Leadership Focus

Issue 57 January/February 2013

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THE BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR ALL SCHOOL LEADERS

HELP IS ALWAYS AT HAND

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INSIDE ICT IN PRIMARY SCHOOL TURNAROUND HELPING AIDS ORPHANS

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STEVE IREDALE NATIONAL PRESIDENT

Let’s work together I hope that by the time this issue of LF appears on your desks you will have recovered from the excitement – and maybe excesses – of the Christmas break, and be prepared for the challenges that the new year will inevitably bring in our ever changing world of education.

It’s around this time of year that we get the opportunity to reflect on the past and focus on the future. There is much to be said for learning from previous events. However, dwelling on them has little long-term benefit. We must focus on the here and now. It is our responsibility, as experts, to work together to continue to reclaim the teaching and learning agenda, rather than allowing political sound bytes and hollow rhetoric to get in the way. Not easy, I know.

I was quoted recently in a national newspaper as having said the past two years had been the most challenging of my 21 years as a head teacher. There are several reasons for this, but the main one is the often confusing direction of current policy and mixed messages, which seem to have no obvious end game. However, I am encouraged by the returning selfbelief and vision I see among school leaders as I visit regions and branches across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

There is a stronger focus on the things that really matter in our schools, particularly on leading teaching and learning and on the progress of all young people.

There are many issues looming that will call for strong resolve and response from the NAHT, including consultation on the new curriculum, assessment across all key stages, and the School Teachers’ Review Body and its implications. Our

own exciting internal developments will provide a much needed antidote to the negativity generated by those who have little understanding of leadership and learning. The NAHT-led school-improvement pilot is gathering pace. This is our model of inspection and accountability linked to a developmental model of school improvement, and it will be unleashed in May along with a rebranding of the association.

It all adds up to positive momentum for this year.

Once again, LF offers a variety of articles covering differing topics, all of which provide excellent reading and make you pause to reflect. ICT developments in Havering, the power of blogging, and key messages from our successful education conferences offer practical ideas for raising standards. The work of our talented headquarters staff, and that of our highly regarded Regional Officer team, is highlighted in ‘Shielding members from harm’, topped off with an inspirational story of the transformation of a school under pressure.

Let this be the year when school leaders stand together and do the things that we know are right for our children and their communities.

‘There is a focus on the things that really matter, particularly on leading teaching and learning and on the progress of all young people’

Leadership Focus is published by Redactive Publishing Limited on behalf of the NAHT

ASSOCIATION / EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES NAHT 1 Heath Square, Boltro Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1BL www.naht.org.uk Tel: 01444 472 472 Editorial board: Russell Hobby, Steve Iredale, Bernadette Hunter, Chris Harrison, Jack Hatch, Lesley Gannon, Magnus Gorham, John Hakes, and Clare Cochrane @nahtnews @LFmagNAHT

redactive publishing limited 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP www.redactive.co.uk Tel: 020 7880 6200 Email: naht@redactive.co.uk

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Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation: 27,957 (July 2011-June 2012)

ISSN: 1472–6181 © Copyright 2013 NAHT All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be copied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers. While every care has been taken in the compilation of this publication, neither the publisher nor the NAHT can accept responsibility for any inaccuracies or changes since compilation, or for consequential loss arising from such changes or inaccuracies, or for any other loss, direct or consequential, arising in connection with information in this publication. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply recommendation by the publishers.

The views herein are not necessarily those of the publisher, the editor or the NAHT.

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CONTENTS

COVER STORY, PAGE

22

LEGAL SUPPORT

12

LF speaks to advice and representation professionals at NAHT – and to grateful members who have used the Association’s services

36 18

NEWS FOCUS 6 HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR PRIMARIES The number of primary schools in England below the Government’s floor targets for academic performance has dropped sharply, the latest league tables from the DfE reveal.

7 STRB PROPOSALS DEEMED REASONABLE School Teachers’ Review Body recommendations recognised

by NAHT as an attempt to meet the profession half-way.

8 ‘ROGUE’ INSPECTOR CONCERNS LINGER Ofsted needs to concentrate on eliminating remaining inconsistencies between inspection teams, says NAHT.

8 DPP ALERTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA RISK The potential for social-media harassment of teachers is raised

by NAHT in a letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

10 GOVE’S LETTERS ‘ARE ACADEMIC’ The NAHT moves to counter ‘mis-information’ on academies from the Secretary of State for Education by sending its own letters to MPs on the subject of school improvement.

10 SPOTLIGHT ON TRAINING AND CPD The Education Show in Birmingham will offer more than 65 free-to-attend continuing professional development sessions.

11 NEW STAFF-ABSCENCE SUPPLIER The NAHT has appointed The Education Broker as its preferred supplier of staff-absence cover for members.

12 A CHANCE TO RECHARGE BATTERIES News from the NAHT Education Conference in London with keynote speakers Richard Gerver and Tim Rylands.

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FEATURES 26 OUR GREAT LEAP FORWARD

44

How a Crewe primary school put into special measures just five years ago by Ofsted has been turned around.

32 THE ONLY WAY IS ICT The London Borough of Havering’s innovative approach to ICT is sparking interest both around the country and abroad.

36 THE TRANSFORMERS A sixth-form project is benefiting both Aids orphans in South Africa and the British students who work with them.

40 DIFFICULT SUBJECTS A head teacher who lost his son describes his commitment to saving lives and handling ‘sensitive’ presentations in schools.

44 ENGAGING THE DISENGAGED Teenagers in danger of dropping out of education are being re-engaged by a school beauty salon, among other initiatives.

46 HANDLE WITH CARE Students find it exciting to visit venues where they can view exotic animals, but there are health risks involved.

REGULARS 15 RONA TUTT’S COLUMN The SEN shake-up will bring the system a higher profile, but to bring real gains for the children and young people involved, it needs to make us look beyond the labels.

32

17 RUSSELL HOBBY’S COLUMN Performance-related progression can bring benefits, but needs careful planning, advises the General Secretary.

18 HEADS UP Three school leaders reveal what’s at the top of their to-do list and which celebrity they’d like to teach at their school.

20 STRANGE BUT TRUE Teachers get their written work corrected; and an unusual ‘show and tell’ item causes havoc at an Australian school.

48 WHAT’S NEW Books, apps and competitions, plus a chance to take part in a birdwatching survey between 21 January and 1 February.

50 SUSAN YOUNG’S COLUMN

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A head teacher enthuses his staff and pupils by organising a 24-hour blogging marathon with a global audience.

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NEWS FOCUS

LEAGUE TABLES

READING RECOVERY

The latest primary league tables, published by the DfE in December, reveal that the school system is in good health. The Sats results for 2012 show that the number of primary schools in England below the Government’s floor targets for academic performance has fallen sharply. Only 521 schools are now below the expected levels for maths and English, compared with 1,310 in 2011.

A DfE spokesman said: “The figures demonstrate that schools have responded to the challenge. The floor standards we introduced were tougher and have improved performance.

Heads, teachers and pupils deserve credit for meeting the challenge.”

Russell Hobby, General Secretary of the NAHT, said: “Britain’s primary schools have been improving at every level for many years, despite increasing pressures, which now include widespread industrial action.

“This dramatic fall in the number of schools under the floor standard is testament to their hard work.”

He added that the results showed that maintained schools were improving without the need to convert to academies. “What sort of school you are matters less than your leadership and determination – qualities that can be found throughout our state education system.”

Schools are deemed to be underperforming unless one of the following criteria is met in maths and English: • at least 60 per cent of pupils achieve the expected level (Level 4) or higher • overall, pupils make the expected degree of progress between the end of KS1 and the end KS2.

The Government also revealed that 47 ‘underperforming’ schools had closed, with 37 becoming academies.

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TEMPEST

Hard work pays off for primary schools

Steve Iredale

Not everyone was pleased with the results, however. Chris McGovern, a former head teacher and chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, which lobbies to improve standards in state schools, said that Level 4 was a ‘low’ level.

He said: “Any improvement is to be welcomed, but there is a danger of complacency. Level 4 is not a very high standard. We need to be raising the bar and expecting more.

If we’re going to get children up to the required standard at 16, we’ve got to get better at 11.”

NAHT President Steve Iredale told LF: “These results should be celebrated, and I don’t want to dampen it down. But we do have to remember that it is a very narrow measure – schools are being judged on attainment, effectively their test outcomes in English and maths.

“We’re delighted that standards are rising – but good schools should be judged on more than just overall attainment. However, it is very positive news and we should celebrate every school that’s making progress.”

One-to-one tactics work The Reading Recovery programme has been shown to have long-term benefits. The 2011-12 Reading Recovery annual report shows that 11-year-olds who received the intervention at the age of five or six match their classmates’ progress for the following six years.

In the programme, children with poor reading skills are taught individually for 30 minutes a day for 15-20 weeks by a specially trained teacher. Most then proceed from text Level 0 to Level 17 – learning up to five times faster than their classmates – to catch up, after which their progress continues in line with their peers.

Julia Douëtil, head of the European Centre for Reading Recovery at the Institute of Education, London, said: “The statistic of 30,000 children every year failing to reach national curriculum Level 3 at age 11 has been stubbornly resistant to change. We now know it can be changed.” http://readingrecovery.ioe.ac.uk LEAGUE TABLES

Literacy rise for England England has risen in an international ranking of literacy. The survey, carried out by the Amsterdambased International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), is known as the Pirls assessment – Progress in International Reading Literacy Study.

The study gauged the language skills of 325,000 students aged about 10, and it ranked England 11th out of 45 nations. This was a marked improvement on its 2006 ranking of 15th out of 40 countries.

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PAY DEAL

STRB proposals are ‘reasonable’ they need to reward and encourage great teaching.”

Mr Hobby added: “Heads want flexibility, but they have no wish to spend undue time with their governing bodies calculating grades and salaries when they should be focused on teaching and learning.”

NAHT President Steve Iredale said the recommendations should ‘enhance the profession’: “It’s a case of finding middle ground – some of the teaching unions are suggesting it could be used against teachers. I would argue that it enhances the profession. But without extra cash, how do we reward those teachers who are ‘above average’?

“Potentially it’s exciting, but it could also go the other way and be damaging. We need to find that middle ground where we do the right thing for the profession.”

GUARDIAN

The NAHT has welcomed key recommendations by the School Teachers’ Review Body as “a reasonable attempt to meet the profession half-way in a challenging financial and educational environment”.

NAHT General Secretary Russell Hobby said: “The Association is pleased that the disastrous proposals for regional pay are off the table. Attempting to pay teachers by their postcodes, rather than for the quality of their work, would have entrenched inequality in disadvantaged areas.

“Deregulation of pay is bound to be controversial in the current climate, but a reasonable balance has been struck. The NAHT offered constructive arguments in its submission, that have helped to preserve a national framework while giving school leaders the tools

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The first big-name speaker has been confirmed for the 2013 NAHT Annual Conference. Sir Tim Brighouse (above), a former Schools Commissioner for London, has accepted an invitation to speak at the Birmingham International Convention Centre.

Sir Tim, whose co-authored book The A-Z of School Improvement will be published in March, will be one of the keynote speakers.

NAHT Vice President Bernadette Hunter told LF: “We’ve listened to feedback from the 2012 Conference that said people would like to hear from inspirational key speakers. We’ve also acted on feedback asking for a slightly different format, so we will be creating opportunities for people to debate campaign issues in smaller groups, and maintaining the time for debating the motions in the main hall.”

She added: “We’re looking forward to a really exciting conference in these ever-changing times, and we hope to attract a large number of delegates.”

Annual Conference will be held on 17-19 May. Keep checking www.naht.org.uk for updates.

FUNDING

Government criticised for budgeting chaos School funding is a “mess” which has been handled badly by the Government, NAHT President Steve Iredale has said.

The NAHT has received feedback from members showing there is more of a draw on school budgets than ever before, whether for school meals or for milk.

Mr Iredale added that the 1.5

per cent minimum funding guarantee reduction could turn also out to be greater for some schools.

“Funding is a real mess around the country. I’ve had people calling me to say they have members of staff whose temporary contracts end on 31 March and budgets don’t come out till the end of February. It’s a minefield

that’s been badly handled by central Government. We’re doing what we can. But we’re waiting for schools forums and local authorities to make up their minds, and many are deferring decisions.

In my local authority, we’ve no idea when we’ll get indicative figures.”

NAHT Vice President Bernadette Hunter added:

“The f40 group [the Campaign for Fairer Funding in Education] is concerned about the implications for the most poorly funded local authorities. I sit on the group, as my authority is one of the worst affected. The funding consultations have caused anxiety for schools and have been divisive because of the winners-and-losers scenario.”

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NEWS FOCUS

OFSTED

Concern over ‘rogue’ inspectors Significant inconsistencies between inspection teams still need to be addressed, according to the NAHT, which has said it remains concerned about the issue.

NAHT Vice President Bernadette Hunter told LF: “The new framework in September seems to have come in more quietly than previous ones. Feedback from schools seems to be

that this framework is fairer than before. However, we are still hearing disturbing reports about inspectors who are intimidating head teachers with the language they’re using towards them during inspections.

“There are concerns about the consistency of some teams, too.”

She added that the shortnotice aspect – particularly

for those schools expecting an inspection - is frustrating.

“Head teachers find it difficult to leave their schools, just in case the call comes. They want to be the one who speaks to the inspector. It also causes problems for the chair of governors at these schools.”

Russell Hobby, General Secretary of the NAHT, said: “We ask that Ofsted

continues to concentrate on eliminating the inconsistencies between inspection teams. Some are excellent but there are still rogue elements, which need to be identified and addressed. Too often, the experience of inspection is subjective and demoralising.

“We also look for a stronger connection to school improvement.”

GOVERNANCE

PA

The potential for social media to fuel false allegations and organised campaigns of harassment against teachers has been raised with Keir Starmer, QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions (right), by the NAHT, which has written to him about its concerns.

Mr Starmer announced plans in September to issue new rules on social media abuse.

NAHT General Secretary Russell Hobby said: “We have requested a meeting. It is right that speech should be free. However, we also need to protect individuals from the ruinous impact on their careers and private lives that can be caused by unaccountable, unverifiable allegations and intimidation.

“What concerns us most is when comments cross the

TEA CEREMONY FOR NAHT GUESTS

SHUTTERSTOCK

DPP alerted to social media harassment

line from complaints and gossip to false allegations, harassment or threats of violence. School leaders are generally stoical, but there are limits. The worst thing about anonymous abuse is that you can’t act on any genuine cause for complaint and redress the problem.”

Nearly three-quarters of school leaders have experienced threats of violence, and one in five of these threats have taken place through social media.

NAHT has hosted four delegations from China over the past 18 months. NAHT Past President Chris Harrison told LF: “There is huge interest from the Chinese government, provinces, their leadership-training establishments and colleges.

“The interest stems from the fact that we are the largest school-leadership organisation in the world, with 40,000 members. We’re also the oldest, as we were established 115 years ago.”

The Chinese delegations have visited NAHT headquarters in Haywards Heath, where they have watched presentations on the history of trade unionism in school leadership and learned about the NAHT’s four key areas of focus: trade unionism, legal support for the membership, and professional development, along with pay, conditions and terms of service.

Each presentation to the Chinese visitors has concluded with a traditional English afternoon tea.

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NEWS FOCUS

POLICY

Gove’s MP letters ‘are academic’ The NAHT has sent letters to MPs in various parts of the country to counter ‘mis-information’ from the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, on academies.

General Secretary Russell Hobby said: “It seems Mr Gove is sending a similar letter to MPs in every area where he feels his academy programme is not gaining sufficient purchase.

“These complaints have less to do with highlighting falling standards and more to do with his frustration that not everyone shares his opinion that abandoning local authority control is an automatic fast track to success.

“Of course, every school should aspire to be outstanding, and where

schools are struggling they need help and support to improve. But forcing schools to convert to academy status against the wishes of their community and their leadership is not the way to do it.

“We know Mr Gove is convinced that converting to an academy is the only way to achieve school improvements, and that he wishes the conversion of all English state schools to be his legacy. However, there is no statistical evidence that academy conversion can turn around failing primary schools.

“School improvement should be driven by evidence of what works rather than by one person’s opinion.”

Mr Hobby’s letter told MPs: “We are sure that, like all MPs, you take a keen interest in your local schools and that you celebrate their achievements as well as challenge their performance.

“In 1995, 49 per cent of children left primary school with the expected level in English; last year it was 82 per cent.

There is plenty still to be done, but also plenty to be proud of.

“We are ourselves quite clear that long-term under-performance must be addressed. The question is: ‘what works?’

“Before forcing schools to become academies against the will of their governing body and community, we must be confident that it is the best solution.”

EDUCATION SHOW

Spring event puts spotlight on training The Education Show, on 14-16 March at the NEC, Birmingham, will allow school leaders to debate, discuss and share ideas on the future of education.

This past year has seen major change. With this in mind, training, information and collaboration for schools has never been more important.

With head-teacher responsibilities on the increase, regular free training, advice and inspiration are essential.

Consequently, this year, the show will offer more than 65 free-to-attend accredited sessions of continuing professional development (CPD).

The popular ‘Learn Live’ programme aims to address the CPD development 10

needs of all practitioners in four theatres: early years, primary, secondary and SEN. Topics will include behaviour, specific teaching practices, funding and whole-school concerns.

In addition, the event will host the School Leaders Summit, a free, two-day conference that will focus on crucial issues affecting school leaders, deputy heads

and school business managers. Key issues to be explored by experts will include the new curriculum and examinations system, achievement, assessment, and how to meet individual and collective challenges.

To support their valuable parent-teacher associations (PTA), head teachers may wish to send members of their PTA to the show,

which this year is hosting the first PTA-UK National Conference – offering an opportunity to meet fundraising experts and a host of suppliers.

NAHT members should also visit the Leadership Lounge, which is designed to enable members of senior leadership teams to network, discuss education policies, and share solutions and ideas. Visitors can share ways to meet individual and collective challenges.

• The NAHT stand is H61 in Hall 4. To register, visit www.education-show.com and enter the code EPR4.

The event is free to attend.

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ASSESSMENT

GCSE review on hold As LF went to press, it was still unknown whether the integrity of the examination system would be restored by a pre-Christmas legal challenge at the Royal Courts of Justice.

The NAHT was part of a broad alliance of pupils, schools, councils and professional associations taking action against Ofqual, AQA and Edexcel after GCSE English grade boundaries were changed between January and June last year, resulting in thousands of young people missing out on key results. The NUT and ASCL were also among the professional associations involved.

NAHT General Secretary Russell Hobby said: “The NAHT is proud to be part of the alliance taking action over the unfairness surrounding this year’s GCSE English exams.

“The coming together of such a wide group of organisations and individuals is evidence of the depth of feeling, and we are pleased to be able to take our case to the courts.

“The GCSE English debacle has affected the lives of thousands of young people whose futures have been altered by a statistical aberration.

“We hope the courts will see sense and order a regrade, thus giving those who sat the exam the result they deserve. Moreover, we would like the court action to send a clear message to Ofqual that changing the grade boundaries mid-year was unfair, and those who have the best interests of children at heart will do whatever it takes to restore justice.”

• The NAHT and the NUT have launched a joint petition calling for greater consultation on the new English baccalaureate certificate. Russell Hobby said: “The current consultation begs important questions. We need to consider assessment, curriculum and accountability together. Otherwise, the new certificates will be undermined by all the old problems.” www.ebaccpeƟƟon.org.uk

INSURANCE

Speedy staff-absence cover The NAHT has appointed The Education Broker as its preferred supplier of staff-absence insurance, following a rigorous tender process.

The Education Broker offers a free, no-obligation service to schools, helping them to quickly and efficiently source three staff-absence quotations from three insurers.

Best value, as recommended in guidance issued by the DfE, is made easy for schools when comparing the three insurers’ quotes.

By working with an impartial specialist insurance consultant throughout the procurement process, schools will benefit from the clear information provided on each different

insurer’s policy. Schools can then select the policy that best meets the individual needs of their school.

Russell Hobby, General Secretary of the NAHT, commented: “The Education Broker’s unique service is saving schools time and effort in their pursuit of best value. This has to be good news for school leaders, as staff spend less time administering and more time delivering education.”

The partnership offers benefits exclusive to NAHT members, including a 5 per cent introductory discount for any member who takes out a new staff insurance policy. More details can be viewed on page 14. Terms and conditions apply.

NEWS IN BRIEF DRAW FOR SHELTERBOX NAHT charity partner for 2012/13 ShelterBox is inviting young illustrators to enter its 2013 competition. Last year, primary school pupils were challenged to illustrate a tale about a community experiencing a tsunami for the book The Day the Sea Changed. To find out more about the work of the disaster-relief agency, or to receive a competition pack, email youngshelterbox@ shelterbox.org

FOCUS ON THE FAMILY The NAHT has chosen Family Action as its charity partner for 2013/14. The charity works with disadvantaged and socially isolated families. Its school services include support for students at key transition stages, and support for staff in working with vulnerable and challenging pupils. For details, see www.family-action.org.uk

TRY ESHA MAGAZINE NAHT members are invited to read the European School Heads Association magazine. NAHT Past President Chris Harrison told LF: “All the back copies are available online. We’re trying to create a melting pot where the best of school leadership practice can be identified, chaired and promoted.” www.esha.org/magazine

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NEWS NAHT EDUCATION CONFERENCE

TEMPEST

A chance to recharge batteries

Richard Gerver

Innovation, creativity and enthusiasm – key skills for school leaders – can often seem in short supply, particularly during challenging times. So, the NAHT’s education conference, held at the Midland Hotel in Manchester and Senate House in London, was a chance for members to reconnect with the profession, talk to each other, and hear practical and innovative ideas to take back to their schools.

The London conference, held in November, saw keynote speakers encourage, energise and enthuse delegates. NAHT President Steve Iredale set the tone when he urged

school leaders never to forget that they were the education experts.

“Life is tough as a school leader, but we must continue to work tirelessly together,” he said.

Former head teacher and education expert Richard Gerver also took to the stage to tell delegates they must “share, celebrate and collaborate”.

“The great challenge in leadership is never to allow our people to forget their vision and their passion. We all need to have conversations and find people’s passions again,” he said.

He encouraged school leaders to look at the skills and needs of all

PRACTICAL IDEAS FROM SOME OF THE CONFERENCE’S WORKSHOPS

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Innovative uses of ICT Out of this world: raising levels of creativity in children of all ages and abilities Technology advocate Tim Rylands took delegates on a whistlestop tour through the world of free web tools that can help enhance creativity in the classroom.

Tim urged delegates to set up a blog, saying that writing a blog entry or using an interactive writing app had a positive effect on pupils struggling with literacy. “Blogging makes the walls of your school transparent. It gives children a reason to want to refine and revise their writing and polish it up, and it gives them an audience,” he said.

For those worried about letting pupils loose on the internet, Tim advised that two or more moderators be appointed to ensure content was appropriate. He also suggested that school leaders and teachers adapt existing apps, websites and games to educational purposes in order to teach children in a non-linear way.

See examples of learning tools at www.timrylands.com or follow @timrylands on Twitter

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Learning and teaching From learning philosophy to practice Kate Davis, head teacher of Worsbrough Common School in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, presented a workshop on how to develop a learning-centred school. Here are her top tips. ● Track progress. The teachers have a learning blog, for example.

“We also have a ‘wonder wall’ assembly where teachers answer

a question posed by the children. We talk about learning in the staff room, all staff use Twitter and we have a shared staff Pinterest account,” said Kate. ● Lead by example. “We have a daily briefing where I always try to suggest something new. I am an avid reader, and passionate about teaching and learning,” she said. ● Build relationships with staff by being accessible and visible.

“They key thing that has helped has been my amazing staff – relationships are so important. Heads need to be visible and have humility, passion and an outstanding work ethic,” said Kate.

See the school’s blog at http://worsbroughcblogs.net The Cambridge Primary Review: a transformative approach to school leadership Alison Peacock, head teacher at the Wroxham Primary School in Hertfordshire, is the leader of Cambridge Primary Review National Network. The network, which focuses on primary education, is free for schools to join and provides regular updates about government initiatives, articles and practical advice. Here are some of the review’s key ideas: ● Build an evidence-based teaching practice by working in collaboration with a research partner via another school, a university or within the school itself. ● Look at the whole of the school, not just the curriculum.

Engage the children, and the children’s voices, in every aspect of running your school. ● Become empowered. “If you’re not empowered as a teacher, you can’t empower the children,” said Alison.

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of their pupils. He said that while university was a great thing for many, there was a “whole swathe” of children who were less academic, and that educators must help to create an education system that was equitable for children of all abilities.

Mr Gerver cited Early Years education as a practical example –

it allows children to stay in the present moment while learning, he noted, with the best facilities capable of creating “magical environments where children feel they are learning for the right now”.

NAHT General Secretary Russell Hobby told delegates that there are no “silver bullets” in education. His speech covered issues of current concern, including academies, inspections and assessment. But he ended the session on a positive note, pointing out that the new curriculum offered educators more freedom in non-core subjects such as history and geography.

“These are the skills that attracted us into the profession to start with, and this is an inspiring opportunity,” said Mr Hobby.

Russell Hobby

● Innovate. In 2009, the school bought a double-decker bus

from eBay and transformed it into a colourful library and reading space. The bus is also used for serious, but fun, learning – for example, pupils measure its dimensions for a creative maths lesson.

Tim Rylands

For more information, go to www.primaryreview.org.uk

3

Dealing with troubled children Something on your mind? Helping children to manage their emotions Anxious, angry or depressed children cannot learn – and schools are the best place to support them.

That was the message from specialist practitioner Rachel Rayner, who is employed by the South Staffordshire and Shropshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Rachel leads a programme designed to listen to, and support, children in an environment where they feel comfortable – their schools.

The Additional Support for Pupils with Emotional Needs (ASPEN) project runs in 26 schools in Burton and Uttoxeter.

The idea is simple: teaching assistants are given three days’ training to enable them to support upset or troubled children.

“They make a difference, because children feel safe with them,” said Rachel.

The success of the project is evident, she adds, as all the schools have opted to continue with the initiative.

For more information, contact Rachel on rrayner@nhs.net or on 07866 752 337 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 ● LEADERSHIP FOCUS

12_13 News conference.indd 13

13

20/12/2012 08:55

MEMBER BENEFITS: NAHT’S SELECTED PARTNERS MESSAGE FROM A SCHOOL PARTNER

Partner contacts NAHT’s new staff-absence insurer The NAHT is committed to negotiating a wide range of high-quality, value-added benefits and services for its members.

If you have any comments on the services provided by our affinity partners, please email John Randall, the NAHT’s Head of Marketing and Communications, at john.randall@naht.org.uk

SERVICES FOR SCHOOLS ETEACH Online staff recruitment 0845 226 1906 www.eteach.com Email: support@eteach.com TEMPEST SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY 0800 328 1041 (quote ‘NAHT’) www.tempest-schoolphotography.co.uk GL ASSESSMENT Pupil wellbeing assessment 0845 602 1937 www.gl-assessment.co.uk GL PERFORMANCE Kirkland Rowell Surveys 0191 270 8270 www.kirkland-rowell.com THE EDUCATION BROKER Staff absence insurance 0845 600 5762 www.theeducationbroker.co.uk

SERVICES FOR MEMBERS ROCK Travel insurance 0844 482 3390 www.nahttravelinsurance.co.uk AVIVA Home, contents and motor insurance 0800 046 6389 www.fromyourassociation.co.uk/NAHT CS HEALTHCARE Private medical insurance 0800 917 4325 www.cshealthcare.co.uk (please use promotional code 147) LFC GRAYBROOK Professional indemnity and public liability cover 01245 321 185 www.lfcgraybrook.co.uk/naht-members Email: enquiry@lfcgraybrook.co.uk MBNA Credit card services 0800 028 2440 www.mbna.co.uk SKIPTON FINANCIAL SERVICES Independent financial advice 0800 012 1248 www.skiptonfs-naht.co.uk Email: sfsnaht@skipton.co.uk

14

Staff-absence insurance brokers have traditionally had exclusive arrangements with insurance companies, which means the broker effectively represents a single source.To conduct a ‘best-value’ exercise, as encouraged by the DfE, it has been usual for schools to have called three brokers for three independent quotes.

Then there’s been the burden of having to compare and contrast quotes, with no two being laid out in the same way, or having identical cover when the full detail has been read and understood.

The solution The Education Broker (TEB) is the only provider of staff-absence insurance approved by the NAHT. Its consultants have access to three separate policies from three independent insurers.They push no particular one, and will explain the differences in cover provided in each.

Staff at TEB will help you to cut

through the detail of policy wording so that you can arrive at a fully informed decision in less time than if you had just chosen the cheapest quote.

TEB staff will not recommend a specific policy, but will provide you with all the information you need to make an informed choice that is most suitable for your school.The service is free, although you will need to pay the insurance premium if you choose to buy one of the policies. Face-to-face visits are available for schools if you prefer this to a phone call. Presentations and seminars are also available for groups of schools.

Especially for members The NAHT has negotiated a 5 per cent introductory discount for any member who takes out a new staff-absence insurance policy through TEB*.

Visit www.theeducationbroker.co.uk or call 0845 600 5762.You will need your NAHT membership number to qualify for a discount. * Terms and conditions apply.

MESSAGE FROM A MEMBER PARTNER

Affordable travel insurance The NAHT’s partnership with Rock continues for another year, with the insurer continuing to offer members travel insurance at affordable prices without compromising the quality of cover. New for 2013 is the European Annual Premier Cover, with premiums starting at £60 for individuals, and great premiums for couples and families*.

There is more great news: there is no age restriction on single trips and there’s a new referral programme to meet your needs, regardless of health or age restriction. Others upgrades include: • Gadget Cover will protect up to seven gadgets that you take on holiday with

you, for instance, your digital camera, iPod or Kindle.

• Car Hire Excess Cover protects your rental vehicle from situations ranging from fire or theft to loss of keys, so you don’t have to worry about the high excesses your car rental firm charges.

• Travel Disruption Cover provides protection in case of a natural catastrophe, such as an earthquake, tsunami or ash cloud.

All UK holidays with a minimum of one night’s accommodation prebooked are now covered, giving you peace of mind when enjoying a weekend break or attending the NAHT conference. So when you’re planning your next holiday getaway, visit naht2012.insurefor.com or call 0844 482 3390. * Terms and conditions apply.

LEADERSHIP FOCUS ● JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

14 Partners.indd 14

19/12/2012 16:23

VIEWPOINT

RONA TUTT R Columnist C

Let’s make a difference New labels abound in special needs, but do they provide any solutions?

SHUTTERSTOCK

Conflict with parents Meanwhile, working away in the background are the 20 ‘pathfinder’ areas. The new minister has given them an extension to September 2014, which will enable their findings to inform the Bill as it moves through Parliament. One of the difficulties they are wrestling with is to how to make personal budgets work in practice. Few would argue against parents feeling more in control of what happens to their child. But if it involves having a say about which teaching assistant should be used for support, or how speech and language therapy should be delivered, this could be tricky for school leaders.

15 RT column.indd 15

Although the Warnock Committee coined the phrase ‘special educational needs’ as a means of moving away from thinking about children in terms of categories and focusing instead on each child’s individual needs, since then, more and more conditions have been recognised. It is almost possible to find at least one condition for every letter of the alphabet. To add to this proliferation, there is a growing realisation that it may be the rule rather than the exception for children to have more than one recognised disorder.

When I was chairing a conference towards the end of last year, I listened to a speaker with Asperger’s syndrome, who has had so many diagnoses, in addition to autism, that she has almost lost count.

When I asked her how useful she had found this, she said that each one had enabled her to understand herself a little more. We agreed that, while it is helpful to know why some pupils learn differently or with greater difficulty than others, the focus should be on the kind of support they need.

This approach goes back to Warnock’s aim of making us look beyond the label (or labels) and remember that first and foremost, these are young people who, like everyone else, have their own personalities and that this will affect their progress, even if such considerations are not recognised in performance tables. It is to be hoped that all the thought and effort going into the new SEN (or SEND, or LDD) framework will really make a difference and solve far more problems than it creates.

It may be the rule rather than the exception for children to have more than one recognised disorder

Rona Tutt is a retired head teacher and a Past President of the NAHT

PLE BEY AS ON E LO D M OK E

A

s a new year gets off the ground, one of the very few things we can be certain of in education is that SEN is likely to have a much higher profile. What is less certain is how far the most comprehensive shake-up of the system since the Warnock report will translate into positive gains for children and young people with SEND. There was a long pause between the appearance of the SEND Green Paper and the announcement that there would be a Children and Families Bill based largely on its contents. The draft clauses of the Bill were published last summer, together with a sequel to the Green Paper, Support and aspiration: a new approach to SEND – progress and next steps. The day after it appeared, complete with a foreword by Sarah Teather, she was replaced by Edward Timpson as the minister with responsibility for SEN. One of the changes now being considered is whether to keep to SEN (as in the Bill), SEND (as in the Green Paper) or to use LDD (Learning Difficulties and Disabilities), which is currently used for post-16. In addition, there are discussions about redefining BESD (behaviour, emotional and social difficulties), a term that began as ‘maladjusted’, before morphing into EBD, and then becoming BESD (or SEBD, as some prefer). These dilemmas need to be resolved before the next version of the SEN Code of Practice is published in draft form later this year, as it will include the FE sector this time round. It will also explain how schools are to handle the significant shift to having a single school-based category in place of School Action and School Action Plus.

20/12/2012 12:13

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Call 0800158 4101** We’ve got education covered *Offer available to new customers only taking out a policy before 31 May 2013. Policies subsequently cancelled within 4 weeks of cover start date or with payments not up to date will not be eligible to receive offer. Vouchers will be sent by mail within 6 weeks of the commencement date of your policy. £30 M&S vouchers available to customers taking out a new car insurance policy. Not available in conjunction with any other offer. Voucher terms of use apply. We reserve the right to offer alternative vouchers of the same value. **Lines are open 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, except bank holidays, 9am-12.30pm Saturday. Calls from UK landlines are free. Calls may be monitored and/or recorded.

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16 LEADERSHIP FOCUS ● JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

LFO.01.13.016.indd 16

18/12/2012 12:34

RUSSELL HOBBY General Secretary

VIEWPOINT

A question of balance A move to performance-related progression needs careful planning find it hard to argue with the principle of performance-related progression – the idea that people should move up a pay scale not automatically, but on the basis of good performance. It is not so much that performance-related progression will ‘get more out of people’ as that it will respond more fairly to what they are already doing.

The system is certainly challenging. It demands robust performance management and courageous leadership; it contrasts with the egalitarian nature of the teaching profession. And this is hardly the most auspicious moment for implementation, given a darkening climate of industrial relations.

Yet the pressure is on school leaders to manage and raise the quality of teaching. Performance management is at the heart of the new inspection framework and the evidence of its impact on standards is strong. Every tool to develop teaching should be evaluated and, if appropriate, used.

‘Appropriate’ is the watchword. There is structure for leaders to use to the extent they wish, and I expect many will wish to make much use of it.

There is enough work to do without calculating your own set of pay points and grades.

I

SHUTTERSTOCK

No rush to meet deadlines While many heads will make growing use of performance-related progression, I expect that variation on the pay points and scales will be more cautious. Our advice to schools, as part of a long-term plan, is to assess what you need and what you can cope with. There are no deadlines to meet here, so you choose your own pace.

The first step is a robust performancemanagement system, used by skilled managers. Indeed, in many ways, the value of performancerelated progression is that it forces rigorous performance management.

When progression is changed, you will want to be clear on the criteria.

I suggest that you triangulate with a variety

of methods, including observation and progress data.

Perhaps the most straightforward approach is to connect progression to the attainment of objectives, which will have quantitative and qualitative elements.You will need to draw a clear line of sight between the school-improvement plan and the individual objectives – so you can show Ofsted that you have a firm grasp on the quality of teaching, and action plans to raise it where necessary.You will also need procedures for appeal, and for oversight through the governing body. Many organisations find it useful to bring line managers together periodically to calibrate and moderate their judgments.

For most schools, I recommend retaining and using the intermediate pay points, for now. I’d be surprised if schools did not want to pass on cost-of-living adjustments.

However, the new, fixed-term teaching-andlearning responsibility options will be useful for rewarding project work. Some schools might consider different pay rates for different subjects – to deal with recruitment shortages, for example. But paying different rates for the same quality of work could be problematic internally.

Perhaps the biggest barrier to implementation is the ongoing ‘action short of strike action’ by two of the teaching unions. Every school will need to make a judgement as to what is in their pupils’ interests.You can expect NAHT to back your judgement and offer advice, where required.

However, it is worth reflecting that there are more ways to assess performance than observation and appraisals.

The ends, rather than the means, of performance management must be preserved.

For most schools, I recommend retaining and using the intermediate pay points, for now

Russell Hobby is NAHT General Secretary JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 ● LEADERSHIP FOCUS

17 RH column.indd 17

17

20/12/2012 14:24

QUESTION CORNER

ELAINE COWIN Assistant head and SENDCO St Albans CE Primary School Hertfordshire

WHAT TYPE OF PERSON ARE YOU? Describe yourself in five words: Try my best and smile.

What’s top of your to-do list? Marking.

What’s your favourite biscuit? Whatever is on the staffroom table, especially if it’s covered in chocolate.

What’s your top holiday destination? I spent a few weeks teaching in Ghana this summer and I loved every minute.

What wouldn’t you do for £1 million? Agree to answer questions for a… oh, wait.

Who would play you in the film of your life? I’m not a bad actor – could we do it in the summer holiday and set it in Greece?

HEADS

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES

UP Would you like to take the LF questionnaire?

Email us at naht@redactive.co.uk

18

SHUTTERSTOCK/REX

Three school leaders take up the Leadership Focus challenge to describe their leadership style and tell us a joke

The celebrity I’d most like to have as a teacher at my school is an author such as Anthony Browne or Michael Rosen.

As a child I wanted to grow up to be in the circus.

My Dad even hung a trapeze from the ceiling in the living-room.

The best excuse I’ve heard is: When I was an au pair, the dog once really did chew up my kid’s homework.

I went into education because when children see things for the first time that we take for granted, such as making green from blue and yellow paint, we are reminded how amazing our world really is.

My most embarrassing moment in school was when I turned up to watch a class assembly, only to find an empty stage and realise that it was supposed to be mine.

If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that we should never give up on a child, no matter how hard it seems, because it’s all possible.

I shouldn’t be telling you this, but I know where my head teacher keeps her secret supply of Dairy Milk.

Tell us your best joke Anything that David Cameron says about education at the moment – especially if it contains the word ‘privilege’.

LEADERSHIP FOCUS ● JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

18-19 Questionnaire.indd 18

20/12/2012 12:14

CARMEL GEORGE

ROBERT KELSALL

Deputy head Oulton Broad Primary School, Suffolk

Regional Officer NAHT

WHAT TYPE OF PERSON ARE YOU?

WHAT TYPE OF PERSON ARE YOU?

De Describe yourself in fiv words: Musical, five pe pensive, dedicated, fa fair-minded and an analytical.

W What’s top of your to to-do list? I would a absolutely love to p a piano with play J Jools Holland o day. one biscuit What’s your favourite biscuit?

That’s easy – a Jammy Dodger.

What’s your top holiday destination?

Cambodia.

What wouldn’t you do for £1 million?

Eat red meat.

Who would play you in the film of your life? Goldie Hawn.

Describe yourself in five words: Passionate (about protecting people and supporting them at work), dedicated, compassionate (with regard to the people we look after), optimistic and ‘seeing opportunities in crises’. Sorry, that’s more than five words, isn’t it.

What’s top of your to-do list? To give confidence to our members in these uncertain times, particularly supporting them through the onslaught of forced academisation and Ofsted.

What’s your favourite biscuit? Custard cream.

What’s your top holiday destination?

Menorca.

What wouldn’t you do for £1 million? I would hate to plunge to the depths of the ocean in a submarine or other submersible.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Anthony Hopkins, I think he would fit the bill nicely.

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES The celebrity I’d most like to have as a teacher at my school is Billy Connolly.

As a child I wanted to grow up to be a vet.

The best excuse I’ve heard is “I’ve got a headache.”

I went into schools because I wanted children to love maths as much as I did.

My most embarrassing moment in school was jumping fully clothed into a swimmingpool to ‘save’ a child, only to find that particular child was already a brilliant swimmer and didn’t actually require saving.

If I’ve learned one thing, it’s to be patient.

I shouldn’t be telling you this, but I still can’t actually ride a bike without using stabilisers.

Tell us your best joke What’s a deer with no eyes? No idea!

I would love to play a piano with Jools Holland one day

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES The celebrity I’d most like to have as a teacher is Tony Benn. I have been inspired by his politics and principles both in and out of political life.

As a child I wanted to grow up to be an engineer.

The best excuse I’ve heard is “I hadn’t realised my previous final written warning would be referred to in a disciplinary hearing” after the person I was representing had informed me that they had an exemplary work record.

I went into this profession because I realised that there is no better gift than education to enable children and young people to fulfil their potential.

My most embarrassing moment professionally was nearly falling into a crumpled heap during a disciplinary hearing. I had my legs crossed and cut off the blood supply.

Fortunately, the person I was representing was nearby, so I could grab their shoulder to keep me upright.

If I’ve learned one thing, it’s to be honest with yourself, and always stick to your principles and beliefs.

I shouldn’t be telling you this, but I was a train driver with British Rail for 10 years after I left school.

Tell us your best joke: Michael Gove’s interview with the Birmingham Mail in June 2012 on forced academies.

He claimed: “No school is being threatened with academy status. Schools are being promised the benefits.”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 ● LEADERSHIP FOCUS

18-19 Questionnaire.indd 19

19

20/12/2012 12:14

THINGS WE’VE LEARNED

STRANGE BUT MUSIC M SPELLING TESTS

Grammar school for teachers A school in Ipswich has madee headlines over its decision to hire proofreaders to check the spelling and grammar of the teachers’ school reports. Northgate High School put out an advert for copy editors to “check and amend the electronic reports to ensure that they are well written before being released to parents”. The ad said that proofreaders would be paid £14.02 an hour to work up to 20 days a year.

They would also advise staff how to improve their use of English. Head teacher David Hutton told reporters that the school’s excellent exam results proved it had great staff: “They produce wellwritten comments each year that keep parents informed about the progress of their children. However, making a final quality check indicates the level of professionalism we strive to achieve.”

JJust signing a song O 6 February at 2.45pm, schools On t throughout the UK and elsewhere w try to break a world record. will T Sign2sing event, organised by The SignHealth, will attempt to break the 2012 record of 114,277 children.

The previous record stood at 94,489.

Two years ago, Fiona Firth, Sing Up area leader for Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, was at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium to sing and sign the New Seekers’ hit I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing – with help from Ollie the Signing Monkey. She said: “Seeing the children’s concentration as they sang and signed, we knew we were part of something special.”

HOME ECONOMICS

Let them bake cake The surprise Christmas gift for children in 2012 turned out to be cake tins and mixing bowls, thought to be inspired by television show The Great British Bake Off. Oven gloves, measuring jugs and bread machines also sold well.

Sainsbury’s reported that sales of its children’s baking books were up 32 per cent last year, while Marks and Spencer noted that Percy Pig cupcake mix was selling well. Debenhams spokeswoman Elena Antoniou told the Daily Telegraph: “It is not just girls, but also boys, who are taking an interest in cooking, and especially baking.”

One mother, Caroline Walker from Wiltshire, said her 15-yearold son had been inspired by the show: “He is very competitive – I think that is what appeals to him. He and his friends try to outdo each other during their cookery assessments, so I was not surprised to see a mixer and cooking utensils on his Christmas list, along with Xbox 360 games and a new mobile phone.”

20 LEADERSHIP FOCUS ● JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

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20/12/2012 12:16

REBRANDING

SHOW AND TELL

Pickpockets and prisons depart from South African school names

High-impact items

School names change frequently, particularly when it comes to ones that are in trouble, have a bad reputation, or have converted into an academy.

However, in South Africa, 15 schools are being renamed because they’re ‘not educationally sound’.

The changes are coming in the country’s KwaZulu-Natal province, where Zulu and Afrikaans names are not always politically correct, or deemed appropriate, for schools. The names under threat include Tilongo (‘prison’) and Mkhuthuzeni (‘pickpocket’).

Senzo Mchunu, an education executive councillor in KwaZulu-Natal, said “Such names are not educationally sound and need to be addressed.”

Other names in the province include Mgwazeni (‘stab him’), Ukufakwakhe (‘his death’), Hlaba (‘slaughter’), Nkawu (‘monkey’), Phuza (‘drink’), Mbambankunzi (‘rob him’) and Bhekumkhonto (‘look for spear’).

Mchunu said schools bearing inappropriate Afrikaans names – such as Vegkop (‘hill of the battle’) high school – would also be changed. He added: “We don’t want to eradicate names of traditional leaders. We will allow a school to propose three names, and one will be chosen.”

An Australian school had to be evacuated when a student arrived with a World War II grenade. The girl, a pupil at Hunter Christian School at Mayfield in Newcastle, had been asked to take in something for a ‘show and tell’ session with her class. According to reports, she believed the grenade was a money box.

However it was actually a ‘pineapple’type grenade.

The class teacher immediately informed the head of primary, who then informed the school principal. He dialled 000 for the police. Students from the school were taken to a nearby park, and parents were quickly informed that they were all safe and accounted for.

Police inspector Gerard Lawson told reporters: “We have bomb appraisal technicians from the police rescue squad here. They’ve taken photographs, which they’ve communicated with the Department of Defence. We’re waiting for munitions experts to come from Sydney to evaluate whether there is still potential for people to be hurt.”

Fortunately, the device proved to be inactive, and the pupils returned to school the following day.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 ● LEADERSHIP FOCUS

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ALAMY, REX, SHUTTERSTOCK

TRUE

Even teachers need someone to check their written work, while a television show is giving children an appetite for baking

21

20/12/2012 12:16

BEHIND THE HEADLINES LEGAL SUPPORT

Shielding members from harm

A

pupil says you’ve hit him; a teacher who you’ve been performancemanaging takes out a grievance against you for bullying and harassment; a parent claims that you inappropriately touched their daughter’s leg. Or maybe your school was put into special measures last week and this week the governors are starting capability proceedings against you as the man or woman in charge.

These are nightmare scenarios for any head teacher. But when disaster strikes, NAHT members can get expert advice, support and representation from an experienced official who’s seen, heard and done it all before.The nature of the support will depend on the situation.When members call the Advice Line (0300 30 30 333 and select ‘option 1’), they speak to an assistant who directs the call, according to importance and urgency.

Paul Whiteman, the NAHT’s new Director of Representation, 22

and Advice who arrived in November from a similar role at senior civil servants’ union the First Division Association, says the triage system works very effectively.

“It ensures that really urgent calls, where someone is going into a meeting that could result in them losing their job, find the right place in the queue,” he says.

The most common concerns that come up are HR and employment matters. Issues relating to exclusions and admissions, to Ofsted reports and to governors, parents or pupils also come up regularly.

“Increasingly, what happens is that heads turn to us first for advice on a host of issues, because local authority services are diminishing,” says Senior Regional Officer John Hakes. Another common scenario is that disputes arise involving a head and a deputy or other senior teacher, both of whom are members.

“It happens all the time,” says Paul. “It’s never a problem, as we allocate different reps and follow agreed protocols to ensure

FRANCESCO BONGIORNI

NAHT members can call on a range of advice and representation services if they are ever find themselves in trouble, reports Hashi Syedain

that each member gets proper representation. The members in question may have concerns that discussions are going on behind the scenes – but they aren’t. Even in cases where one feels the other has had better representation, I can guarantee that both sides will be feeling that to some extent. It’s probably an indication that we are doing our jobs well.”

The focus will always be on finding a productive way forward and looking for solutions, says John. That goes whether a member

LEADERSHIP FOCUS ● JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

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19/12/2012 16:23

Negotiating a way forward JOHN HAKES Senior Regional Officer HIS VIEW

is completely innocent and wants to clear their name – or whether they hold up their hand to having done something wrong.

“The NAHT will not try to defend the indefensible,” says Paul. “But it is part of our role to support members who have made genuine errors to provide an accurate explanation and any mitigating circumstances. The unnecessary loss of the experience and talent of senior individuals needs to be avoided for the good of all involved.”

John has seen his fair share of the kind of woes that can hit heads, often completely out of the blue.

Really serious allegations – such as those with a child protection element – are mercifully rare, in his experience. “But even when an allegation is completely unfounded, you get a bit of a Lord McAlpine situation,” he explains.

“As soon as someone accuses you of something, people think you must have done it.”

Whatever the circumstances, good representation is absolutely essential for heads, says John. “It can make the difference between keeping your job and losing it, or even losing your career.”

John once represented a head who was suspended for allegedly looking at pornography on his laptop. An investigation revealed that the offending material had been viewed at times when the head couldn’t have been using t he computer.

Not long after, his son owned up to finding his dad’s password and using the laptop for some extra-curricular viewing. The

It can make the difference between keeping your job and losing it, even losing your career

head received a warning for taking insufficient care to protect his password – but was otherwise exonerated. It was nevertheless tough for him to return to school after the suspension.

“If it had been a class teacher, it would have attracted much less attention. But everyone knows when the head has been suspended,” says John.

In other cases, heads can face capability proceedings because their school receives a poor Ofsted report, or because a senior teacher does something wrong and the head is held responsible.

“It’s ‘football manager’ syndrome,” says John. “If a school is put into an Ofsted category, the knee-jerk reaction is to blame the head teacher.”

Sometimes, if matters get to that stage, the best outcome for a head is to leave with a settlement – which the NAHT can help to negotiate. John says that he has represented members who’ve come through capability proceedings and stayed on in the same school (see Graham’s story).

Other times, it is an incident that happened outside school that threatens a head’s career.

“If a head is found guilty of drink driving at the weekend, in some schools that might be seen as a sacking offence for bringing the school into disrepute.

In others it might just result in a severe, but informal, dressing down. It all depends what view the governing body takes,” says John. In cases such as these, the NAHT can often help negotiate an outcome that does not involve dismissal.

“There are degrees of severity,” says John. “Where an employer and employee have a different view of the seriousness of an offence, we can often negotiate a way forward that doesn’t involve dismissal.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 ➧ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 ● LEADERSHIP FOCUS

22-25 Behind the headlines.indd 23

23

19/12/2012 16:23

BEHIND THE HEADLINES LEGAL SUPPORT

‘I was backed to the hilt’ GRAHAM (not his real name) Head of a regional special school HIS VIEW

Graham was taken by surprise when he went to a meeting with his local authority (LA) that he thought was going to be about a senior teacher who had mishandled a child-protection interview. Instead, he was faced with an accusation that he had squeezed a pupil’s hand – and was promptly suspended.

Not long before, the school had been criticised in a review of its behaviour-management practices and Graham had disputed some of the findings.

“I was expecting a telling off,” he says.“I had John Hakes with me as my NAHT rep and his advice was that this wasn’t the time to be difficult, and I should just take the reprimand.

“Instead, they told me, ‘You’re suspended, give us your keys,’” says Graham. “Luckily, John was there and reacted quickly, If he hadn’t been there, I don’t know what I would have done.”

What followed were the worst four months of Graham’s professional life, during which he fully expected to be sacked at any point, and the best he could do was to negotiate a deal whereby he went quietly, in return for a settlement.

In the event, the local authority, having offered a settlement, withdrew it at the last minute.

An investigation into the alleged hand-squeezing incident subsequently exonerated Graham, but he was allowed to return to school only if he accepted the 24

behaviour-management review in its entirely. He would also be closely watched for any mistakes for the next 18 months.

During that time, he recalls, the area manager tried to sack him three times. The school was also inspected by Ofsted and given notice to improve – but, crucially, Ofsted was positive about Graham and said he needed support.

Graham survived and is still head at his school five years later, with a “good” Ofsted rating under his belt. He is in no doubt that he would not be where he is today without NAHT support. “When something like this happens you feel vulnerable and alone and powerless. It’s hideous,” he says.

“Just the fact that I knew John was at the end of a phone made a huge difference. He was always completely straight with me and was someone I could trust. His professional intelligence was telling him that something didn’t fit in the way I was being treated and he backed me to the hilt.”

‘They’ve seen it all before’ BRIAN (not his real name) Ex-head of an urban comprehensive HIS VIEW

Brian was head teacher in a tough inner-city school when he was accused of grabbing a pupil and pushing him against a wall. “I was suspended – which is supposed to be a neutral act but, of course, it isn’t,” he says, four years later.

“I rang the NAHT and the first thing they advised was that I should write down as much as I could while it was all still fresh.”

Over the next two years, the NAHT supported and represented Brian all the way through to an employment tribunal, where he was eventually found to have been unfairly dismissed and was awarded more than £90,000 in damages. “ The tribunal found that the LA had been biased in its investigation and that its panel decisions were perverse,” Brian says. Although he was exonerated, the episode came at considerable personal and professional cost – he found it impossible to get another headship and has since left the profession.

With hindsight, he feels he should have just walked away and got on with his life. “It was something that was offered to me.

But at the time you are so angry at being wrongly accused that you just want to clear your name.”

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It is something of an occupational hazard for heads to face accusations of assaulting a pupil The NAHT’s professional and legal advice contributed a lot to my winning the case. You get instant support and expertise

When you are used to working 12-hour days in a fast-paced, professional environment, sitting at home during a suspension is particularly hard, Brian explains.

“When someone takes that away, it puts you in a very dark place indeed.You don’t even want to go out to the shops in case someone sees you and asks why you’re not at work. There’s an embarrassment about being suspended.”

Brian says that although the NAHT can’t make a problem go away, having them at your side puts you in a much better position.

“The professional and legal advice contributed a lot to my winning the case.You get instant support and expertise,” he says. “When you go to a meeting you’ve got no idea what to expect. But they’ve seen it all before.You are not alone.”

Litigation representation SIMON THOMAS Senior Solicitor, NAHT HIS VIEW

Whenever there is the prospect of litigation or regulatory sanctions, members are referred to the legal team, where Simon is the Association’s senior solicitor.

The most common problems the team face are unfair or wrongful dismissal or discrimination, followed by personal injury claims, such as ‘slipping and tripping’, road accidents and stress-related illness.

A further slew of cases involve criminal assaults by parents or students, and defending heads who are accused of criminality, such as assaulting a pupil or misappropriating funds. Occasionally, too, members can face a heath and safety case.

It’s something of an occupational hazard for heads to face accusations of assaulting a pupil and to be interviewed by the police, says Simon.

The NAHT organises representation for such interviews and in most cases no charges are pressed. But having the right advice is very important.

“Sometimes, if the evidence is grey, a head might consider accepting a caution, because it gets the matter resolved there and then,” explains Simon. “But the danger is that it must be reported to the Teaching Agency, which may choose the only sanction available to it, namely prohibition.”

Simon thinks the trend for employment issues to dominate is likely to continue. Although the NAHT has been very successful in criminal injury cases, a recent change in the scheme for awarding compensation means that fewer victims will be eligible.

In a recent case, before the rule change, the NAHT helped a member, who suffered post-traumatic stress following an assault by a student, to get an initial award raised from £1,000 to £126,000. Although awards of this magnitude are unlikely to be available in future, Simon points out that members get to keep every penny of compensation awarded: “Such services are included as part of a member’s subscription.”

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SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

Our

great leap forward

O

ne in seven secondary schools, and almost one in 10 primary schools, are given the lowest Ofsted rating of ‘inadequate’ following an inspection, with many being placed into immediate special measures. This is devastating for any school leader.

Recent Ofsted reforms, including the removal of the ‘satisfactory’ category and changes to the focus of inspections, are likely to have a major impact on the number of schools judged as failing.

When a school is placed in special measures, the road to recovery can be a long one. But with strong leadership, and the dedication and commitment of the whole school community, it is possible for heads to address, one by one, the issues holding their school back.

Our story Just under five years ago, my school, Wistaston Green Primary School in Crewe, was placed in special measures

by Ofsted. Behaviour was noted as a particular problem, with violence and swearing a common occurrence among pupils. Teachers were unhappy and staff mobility was topping 200 per cent at one point.

The school is situated in an area of high socio-economic deprivation, and this is reflected in the proportion of our pupils who receive free school meals – which at 40 per cent is double the national average. Almost a quarter of pupils are on the special 26

needs register and many children are under local authority care.

In addition to these challenges, the school underwent significant change between 2005 and 2008 when the infant and junior schools were amalgamated and a nearby primary school closed, resulting in a large influx of children to the school.

This caused disruption to staffing, and for a period there was a succession of different head teachers.

A lot of work needed to be done after the inspection. But the school is now described as ‘good with outstanding features’ and, according to our last Ofsted report, ‘has been through a transformation since its last inspection’.

This year, 91 per cent of pupils at Wistaston achieved Level 4 or higher in English and 89 per cent Level 4 or high in maths. Attendance is running at 96.7 per cent, higher than the national average. We have also seen a 50 per cent increase in pupil attainment in the past five years.

Head teacher Linda Davis describes how a school that was in special measures just five years ago has managed to turn itself around

The journey to improvement The school came out of ‘special measures’ in just 40 weeks, – far less than the average time of 79 weeks.

We’re proud to be one of the quickest ‘failing’ schools to have turned itself around, and the hard work of our staff, pupils and parents has received personal praise from Education Secretary Michael Gove.

Achieving this has not been without its challenges. But changes to CONTINUED ON PAGE 29 ➧

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THE EDUCATION RESOURCES AWARDS 2013 THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM. BIRMINGHAM FRIDAY 15TH MARCH 2013

“Inspirational teachers creating inspired pupils”

Now is your opportunity to bring your school or business to the fore and win one the highest accolades in the education sector.

The Education Resources Awards (ERA) are in their 15th successful year and will once again celebrate the best in education.

To find out more and to enter these prestigious awards please visit www.educationresourcesawards.co.uk or call the ERA team on: 01622 623164 Closing date to enter is 14th January 2013

Education today www.education-today.co.uk

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SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT how we manage behaviour, motivate staff and use technology to inform decision-making have made a major difference to the school.

on our management information system (MIS). If we start to see an increase in incidences of poor conduct, we can pick it up quickly.

This is rare now for this particular boy, as he is totting up good behaviour points and responding well to the resulting regular praise.

Looking at problem areas When I arrived at the school in 2008, pupils’ achievement was noted by Ofsted as being among the worst in the country, with more than half of children not reaching the standards expected nationally for 11-year-olds in English, maths and science. Many pupils were leaving without the skills they needed to make good progress in secondary school.

Parents were removing children from the school as a result, and prospective parents were choosing other schools. But we looked at the issues that had been raised by Ofsted, and, step by step, we put an action plan in place to address them.

The highest priority was tackling problem behaviour.

Behaviour overhaul When I first joined Wistaston, it was a challenging environment. Children were fighting each other and swearing at staff. We frequently had to contain some pupils because of the level of violence. This had damaged staff morale, and many teachers were considering leaving the school.

To address this, we started by implementing a back-to-basics policy on behaviour, which was similar to the checklist recommended by the Government’s behaviour expert, Charlie Taylor. Rules of conduct in the school are now displayed in every classroom. Sanctions are swift. We

Empowering children to learn

ensure pupils are rewarded for good behaviour and achievement.

Catering for children with differing abilities can be a challenge for teachers. But getting this right can make a real difference to behaviour levels in a lesson. We ensure our teachers are given time to prepare engaging learning resources in advance. They make learning objectives clear at the beginning of every lesson, and are encouraged to praise their pupils for good work and behaviour. This helps to keep the children focused in class.

One of our success stories is a little boy who returned to the school in September this year, having previously left after a difficult period.

He had major behavioural problems.

English is not his first language, and this was one of the attributing factors.

Giving him extra help to improve his English has had a dramatic impact on his progress at school.

As with all our pupils, we track both the boy’s good and bad behaviour by recording incidents

Once we had begun to see a difference in behaviour at the school, we knew we had the right environment to focus on raising the achievement of pupils. As with many schools in disadvantaged areas, we support several pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties who arrive with a low academic starting point. This presents another challenge in raising attainment.

One of the most important changes we introduced was to set achievable targets for every child. We monitor how the child is performing against those targets in the MIS and intervene if they start to fall behind.

We motivate them to hit targets by holding regular reward activities, including discos and ‘golden time’.

One boy who has been in the school since reception had social issues that made it difficult for him to cope with school. After setting targets and monitoring his response to the interventions to support him, his teachers began to realise that he thrives on being given responsibility, so we decided to increase such opportunities.

A recent example occurred when his scooter was stolen from the grounds. In the past, this would have triggered his most challenging behaviour. Instead, teachers focused his efforts on taking control – suggesting he create a ‘wanted’ poster, and asking him to mention it in assembly. Sadly, his scooter never turned up. But we avoided a major downward turn in his behaviour.

Now in Year Five, he is doing well both academically and socially. His older brother who had been at the school a few years earlier had left without being able to read, which without the right intervention could have been the case for this little boy.

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SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT The progress he has made was shown when he welcomed visitors, including several other head teachers, to the school last week. Several comments were made about what a delightful and welcoming boy he was.

Data-driven leadership Recording behaviour and achievement information on the MIS has allowed a step change in the way we manage the school.

The data is used to back our decision-making process.

Being able to access an accurate record of every child’s attainment enables the senior leadership team to see how individuals and groups of children are performing, and to tackle the legacy of underachievement head-on. For example, we can look at the progress of boys who are statemented against their peers quickly and easily. This enables us to understand what action is needed to close the achievement gap.

With details of behaviour recorded on our MIS, we can also spot patterns and pinpoint when or why poor behaviour is happening. We could identify that behaviour incidents often occur in a Monday morning maths lesson, for example. Knowing this allows us to consider changing the time of the lesson or introducing more exciting resources to the classroom at the start of the day.

As the school is attended by many looked-after children, we need to record a lot of details about their provision and progress.

Being able to store this data in one place ensures staff can access this important information.

We can also ensure that no child is left out when it comes to rewards, as we can keep track of how many times a child has been ‘celebrated’.

We want to ensure everyone gets mentioned in assembly at some point.

The leadership team encourage wider use of our MIS across the school. We have produced a ‘how-to’ guide on the school’s computer network to help teachers create different reports, such as looking at SEN versus non-SEN or charting the progress of Year Three girls.

This ensures better decision-making across the school.

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Motivating staff In a school the size and complexity of Wistaston (70 staff across three buildings), introducing daily staff briefings has been a necessity. They provide a chance for staff to share problems and positive stories and have helped to develop camaraderie.

The briefings also help to provide teachers with ideas. For example, our inclusion manager was discussing ‘buddying up’ Year Six pupils with younger children to help them with their reading. Looking at each child’s record helped us decide who should buddy with whom.

Drawing in family and community Getting families involved in school life is critical to improving standards.

In our school, this has had a positive impact on parents’ and pupils’ views on learning. As well as offering classes on a variety of topics, including first aid and ICT, we provide opportunities for parents to see what their children are working on.

An artist recently came into the school to create Roald Dahl sculptures with Year Three pupils.

The children made models of some of the author’s characters. Children were then asked to create a

PowerPoint presentation about what they’d been doing, which we invited parents into school to watch.

One popular social event we hold for parents and the local community is our fortnightly bingo evening. This fundraising event attracts parents into the school on a more regular basis and helps them to get to know staff better.

Several Polish children have recently joined the school, so we invited their parents in to help with translation in the classroom and arranged Polish-focused social events, which have helped to make both the children and parents feel part of the school community.

A team effort The improvement we have seen at Wistaston in emerging from special measures could not have been achieved without the support of the staff, governors, parents and children.

Our story shows that, with hard work and commitment, it is possible for any school, in any circumstance, to make the changes necessary to improve outcomes for children.

Our whole school takes pride in the caring ethos we have created and the ability of our teachers to shape a curriculum that meets the needs of every child. We believe that, with continued effort, we will achieve ‘outstanding’ status in our next Ofsted inspection. That will be the icing on the cake for a school that was once near the bottom of the league tables.

You can find out more information about Charlie Taylor’s behaviour checklist here: bit.ly/oUeJkj

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Accept Visa payments to make your life easier.

It’s quicker than banking a cheque and better for cash flow as funds are usually received within 2-4 business days. It also offers parents more payment choice and flexibility, allowing them to pay in person, over the phone or online 24/7. So to make payments for school fees, uniforms, trips or clubs easier for everyone, swot up on how Visa could help you and your school.

To find out how your school can accept Visa, visit visa.co.uk/schools

Life flows better with Visa

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INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

The only way is ICT

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The London Borough of Havering is putting ICT at the core of learning in its primary schools, reports Joy Persaud

Using handheld technology meant more children could engage with the learning at the same time rather than having to wait in the ICT suite

SAM KESTEVEN

T

he provision of ICT in the London Borough of Havering is starting to make tiny waves around the world. It can be argued, with some justification, that Havering’s primary schools are leading the way for the rest of the country. But some schools are taking it further and have been involved in collaborations with the Japanese Ministry of Education, which would once have been likened to ‘selling coals to Newcastle’.

One such school is Scargill Junior School in Rainham.

Amanda Ireland, head teacher of the award-winning, twice ICT Mark-accredited school, tells LF: “We have hosted three visits from the Japanese Ministry and one from Iceland. The purpose of all the visits was to look at how we use ICT in the learning process and how it is implemented across the curriculum. The contact was made through the local authority advisory team, because they recognise the good practice within the school.

The visitors were impressed by what they saw, she says.

“The feedback from all the visitors has been very positive.

The comments were mainly about how impressed they were with the high level of skills are children have, how much they enjoy their learning and how it helps them learn, and the fact that we use information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance and improve the learning rather than simply learning how to use the kit.”

One example of the school’s innovation is that it has opted to introduce handheld technology – the Nintendo DS – as it was the easiest, most accessible option for pupils.

Amanda explains: “We were looking to increase the capacity of technology in the school, where there was maximum ratio of devices to children but minimum cost.

It meant more children could engage with the learning at the same time rather than having to wait their turn in the ICT suite, which was timetabled for once a week.

“Many of the games involved problem-solving and mathematical skills – we could build on and use these skills in maths lessons; teachers did not need to be particularly skilled in using the equipment; and if a piece of equipment got damaged or broken, the school was in a position to replace it fairly easily.” The school has since led workshops and provided support for others interested in following suit.

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INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

WHAT DO SCHOOLS NEED TO DO TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT ICT – AND TEACH IT WELL? Amanda Ireland (pictured), head teacher at Scargill Junior School in Rainham, believes the fundamentals are: a strong leadership drive, clear strategic vision, financial commitment from the governors, and the ability to create opportunities to be innovative. As for the teaching staff, she ensures that everyone is aware of the expectation for pupils to access and experience the ICT available.

Amanda tells LF: “It is obvious there are some members of staff who are more confident with particular devices and programs than others – we then encourage staff to be innovative and creative in their thinking to suit these areas of expertise.

However, it is noticeable that teacher confidence and competence are improving as more staff have access to their own smartphones, iPods and iPads.

“Knowing how to use the technology available can be easily resolved through staff training, which we plan in at regular intervals through our CPD programme. Staff are encouraged to explore suitable apps, software and programs for a particular aspect of the curriculum, which develops and extends the learning,” she says.

“Teachers may try it with their own class before sharing it with the rest of the staff. Also, we use our children to explore and find out what a piece of software can do, and then use them to teach the other children, and the staff, how to use it.”

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targets in ICT. While it remains a legal requirement for schools to teach the subject, the London Borough of Havering wanted to keep its pupils ahead of the game, so it rewrote its entire ICT curriculum.

Dave Smith, ICT adviser and part of Havering School Improvement Services (HSIS), believes it is vital to underpin pupils’ knowledge of technology so they are aware of how to apply it practically.

He tells LF: “Part of the motivation was that schools have been asking for a new approach to the curriculum. The QCA curriculum was developed in the late 1990s, and an incredible amount of change has taken place since then.

With this in mind, we found a partner – Rising Stars [an educational publishing specialist] – and worked with it to produce a programme for our schools. It’s called Switched on ICT [see box, far right].”

Dave says that the borough’s schools have been supportive from day one. “The publisher has a proven track record. The resources were professionally produced, and it was easy for teachers to pick them up and work with them.”

The borough’s new ICT curriculum was trialled successfully, and is now in place in all its primary schools – and even in some that are outside its jurisdiction. There are 1,500 schools using the programme nationally and it has been syndicated for use in New Zealand and Australia.

Nigel Hooton, ICT leader at St Peter’s Catholic Primary School in Romford, Havering, says that the programme allows his school to develop “a more distinct offering, focusing on our creative strengths”. One feature of this is the creation of resources by the children, designed to feed back into the learning of others within the school.

“We try to concentrate on skills that are not dependent on any one technology, but will enable children to embrace innovations as they arrive,” he says. “Our current scheme allows children to operate at a wider spectrum of abilities and knowledge levels. A lot of the activity is in mixed-ability pairs and groups. We believe the mentoring element is a powerful tool in embedding knowledge in the more able.

“The design of the half-termly units is such that they can be taught in numerous contexts to complement other curriculum content – this means that ICT can be delivered during other subjects’ curriculum time, such as in geography or history, as well as supporting those subjects.”

Pupils’ work usually results in the creation of some kind of artefact, which helps them to see the point of the work

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WHAT ABOUT PUPILS FROM LOWERINCOME HOMES OR WHO LACK HOME ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY? Iain Gunn, head teacher, national lead educator and free-school proposer at St Peter’s CE Primary School in Brentwood, has been mindful of this concern.

“The only at-home activity we have is ‘My Maths’, and we run homework clubs before or after school, so any child who has problems getting online can still do their work,” he says.

“Having three computers in each class also helps, as some children choose to do their homework at lunch or break. With the parents, we know the ones who have not got access to a computer, so we still send these parents paper copies of everything.

“We have a great school association, and our governors realise the potential of ICT, so we budget for our improvements. We audited where we were and where we wanted to be in five years, and have carefully planned out a way to afford it.”

they carry out – this makes them more motivated during lessons and at home, where they can continue to work on projects, explains Nigel.

To obtain the best value for money, he uses a mixture of purchasing and leasing for hardware, and licensing and subscriptions for software. St Peter’s, as with other participating schools, also accesses free open-source software, such as Scratch, a programming language that enables users to easily create interactive stories, animation, games, music, and art – and share these on the internet. This allows them to teach mathematical and computational ideas, creative thinking, systematic reasoning and collaborative working.

Using trusted companies that can provide a reasonable service agreement as part of a package can also save teacher time and avoid downtime for the children, says Nigel.

“We ask ourselves if we really need something upgraded.

We have held on to some older equipment that works fine, if more slowly than newer models. After a recent survey, we also used some of our pupil premium to purchase laptops to give extra internet access for children at school, who may not have the opportunity at home, to use some of the educational services to which we have subscribed.

“We have stopped short of providing equipment to take home, but this could be an option for the future, as our learning platform is becoming a more important part of our out-of-school offering.”

But these success stories do raise other concerns. As Amanda points out: “The difficulty now is how KS3 can build on these highly skilled children, as it seems that what has been in place up to this point at secondary-school level does not reflect appropriately where our children are now.”

Dave Smith agrees, stating that pupils going from primary

10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SWITCHED ON ICT IN HAVERING 1

It’s a creative scheme designed to put ICT at the core of learning, to equip pupils with skills they can use in everyday life.

2 The units are flexible, and are written clearly so they can be applied over a number of subjects.

3 Free software enables pupils to access technology from home, but units can also be worked on at school at any time, for those with limited access.

4 The programme has been developed specifically to be used by teachers with various levels of ICT experience and confidence. Schools do not need an ICT specialist to use the scheme.

5 It’s a one-off purchase that doesn’t require the school to buy a subscription or licence.

6 If and when the curriculum changes, the scheme will be updated and participants notified.

7 Switched on ICT aims to give pupils transferable skills. For instance, using blogs has raised literacy attainment.

8 Schools can pick units that complement the way the scheme already works – it’s not prescriptive.

9 Units can be moved from year to year, and links to other units are given at the end of each module.

10 Each teacher’s guide contains a cross-reference to all curriculum areas, including PSHE, PE and RE.

For further details, visit www.switchedonict.co.uk or call 0800 091 1602

to secondary can stagnate if expected to perform at a level lower than their abilities. To help combat this, Havering’s secondary schools are included in network meetings, and share best practice with the borough’s primaries.

It remains to be seen how the ICT initiatives in Havering will be affected when the new curriculum comes into force in September 2014. But Dave is confident that the measures will have plenty of worth, going forward: “It’s an ongoing process – we are reviewing what works and what doesn’t.

We are in changeable and challenging times in terms of school improvement, but we are very confident that what we have produced will fit into the new curriculum.”

And Nigel Hooton states: “It is essential that children are equipped with the ability to adapt, recognise opportunities, make connections, communicate intuitively and collaborate effectively – both for the success of their education and for their life beyond. By the time the younger members of our school community start their working life, our current tools will be mostly obsolete. Children need to use the footholds of current technology merely to support themselves as they gain the ability to travel confidently. I would say this is our goal, but we are crossing our fingers that our momentum will not be deflected come September 2014.”

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SIXTH-FORM PROJECTS

Former head teacher Margaret Turnbull was determined to make a difference when she learned about the plight of Aids orphans in South Africa.

By Susan Young

The transformers A

s a head teacher, Margaret Turnbull was used to making a difference. First of all, to the pupils in her own school and, later, to the crisis-hit secondaries into which she was parachuted to support and develop management.

So, it’s unsurprising that in retirement she has found a new way of making a difference or ‘putting something back’. The surprise is how many people her project, in collaboration with the Hillcrest Aids Charity, helps, from sixth-formers in London to Aids orphans (children whose parents have died from the disease) in South Africa.

The project provides life-transforming experiences for the sixth-formers, for whom most gap-year trips would be unaffordable; improves teaching and learning in some of the most deprived schools in South Africa; and helps fund the basics for Aids orphans.

The event that started Margaret down this route came while she was attending a conference in South Africa on women and Aids, at a time when she was working as a consultant to failing schools, including the notorious Islington Arts and Media School in London.

A distant relative living near Durban took her to visit the Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust in the Valley of a Thousand Hills.

“What I saw there made me realise I couldn’t walk away.

I went into the township and really started to understand the impact of the pandemic on the children. I had to do something to help,” she says.

Margaret contacted the Aids centre, and spent a lot of time going through its financial records with them. “They were totally open and I went through the lot. I’m very thorough, and if I was going to go into UK schools to raise funds for them I had to be absolutely confident.”

As Margaret learned more about the orphans attending schools, but unable to buy books, uniforms or equipment and so “sticking out like a sore thumb”, her plans crystallised. “It’s bad enough to lose their parents, but the other issues on top aren’t fair.”

Visiting the Hillcrest orphans’ schools, and observing their Aids and HIV prevention work, developed the fundraising idea. “My mind started to see something really special – that we could do something in the township schools, and also with socioeconomically deprived children in the UK. “I’d been working in these really challenging schools as a consultant – schools with similar kinds of issues. The two just related. I started thinking of taking sixth-formers out there, and in 2005 we took our first group of 10 students, myself and a teacher.”

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Sixth-formers no longer just decorate classrooms, they also help to teach the pupils and play with them at break times

‘I started to see something special – that we could do something in the township schools, and also with socioeconomically deprived children in the UK’ The first group simply decorated classrooms, but feedback showed that the sixth-formers wanted to do more – to teach and play with the local pupils. So the party size doubled, the programme developed, and now there are three trips every two years.

The unusual factor is the nature of the visiting UK group: they come from ‘struggling’ families, in now-excellent London schools where Margaret has worked at one time or another. They raise their own funds, with school support.

She explains how the costs compare with other projects: “Project Raleigh is £5,600 now, and these children can’t begin to think about it. We make no profit on our trips.

The families involved can’t even contemplate £3,000.”

Hillcrest visits cost students £1,250 last year, mostly in flights and hiring transport: the charity’s trustees also insist on a £50 surcharge per head to cover Margaret’s own flights.

For those chosen to take part – about one in four of those interested – there are “huge” changes in store, she says. “The 2006 group still communicate, and the 2007 group meet up at least once a year. Some contact me to say they want to go back, and the charity sets up work and opportunities. One boy was totally transformed: he returns to South Africa in January 2013 to start teacher training in a former whitesonly school. He plans to go back to the townships and work.

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SIXTH-FORM PROJECTS

LIFE IN A DAY: SIXTH-FORMERS IN SOUTH AFRICA

A township school before and after (bottom right) funds had been spent on a transformation

He wants to live in South Africa. He’s a musician, and he’s been going back since 2008.

“A young lady who went out there in 2011 was going to read English at university, but she returned home and said: ‘I’m going to read law instead. I’m going to specialise, so when I am qualified I can make a difference.’”

The UK students experience hard work and culture shock, learning to plan and teach good lessons to pupils with life experiences a world away from their own, in places that most white South Africans believe are dangerous.

Once in South Africa, there are surprises that come from living with their affluent host families – one is that it would be too dangerous for them to live in the townships. Going out at night isn’t an option either as there’s no public transport, and walking is discouraged.

Then, there is the reaction of the township children to their new friends. “The youngest ones just want to be cuddled and have the students play with them. We called one boy the Pied Piper: wherever he went he was surrounded by little children. He had total control. They didn’t understand a word he said, but he formed these relationships. It was beautiful. We do warn them to be very careful and never offer any sweets or anything, because they will be mobbed. They don’t have to go out at play time, but they all choose to.”

Margaret adds: “As a head, I thought that PSHE was extremely important, and this takes it to a level that would never be experienced by kids except on this trip. They learn what real poverty is and it transforms them. I get very positive feedback from the schools: they say the children go on about the experience for months.”

For their part, the orphans get financial help that can make a huge difference, while township schools get a facelift, the knowledge that people care, and training in UK methods of teaching, assessment, and discipline – which means interactive teaching, and ‘not hitting’ to control behaviour.

Children and their untrained teachers share the lessons.

Margaret explains: “When we get to South Africa, we start with a weekend safari, with at least two hours’ lesson planning on top. Each sixth-former has to be able to teach four good lessons, along with having strategies related to behaviour management.”

Lessons are for half of each Grade 7 (Year 8) class at a time, for pupils with better English and who are often older than their school year, after having nursed sick and dying parents. Separately, Margaret is working with township and former whites-only schools, helping them to model modern 38

7.30am: Join the minibus to the township.

8am: Start work in township school. They decorate (washing down walls, filling holes, painting and completing murals requested by teachers) about eight classrooms in 10 days or teach (maths, English, music, art, drama and sport). At break times, choose whether to play with children or relax quietly.

3.30pm: Minibus leaves township.

4pm: Return to host families.

Weekends: Two out of the three weekends spent with host families, and one on safari with the group.

teaching, management and assessment to their neighbours.

“My aim is to develop a long-term relationship with the right schools. The heads identify what they need to do and I help. One South African school wanted to do a complete restructure and focus on progress: the principal and viceprincipal came to the UK and I took them into different schools. Their planning is now in place, and it’s going to roll out in January.

“But while we use KS2 to measure progression, in South Africa there is nothing before matriculation at 18. So we’ve been setting up what the criterion reference would be in Year 8 or Year 10, so they can start marking and using assessment for learning and telling the children what they need to do to improve.”

Both Margaret and her English sixth-formers are thriving on the experience. “It’s about saying ‘change is within the powers of the child’, and giving them an opportunity’ knowing it will be with them for the rest of their lives.

“And it’s about sustainability. When I was a consultant, my job was to go in, work with senior teams and walk away.

If I was still needed, I had failed. The best way we can leave South Africa is with self-sustaining projects, so that other people say: ‘Wow, we can do that.’”

For more information, visit www.hillcrestaids.org.uk

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19/12/2012 16:27

Neglect is the most common form of child abuse The 1933 law on neglect is basic and out of date It doesn’t prevent neglect and leaves children at risk

Help us keep children safe Join our campaign to change the law Text neglect3 and your email address to 88080 or visit www.actionforchildren.org.uk/neglectlawchange

Design by Dinah, 14, who has been supported by Action for Children services Text will cost your standard network charge. Providing your email address is optional. If you choose to text neglect to 88080 you are opting-in to receive further information about Action for Children by text message and email. Please contact 0300 123 2112 for further information.

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Difficult subjects SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Former head teacher Alan Sudbury lost his son to leukaemia.

Here, he talks about his commitment to saving more lives and how he handles ‘sensitive’ presentations in schools

Coloured scanning electron micrograph of red and white blood cells from a patient with lymphoblastic leukaemia

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HEALTH PRESENTATIONS

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s professional educators we need not shy away from tackling difficult subjects with our students. If these subjects are handled correctly and with sensitivity, students will rise to the challenge and demonstrate maturity beyond their years. This is a lesson that I have learned the hard way.

Retiring at 55 to spend time in the garden and to sunbathe in the south of France seemed the perfect antidote after my 10 years of headship in two challenging schools. Unfortunately, after a year of bliss, the wheels came off when our son Adrian Sudbury, a 27-year-old journalist, developed leukaemia. In fact, he had two forms of the disease, the second type being aggressive and complicated.

His only chance of survival was a stem-cell transplant. He was lucky, as he found a match from a 30-year-old German woman. Initially this was successful, but unfortunately the second aggressive type came back, and he died a year later, in 2008.

When Adrian was given his terminal diagnosis, he wanted to do two things.

First, he wanted to go out in a ‘blaze of glory’ – and boy, did he do this. He came back to us for the end, and for several weeks we ‘partied’, as his friends and family came to say goodbye. We ate a great deal and drank far too much, and there was happiness among the tears and the sadness.

But second, and more importantly, he wanted every 16- to 18-year-old in the country to be made aware about blood, stem-cell and organ donation.

He wanted to bust the myths surrounding donation, especially bone marrow or stem-cell donation.

During his illness, Adrian had written a successful blog called ‘Baldy’s Blog’ which won national and international awards. He also had a

high-profile media campaign called ‘Sign Up For Sudders’. And in a sixweek period when he was very ill, he went to 10 Downing Street and spent 45 minutes with the Prime Minister, who was very supportive of what Adrian wanted to do and provided some money for our organisation Register & Be a Lifesaver (R&Be), to be created after Adrian’s death.

Three years later, R&Be has grown into the organisation it is today, with more than 72 fully trained volunteer presenters. We are now funded by Anthony Nolan, the blood cancer charity, and work in partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant.

What R&Be does is beautiful in its simplicity. Our trained volunteer presenters provide sixth-form students with the facts about blood, stem-cell and organ donation, to raise their awareness, so they can make informed choices. We stress that it is absolutely fine to say ‘No’, but we would rather people say ‘No’ knowing the facts.

R&Be has now been into more than 700 schools and spoken to 64,000 students. We are in five areas of the country:Yorkshire, Merseyside, the Midlands, London and Bristol.

Each presentation lasts 40-50 minutes, and the message is powerful.

We find the students become engaged following the presentation and ‘want to do something’. Many have gone on to join the Anthony Nolan stem-cell register, enrolled to become blood donors, or joined the organ register.

Students – and many of the staff – are often surprised to learn how easy it is to join the stem-cell register. All they need to do is spit into a tube. This is not difficult for many of our students.

This saliva is later analysed for tissue matching. They are also surprised to learn that they may never ‘get the call’ as there is only a 1:1,000 chance of CONTINUED ON PAGE 42 ➧ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 ● LEADERSHIP FOCUS

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HEALTH PRESENTATIONS

ever becoming a match. When we tell students if they need a transplant that if they are white Caucasian there is a 90 per cent chance of finding a stem-cell match, but if they belong to an ethnicminority group the chance drops to 40 per cent, there is often shock and in some schools an audible gasp.

In 2013, race should not be an issue, but in tissue matching it is a huge factor. Encouraging more black and minority ethnic students to speak to parents and join the stem-cell register is part of what we do.

We also explain to students the two methods of donating if they do come up as a match. This explanation busts the myths about pain and ‘cracking open’ spines when they discover that in 80 per cent of cases stem cells are taken from the blood and in 20 per cent from the pelvis under anaesthetic.

R&Be is becoming so successful, that in many schools and colleges we are also running recruitment events. We give a presentation to students to raise awareness, and several days later we bring in ‘spit kits’ to recruit. We stress commitment, as we would not want anyone to join the register but back out if called as a match later. We build in time for reflection, and encourage students to speak to parents before they commit to doing anything whether it be to ‘spit in a tube’, become a blood donor or join the organ register.

In some schools and colleges, R&Be is returning to speak to students for a fourth year. The presentation involves sensitive and emotionally charged areas, so we ask schools to notify students or staff who may have been bereaved or touched by cancer, and to give them the option not to attend.

DOS AND DON’TS FOR ‘SENSITIVE’ PRESENTATIONS DO… • If it is important, provide sufficient time.

• Set the room correctly – not too warm. Open windows if necessary.

• Students need to be seated. No standing.

• Pre-warn students or staff who may be directly affected. Provide the option not to attend.

• Give students the option to leave. This permission is a very useful psychological ‘trigger’.

• Constantly scan the audience. You can identify anyone who is looking distressed but other staff may not, as they are looking at you too.

Be prepared to stop, and encourage the person to leave. A member of staff should go with them.

• Depending on the issue, allow time for questions. Many will not want to do this publicly, so be available to talk confidentially afterwards.

DON’T… • Mix the message. Sensitive issues should not be discussed at the same time as a moan about ‘litter in the common room’.

• Embarrass the students. Before I was introduced to the students in one school, a member of staff began by saying, ‘If any one of you knows of someone with cancer or has recently died, then leave now.’

• Forget the name of the presenter.

All of our presenters repeat this warning at the start of each presentation by saying to the students, ‘If you feel at all uncomfortable at any stage, please feel free to leave quietly’.

By giving permission in this way, a student will leave sooner, whereas before it may have led to someone remaining and fainting.

I am often asked why I do the presentations. Terms such as ‘what a legacy’, ‘coming to terms with your loss’, or ‘helping to move on’ are used frequently. However, I do it because it is a good idea. It was a wonderful

WHY 16- 18-YEAR-OLDS? Science indicates that there is a greater chance of a donor being selected if they are in the age group 16-30. This is because younger donors are shown to provide better patient outcomes. Although an older person might be a perfect tissue match, there is a greater chance they might have another medical condition that would prevent them donating. Underlying medical problems are far less likely among 16- 18-year-olds. Registering at this age also speeds up the process between matching and donation. If someone joins at 16, they stay on the register for 44 years.

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moment when we were told of the first student who, following one of our presentations, had joined the register, gone on to donate and saved a life.

It is a simple equation. The more young people are made aware, the more young people are on the register, the greater chance of finding a match, then the more lives can be saved.

Having been a head teacher, I know the pressures you are under. But I also believe that it should be possible for any school or college to find 40-50 minutes at some time when we can speak to your sixth-form students.

We are flexible, and always try to fit in with your curriculum and timetable commitments, to best meet the needs of your students. Our presentations fit into extended assemblies, tutor periods, PSHE, enrichment, or health week.

We have also been asked into schools during Ofsted visits.

So, if you are in one of our areas and believe your students would benefit from this awareness raising about blood, stem-cell and organ donation, contact 020 7284 8264 or email katie.campling@ anthonynolan.org

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19/12/2012 16:27

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www.nfer.ac.uk/ntlf JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 ● LEADERSHIP FOCUS

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PUPIL ENGAGEMENT

The Winston Churchill School

re-engaging the disengaged What do you do when you have a group of students who are in danger of dropping out? Steve Smethurst discovers the options include setting up a beauty salon

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lmost every school has a cohort that struggles to engage with the curriculum.

There can be a host of reasons. It could problems at home, a peer group that takes a dim view of schoolwork, or a lack of interest in the subjects on offer.

Stuart Phillips, business manager at The Winston Churchill School in Woking, Surrey, acknowledges that, for some of his school’s students, it was all these and more. Last year, as he assessed the pupils who were causing most concern at the specialist sports college, he realised that a new approach was needed. Somehow, the school needed to find interventions that would work for a sizeable number of students who were in danger of failing to realise their potential.

His starting point was to speak to those pupils in Years 10 and 11 who were in this situation. “Would this work?” he asked, “Or this?” Having heard their answers, he turned to the internet to find out if any other schools had tried similar ideas, whether in the UK or worldwide.

Then, working with the rest of the school leadership team he then set about looking at budgets and providers to see if his plans could actually be put into practice. The good news is that they could and, only a few months in, the school is starting to see a big increase in commitment, even from previous non-attenders. It’s been a multi-pronged approach, with a variety of course offerings ranging from football to catering and beauty therapy. Students don’t just ‘do’ the activities either. In football, for example, students are given the opportunity to coach primary school children. The idea is that all courses are open to both boys and girls, and that they all lead to a qualification.

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“It’s about finding out what switches people on, then finding angles to support students and their learning.” he says. “They seem to like the creative aspects. If you’re dealing with children who are struggling with the general curriculum, they find it easier to engage if there’s no right or wrong answer. On the catering course, for example, we had six groups who did a presentation of the same food.

There were no right or wrong answers - it’s about interpretation, working in groups and solving problems.We’ve also brought in a successful female radio presenter to explain about her job, as music is big draw for these youngsters.”

Other students are taking a qualification in rock climbing - and this attracts more girls than boys. “It’s important for us to encourage girls into sport as this is the age when a lot of them start to drop out of sports,” says Stuart.

Perhaps the most ambitious course is the beauty therapy one. Stuart’s initial vision was that he wanted to set up a working beauty salon at the school, run by the students.

“That’s my ultimate vision,” he says.

He insists that the course should not be viewed as a stereotypical offering for girls – it is open to boys too, although none have shown an interest so far. “We look to see if students show a connection to it – if they don’t embrace it, we try them with something else” And rockclimbing is proving the most popular alternative so far.

The course stretches them too. There is an external tutor, they have to work with adults, learn client analysis, plan, be organised with their equipment and they have to give advice. “As a student, giving advice to someone else is a powerful thing that improves their confidence,” says Stuart.

“Also, within their year groups, their peer standing could be

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higher and for girls aged 14-16 a lot of peer status comes from a knowledge of fashion and beauty.”

The long-term plan is to have a group of girls running an after-school company. Once they have the necessary skills. “We will look to set up marketing activities and to offer a menu of services to their peers. They will charge only a small fee - say £1 for a manicure – but all the money they make will fund improvements to the facility.”

The school has created a class in both Year Nine and Year 10, each of which comprises 10 girls. The school has engaged a tutor from ISIS Beauty Academy, a furthereducation specialist, to come to the school for one day a fortnight, during which time she teaches both classes.

One of the first challenges for Stuart was to find an appropriate classroom. Fortunately, the school had an area that was underused and this was converted into a ‘salon’.

“It’s about finding out what switches people on, then finding angles to support students and their learning” “It is quite small,” says Stuart, “but large, underused rooms are few and far between.” It has five ‘ports’, so pairs of girls can work together. All the things you’d normally see in a treatment room are in there. The girls wear beauty therapy tunics during the lessons and follow salon etiquette – wearing their hair up and with no nail varnish. Any homework is rebranded as ‘assignments’ to make it sound more ‘college-like’. They are also given their own make-up kits to practise what they’ve learned, along with NVQ Level One books to support their learning.

The school was able to kit out the salon and pay for the tutor from school funds – taking some money from the pupil premium. “We want to change some of the

behaviours that go on around the school. The majority of girls qualify under the pupil premium in their own right, but it’s hard to limit interventions like this to just pupilpremium children. So some of the money does go on children that don’t necessarily qualify it (but due to specific circumstances probably should); otherwise you’re putting people into interventions for the sake of it.”

Stuart says that the results, so far, are promising. Certainly, two ‘school refusers’ have started to attend not just the lessons, but school as a whole, on a regular basis. “Bearing in mind it’s only one a fortnight (soon to be weekly), and they only started in September, engagement in the courses is very good. They’re extremely switched on to anything creative.

I can honestly say I have never seen them so enthused.”

The course has also given the students an idea of where to go in future careers. Course tutor Staci Whiting has previously worked on cruise liners, which has got the girls thinking about travelling the world and being independent.

Stuart is aware that the experiment needs handling carefully. “We don’t want anyone to regard it as a ‘naughty kids’ club. It was never about that. The children in these categories don’t ‘get’ how important school is in the rest of their lives. For the ones who are embracing it, we’re looking at college courses for them.”

He has been especially delighted to see some of the girls in a different light. “Within a few hours, they’ve been doing a proper manicure. I realise it’s not advanced nail art (although they will progress to that) but even a basic manicure is good for youngsters who we’d looked at as having very low self-esteem and no confidence.

“We’re not just looking at beauty, but also how it fits into an overall concept alongside colours and fashion. I’m not going to sit here and say that it’s all working perfectly, as for a lot of these students it’s not ‘cool’ to like school. But all the courses we are running mean that we are seeing a change in them. Now, we just need to find the right mix of children and the type of delivery that works for them.”

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HEALTH & SAFETY

Handle with care Exposure to wild animals might excite your students, but you could be risking their health, warns Clifford Warwick 6,000 infections annually in the UK alone. Evidence suggests that people with exposure to reptiles are 17 times more likely to experience sickness than those without reptile contact.

Furthermore, zoonotic diseases often superficially resemble everyday illnesses such as gastrointestinal, respiratory and flu-like ailments, and may go undiagnosed for some time.

Unfortunately, health advice on hygiene has seen an over-reliance on the protective value of hand washing.

There is no doubt that it is important and may greatly reduce contaminants.

But bacteria are spread easily beyond hands to hair, clothes, door handles, walls and many more surfaces and can be passed to humans for days or weeks.

Recontamination of ‘cleaned’ hands is

therefore easily done, and germ avoidance in practice is extremely difficult once exposure has taken place.

Our advice to school leaders, therefore, is on preventing exposure and carefully supervised management.

Clearly, there is a benefit to the education of children through responsible, carefully planned and managed animal interaction. However, the school environment, along with the home, is not the place for children and exotic animals to interact.

We suggest that children encounter ‘wild’ animals only via dedicated ‘safe zones’ in mainstream zoos and under the supervision of specialist zoo teachers. These trips would offer an opportunity to educate children on the animals they see there and also on the organisms and particles (parasites, bacteria, viruses) that they don’t see, but are present on the animals.

Clifford Warwick is a scientific consultant at the Emergent Disease Foundation (emergentdisease.org) For an NAHT advice document on Managing risk assessment, go to www.naht.org.uk and search for ‘SM13’

PET SUBJECTS • Never keep exotic animals in schools.

• Advise pupils not to keep exotic animals as pets.

• Do not organise trips to petting zoos.

• Plan all animal-contact experiences in association with mainstream zoos and ensure staff are fully trained.

CORBIS

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ost people harbour some level of fascination with nature. As children, we are brought up with toy animals and taught to ‘roar’ or ‘moo’ on cue, so it’s no surprise that animals attract a child’s attention and excitement.

Likewise, there can be little doubt that many people derive enjoyment and comfort from interaction with animals. Studies indicate that it can lead to mental calmness and benefit some physical conditions, such as reducing high blood pressure. Our human immune system may even be boosted by limited exposure to animals – a benefit that is usually linked to dogs.

But unlike dogs and cats, which share their lives with us, exotic or ‘wild’ pets are typically kept in cages or enclosures. In the case of reptiles – an increasingly popular pet – it isn’t particularly good for the animal. At least 75 per cent die prematurely within their first year in the home.

This is compounded by other concerns, one of which is an emerging awareness of pet-related human disease or ‘zoonoses’.

Around 61 per cent of human diseases may be of potentially zoonotic origin. We also know that stressed captive animals, rather than free-living wildlife, are more likely to shed germs. There are at least 70 zoonoses associated with captive exotic pets, zoo animals and circuses.

Fortunately, trips to zoos and wildlife centres are relatively safe. They present a low risk, largely due to public attendance being infrequent, whereas exotic pets present permanent exposure to germs in the domestic environment.

Reptile-related salmonellosis, for example, may be responsible for up to

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Recycle your magazine and seven days later it could come back as your newspaper.

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I Stephen Twigg MP; Mary Bousted, Tim Rylands and David Brown (OFSTED)

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Speakers include:

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I Microsoft, BCSE, ALT, Teaching Leaders, UCISA, Digital Me, E-skills, Pearson, National Education Trust,

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Harnessing technology to inspire and improve

Get involved and contribute to debates on the future of the ICT curriculum

I Francis Gilbert, Emma Mulqueeny, Mary Bousted, Brian Lightman, Maggie Philbin, Dr Alice Roberts, Professor Tanya Byron, David Baugh (Apple Distinguished Educator), Yvonne Baker (Myscience) Bob Harrison, Gareth Ritter, Genevieve Smith-Nunes, Niel McLean (NFER), David Mitchell, Pat Jefferson (NET), Martin Doel, Brian Lightman, Lynne Sedgemore, Spencer Kelly and many other inspirational education professionals.

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Register FREE at www.educationinnovation.co.uk JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 ● LEADERSHIP FOCUS

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ROUND-UP

WHAT’S NEW?

The latest products, books and teaching resources My School Improvement p Doodle Book

By Ben Keeling Independent Thinking Press £9.99

Ben Keeling, a graphic designer turned school leader, d has h used his talent as an artist to think about school improvement. The result is a collection of simple, yet thought-provoking, drawings on 50 themes. Some themes will sound relatively conventional, such as ‘Targets’, ‘Transition’ and ‘The art of leadership’, while others are more quirky, such as ‘Educational obesity’, and ‘Communican’t’. The book is intended as a stimulus to thinking – the publisher suggests it could be left lying around in the staffroom, or used for staff meetings, leadership team away-days or fullschool Inset sessions.

Climate C lim matee cchampions hampions Stu Students udeentss w will ill have havve the thee chance ch hance to enterr an exciting exccitingg and environmentally envvironm mentallly uuseful seful competition com mpetiitio on d during uringg Climate Cllimaatee Week.

Week. This This An idea to convert fidget power is a period pe perio od of events evventts and and d activities acctivvitiees to into electricity won Redruth school Pool the KS3 prize in 2011 highlight hig ghlightt solutions so oluttions to climate clim mate change, chaangge, which w wh hich ch this th thiss year year is on yea on 4-10 4-10 0 March.

Maarch. h Last Lastt La year, yea ear mo m more ore than than 130,000 tha 130 30 0 00 00 pupils p i s took to took ok part pa part r inn the th h Climate Climat i a Week We Weeek Challenge, C l n e Challenge Chall which w wh hich ch requires re req qu uire res pupils pu up pils ls to o think thi hin nk up up solutions so solut utions o s to o climate c matee change. clim cha han ngge Prizes P e ranged a g d from om £100 0 Tesco s o gift i cards c r to development e p e t workshops w k h p run u byy professionals pro p offeessio s on naals in n role roles o es suc such uch aass p product rro od du ucct development deevel d elo op pm meen ntt an and and marketing. marke kettin ng. g These T s workshops wo w ork rkssho hop ps en enable enaab blee teams teeaam mss to to ta take takkee th their theeirr ideas d as to to the th the next nex ext stage stag t ge and nd gain gai ain insight ins nsigh ght into in nto to how ho how ideas ide deaass are ar are developed deevveelo op peed iin n ccommercial o om mme merccial i l en eenvironments. nvir v ro on nme men ntts. www.climateweek.com/challenge g

There’s The ere’s aan n aapp pp p p ffor or th that hat rregister eggistter Reggie Reg ggie g e iss a new w smartphone smaartp pho onee app p that allows allo owss tteachers eaacheers to o ta take ake thee sc school cho ooll regist register terr viaa their th heir iPad iPPad orr iiPhone, Phonee, linking linkkingg directly diirecctlyy to o the th he school’s sch hoo ol’s database. daatab base. It It should sho ould d prov prove p ve handy han ndyy for fo or sports p teachers teach herrs taking taakingg the register egiste g ter o on n the the he field, fie f elld, or o for fo for teachers teeache herrs taking t kiing a register tak r i e on n a school sc sch ho oo ol trip, tr , as trip as well w weelll as inn the th the classroom. cllassro s oom It’s t s been be beeen eestimated es stim t matteed d th that thaat using u ng Reggie Re Reggggiee could cou ould ld take ta takee three thr hreeee minutes minu m nute tes offf the o h time t m for fo each c register. g t www.reggie.mobi gg

The Discipline Coach

By Jim Roberson Crown House Publishing £16.99

Jim Roberson, a former American football player, has been working on his ‘disciplined approach’ for more than 20 years as a teacher, trainer, coach and parent. He sees discipline not as something others do to you to get you to behave, but rather as what you do for yourself. He advocates a partnership between children and schools, whereby schools open up to teaching children everything they will need to prosper. In return, children will start to acquire, and then implement, the strategies and benefits that come with self-discipline.

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It’s It t’s a w wrap rap Be©reative, B e© ©reeative,, a ccompetition om mpetiitio on tthat haat asks askss pupils pu upiils aged ageed 11 11 to o 199 tto o champion chaampio p on official offficiaal ttelevision eleevission n aand nd d film over ovver illegal illeeggal downloads do ownlo oad ds,, Last year’s be©creative winner in the 11-14 category was St Matthew iiss d drawing raw win ng to to a close. T The hee ccompetition om mpetitio on w was ass devised deevissed d byy the th he Academy in south-east London charity cha harit r ty Film Film lm Education Ed Edu uccation a on and an and film, film lm, TV T V and and video an vide deo industry ind ndu usstry ry organisation or orgganisatio i t on the he Industry In ndu dusstrry Trust Trru ustt for or IP I Awareness.

Awaarreeness Aw s Entrants Ent ntran ants t should s o d be be finalising finalis i l sing ng th ttheir heeir ca ccampaign amp mpaiiggn – eeither iith heerr a seq sequence equ ueenc nce o off p posters o ossters te s orr a filmed fiilmed med or or animated an anim mat m ateed advert. ad dvveerrt. Emma Emm ma Bull, Bu Bulll head hea ead of o digital d gita dig tal education ed ducat ation on at Film i Education, d a o , tells e LF LF: “The Thee aim T aim m iss to o develop deevel d velo op p co ccommunication, omm mmu un niccation a on, crea creativity, eativ ivity, t persuasion, p er erssuaasio s on, n, cr critical critic t caal thinki thinking h kin ng aan and nd p problem-solving.” rro ob bleem m--sso olvin v ngg. W Wi Winners inner ers in eeach ach a h aage gee category cat ateg ego ory ry w will illl rreceive eeceiv ive an an iPad, iPad Pad, and an nd d their th theeirr school sc sch ho oo ol or o college ccolleg ege receives rec eceeivvees £5,000. ££5,00 000 0. www.filmeducation.org/becreative g

LEADERSHIP FOCUS ● JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

48-49 whats new.indd 48

20/12/2012 12:17

Binoculars Bin nocullarss aatt tthe he rready eaady Thee RSPB RSPB iss running ru unn ningg a birdwatching birrdw watcching project pro ojeect forr schools sch hoo ols across acrross th the he UK K from fro om 21 January Jan nuaary to o 1 February Feb bruaaryy. y Thee Big Bigg Schools’ Sch hoo ols’’ Birdwatch Birdw wattch aims aim ms to encourage en ncouraagge children chi ildrren and an nd their theeir teachers teaccheers to identify ideenttifyy and an nd take takke an an interest intere est in the thee birdss visiting viisitingg their th heirr school scchool grounds gro oun nds or an n open open op e space space sp a e nearby. near e rb byy. The T e birdwatch b rd bir dw waatcch itself itse t ellf takes tak akees jjust u ust an hour, hou our, at at any an nyy time tim t me within withi wi hin that that h t fortnight. fo forrtnig ight A ffree ree ee teachers’ teeac ach heers’ s resource res eso ou urce ce pack pa pacckk provides pr pro ovvide des ideas idea eas and n information. f mat o Suggested S g e e activities a t t s include n u e making ma m akin k ng bird bird i d feeders feeeed deers and d binoculars, bin b no occula u arrs, and an and turning tur urn nin ng classrooms l s om into o bird b hides. d s www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch p g

Curb Cu C urb o on n cclassroom lasssro oom p phone hone u usage saage A smartphone smarttphone app app p that th hat lets letts parents pareentts control conttro ol their th heir child’s ch hild d’s phone pho onee usage us sagge rremotely em mottelyy viaa th their heir PC ccould ou uld help heelp p to to save savve time tim me in the the classroom. cla assroo om.. Al AlphaBlue lph phaBluee allow allows ws p parents arrentts tto ob block lo ock a cchild’s hilld’ss ac access ccesss tto o thee internet, in nterrneet,, social soccial me media edia o orr ttext-messaging extt-m messsaggingg se services. ervvicees. T The hee ap app pp can n prohibit p proh hibiit u use se at certain times, tim mes,, such su uch as during du urin ng school sch hoo ol hours, while wh hile doing d do oing i homework hom omew ewo workk or or after aft fterr a chosen cho hosen en time tiim mee at at night. ni night g t. Itt also allso o allows a lows all ow ws sselected se elec ectted numbers nu um mb beerrs to t get get through, ge thro ou uggh so o children c dreen childr n can ca can be be contacted con onta taccteed or o ccan ca an d dial ial i ou o out. ut Em EEmergency meerrgen enccyy se sservices erv rviices c num numbers, mb beerss such s h as a 99 9999, 999, aare rre all aallowed lo ow weed d by default. b d f u AlphaBlue A p a u is i currently c r n y available v a le on o BlackBerry B c B r – an a Android An A ndr dro oid d ve version verrsion on will willl be be released releas e aseed d towards to towa ward rds the th he end e d of of January.

Janu nuar ary. A 14-day 144--d day free ffre ee trial tria r al iss of o offered, fffered ed, w with ith th th tthe he ser service ervvicce n normally o orrm maally l co ccosting ost stingg ££2.99 99 a m mo month. on nth. www.alphablue.co.uk p

SStudents tudentss fflock lo ock tto o lleadership ead dershiip sscheme cheeme The T hee Archbishop Arch hbissho op of York Youth Youth h Trust’s Trrustt’s Youngg Leaders Lead derrs Award Awaard was waas llaunched aun nch hed d in n September Seepttem mbeer 22011 0111 with jus just st o one nee sc school cho ool in York.

Yo ork. The Th he project pro ojecct has has now n ow w ggrown row wn to o 48 8 schools, sccho oolss, with with h almost almo ostt 7,0 7,000 000 0 st students tud dents ttaking akkingg pa p part. art.. The Th he aaim im m is to o equip eq quip p young youngg people peop pe ple to to “bee the th he change chaangge they theey want wan nt to to see” seee” inn ttheir heeir local local ccommunities. om mmun nitiees. The K KS3 S3 aw award ward d lilinks inks n s with with th religious reeligi giou us sstudies, tudiees,, citizenship citizen nsh hip p and PSHE PSH HE curriculums. currricu ulu umss A Att KS4, KS44 tthe he he award aw awar ard focuses fo ocuse ses on on leadership, lea ead dersh ship, p and and over an ovver two tw years yea earss students stu tude den ntss complete co com mp pleette 10 0 modules mod mo du ullees rangi raan nging ng ffrom rom ccreative rreeativ t ve thinking thinki h n in ng to to conflict co con nfflict ct resolutio re resolut o u on, on each eac ach w with itth a practical pr praacttica cal eelement lem em mentt – in including nccluding dn KS3 award-winner Lucy Robinson the he opportunity op oppo porrtuni nityy to o serve s ve the th the local lo ocall from Manor CE community. com ommu un nity ty. A KS2 KS KS2 award aw waarrd for fo for primary prim imaary Academy with schools sch cho oo olss w will ill be be launched laau un nched c d this t s year. yeea Archbishop John Sentamu www.archbishopofyorkyouthtrust.co.uk p y y

Thinkingg at Everyy Desk

By Derek Cabrera and Laura Colosi Norton Publishing £13.99

“My father taught me how to think,” says Derek Cabrera. “I learned to distinguish and differentiate ideas, to break ideas into parts or merge them into wholes and to consider things from different points of view.” In this book, the authors explain the implications of Cabrera’s research into thinking (cognition), thinking about thinking (metacognition) and the teaching of thinking (pedagogy). Their aim is to provide the tools to understand thinking patterns and to empower children to explore new ways of building knowledge, as well as to allow teachers to structure learning in a more meaningful way.

Engaging Learners

By Andy Griffith and Mark Burns Crown House Publishingg £12.99

“Consistently high engagement only really happens when feedback, autonomy, challenge and engagement are in harmony,” say the authors. This requires that tasks are challenging; teacher input is minimal; the class has the necessary learning skills; success criteria or goals are clear and worthwhile; feedback is immediate; and tasks are intrinsically motivating. Their argument is that a class can be skilled and motivated without a teacher always having to lead.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 ● LEADERSHIP FOCUS

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20/12/2012 12:17

AND FINALLY SUSAN YOUNG

Time to write and shine Staff and pupils enthused by 24-hour blogging marathon with global audience school finding out for itself. I don’t think it’s for everybody and it’s very challenging if staff aren’t on board.

Parts of it I am not a fan of: we’ve kept national terms and conditions.”

However, he does feel that, historically, primaries haven’t given children, and boys in particular, the kinds of experiences they could write about. “We needed to get a bit more ‘fire’ into the curriculum,” he says.

So, now, the Norbridge pupils camp

Staff impressed

‘Fire’ in the curriculum It was the freedom to explore such ideas that encouraged the head and the governors at Norbridge to go for academy status. “We wanted to tailor the curriculum. Part of our value system is that no child is left behind and every child has the same opportunity. We haven’t got a big trust, and we haven’t got a sponsor, so there’s no diktat from above. The money we have goes to the curriculum and children are the main driver – we feel we get more for the money this way,” he says.

But he has no desire to be a poster boy for primary academies. “I’ve been asked to talk to other primaries, but I am not an advert for it. They have to make their own decision, with the

them to share their writing. “When I was a child and told to write about my summer holiday the only person who read it, apart from me, was the teacher.

Now, we’re turning the children into worldwide correspondents. They are learning about writing with a purpose.

Blogging, says George, is safe (each posting has to be approved by staff) and fast (they use iPads). “Their work, whether writing or a video, can be across the world in seconds. It gives the work we’re doing real purpose.”

The blogathon attracted comments from all over the world, including a 4am tweet from a Canadian who wished the children good luck and encouraged them to keep going.

People post questions, which the children are expected to answer.

on the school field and in willow ‘dormitories’, and will soon experience a real-life trench and an Anderson shelter to bring the history curriculum to life. More unusually, every child learns karate, funded by the school, with the aim of achieving black belts.

“I wanted the children to experience martial arts with regards to selfdiscipline, control and self-confidence.

We haven’t had a single instance of misuse – the children have all got their yellow belts and are preparing to go into competition.”

As for the blogathon, George, a keen blogger himself, wanted to motivate the pupils by encouraging

“We wanted to do something to raise the profile of writing and the blogging has creating a lot of excitement. Now, every child is asking when it’s their turn, which is impressing the staff.”

Something is clearly working for Norbridge, where results have risen in four years from the bottom 10 per cent to the top four per cent.

“If the curriculum is exciting, then attendance is good, children will want to come and outcomes will be positive. It’s making my work a lot more enjoyable... I love my job.”

And then there is a commotion in the background: it’s the next unusual experience that the children will have the opportunity to write about.

“The owls have just arrived,” he says, cheerily. “The children will soon have something else to put in their blogs.”

• Tell me about your school – I’d love to share your stories with LF readers.

Email educationhack@gmail.com

SHUTTERSTOCK

George Huthart is surprisingly cheerful for a man who has spent most of the night in his school and just 90 minutes in his own bed. “Nothing that a couple of paracetamol and a coffee won’t fix,” he says, happily, as he assures me that, yes, now is an excellent time to talk about the latest caper at his Worksop primary academy – a 24-hour blogging marathon by Year 6 and their teachers.

George, who uses social media with the ease that other heads use spreadsheets, had been posting the children’s progress on Twitter, which is how I discovered the event was taking place.

While the pupils had finally been forced into their sleeping bags in the school hall at 11.30pm, the adults carried on posting the students’ 340 blogs throughout the night, a task engaging the head until 5am - just four hours before we speak. Lack of sleep has not dampened what I suspect is his residual enthusiasm. “I arrived this morning with the idea of jingle blogs for Christmas,” he says.

“The staff just gave me that look.”

50 LEADERSHIP FOCUS ● JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

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