my
networks you build yourself the less lonely the
last primary it was data and accountability. Our
job is.”
tracking, self-evaluation framework (SEF) and school development plan (SDP) weren’t robust.
Tash Moriarty is deputy headteacher at Nower
To be able to get tips from her on the SDP
Hill High School in Pinner. She’s a recent
and SEF were very useful. She helped me very
graduate of NPQH and holds networking and
quickly put in processes and procedures.”
practical hands-on leadership experience as the two of the most important ingredients for a
Kerry stresses that new heads shouldn’t see networking as just part of a programme they
8
headteacher’s career.
Autumn 2013 Her former head, the recently retired Howard
strategic CPD support for these leaders. So far
Freed, was her mentor. “Mentoring was
I have been lucky in my career: I have had
the most crucial aspect of the entire NPQH
good role models and I have been in the right
programme,” she says.
place at the right time, but we need to make sure that there is that support available in the
“He was an outstanding mentor and was able
future.”
to talk me through my strengths and areas for development knowing me and knowing where
For the aspiring headteachers doing NPQH with
I was in my career. That was the true value for
Inspiring Leaders – Chris’ school is part of the
me of the programme.”
six-school partnership licensed to provide this and other programmes in the East Midlands –
Practical hands-on experience of senior
the mentoring support they have received from
leadership roles is the other vital part of the
working leaders as they complete the course
development path to headship, she believes.
has been valuable. That, you sense, is a big
Deputy headship is certainly providing that.
part of the satisfaction of being a leader for
“You need practical opportunities to use your
Chris.
judgement and test your ability to work under pressure and make decisions,” she says.
“I am proud to say that I’ve had several new headteachers who’ve done the programme
The support of others to help you in a daunting
with us phone me up and ask me to be their
new role is as important to an experienced
mentor,” he says. “It’s something I’m happy to
system leader like Chris Wheatley as it is to
do because I benefitted from being surrounded
aspiring heads like Tash Moriarty and Esther
by people who helped and advised me. No-one
Brooks, and new heads like Kerry Hill.
can do this job alone.”
“If you are doing things for the first time it is
Nick Bannister is a freelance education
going to make you feel insecure,” says Chris
writer.
Wheatley. “There also needs to be some
Next steps The next NPQH application round opens on 12 December. Find out more: www.education.gov. uk/nationalcollege/npqh
9
Autumn 2013
Developing your team Developing a team that works well, and really helps to make things better, isn’t easy. There are numerous examples of teams that give great time and effort, but still haven’t worked well. Learn from them as well as from those that really make a difference. Here are eight ideas based
These features do not
on the latest research and
occur overnight, even in
thinking to help leaders
groups of talented and
develop their team.
purposeful individuals. Research for Establishing and
Understanding how teams work An effective team has a common purpose and specific goals. As a leader, you need to be clear about the current situation, where you want to get to, by when, and why. To get everyone to pull together, you need strong commitment, and bringing everyone in your team on board is important. It is clear that relationships are key. Really high-performing teams have characteristics like mutual understanding and respect, co-operative working but with a clear view of individual responsibilities, good communication skills, and an ethos of continual selfimprovement.
10
developing high performing leadership teams found that both individual and team development were vital to establishing high performance. So, at the same time as individuals in your team are working towards objectives, you need to encourage their development – as a team. Peter Senge argues in The
Fifth Discipline that in what he calls a ‘learning organisation’, individuals grow more than they would otherwise because they learn from and with others. Teams are set up in schools to get things done. But for really effective teamwork, aim for all members to be learning through co-ordinated action and continued dialogue.
Understanding professional development Now that the inspection framework asks for evidence of the impact of professional development on teaching, the time is ripe for ideas that will help. First things first: a fundamental issue is whether you see professional development as an input, something that is provided for people, a process of learning and development or an outcome? What do people in your team think? This isn’t just an academic exercise because it strikes to the very heart of what we are about. The aim is surely for all members of your team to see their development as a process in which they are actively learning and that has an outcome that has a positive impact on pupils.
Autumn 2013 What works So, what is the development we are looking for? Research for Great professional
development which leads to great pedagogy found that effective professional development: —— starts with the end in mind —— challenges thinking as part of changing practice —— is based on assessment of individual and school needs
most difference are based on
Traditionally it’s been assumed
dialogue about teaching and
that people’s attitudes and
learning, and the improvement
beliefs have to change first,
of practice through
leading to change in practice,
observation, coaching or
resulting in change in pupils’
mentoring, peer support, and
learning. Guskey’s work
teacher inquiry. This is why
suggests that the more typical
joint practice development has
order of change is practice is
been found to be so powerful.
first, student learning second,
It encourages people to try
and attitudes and beliefs last.
out new ideas and discuss the
This is because it’s experience
difference they make.
that shapes attitudes and beliefs, not the other way
Adult learning Do we think hard enough
around.
about how adults learn in
Positivity
general and how specific
Think about how people
individuals learn best? We’re
are feeling. What are their
pretty good at doing this
confidence levels? These are
that are varied, rich and
for children, yet we tend to
important in order to have an
sustainable
have a ‘one-size’ mentality
impact. Notice small steps and
when it comes to staff. It’s an
seize opportunities to celebrate
important question, because
them, to breed a culture of
what suits one person may not
enjoying success.
—— involves connecting workbased learning and external expertise —— has learning opportunities
—— uses action research and enquiry as key tools —— is strongly enhanced
work for another. Relentless positivity is needed.
through collaborative learning and joint practice
School improvement literature
Research for The Future
development
suggests that teachers
Teacher Workforce: quality
change most when they
and quantity carried out in
see that their new practice
June 2012 found that half
makes a difference to pupils.
of headteacher respondents
—— is enhanced by creating professional learning communities within and between schools —— requires leadership to create the necessary conditions Team leaders are ideally placed to make a reality of all nine of these characteristics. The kinds of activity that make the
11
“Notice small steps and seize opportunities to celebrate them, to breed a culture of enjoying success.”
Autumn 2013 considered the morale of the teaching profession to be ‘poor’. Low morale will have an impact on your team’s effectiveness and might contribute to sickness, absence and attrition. What will help is an ethos of trust that makes clear that the team’s success is a cause for every one of its members to take a bow.
Be strategic Develop a culture that aims to ‘predict and prevent’ rather than just trying to fix problems. The strongest teams are self-evaluative, and constantly looking to improve both themselves and their schools.
how to improve your team’s subject knowledge. For example, the School Workforce Census
Draw on research when deciding what
shows that 23% of secondary maths teachers
improvements your team should make, to
don’t have a qualification in mathematics
avoid re-inventing wheels and to maximise
beyond A level. And of course it’s important to
your effectiveness. For example, research
know how to teach, not just what to teach, and
summarised in the Sutton Trust-Education
everyone needs to keep up to date. This can
Endowment Foundation’s Teaching and Learning
be done through collaborating within the team
Toolkit shows that improving the quality of
by discussing publications read, joint planning
feedback to pupils can accelerate progress by
and lesson study. Networking with teams and
eight months.
individuals from other schools can also reap huge benefits.
An audit of skills, knowledge and experience can be useful for teams: there needs to be a complementary skills set, and the gaps should be filled. This might lead you to think about
Use time well The barriers to any improvement initiative or staff development most frequently mentioned in all the relevant research are those that relate to
“The barriers to any improvement initiative or staff development most frequently mentioned in all the relevant research are those that relate to time.“ 12
time. Managing meetings effectively is crucial, because they can take up a great deal of time. Everyone needs to know why they are there, and what part they are expected to play. It’s valuable to set an agenda with time allocations, and to delegate responsibility for various items to individuals. Give time to share professional development experiences face-to-face as well as electronically.
Autumn 2013 Develop leadership skills
Conclusion
Lastly, remember that team leaders need to
In a business classic from the 1990’s
develop themselves as well as others. There
Katzenbach and Smith talked of ‘the wisdom
are valuable courses and programmes to help
of teams’, because without it, teams perform
people develop leadership skills. Many Master’s
as just a collection of individuals. When you
courses in educational leadership, or NCTL’s
develop not just individuals but the team as a
National Professional Qualifications for Middle
collective, you’ll see that great teams are even
Leadership (NPQML) and Senior Leadership
better than the sum of great people.
(NPQSL) are modular, so that they can be tailored to individual needs and undertaken in
Sara Bubb is a freelance education writer.
various settings, including online. People find it really stimulating studying modules such as ‘Leading an effective team’ with others in similar roles but different contexts.
Next Steps Join our related discussion and share your own tips for creating an effective team: https:// network.nationalcollege.org.uk/collegediscussions/209425
Further information Establishing and developing high performing leadership teams: http://www.nationalcollege. org.uk/docinfo?id=299681&filename=establishing-and-developing-high-performing-leadershipteams.pdf National research and development network: www.nationalcollege.org.uk/national-researchand-development-network National College qualifications: www.education.gov.uk/nationalcollege/leadershipcurriculum
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Autumn 2013
Taking charge of your career Do you sometimes feel like your career is careering out of control? Sally Saunders looks at ways you can take the reins and steer yourself closer to your dream job every day. We’ve all been there. One day things are going
But don’t be afraid to set targets. This helps you
swimmingly, you love your school, your class
to look at whatever opportunities come your
are great and you’re up for a promotion. Then
way in a positive light and try to make the best
suddenly, before you turn round it’s three
of your career, instead of drifting along from
years later, you’re in the same job in the same
one year to the next.
school – and suddenly it’s gone from a dream to a rut. But without planning every step with military precision, how can you make sure you are heading the right way? With the help of leadership recruitment expert Carrie O’Connor, we try to find some career direction.
Have a plan – but be flexible
Be proactive If you want to progress your career, you can’t just sit back and wait for things to happen to you, you have to put yourself forward. This doesn’t have to mean promotion, however. It could mean volunteering at an after-school club, running a group about something you enjoy or
Traditionally in schools, it has always been fairly
organising a community project. This is a great
obvious what your next steps are. However, the
way to have new experiences and do things
education system is changing. As schools get
that will really broaden your horizons.
bigger, with academies and all-through schools becoming more and more popular, there are
It will also help you meet more people.
different ways to move forward. You need to
Carrie says, “We don’t always recognise the
understand these changes and find out about
importance of networking in schools. It’s not
the new routes that are available. Carrie says,
that someone’s going to ring you up out of the
“This is a great example of why it is important
blue and offer you a headship, but you might
to have a career plan, but also to be flexible
meet someone who asks you to take part in
and allow it to change. You change, your school
a project, or write an article, or help with a
changes and the world around us changes, so
new strategy, which are all wonderful ways to
keep re-evaluating what you want and how you
enhance your experience and give you more to
might want to get there.”
offer.”
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Autumn 2013
Take on responsibility It is also important to look for ways to take on more responsibility within your own school – but accept that you might not get paid for it. Try to use your interests and the experience you already have and look for ways to share them and create something new. Don’t run yourself ragged, but small extra responsibilities give you more to offer, and say something about the kind of person you are.
Ask for feedback
So after chairing a meeting, you might say ‘I felt that went well but I waffled at the beginning’. This way, your colleague gets the chance to give you their honest opinion of your performance, positive and negative, giving you the chance to learn from constructive criticism. It is important to seek this out, to get feedback that is of value to you – then do something about it. Think about what you can take away from an experience, how you can learn and what you can do differently – and better – next time. Carrie says, “But remember, don’t become
We all know that feedback is important to
focused solely on the negatives – listen and
our development, but you can’t just ask a
learn from them, but also hear the positives.
colleague ‘what do you think?’, as they will
It is important to hear both sides to get a true
almost certainly just give you a bland well
reflection on your performance, and to be the
done, however badly it really went. If you want
best you can next time. If you don’t listen to the
feedback you can really benefit from, the way
positives you won’t realise all the good things
you ask is hugely important. You need to invite
you should do again.”
people to give you feedback in a way that allows them to criticise you. 15
Autumn 2013
“One of Carrie’s biggest tips is to keep a journal and write down all of your experiences that relate to leadership.” Try learning something new If you are feeling stuck in a rut, one of the best ways to help yourself is to learn something new or have a new experience. This is because while you want it to be a success, you feel free to make mistakes and to ask for help – which are a vital part of learning you need to accept. So if you have never run a project before, give yourself permission to make mistakes, and don’t worry so much!
Boost your confidence
always saying ‘no I can’t do
on courses, keep yourself up
that’, it’s not very supportive
to date with what’s going on in
or positive. People sometimes
education – and have opinions
try to protect themselves by
about it.
limiting their ability to try new things – in case they fail. If this sounds like you, try to retrain your inner voice to be more positive. It sounds fanciful, but just by being aware of it you can start to try to think in a different way. Look for ways to make yourself feel good, look at positives not just negatives. If you read a job description, don’t just see a list of things you haven’t done, think about your transferable skills and what you have to
Thinking about where you
offer. And tell yourself you can
are going in your career can
do it!
be daunting. Suddenly you can only see the skills you are lacking, how limited your experience is, and a whole host of reasons why you will never make it. A lot of people talk themselves out of things before they even start. If your inner voice is 16
Start a journal of your experiences today One of Carrie’s biggest tips is to keep a journal and write down all of your experiences that relate to leadership. This could be as simple as: “I am running a drama club and I want to get dads involved. I have to create a vision for the drama club. I have to communicate it and get buy in, get people excited about it.” This shows you don’t have to be in a traditional leadership role to be a great leader.
Keep learning
Keep a record of what you do,
If you want to be a leader in
whether it’s a huge project
education, take an interest
or something relatively small.
in education. Discover a real
Then, come interview time,
passion for what is going on
you can just read through your
out there, not just in your
portfolio and give yourself
classroom or school, but
some things to say. Look at
everywhere. Read articles, go
great examples of where you
Autumn 2013 have been innovative in leading teaching and
It offers a great way to simply record your
learning, or where you have given feedback to
projects, and the perfect way to recount your
other teachers for performance management.
experience in an interview.
In terms of your own personal development, consider the ways you are improving by
So, at whatever level you find yourself right
following the other points in this article, and
now, you can take the next step by beginning a
write it down.
journal today.
Carrie recommends you record your experiences
Sally Saunders is a freelance writer
using the pattern of context, vision, action,
and Carrie O’Connor is a director of the
impact.
Leadership and Learning Consultancy.
—— Context: What was happening before you started this new initiative? —— Vision: What was your end goal? —— Action: What did you do and how did you do it? —— Impact: What was the result of your initiative?
17
Next steps Check out our career planning and development resources: www.nationalcollege.org.uk/ careerplanninganddevelopment
Autumn 2013
Governor development The Chairs of Governors’ Leadership Development Programme aims to support aspiring, vice and existing chairs with the increasing demands of their role and with the drive for school improvement. Lindsey Darking takes a look. Aspiring chair Sue Boardman
Sue has been a governor of
Programme began last year
admits that in the past, it
Netley Abbey Junior School in
and is aimed at new and
might have been possible for
Hampshire for four years. She
experienced chairs, as well
some governors to just ‘turn
recently completed the Chairs
as aspiring ones. It involves
up’.
of Governors’ Leadership
a flexible, blended learning
Development Programme and
programme delivered on behalf
But with increasing
as a result has become more
of NCTL by 11 licensees. The
autonomy and accountability,
confident and passionate about
target is to reach 2,300 chairs
new challenges such as
her role.
of governors by March 2014,
performance-related pay, and
with a view to helping them
a more demanding Ofsted
“The programme has given
become more effective in their
framework, that’s no longer
me so many new ideas about
role as leaders.
possible.
being more outward looking and sharing best practice with
Participants usually attend
Ofsted’s Chief Inspector
other governors in my area.
one face-to-face workshop per
Sir Michael Wilshaw said
I think you can get into a
term, completing three units
earlier this year that strong
mindset as a governor of just
over a school year. The themes
governance is a vital element
ticking along but this has fired
cover the role of the chair,
of successful school leadership.
my enthusiasm. It has made
effective governance, and
Governing bodies should
me more confident that I know
school improvement.
focus on strategic issues, be
what I’m doing and can be a
proactive, challenge heads in
more active part of the team,
a robust way, ask the right
rather than just making up the
questions and ensure financial
numbers,” she says.
probity, he said. Governors perform a valuable role in the Big Society, but there could be “no excuses” for weak performance.
18
Flexible, blended learning The Chairs of Governors’ Leadership Development
“It has made me more confident that I know what I’m doing and can be a more active part of the team, rather than just making up the numbers.”
Autumn 2013 programme helped me to step back and think about whether we were being effective as a governing body and whether we were making a difference. “It helped me to recognise what a strategic role is and how important it is to concentrate on long-term decisions rather than being bogged down with the dayto-day management of the school. It also made me realise that we need to share the
Each unit is supported by
programme said they would
a wealth of online learning
change their leadership
resources, by online
behaviour as a result. Some
networking and support, and
had already implemented
by a school-based enquiry that
positive changes in their
requires participants to explore
schools, such as new terms of
specific issues in their own
reference, governor training
school. Participants complete
programmes, a skills audit,
a 360-degree diagnostic at
new action plans and a new
the start of the programme,
chairs’ network.
detailed skills matrix for the
Time for reflection
of being on the programme.
Sue Boardman completed the
skills gaps, and will help
giving them insight into their leadership style and areas for development, and each participant is also assigned a mentor for further support. The programme costs around £350 per person and there are £175 scholarships available for everyone who books before March 2014. Despite initial reticence about online learning among some participants and differing experiences of mentoring, the majority of respondents in an evaluation of the pilot 19
programme this summer with the South East Co-ordinators of Governor Services (SECOGS) partnership, run by Hampshire County Council. A manager of two tax offices in her day job, she found that as a parent governor at her daughter’s school, she had to learn “a whole new set of acronyms”. “Being a governor can be a bit mindblowing when you first start,” she says. “The
responsibility. There are always some people who are super keen and others who are doing their duty, but it’s important to find out what their drivers are and to try to motivate them.” Sue has already created a governing body as a result This shows where there are with succession planning. The governing body has also improved the way it deals with school statistics, so it can better understand them, and individual governors have been given responsibility for particular parts of the school improvement plan. Becoming “bang up to date” with all the relevant legislation and policy has also been very useful, says Sue.
Autumn 2013
“Being a governor can be a bit mindblowing when you first start,” she says. “The programme helped me to step back and think about whether we were being effective as a governing body and whether we were making a difference.” Hilary Bax, chair of governors of the Federation
of federation, analysing where we have come
of Bursledon Church of England Infant School
from, where we are now, how we got there
and Bursledon Junior School, also found she
and what we have learnt that will assist us
had something to learn, despite having been a
in the future. The resulting document is very
governor for 26 years and a chair for over 14
useful for current and future governors. My
years.
third enquiry involved a complete appraisal of all our monitoring systems and we are now
“The education world is always moving rapidly
developing different ways of monitoring school
and it’s essential that chairs maintain their own
improvement plans.”
personal development in governance, as there is a danger of complacency,” she says. “The
Geri Silverstone, vice chair of St Mary Magdalen
programme made me look very objectively at
RC Primary in Brighton, attended the leadership
our practices and processes.”
programme with his chair of governors. It made them both more rigorous in their approach.
For Hilary, the diagnostic made her realise she was good at what she does and made her more
“We realised that at our self-evaluation
prepared to take risks. One change that has
meetings we had just tended to tick the boxes.
reaped immediate benefits is that the governors
We decided to answer the questions properly
now organise break-out discussion groups at
and realised we needed to work much harder
each meeting, allowing everyone to participate.
on our vision for the school. We have set up a
“We do this every meeting now. We are getting
very clear working programme for this year.”
a lot more ideas coming back to us. Everyone feels that their ideas are valued and listened to,”
Like Sue, Geri became more aware of the
she says.
importance of strategic thinking.
A better focus
“The programme made me question how I
Hilary particularly enjoyed the school-based enquiries. “The school-based enquiries have enabled me to have some very focused meetings with the federation leadership team. For my second enquiry, I carried out a full review of the impact 20
approach my relationships with the school. Lots of governors confuse the operational and the strategic. I knew I was on the right track when I started asking the head questions from the perspective of an Ofsted inspector. I’m now much clearer about where we can add value.”
Autumn 2013 Geri found it worthwhile to be able to share
“People have found the programme very
concerns with other colleagues.
worthwhile. They have grown in confidence, can be more effective in leading the governing body
“A lot of the time governors can feel as if they
and can feel better prepared for what they are
are working in isolation,” he says. “It was good
doing.”
to have that commonality and to share ideas on how to deal with specific issues.”
Three cohorts have so far been through the programme in Runcorn, Manchester and
Building confidence Jo Pryce-Jones is one of the lead facilitators for the SECOGS partnership in Hampshire, which covers Reading, Windsor and Maidenhead, Brighton, Surrey, Kent, Portsmouth and Berkshire. Jo co-delivered the programme to the first 40 chairs or aspiring chairs to complete the programme in the partnership area since it was rolled out in January 2013. Uptake of the programme with SECOGS has been good, with several groups just finishing and more underway. Jo says it has been exciting to be a part of a new national leadership programme. “The online discussion forums worked well and there were really good resources attached to each unit. Some people had previous experience of a 360 diagnostic while for others it was quite a personal journey, giving them a sense of the areas they needed to develop.
Cumbria, run by the Cheshire East Borough Council partnership, with other groups starting in Liverpool and Salford. Andy Kent, lead facilitator for the partnership, says research will be needed to assess the impact of the programme on school improvement, but it has already brought benefits. “For many participants the programme has made them reflect on their leadership, increased their knowledge, created new development plans and has been energising and confidence boosting for their role as chair,” he says. “Along with other governor development programmes the Chairs of Governors’ Leadership Development Programme is a welcome step. It has the potential to make a significant contribution to improved outcomes for children in the long term.” Lindsey Darking is a freelance education writer.
Next steps Find out more about the Chairs of Governors’ Leadership Development Programme: www. education.gov.uk/nationalcollege/chairsofgovernorsdevelopmentprogramme Take a look at our resources for governors: www.nationalcollege.org.uk/toolkit-for-governors
21
Autumn 2013
Reaching out: specialist leaders of education Specialist leaders of education have a significant role to play in raising standards in our schools. Annie Grant finds out more about what they do. Debra Redpath, headteacher of Rowner Infant
specialist leader of education, to work alongside
School, a small school in a deprived area of
us in school,” says Debra.
Hampshire, was delighted when her school was judged by Ofsted to be ‘good’ in all categories.
The 2010 Schools White Paper introduced the concept of the SLE role as a way to improve the
In previous years, however, things had not
quality of school leadership, raise standards and
gone well for the school. “We had been judged
improve outcomes for pupils through school-
consistently as ‘satisfactory’,” says Debra. “Staff
to-school support and peer-to-peer learning.
worked really hard to make a difference to
Teaching schools broker the deployment of SLEs
children’s attainment and yet we still were not
into schools that request their support.
seen as a good school.” SLEs are outstanding middle and senior leaders Things came to a head at Easter 2012 when
with a particular area of expertise and the
three teachers, each for a different reason,
skills to develop the leadership capacity of
resigned their posts. “With only six classes,
colleagues in similar positions in other schools.
that was a significant proportion of my staff,”
As Claire Carter, leader of the Cabot Federation
she explains. “We were really up against it and
Teaching School in Bristol, explains, “They
my deputy and I thought hard about whether
are not experts going in to tell people how
to ask for help. It was a difficult decision to
it’s done, but they do have a track record of
make but we didn’t want to become a ‘requires
relevant and successful leadership expertise in
improvement’ school and we felt we would
their own or other schools to draw upon. There
rather seek help and be in control of the
is a lot of coaching in the SLE approach. It’s
process, than having it imposed upon us.”
about discussion, asking the right questions and seeking solutions together.”
Debra approached Hampshire County Council who then worked with the school to create a
Although teaching schools have the flexibility
support package tailored to help them improve.
to deploy SLEs according to capacity and need,
“That package included having an SLE, a
most SLEs combine their outreach role with
22
Autumn 2013 a leadership role in their own schools. Claire
attention and the decision was made to work
believes that this is a major strength of the
with the school to design a support package to
SLE programme. “It is essential that those
address their particular needs.
being coached know that the SLEs are also practitioners,” she says. “It creates credibility.
“We all sat down together – the local authority,
SLEs know what they’re talking about because
senior staff from the school and myself – to
they’ve done it themselves.”
plan what support was needed,” Moira explains. “We looked at what each of us could offer. It
In Hampshire, where Rowner Infant School is
was decided that the local authority would
located, the local authority works closely with
support the school in mathematics and that an
the Pioneer Teaching School Alliance. Moira
SLE from the Pioneer Teaching School Alliance
Groves co-ordinates the SLE programme there.
would focus on literacy.”
“I meet half-termly with our local authority district manager,” she says. “We analyse data
An important element of the SLE co-ordinator’s
from schools across the district to identify
role is brokering the deployment of SLEs into
those in need of support. He also has ‘inside’
schools, and headteacher Debra Redpath
knowledge about schools’ support needs,
believes the quality of the input she received
capacity issues and so on, which is very useful.”
from Moira at the outset was crucial to the success of the initiative. “We were really lucky
It was during such a meeting that Rowner
that Moira was our broker,” she enthuses. “She
Infant School’s ‘cry for help’ came to Moira’s
suggested three different SLEs whom she felt
23
Autumn 2013
“An important element of the SLE coordinator’s role is brokering the deployment of SLEs into schools, and headteacher Debra Redpath believes the quality of the input she received from Moira at the outset was crucial to the success of the initiative.” might fit into our school and
we didn’t want to stay
Her approach was ‘that’s
whose skill set would be ideal.
‘satisfactory’. We didn’t want
good but how could it be
One – Alix – stood out as the
that for the staff, the children
even better?’. She made the
right person. We were offered
or the community. There was
team feel that they had the
the opportunity to see Alix
a common commitment to
answers within themselves
teach before deciding, but I
improve.”
and within two sessions a
declined. I had faith in the
trusting relationship had been
SLE selection and training
Once commitment has been
process and we needed a
established, to maximise the
much broader skill set than
likelihood of success, Moira
The impact of SLE support
just her ability to teach. The
works with schools to agree
was tangible. Year 1 pupils’
most amazing teacher won’t
clear, achievable, time-limited
attainment in literacy and their
necessarily be able to support
targets. “We were able to offer
attitudes towards the subject
others to improve.”
six half-days of SLE support
improved. But there were
at Rowner,” she explains. “You
also unexpected benefits. “It
Moira also stresses the
can’t improve literacy across
changed the ethos. Confidence
importance of brokerage to
the school significantly in such
improved. We saw more
ensure that schools are ready
a short time. So we focused
professional conversations
to accept the kind of support
on improving the confidence of
happening in the staff-room,
that SLEs can offer. “Unless
year 1 teachers.”
says Debra. “Staff were
schools see the need for
established.”
discussing what they were
change and are committed
“It was about coaching the
doing, whereas before they
to it before SLE support
staff and making them feel
were anxious talking about
commences, it cannot work”,
that they could make a bigger
that in case it didn’t go well.”
she says.
difference,” says Debra. “There was joint planning with the
“Gradually, the changes in year
Debra agrees. “Our staff
SLE, classroom observations,
1 began to percolate across
wanted to change,” she
modelling and team teaching.
the school,” observes Moira.
remembers. “We knew
Alix focused on the positives.
And in March 2013, Rowner
24
Autumn 2013
“SLEs know what they’re talking about because they’ve done it themselves.” Infant School was judged by
Claire Carter from the Cabot
appreciate the benefit of the
Ofsted to be a ‘good’ school.
Federation Teaching School
kind of support they received
concurs. “SLEs gain a profile
from Alix,” says Debra. “They
But the benefits of the SLE
across a group of schools, they
have completed coaching
work can extend beyond the
develop as leaders and take
training and are observing and
support the receiving school
what they learn back to their
coaching each other. Some
gains. Moira believes that
own schools,” she says.
may even have ambitions to
SLE programmes can only be
take on an SLE role themselves
sustainable if they also benefit
Moira stresses that, at its best,
in the future.”
the SLEs themselves and
the SLE programme provides
their home schools. Research
joint professional development.
Annie Grant is a freelance
carried out for her Master’s
In this spirit, Rowner Infant
educational writer.
dissertation, indicates that
School was pleased, later, to
home schools also benefit from
reciprocate the support they
the SLE programme, with SLEs
received from Alix by training
reporting, their own teaching
and coaching staff from Alix’s
improves through taking on
home school in working with
the role.
children with autism. “My staff
Next steps Find a teaching school near you: http://education.gov.uk/nationalcollege/ schooltoschoolsupportdirectory Take a look at the SLE specialisms offered by teaching schools http://www.education.gov.uk/nationalcollege/docinfo?id=177150&filename=sle-designatedspecialisms.xls
25
Autumn 2013
Leadership interview: creating confident young learners Marcelo Staricoff, head of Hertford Infant and Nursery School in Brighton, shares his approach to learning that is helping to raise standards. Marcelo attributes this dramatic rise in standards to his ‘JONK’ model of education, which stands for the Joy of Not Knowing, an approach underpinned by values, collaboration and a ‘learning to learn’ culture. Here Marcelo explains the radical steps he has taken.
Why is the value system so important? Marcelo Staricoff has been head of Hertford
When I started at the school I wanted to
Infant and Nursery School in Brighton since
experiment with leading a school that had no
January 2009.
rules but that was driven by a set of values. After extended consultation with staff, children,
The school has 218 pupils with above national
families and governors, we decided upon six
average numbers entitled to free school meals.
values for our school that encompassed how we wanted to be with each other, with material
In 2009 the school’s overall average point score
things and with the environment:
(APS) was 14.6, rising to 16.6 in 2013. In 2013,
—— friendly
the school also achieved an APS score of 17.0+ for the first time, with 17.3 in Reading. This
—— caring
rise in the whole school APS is also mirrored
—— thoughtful
by similar year on year upward trends in APS
—— enthusiastic
scores for reading, writing and maths. In May
—— respectful
2012 Ofsted rated the school as outstanding. Increasingly popular with the local community,
—— ambitious
Hertford Infants is now oversubscribed for the
Living through these values has transformed
very first time.
behaviour, attendance and standards.
26
Autumn 2013 What do they mean in the classroom?
Is JONK time-consuming?
The values-driven approach is fundamentally
now devote the first week of every academic
about nurturing self-esteem in children,
year to a Learning to Learn Week, when
encouraging and enabling them to perceive
we equip the children with all the tools and
school as enjoyable and as a natural part of
strategies to make them feel successful as
their daily lives, rather than something ‘extra’
individuals and as learners throughout the year.
that they have to ‘do’ during the day. Each
The Learning to Learn Week has become a real
of the values are linked to a lifelong learning
highlight for all in our school and it centres on
dimension to nurture the children as learners.
our 5 main domains of learning:
‘Enjoying not knowing’ has to be taught, so we
The lifelong learning dimensions are each associated with an animal, which helps children to understand what each dimension is trying to promote (eg the squirrel is tied to creativity and enthusiasm). We wrote stories for each of the animals to help us introduce the concepts behind each one to the children – in the story of squirrel the children find out how being creative helps the squirrel to build its nest. The values and the animals are all physically present in each classroom, living as a set of finger puppets within the Hertford Tree, and the children enjoy using the puppets to help them
1. learning models and the Joy of Not Knowing 2. tools that develop thinking skills and critical thinking 3. tools and strategies that structure thinking through visible learning 4. philosophy for children and classrooms as communities of enquiry 5. tools that encourage children to become successful lifelong learner
It all sounds like a radical change. How did you persuade the staff that you were serious? When I arrived I endeavoured to involve all staff
with their learning.
in everything we did. I wanted to come in with
What is the JONK approach?
feel part of the process. It meant, for example,
JONK is the Joy of Not Knowing. It’s a means
including the caretaker, cleaners, support staff,
of encouraging children not to be afraid to try something out for fear of getting it wrong because it’s through asking questions and making mistakes that we really learn. Getting the children to enjoy not knowing does, however, rely on equipping them with the strategies to structure their thinking and problem solve with success.
an innovative approach and make everybody ensuring that all staff attended every inset day, admin staff and of course our governors. I am delighted that this has now become the norm, and that is how every inset day functions. This has meant that we needed to rethink how we devise our budget every year as we do allow the staff who wouldn’t be working on that day to claim for their time. I think it is worth every penny because the staff feel valued and completely integrated in how we drive the school forward.
27
Autumn 2013 I was also very keen for all the staff to feel that I valued them all as experts in whatever post they held, and to give them the opportunity to grow professionally in the way they felt would best benefit the school. They still joke about what I said on my very first day at the school: “What I really want is to make all your dreams come true.” It sounds a bit corny but what I meant was that whatever they felt as professionals they wanted to achieve in order to make the school really exciting, I wanted to facilitate that to happen. I wanted to establish a shared, distributed leadership approach from the beginning.
Who leads these teams? Each member of the senior management team (SMT) leads one of these teams, and we are finding that now the teams tend to be naturally composed of members from both key stage 1 and the early years, which then enables concepts to be implemented as a whole school. Each team is responsible for writing their own action plans, meeting regularly during the year, and reviewing and evaluating their work.
You also have two universal priorities. What are they? At the heart of this model, and why I think it
But isn’t that a risk – what if someone’s ambition is to be the best rally driver? Clearly, their professional aspirations had to be harnessed so that they contributed in some way to the school priorities as set out in our vision and in each year’s school development plan (SDP). This is when I introduced the concept of multi-professional teams, which are made up of all the staff in the school and each team is responsible for driving forward one of the school development plan priorities. On the first inset day of every academic year, we spend the whole afternoon getting into our SDP teams and planning the year ahead. Every member of staff is completely free each year to choose which team to join. The caretaker and cleaners, for example, were involved last year in looking at the learning environment as part of the lifelong learning priority. They had lots of ideas about how the school could look and feel better. The caretaker even spent some of the holiday painting a world map on the playground to help us embed our international theme. 28
works so well, are the 2 universal priorities which transcend the 4 individual priorities. These act as the glue keeping our values, vision and philosophy of education together and aligned across the whole school. Last year, for example, one of the universal priorities focused on partnerships, so in everything we did as a school we had in mind that we were building partnerships within ourselves, our local community, local schools, the local authority and internationally. This year we are focusing on communication and the new primary curriculum. Another example of giving staff professional freedom that is proving very beneficial is the concept of enquiry teams, where each year staff get into teams and conduct an enquiry or action research into something none of us have expertise in. For example one team focused on feedback and now all the children have the most fabulous feedback books, where the teacher and the child conduct conversations with each other about next steps in learning and to how to achieve these goals.
Autumn 2013 Do the children have a role in the school development plan? This year, we have started work on involving the children in the SDP, so we have elected learning leaders from each class who will create a child
children will be filmed saying, “In our school this year, we are learning to become really good at writing and this is how we are doing it”, for example.
an initial step to finding out what we are all
What advice would you give to others trying to emulate your approach?
trying to achieve. It will be written in their
The foundation of the values is essential;
own language and with phrases that explain
nothing would have succeeded otherwise.
what we are trying to do so that they and their
Taking the time to embed each initiative before
families can understand it easily.
moving on to another one is crucial. We talk
version of the school’s SDP. They will interview the SMT person in charge of each priority as
about ‘THE Onion’ model – Together Hertford
Your youngest pupils are only three. Can they handle this level of sophistication? They are quite accustomed to expressing their views in class as one of the things we are very keen on at Hertford is philosophy and how it can enable us think about things in completely different ways. My really exciting idea is that they are going to record a TED-style talk about each one of the priorities for our virtual learning environment so parents will be able to click on each one and see what the school is focusing on. Individual
Enjoys One New Initiative on the Next. It means everything builds on the platform of success of what we’ve already done. Creating an atmosphere where children are able to develop a love of learning is fundamental to how each day evolves. Marcelo Staricoff talked to Julie Nightingale. If you would like to share your school’s story in ldr, get in touch: nicola.beech@education.gsi. gov.uk.
Next steps Marcelo uses inset days to great effect in engaging his staff with the vision for the school. Share your own advice on getting buy-in from staff in our online community discussion: What does a really good inset day look like? https://network.nationalcollege.org.uk/collegediscussions/201233
Your ideas and feedback remain vital to ldr’s success, so please keep in touch at: nicola.beech@education.gsi.gov.uk - Nicola Beech, Editor ©2013 National College for Teaching and Leadership – All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced without prior permission. An executive agency of the Department for Education