SSAT Journal 12 Summer 2018 Contents
1 Welcome 24 Changing lives through learning Sue Williamson, SSAT Abby Deeks, West Lakes Academy 2 Restructuring lessons for rapid pace 27 Under staffed: reflections on how best and metacognitive practice to integrate non-specialists into a Claire Bishop, department Sir Christopher Hatton Academy Russell Coombes, Haydon School 5 Why we haven’t all got a growth 31 Addressing teacher recruitment at mindset… yet academy level Chris Hildrew, Thomas Bayston, Churchill Academy & Sixth Form The Priory Academy LSST 8 How we embedded formative 36 LGBT inclusivity in schools: teaching assessment children there are ‘no outsiders’ Annabelle Taylor, Andrew Moffat, Ricards Lodge High School Parkfield Community School 11 Teaching and learning: it’s about 38 Preparing for life after school – knowing the young people especially relevant to young people Daniella McManamon, with special needs Elthorne Park High School Peter Chambers, SSAT 15 Desirable difficulties: creating the 42 Why is visible leadership so important conditions to stretch and challenge the in schools? most able learners Laura Clash, Cambourne Village College Lucy Greenwood and Jodie Goulding, 45 Consider your ‘why’ to build and Skipton Girls’ High School develop the school’s culture 18 Progress based on collaborative Dr Patricia Thompson, learning, innovative engagement – Sir Jonathan North Community College and challenge 48 Where students are empowered to Senior Team, Pendle Vale College improve teaching and learning 21 Engaging teacher stakeholders in their Chris Stephens, The Romsey School own professional learning Neil Feist, Sackville School Contents page
Welcome Sue Williamson, Chief Executive, SSAT
Welcome to the last journal of the 2017/18 Also in this edition, you can read about the learning academic year. This term we have been that emerged from the Apple study tour to Texas celebrating the success of member schools and California. Apple is one of our partners and at our three Educational Outcomes events has committed to running another tour in 2019, as in Manchester, Birmingham and London. It well as supporting a number of events in England. is very special to present the awards to the At their HQ in London, we recently held the headteachers and senior leaders of primary Primary Headteachers Conference, which included and secondary schools. I was also able to stimulating sessions on the management of change present certificates for schools that had and reducing workload. successfully completed sections of the SSAT Framework for Exceptional Education. It is I love my visits to schools, as I am always introduced great to see the celebrations in the media and to innovative work designed to improve the life on Twitter. chances of young people. I had an amazing visit to Catcote Academy in Hartlepool and visited their For the first time, we used the Educational Outcomes industrial unit, shop and café. This is captured in events to present the graduation certificates and Peter Chambers’ article. SSAT will be working closely lapel badges to our Leadership Legacy Project with colleagues in special schools to give their participants. We had 125 teachers in their first youngsters the opportunity to engage in meaningful four years of teaching and gave them a variety of work and lead independent lives. leadership experiences: a launch event with Baroness Sue Campbell and with Bill Rankin of Apple; a day at I am sure that you are looking forward to the summer the SSAT National Conference; regional meetings holidays and I hope you have a great break. We look with a leadership expert; and work shadowing with forward to hearing the news about your examination a senior leadership team. The feedback is extremely results and the destinations of your students. Thank positive and we were impressed by the energy, vision you to you and all the staff at your school for their and creativity of the participants, who completed hard work. Teachers do make lives; they are hugely their year by submitting a think piece. You can read important in the futures of the young people they articles by four of the Leadership Legacy Fellows in teach. I am a judge of the Teaching Awards’ Lifetime this edition of the journal. Achievement Award, and the best testimony we receive is always from the students, past and present. We will be running the project again in the next They truly value all that you do for them. academic year and there will be a letter sent to you before the summer break. This opportunity is open We look forward to working with you in the new to all member schools and we are not restricting academic year. numbers. To paraphrase Arsene Wenger, ‘We have taken a group of people and acted as a guide. We are Sue Williamson, showing them the way.’ This is SSAT’s contribution to SSAT the school-led system – supporting and developing the next generation of school leaders.
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Restructuring lessons for rapid pace and metacognitive practice Claire Bishop, Sir Christopher Hatton Academy
Claire Bishop, Assistant Principal Later, I began to hear that the special lessons were the Humanities and Research at Sir Christopher ones that ignored this structure and thought ‘outside Hatton Academy, gives a frank account of the box’. But this does not deal with the issue of the her new approach to teaching, its challenges ‘normal lesson’. What does a well-structured lesson and the benefits to teaching and learning. plan look like? How can lessons to be structured to ensure progress and engage learners? Is there a way As a trainee teacher I was taught there was a to ensure that my pupils feel secure and have a good formula to what makes a good lesson: structure to their learning that also challenges them? 1. A ‘settler’: get them in, get them engaged and ready for the topic Although I make no claims that the action 2. A ‘starter’ activity that introduces the topic research project described here will revolutionise the classroom, changing the structure of lessons 3. An activity, e.g. gathering and applying some metacognitive strategies for information into a table knowledge retention have made my classroom a 4. Mini-plenary more experimental and productive place. 5. An activity 6. Plenary to determine knowledge gained in the lesson.
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Continuation of Introduction of previous lesson Focus on using new concept and – continuing metacognitive explanation of task activities outlined strategies to ensure to be continued in and started at the knowledge retention the next lesson end of last lesson
Aims of restructuring lessons choice was sheer necessity: I had inherited a class of This restructuring of lessons had three key goals. lovely, hard-working pupils who had not completed First, to ensure that as little time is wasted in two key topics of the course, so we simply had an lessons as possible, as the new GCSE history has enormous amount to get through. As for the year 7 so much to cover in such a short space of time. class, I chose to compare the impact with this class Second, to keep pupils engaged in their history as they were so different. The year 11 class is a ‘top learning through a range of activities. And third, to set’ whereas the year 7s are mixed ability. Also, the ensure that knowledge retention is high. year 11 class is very small, only 17 pupils, compared to the class of 31 lower down the school. The final With these aims in mind, I critically analysed my reason was the different foci for the two years; the lesson structures. My classes and I have a good aim with year 11 is clearly to prepare them for their relationship so while I liked to ‘hook them’ as soon upcoming exams, whereas with year 7 I have the as they got in, this was not an essential behaviour joy of instilling a love of history in the young people management tool at the moment. I decided to have I teach. It would be interesting to see whether the three basic sections in each lesson – see diagram proposed structure would have differing levels of above. impact on these very different classes.
The second phase of the lesson, focusing on Impact on learning metacognitive processes, includes: In both classes, the pace at which we worked • Quick-fire subject knowledge quizzes to through the scheme of work was slightly faster, determine the level of knowledge pupils finishing on average three lessons earlier than the have about the topic we are learning. original scheme of work had allowed. Although this did not really affect my year 7 class, the comfort • Modelling answers, demonstrating of knowing that we could now spend more time my thought process as I go. revising content was a relief to both me and my • Self-evaluation conversations about how we year 11s. are revising the topics at home, dispelling some myths about the ‘best’ ways to revise. I cannot say how this could affect the pace at • Peer and self-assessment. which we could complete the GCSE course based • The ‘big’ questions. For example, rather than on this small-scale research; that is something I’m just focusing on whether Oliver Cromwell planning to explore in the future. was a hero or a villain, we discussed whether it was the role of a historian to judge the The key change, however, was the level of depth past or merely relay it to their audience. pupils were prepared to dive into, shown through • Updating our personal learning checklists their questioning and their written answers. I have (PLCs – a red, amber, green system that pupils been a history teacher for five years and have an use to judge their knowledge against the arsenal of resources passed on by veteran teachers scheme of work or exam board specification). covering the classic topics such as the Magna Carta and the English Civil War – but my resources I decided to undertake this new structure with both were now not challenging enough, and I have had year 7 and year 11 classes. The reason for the year 11 to remedy that! I also felt that we had covered
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the topics at GCSE in the same depth as with the On a more practical level, starting the lesson half- previous specification, which had less content. way through a task meant that I had the sheets ready to go for these pupils. With the more traditional The key change was the level of lesson structure, I had the bad habit of forgetting depth pupils (both Y7 and Y11) resources we had used previously, meaning that the were prepared to dive into, shown pupils didn’t get them until I had a chance to email them later in the day – this also meant I couldn’t through their questioning and support them with the trickier aspects of the work written answers; I have had to while they looked through things at home. Now, I find more challenging resources! had everything ready to go.
When asked about how they viewed their My planning was more focused. Rather than experiences, year 7 felt more comfortable with thinking ‘how can I create a hook that allows my the changes than the year 11s. One pupil from Y11 pupils to engage with the topic?’ it was now ‘how commented that they saw what I was trying to do, can I link this to the real world, and what can I do to but they were ‘used to the old structure and [didn’t] explain the fundamental historical concepts?’ This like change’ whereas a year 7 pupil commented that makes my lessons feel more focused on the bigger they ‘enjoyed working on [their] own at the start of principles in history and I have broached ideas the lesson as it gave [them] the space to remember with my year 7s that I would previously have saved last lesson.’ until A-level. The process has opened my eyes to the younger pupils’ potential, and has removed the I found this particularly interesting, as it links to the barriers that I had subconsciously been creating. importance of reviving learned information before teaching new aspects of the topic, as outlined by Overall, I feel this simple restructuring of lessons the EEF’s guidance on metacognition. has enabled me to utilise metacognitive strategies and rethink how I want time to be used in the Impact on my teaching classroom. It has also broken the barriers I was I love moving around the classroom and found that unconsciously creating as a teacher, and enabled now this was more purposeful than just ensuring my pupils to take charge of their learning. that my presence was felt. As pupils were straight in and working, I had more time to spend with pupils References who have been away and missed key parts of the These actions were based on the original topic. Although my school’s attendance figures are Education Endowment Foundation information consistently at or above the national expectations, available on their website: bit.ly/2yKNTRS I have issues of persistent absence with a couple of The EEF have since published a really pupils in both classes. This time at the beginning of useful guidance booklet and poster to the lesson allowed me to focus on pupils who had explain how metacognition can be applied missed key concepts and make sure that they ‘get to the classroom: bit.ly/2HDv4Ak it’.
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Why we haven’t all got a growth mindset… yet Chris Hildrew, Churchill Academy & Sixth Form
And how we can help develop it in our students, and ourselves. By Chris Hildrew, headteacher, Churchill Academy & Sixth Form .
In SSAT Journal 1 (Winter 2014/15), I wrote an article entitled Becoming a growth mindset school about my work as a deputy headteacher at Chew Valley School as we tried to scale up Professor Carol Dweck’s work on mindset into a whole-school as persistence, struggle and success. This meant that our culture. Now, three and a half taking on difficult challenges. first attempts at developing a years later, I’m headteacher growth mindset culture saw at Churchill Academy & Sixth Getting growth mindset back us working on mindsets in Form, still just as committed to to front isolation, through assemblies, using mindset as a vehicle for While the ideas behind growth displays, and specialised lessons school improvement, and the mindset have become more designed to introduce the journal article has expanded widespread and popular, they concepts and approaches. While into a book with the same title. have also become more widely these approaches did no harm, critiqued. In our work, we and perhaps helped students A growth mindset culture seeks have come to the conclusion to understand what a growth to tackle motivation by instilling that many people understand mindset was and what we a school-wide ethos that we can mindset effects back to front. expected, they were not habit- all improve through the careful, The way that many of Dweck’s forming and did not, in many consistent and deliberate initial experiments have been cases, change student attitudes. application of appropriate presented led us initially to strategies. We have sought to believe that developing a What we now understand is provide all our learners with growth mindset in our students that, in fact, it is the other strategies to overcome difficulty would lead them to increased way around: greater academic by celebrating behaviours such motivation and greater academic success and progress, when it
5 WHY WE HAVEN’T ALL GOT A GROWTH MINDSET… YET is the result of determined and consistent effort, develops a growth mindset in our students. When students apply effort and carefully chosen learning strategies in school, and then see the progress they make as a result, they begin to equate effort and strategy with academic success and achievement, and they are then more likely to apply that approach in future. To be effective, those effort-leading-to- achievement experiences need to be happening multiple times The key is to find that Goldilocks heart, strengths of the mind, and every day the child is in school, pitch where the level of challenge strengths of the will. From this to reinforce that connection is such that students have to framework, we settled on our and develop the learning struggle, try different strategies, three academy values: kindness behaviour. At Churchill, we try and really apply themselves (heart), curiosity (mind), and to engineer those experiences – but then they achieve. This determination (will). through our curriculum and our needs skilful teachers who know extracurricular offer. their students really well and Within this framework, we then can plan their curriculum and laid out the approaches and Greater academic pitch their lessons so they are attitudes we value in learning, success and ‘just right’. based in the research of Dweck progress, when and Duckworth, and also Walter Working on student Mischel, whose Marshmallow it is the result of motivation Test experiments showed the determined and In order to focus students on power of self-regulation. The consistent effort, their approach to learning and framework we have established the strategies they are using, is that at Churchill, we believe in develops a growth rather than just the outcomes, the value of: mindset in our we rethought our whole school • determined and students (it’s not the culture. This started with us consistent effort considering the academy’s core • a hunger to learn new things other way round) values, to align them to our If the level of challenge is too approach to character education • challenging ourselves to go low, students will achieve easily and developing a growth beyond our comfort zone without too much effort and mindset. This process included • viewing setbacks and without encountering difficulty teaching and support staff, and a mistakes as opportunities or struggle. Then, they will start wide-ranging group of students, to learn and grow to equate ‘achievement’ with researching the attributes and • seeking and responding ‘easy,’ which is the beginning of characteristics that would lead to feedback a fixed mindset. Alternatively, to effective learning. • encouraging others if the level of challenge is too to succeed. high and students are not In the end, we settled on the appropriately supported to reach research of Angela Duckworth This set of value statements that high expectation, they will and colleagues at CharacterLab, informs our attitude to learning start to see effort as fruitless and which found that character reports for families. And be inclined to give up – again, strengths fell into three broad they are used as the basis for the seeds of a fixed mindset. categories: strengths of the conversations between teachers,
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tutors and students in order In the next year, we hope to use way of making progress. to coach learners to ever more these students’ experiences Often this was prompted effective study habits and as the basis for a learning by something – feedback approaches to their lessons. ambassadors programme, where from a teacher, a good or the approaches can be shared bad result in an assessment, Developing metacognition across the student body by their or a personal realisation and leadership of learning peers as methods for achieving and decision to change. The missing piece of the jigsaw greater success. 2. Be self-disciplined: avoiding was getting the students distractions, staying focused, themselves to understand The students themselves concentrating so that the job that self-regulation and identified the following as gets done well – these are adopting specific approaches having the highest impact: keys that unlock progress. and strategies were the keys • effort in classwork 3. Reflect and think about to unlocking learning and • personal determination learning: the power progress. To do this, our director to get better of metacognition – of English, Dave Grimmett, ran • positive relationship knowing how to improve, a project with students who with teacher responding positively to had been identified by staff feedback, and developing • effort in homework as having made exceptional a bank of strategies and progress over the course of the • personal understanding approaches which work academic year. Dave gathered of the work and – allowed these students them together to get them how to improve to apply themselves more to reflect self-consciously on • enjoying the subject. purposefully to learning. what they had done to make this progress, culminating These findings provide a road in an ‘exhibition of progress’ Working closely with the map and a template for any where the approaches and their students, Dave Grimmett was student who wants to thrive and outcomes were celebrated by the then able to identify three key make exceptional progress. Our students and with their families. approaches: message now is simple: if these In completing this research, we 1. Break out of your comfort students did it – you can too. hoped to make explicit what was zone: pushing yourself otherwise implicit, so that the to do something difficult, Chris Hildrew’s book, Becoming students could reuse the same or different, is the best a growth mindset school strategies in future. (Routledge) is out now.
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How we embedded formative assessment Annabelle Taylor, Ricards Lodge High School
One outcome of the EFA programme at improve the learning experience. We were also on Ricards Lodge High School: ten staff a journey to secure outstanding and to enable us to members aspired to become leaders of do this we needed to improve progress for all our learning, as assistant head Annabelle students. So I was delighted when Ricards Lodge Taylor reports. secured a place on the two-year EFA programme authored by Dylan Wiliam and supported by SSAT As the lead for CPD at Ricards Lodge, I wanted to under the leadership of Corinne Settle. generate a wider discussion between colleagues around teaching and learning. Lesson observations To ensure that teaching staff could see the value by many were seen as something done to them to of the EFA programme, I asked staff to volunteer meet the requirements of our teaching and learning to be part of the EFA programme and lead a pilot and appraisal policies. I felt lesson observations teaching and learning community (TLC). The had become more about a showcase lesson than volunteer group worked through the programme developing and sharing good practice to further in advance and became not only advocates for the
8 HOW WE EMBEDDED FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT programme but leaders of teaching and learning in the school. After trialling the strategies in their classrooms, they could see the benefits of working with a colleague outside their subject area. The TLC leads came from different curriculum areas, so conversations developed in curriculum area meetings, learning walks, line management and staffroom bases.
Over the period of training we collected a variety of different evidence not only for quality assurance purposes but to ensure staff and students were engaged in the programme. Findings from the And: student questionnaire showed that 84% of all ‘Teachers pose questions and organise activities pupils agreed or strongly agreed that the EFA that encourage pupils to think deeply about strategies had helped them to become more their learning. Teachers check on the accuracy engaged and helped them with their learning. of pupils’ understanding and quickly correct Findings from staff questionnaire suggested that any misconceptions. The most able pupils also the EFA strategies had a very positive impact on feel that teachers extend their knowledge, skills students. They observed the following: and understanding. One pupil’s comment, • more independent students which echoed the views of others, was, ‘Teachers challenge us and prepare us for what is coming.’ • more engaged students
• more confident students Taking it further • increased collaboration among students Once the formal part of the EFA programme came • improved outcomes to an end, staff spoke about the value of visiting • students enjoying their learning more other subject areas and discussing strategies that they had adopted and developed in their • fewer teacher-led lessons. own practice. The creation of TLCs and the EFA Staff were keen to share their ideas and student programme presented us as a school with two very work through our EFA Twitter feed, and a sense of strong opportunities: competition developed between the different TLC • Ten teaching staff now aspired to be leaders groups. of learning, and were keen to continue and support the school’s CPD programme. Our achievement data supported our quality • Teaching staff recognised the value of assurance findings. In 2017, we achieved our peer-to-peer observation to support the best ever results with a Progress 8 score of +0.71 attainment and progress of all students. which ranks us sixth nationally for progress. Our Staff were more open to be observed Attainment 8 score is 54.4, which ranks us second working with more challenging groups. out of 55 similar schools nationally. A working party reviewed the teaching and learning In October 2017, Ofsted rated the school and appraisal policies. After consultation with the outstanding, highlighting the quality of working party and the governing body, I saw an professional development in their report: opportunity to extend peer-to-peer observation and move away from the model where lessons were ‘Leaders ensure that teachers receive the high graded against Ofsted criteria. The success of the quality training that they need to improve their EFA TLC model and support of school leaders made teaching. As a result, teachers are highly skilled this possible. The open door culture and peer-to- in meeting pupils’ different needs. Teachers peer support had become embedded; conversations challenge pupils to think deeply about their about student learning become more research learning.’ based.
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The processes of reporting to governors and ‘Really nice tasks, lots of discussion exploring assessing the quality of teaching were changing. outstanding teaching and learning. Very enjoyable After the first round of lesson observations in and reinforces what I am doing. Inspires me to do the autumn term, we still had a training need for more.’ observers for coaching and teaching and learning ‘It was nice to be given time to reflect on our own conversations. Leading on from the success of the teaching practice and also to be given tangible TLC leads and after consultation with Corinne questions when coaching a lesson.’ at SSAT, we advertised SSAT Lead Practitioner training posts, supported through the CPD budget. ‘Opportunities to reflect and consider good practice The LP worked with Corinne on a module for all for observations and feedback.’ teaching staff, to explore: ‘Really thought-provoking questions which allowed • What makes outstanding teaching and me to be reflective on my own approach to teaching learning and how this is evidenced. and as a mentor (to NQT student) – great session!’ • How to make connections between teacher The challenge for us as a teaching and learning action and the impact on the student. community continues as we look to review • The importance of continuously reflecting the quality of peer-to-peer mentoring, lesson on practice and taking appropriate action observations and of course the impact on student to improve the quality of teaching and outcomes. lead to better student outcomes. • Developing a coaching culture. New TLC groups This was then delivered in new TLC groups. Setting the scene was considered to be the most important element, so we met as a teaching body before moving into the groups. The feedback from the session was very positive:
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Teaching and learning: it’s about knowing the young people Daniella McManamon, Elthorne Park High School
Daniella McManamon, SSAT Leadership Legacy Fellow and English teacher, Elthorne Park High School, describes how much she learned with her most challenging class.
In my first years of teaching I tended to see my learners in basically two categories: quiet, anonymous ‘good behaviour’, or a seething mass of ‘bad behaviour’. As my teaching practice has developed, I have sought to see the individuals in the classes – who they are and what they know. with social, emotional and Because learning is sometimes There are some classes where behavioural difficulties. They only possible through knowing this endeavour to know is are, without doubt, the most them as people: their strengths, especially pertinent; such as the challenging class of my teaching interests, and fears. year 9 ‘nurture’ class (or bottom practice so far. set) I have been teaching this Learning is year. Our department teaches With them I have experienced sometimes only predominantly in mixed-ability genuine doubt in my capacity possible through groupings, with the exception of to teach, but they have also the lowest attaining pupils in the shaped my philosophy of what knowing them year, who are collected into one good teaching and learning as people: their group. Of the 18 learners, about can be. Getting to know the strengths, interests, 80% have identified learning individuals in this group has difficulties or SLCN (speech, led me to adjust the mantra and fears language and communication from ‘who are the learners?’ In the first weeks of teaching needs) while almost all struggle to ‘who are the young people?’ them, I would spend most of my
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time preparing for our lessons following vignette captures a In our next lesson, I printed off and then feeling powerless as turning point that has come some short extracts from the I watched those lessons ‘fail’ to underpin my philosophy novel we were working on, and – we struggled to get through of teaching, where success everyone was given rehearsal the most basic of activities. The develops out of something that time before reading to the rest group constantly exchanged was categorically not a success. of the class. Max rehearsed offensive remarks across the carefully, asking me how to say classroom, shouting, walking During one of our early lessons some of the more challenging out, and refusing to come in. Here I asked Max whether he would words. When it was his turn again was the seething mass. mind reading some instructions to read, he did so fluently and As I spent time reflecting on aloud to the class. was clearly proud of what he the disruptive behaviours, and ‘No.’ had achieved. For Max, it was a watching the exchanges rather ‘If you could just read that one considerable success. than fire-fighting in response, I line Max?’ Reading the refusal as gradually moved from viewing rudeness, I pressed him to do as This seems like a small moment, the class as a whole to perceiving asked. but for me it was one where the individual experiences and ‘Come on Max, it’s just that little I learnt to recognise a need focusing on their successes. bit’. The other students waited beneath the learner’s ‘bad’ for his response. behaviour, and where I could Success depends on who you ‘NO!’ He shouted and then, begin to meet that need. I saw are looking down all the time, got up that what I was doing each day as Success is not something this and left the room. a teacher was far more complex class is used to. Acutely aware than sharing ‘my passion for of their position as the lowest I didn’t understand what had English’. Good teaching is attaining, they flail at any happened. The situation had responsive to the classroom’s mention of the word ‘exam’. I become unwieldy so quickly. It complexity. It requires wanted our classroom to be a was so out of character. I knew continuous reflection, and a place where success (or failure) Max was dyslexic, but he had commitment to discovering wasn’t a grand finale, but where read out in class before. Now, who these young people are, in successes were acknowledged his anxiety had reached a peak order to keep building on what and praised regularly. It is and triggered the dismissive they know, and keep seeing their difficult to describe in general behaviour. In the aftermath of individual successes. terms what ‘success’ looks like, the lesson, I wondered what I because it is highly specific could do to bring Max back to I want to share two more to the individual, to who they reading aloud. vignettes, written to explore are and what they know. The critical incidents which
12 TEACHING AND LEARNING: IT’S ABOUT KNOWING THE YOUNG PEOPLE increased understanding, both in the young people and in myself.
In lessons early in the year, Harry regularly used his ‘time out’ card when he felt his anxiety building: he would go and sit on the floor outside the classroom, with his head in his hands. After a few minutes, I would go out and crouch down beside him. ‘Hey Harry, we’re missing you in and elaborated on the initial and gruelling experience for there, come back and join us.’ ideas. In those dialogues, we pupils in this class). In the worked on taking turns, on talk, they were learning ‘ways I could understand some of the listening so we could respond to think’ (Mercer, 2003) and triggers that sent Harry out of to each other’s ideas, on being there was a willingness and the classroom in those early respectful even if we didn’t agree even eagerness to contribute. lessons. It could be a difficult or we thought the other person Listening was more challenging, place. There was an unpleasant was wrong. but it was encouraged as I asked atmosphere between some of the pupils to explain or build on the individuals in the class, and they The process of this work was ideas of others. If they perceived would take every opportunity to sometimes arduous and our ‘mistakes’ in understanding, criticise each other. discussions could quickly break it didn’t result in personal ‘Are you dumb?’ down into a cacophony of attacks, but (sometimes heated) ‘Special needs.’ disputing and off-topic voices. discussion. I saw that Harry But I could see that talk was began to contribute more often Mistakes were quickly attacked becoming an important part of to the talk, and he stopped using so that taking a risk with new the learning in our classroom. his time-out card. ideas was out of the question, Neil Mercer explains that and discussions were hard dialogic talk enables children To illustrate something of the because you only answered to become more adept at using progress we have made as a class, something if you knew for language to express their I want to turn to another lesson certain you were right. Even thoughts and to engage with and the interaction between if they claimed that they were others in joint intellectual Harry and Jack. just messing around, the reality activity. It also advances was that the environment for children’s individual capacity Deciding on the main themes of learning didn’t feel safe. for productive, rational and A Christmas Carol has triggered reflective thinking. Jack’s thinking about the Focus on talk purpose of our reading. ‘Why do I decided to focus on the talk in Space for respectful and we have to study this? How is it our classroom. In those early productive dialogue going to help with what we do lessons I introduced some There was no overnight when we leave? It’s so pointless!’ conditions of ‘good’ talk. We transformation, but over time I would often begin our thinking could see some progress. With ‘Well, first of all, I think it’s a with brainstorms, which frequent reminders, we made really good story which we can removed the element of risk in space for more respectful and enjoy’ (I hold up my hand to stop sharing ideas and encouraged productive class dialogues. This Jack from interjecting). ‘Plus turn-taking. These would then talk was not perceived as ‘work’ the reading skills that we have develop into group or class in the same way as writing been working on will be useful, conversations as we developed (which is frequently an isolating like how we look for the deeper
13 TITLETEACHING AND LEARNING: IT’S ABOUT KNOWING THE YOUNG PEOPLE meaning of the writing, and we closely to find out what their “intermental” experience also learn something about the happened.’ (communication between minds past, about the world Dickens through social interaction) [and was living in.’ ‘Sort of. No, but in real life, when this] shapes their “intramental” someone says something and activity (the ways they think as ‘Yes but what’s the point of I’m like: I wonder what they individuals)’ (Mercer, 2003). knowing all that?’ Jack asks. actually mean? Are they being serious, or hiding something?’ It is difficult to notice the Harry has been listening small changes in the way carefully, ‘I can’t stop thinking In this dialogue, Harry connects the class interact when you about the deeper meaning of his learning in English with teach them almost every day. things now. Every time I see his lived experience. The Through writing this, I have something, I think: I wonder why conclusions he draws are been encouraged to notice their they’re doing that, or I wonder unexpected, unplanned, perhaps progress since the beginning where he’s going, or like what do arising from his confidence in of the year. The group has not they actually mean when they’re the explanatory nature of our transformed miraculously, and saying something to me?’ Harry classroom dialogues. there remains a cacophony of is performing the questions he’s voices, but there is also space for posing, by resting his chin on Jack absorbs Harry’s ideas into confident, positive, productive one hand, then the other. His his own understanding: in dialogic talk. animation fascinates Jack who the next lesson, he brings the now listens in. discussion up again and we talk There remains a some more about the purpose of cacophony of voices, ‘That’s really interesting Harry, our reading. I see here Vygotsky’s but there is also so the reading makes you think theory of social learning in about what you see around you action; Harry is confident in space for confident, in real life?’ I ask. his thinking and can see that it positive, productive is valued by Jack, who listens, dialogic talk Jack responds, ‘Like CSI, when grasps, and builds on his idea. they have to look at everything Harry and Jack both ‘gain from
Bibliography Boaler, J., Wiliam, D., Brown, M. (Dec, Mercer, N (2003), ‘The educational value 2000) ‘Students’ Experiences of Ability of ‘dialogic talk’ in ‘whole-class dialogue’ Grouping: Disaffection, Polarisation and the in New Perspectives on Spoken English Construction of Failure’, British Educational in the Classroom, Qualifications and Research Journal, Vol. 26, No. 5, p. 631-648 Curriculum Authority (QCA): London Dunne, M., Humphreys, S., Dyson, A., Sebba, J., Nash, R. (1973) Classrooms Observed. The Gallannaugh, F. & Muijs, D. (2011) ‘The teaching teacher’s perception and the pupil’s performance. and learning of pupils in low-attainment London: Routledge and Kegan Paul sets’, The Curriculum Journal, 22:4, p. 485- Tripp, D. (1993) Critical Incidents in 513, DOI: 10.1080/09585176.2011.627206 Teaching – Developing Professional Edwards, T. (2003), ‘Purposes and characteristics Judgement. London: Routledge of whole-class dialogue’ in New Perspectives Wells, G. (2000). ‘Dialogic inquiry in education: on Spoken English in the Classroom, building on the legacy of Vygotsky’, in C.D. Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Lee & P. Smagorinsky (eds.) Vygotskian (QCA): London http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/6062/ Perspectives on Literacy Research, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 51–85
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Desirable difficulties: creating the conditions to stretch and challenge the most able learners Lucy Greenwood and Jodie Goulding Skipton Girls' High School
Maximising opportunities for challenge encourages long-term learning, and can also reduce teacher workload, report Lucy Greenwood, assistant headteacher (teaching, assessment & learning) and Jodie Goulding, associate assistant headteacher. Skipton Girls’ High School.
The nature of our intake at Skipton Girls’ High School (SGHS) results in a student body of primarily high prior ability or exceptionally able learners. This means that we must continually search for ways to significantly stretch and challenge our learners, as Teachers have this year chosen to work in one well as support them to achieve in all areas of their ‘pillar’ area, supported in their research by ‘koshis’ lives. This support has to be both academic and (expert teachers). Thus, whole-school priorities are pastoral, particularly as some of our students have addressed, but in a context-driven way, with groups often found learning ‘easy’ in the past, so can feel choosing a specific issue/question to address rooted uncomfortable or insecure when challenged. in their own cohorts of students and their learning. Research is key to the process, as are co-planning, trial As a result, last year our whole-school community and observation. Strategies trialled with students are focus was about resilience and ‘being brave’. This evidence-based and successes disseminated among year it has extended to encompass social and staff in various ways, to subsequently discuss and emotional wellbeing. Both themes have permeated implement in faculties. school life (particularly through CPD – see below) and students are learning to use a range of cognitive Successful strategies feature desirable and emotional strategies to meet learning challenge. difficulties Our CPD priorities have this year been organised into A wide range of strategies to stimulate and support four ‘pillars’ of professional learning, underpinned the most able have stemmed from this model of by a continuing focus on resilience: positive and professional learning, as well as from the established formative assessment, thinking and learning, culture of teacher development (we are a teaching motivation, and social emotional wellbeing. school), pedagogy, research and innovation. Many of the more successful strategies in supporting the Our main vehicle for professional learning is a lesson most able link to creating ‘desirable difficulties’ to study-based, collaborative, teacher-led model. promote deep thinking and learning.
15 DESIRABLE DIFFICULTIES: CREATING THE CONDITIONS TO STRETCH AND CHALLENGE THE MOST ABLE LEARNERS
Last year, two central leaders delivered an ‘expert Much work has recently been done on spaced input’ session to teachers on engineering such practice, engineering desirable difficulties through difficulties in the classroom. Several lesson study structuring programmes of learning to allow students groups then went on to explore and trial different the optimum amount of time on the ‘forgetting curve’ desirable difficulties in their classrooms. This between teaching and revisiting ideas. This is used to training applied Bjork’s original ideas about long- promote retention and effective long-term learning term learning and retention: ‘Introducing certain and memorisation. In mathematics, for example, difficulties into the learning process can greatly students are tested on topics/ideas taught three improve long-term retention of the learned weeks before using hegartymaths.com. This system material’ (Robert Bjork, 1994). Also highlighted was has had a hugely positive impact on learning and the work of David Didau in this area (‘struggle is a retention in maths, and the maths team’s expressed sign not of failure but of progress’ – Didau, 2015) and expectation of completion to a high standard has James Nottingham, who, in his book The Learning fostered a culture of fast responses to any areas of Challenge, describes the idea of a ‘learning pit’: concern highlighted.
‘At the heart of the learning challenge is the pit. A Whole-class feedback person could be said to be in the pit when they are Another strategy developed through one of our in a state of cognitive conflict….Deliberately and professional learning projects saw two teachers strategically creating a state of cognitive conflict in (music and geography) explore the idea of replacing the minds of learners is at the heart of the learning traditional written feedback for each individual challenge….eg: “I believe that stealing is wrong, but student with quality whole-class feedback (as I also believe that Robin Hood did the right thing”.’ adopted by the Michaela school). The aims were (Nottingham, 2017, p.5) to increase the impact of feedback on learning, maximise opportunities for challenge (thus In one English lesson, the conditions of the learning encouraging long-term learning) and reduce teacher pit were deliberately created by challenging workload. Whole-class feedback was targeted to year 7 students to articulate the similarities and address the errors, areas for development and differences between Shakespeare’s comedies, misconceptions seen in student work across the histories and tragedies, based solely on three class. Students were then tasked with re-reading extracts of text (one from each genre). In groups, their work to identify any of these, using a ‘find and the students had to consider key questions, with fix’ approach, and finally redraft their work. This no help from the teacher. Inevitably, students had method of feeding back challenged students to look many ideas, but some of these were conflicting and at their work from the teacher’s perspective and contradictory (eg: when considering which genre reflect on it very closely, ultimately engaging them in is most critical of humankind). Although students the feedback more actively. Students initially found were initially a little uncomfortable, they began this difficult but were very positive about having to to make connections between their ideas and this think about the quality of their work much more subsequently resulted in a rich learning experience. deeply, and were more confident when they had (Nottingham’s ‘learning pit’ directly links to the practised the technique a couple of times. principles of SOLO taxonomy, which has also been an area of research and training in school.) Other staff are now trialling the technique, and initial attempts have not only indicated a positive impact Y7 students were challenged on learning, but a considerable reduction in teacher to articulate the similarities workload. and differences between In a similar vein, a cross-faculty triad consisting Shakespeare’s comedies, of colleagues from MFL, maths and art elected to histories and tragedies, based explore the impact of traditional written feedback. solely on three extracts of text The research underpinning this group’s enquiry stemmed from an article produced by Gianfranco Conti, who proposed that, despite copious amounts
16 DESIRABLE DIFFICULTIES: CREATING THE CONDITIONS TO STRETCH AND CHALLENGE THE MOST ABLE LEARNERS of consistent and detailed feedback from teachers, wanted students to learn and what skills were vital common mistakes continue to recur in students’ for them to succeed within the subject area. Each work, due to lack of understanding, interest in the lesson at KS3 offers a range of learning pathways for mark only, or lack of time given to engage with the students to access, with ‘Challenge Plus’ activities feedback in a meaningful/sustained way. promoting deeper level thinking. The pathways are constructed around Bloom’s and SOLO taxonomies In response to this, the triad elected to trial the and encourage learners to draw synoptic links and learner initiated feedback technique (LIFT) strategy deep connections between aspects of their learning, as a way of promoting metacognition among focusing on the relational and extended abstract more able learners. LIFT requires students to elements of the taxonomies. ‘self-strategise’, in the jargon, and initiate teacher feedback when required. When completing subject Student-led learning and co-construction (teacher specific tasks, students were encouraged to reflect and student designing learning experiences together) on their responses and annotate their work around are both used extensively across the curriculum. One what they found most challenging or where there tool that facilitates this is the current VLE, whereby all was uncertainty and they needed additional support students have access to bespoke learning resources from the teacher. Students posed questions within to accelerate their learning independently. This this annotation where possible, to initiate feedback blended learning approach enables more content from the teacher to promote cognitive processing that would traditionally be taught by the teacher to skills. This clearly discourages passivity in relation to be completed both in and out of the classroom and areas for development and promotes resilience. therefore allows greater flexibility to engage with advanced concepts within class time. Students have, The students appreciated the strategy, feeling that in some cases, created resources to go on the VLE in it challenged them, engaging them in how they particular subject areas. could improve aspects of their work. This is also a powerful tool for teachers, as misconceptions are The power of positive expectation is most definitely highlighted early, which can feed into subsequent a driving force for the high standards at SGHS; but lessons. In some cases, teachers would answer it must be acknowledged that the ever-shifting questions with questions to promote higher order landscape of educational research and development thinking and again, this could be tailored to stretch is continually pushing us to seek out innovative ways the more able students at an appropriate level. One to stretch and challenge all students. student commented: ‘It helps me think harder and will benefit my learning more than just being told References and further reading the answer.’ Birbalsingh, K (2016): Battle hymn of the tiger teachers: the Michaela way. Further work included using personalised editing checklists (as recommended by Conti). Students https://bjorklab.psych.ucla.edu/wp-content/ were prompted to make a list of several mistakes uploads/sites/13/2016/07/RBjork_inpress.pdf that they continue to make in their work and hope to https://gianfrancoconti.wordpress. eliminate. This could be a misconception identified com/2017/02/04/why-marking-your-students- in maths, or inclusion of key vocabulary and case books-should-be-the-least-of-your-priorities/ study examples in geography. Again, this strategy promotes self-regulated learning among the Didau, D. (2015): ‘What if everything you more able students and promotes brave, resilient, knew about education was wrong?’ independent learners who have a greater awareness Nottingham, J (2017): The Learning Challenge of barriers to their own learning. – how to guide your students through the learning pit to achieve deeper understanding. In the geography department, teachers aim in every lesson to create challenging conditions that remove students from their comfort zone. In doing so, it was key for them to step back and consider what they
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Progress based on collaborative learning, innovative engagement – and challenge Senior Team, Pendle Vale College
Pendle Vale College uses a in the North West, in an area of We are delighted to have recently wide variety of approaches deprivation and traditionally achieved four of the SSAT in its aim to ensure that low aspiration and achievement. ‘transforming’ marks on the all learners become well- Sustained improvement in SSAT Framework for Exceptional rounded, resilient young student outcomes is of course Education (FfEE). adults, well-qualified and due to a combination of factors, equipped for the modern including: consistently good Setting the vision for learning world. The Senior Team at teaching and learning, a well- was the first stage of our Pendle Vale explain. planned curriculum and improvement journey. This was excellent ‘wrap around care’ achieved by having clear learning All great architecture is built on of students. These factors are expectations and a passion for strong foundations. This was our all underpinned by a clear, learning from all stakeholders starting point for developments consistent approach to student in our college. Our learning at Pendle Vale College and after assessment, gathering and policy ‘outstanding everyday’ has much hard work we are now analysis of data and the rigorous provided a language for learning consistently achieving some of monitoring of student and that underpins day-in day-out the highest progress measures curriculum area performance. practice.
18 PROGRESS BASED ON COLLABORATIVE LEARNING, INNOVATIVE ENGAGEMENT – AND CHALLENGE
How teachers share techniques and strategies Teachers use a variety of strategies to engage, extend and challenge all students. These include collaborative learning techniques, innovative engagement strategies and ways to challenge students which staff then regularly share with one another through CPD opportunities, learning bulletins and showcasing events. A weekly learning focus is reinforced through staff briefing, with ideas and strategies shared. Termly learning challenges All leaders in school know their or opportunities for cross- and competitions keep the role as leaders of learning and curricular groups. momentum going. Teachers contribute to the continued are imaginative in developing everyday development of We positively encourage and reshaping strategies to learning. This is reinforced collaboration, mindful of the maximum effect, and ideas are through well-established quality new CPD standard and the shared both within and across assurance procedures, which we opportunities for sustained subject areas. call the Pendle Vale health check. development. To facilitate this, in the last couple of years we have One way in which these ideas are Start by identifying barriers to adopted a lesson study model. shared is through half-termly progress Linked closely to department focused, 30-minute learning Professional learning is priorities established through surgeries – like mini TeachMeets supported in a wide variety of the Pendle Vale health check, – where staff showcase three or ways, which staff value. First lesson study allows colleagues four ideas in an informal way. This and foremost, it is prioritised by to work on an area of focus and has enabled excellent practice identifying barriers to students’ a cohort of students, planning to be spread across school and progress and planning CPD that lessons together and supporting has given many members of appropriately addresses them. this through research enquiries. staff the opportunity to share CPD needs are also identified A considerable amount of time as it is open to everyone. As a through the developmental is allocated to this each half result, we believe teaching and areas in the appraisal process. term in order to ensure that staff learning has gone from strength A sustained professional have regular opportunities to get to strength with enthusiastic development programme is then together and plan their lesson teachers becoming passionate planned for the year. study and evaluate its impact. about delivering well-structured and very effective lessons. For professional development Complementing these CPD to have lasting impact, it has opportunities, 60 colleagues Lessons mostly show very to be sustained over time and over the last four years have positive relationships with our CPD structure supports completed an outstanding students; they are asked about this. By disaggregating our teacher programme which has their experiences of learning, Inset days we have a two- had impact in the classroom and which helps to reshape future hour, weekly opportunity for built the whole-school language planning, as part of our lesson professional development. This for discussing teaching and study process. could be through whole school learning. input, departmental sessions
19 PROGRESS BASED ON COLLABORATIVE LEARNING, INNOVATIVE ENGAGEMENT – AND CHALLENGE
Following the abandonment Our excellent student So where next? We are constantly of levels at key stage 3 we performance is founded on a looking to improve, and have built a simplified approach strong curriculum. We have plans in the pipeline for to assessment. This tracks consulted widely with colleagues, extending student opportunities. final outcomes expected at particularly in relation to the We are constantly tweaking the end of key stage 4, with new GCSE, and given additional everyday practices in line with standardisation and moderation time to ensure quality learning local and national priorities, taking place within curriculum and teaching in all subjects. and extending opportunities areas for quality assurance and This, coupled with strong to work with other partners developmental purposes. accountability and solid tracking, both within and beyond our has led to some very pleasing local area. Beyond all else, we Underpinning student progress figures. However,remain focused on ‘keeping the achievement is a culture of we take the responsibility for main thing, the main thing’ – high expectations. Students ensuring breadth and balance maintaining student outcomes, have ambitious target grades very seriously; all students have particularly in light of the set for them which are fixed on access to a full arts programme demands of new GCSEs and KS4 expectations from year 7 at KS3, which we believe is vital striving for excellence for all. We and are set based on key stage in developing well-balanced want to ensure that all learners 2 performance. This in turn individuals. We aspire to having leave Pendle Vale as well- is linked directly to Progress students who can communicate rounded, resilient young adults, 8 estimated outcomes and clearly and have a wide awareness well-qualified and equipped for allows us to monitor student of cultural issues, whether or not the modern world. performance accurately from they choose to follow this route year 7 onwards, intervening at GCSE. A development where necessary and rewarding programme aids when deserved. Outdoor activities interpersonal We take a cross-school approach to Identify and support wallpaper the development of character and skills, leadership, students resilience. This is done through community Following each of the four annual a range of outdoor activities in volunteering and data collection rounds, data is years 7-9, a DoE programme rigorously analysed, with pastoral in year 10 and a personal social action as well and curriculum teams heavily development programme as some robust, involved in reflecting on student called ASPIRE. Through this, tracked intervention performance. This informswe give breathing space to the planning and the next steps curriculum by allowing the in core subjects in teaching and intervention. development of interpersonal Our ‘war boards’ (Work/Action/ skills, leadership, community Result boards) and regular volunteering and social action ‘RAP’ (Raising Achievement as well as some robust, tracked and Progress) meetings give a intervention in core subjects. sharp focus to student progress Students can supplement their discussions and help to prioritise studies with programmes ranging students for interventions. A from reading to rock climbing goal from the outset has been to leadership, where they work seek out and support ‘wallpaper with younger students, as well students’ – those who, left to as a range of skills-based and themselves, drift through school community programmes. This without causing fuss and often helps them to achieve strong leave without achieving their progress academically as well as potential. personally.
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Engaging teacher stakeholders in their own professional learning Neil Feist, Sackville School
No grading, no judgements, just Our CPD model previously involved a large hall professional conversations about the meeting with a guest speaker, who might be some successes and challenges of making specific internal champion of a pedagogical initiative or an improvements to their teaching. By Neil outside speaker. Each term we had a different theme Feist, deputy headteacher, Sackville School. to explore: questioning, assessment, differentiation for SEND students, and so on. All sessions were met I am extremely lucky. Like many of you, our school with engagement and polite applause. Yet after two has a staff who are dedicated, eager to improve and years of this model, a staff evaluation questionnaire generous with their time for the students. They also pointed out that while some sessions were thought- want to know any training they receive is relevant provoking and practically helpful, some were too to them individually – that it will improve their generic to meet the needs of a diverse audience of teaching with practical strategies that have some professionals (ranging from NQTs to a teacher with basis in reality, rather than idealised theories that over 30 years’ experience). One size did not fit all. are impractical to enact on a day-to-day basis. Staff also commented that swapping themes each term meant nothing had time to embed before a new theme came into view.
21 ENGAGING TEACHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THEIR OWN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
As leaders we were prompted to ask, if we focus on further evidence of effective CPD delivery, we bespoke learning for our students, why are we not decided that four weeks wasn’t enough time to try doing the same for our teachers? and embed new strategies and six or seven weeks was too long between meetings, and would lead to a If we focus on bespoke learning loss of momentum and focus. for our students, why are we not doing the same for our teachers? In the autumn term all staff were given a short article to read from the latest educational research on their We turned to the Department for Education’s 2016 focus. These prompted excellent discussions in the Standards for teachers’ professional development to first meetings on what the implications were for revisit the purpose and principles of effective CPD. effective practice. This addresses a key principle in It is a document that makes it crystal clear what is the teachers’ professional development standards: needed. CPD underpinned by robust evidence. Real-world strategies based on real-world scenarios for staff to Choice of 10 research groups try themselves. Based on this, we have adapted how we run our CPD model this year. Last summer, all staff selected Staff then all write individual action plans to work one of 10 research groups to join for a two-year on in their area of development, which are shared project. This would give them ownership of their with the colleagues in their group. Action plans own professional development, not training purely have to be written and shared by the end of each decided on by the senior leadership team. The focus meeting, and progress on them is discussed at and work in the group became their teaching and every meeting to promote accountability. Action learning appraisal target. plans are then amended, keeping them relevant and active. Google docs is used to record their work, Staff members ranked the 10 different groups (as so the action plans can be easily shared between in the students’ GCSE or A-level options model)in colleagues. This helps me monitor their ideas and order of preference. I was miraculously able to give progress. everyone a top three choice. By actively choosing a development focus, our teacher stakeholders feel From the spring term, group members carried out they have taken control of their own development, peer observations and fed back on the impact of and that CPD is no longer something that is done their work in lessons. In the summer term staff are to them. now writing case studies of their development. We are using an Inset day at the end of this year for staff Groups are led by a member of staff who has to present their group’s work to colleagues from expertise or interest in that area of pedagogy and other groups so everyone hears about the research learning. They meet every five weeks. Based on going on across the school.
22 ENGAGING TEACHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THEIR OWN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
This model means we have created 10 new whole- The groups’ focus lasts for this full school year school leadership opportunities for staff through and the next (so no more termly ‘chopping and the group leader role. A PE teacher chairs the SEND changing’). The areas, generated by the school’s group, an English teacher chairs the group working current priorities, are: on boys’ achievement, a science teacher is working • improving differentiation for on higher order Bloom’s thinking. These are not staff gifted and more able students in positions of responsibility already, but teachers • improving differentiation who aspire to lead. It is a useful first ‘step up the for SEND students ladder’ for them. The 10 chairs meet together as the • social, moral, spiritual and steering group to plan each research group meeting cultural education and evaluate how the previous meetings have gone. • assessment Sharing tips and reflecting on their meetings every five weeks has also been essential for me to monitor • developing higher order Bloom’s thinking how the groups are progressing. • improving student motivation • improving boys’ engagement A range of 10 pedagogical improvements are now and achievement happening simultaneously across the school. Not • educating the whole child versus one per term that we all used to have to adhere to. academic pressures – the role of There is time to reflect and embed changes. We are extracurricular provision looking for small, step-changes over time that will • promoting independent learning, fostering change teachers’ habits in their classrooms and students’ resilience and stamina make their improvement sustainable over time. Teachers have time to make mistakes and reflect • the use of new technology in the classroom. on the educational research evidence available. Some are working on one of their classes, some This model has resulted in several benefits for our with one child. All are focused on how their work staff as stakeholders in their own development. will improve student outcomes. It encourages our teachers not just to focus on areas that they are weakest at but gives them the Current challenges opportunity to become experts in things they are We still have some way to go. Next year needs to interested in and often already good at, so they can see us develop a system that truly measures the become outstanding. impact on student outcomes and allows subject teams to benefit more from their staff’s research Cross-subject collaboration has been expanded and development. We need to keep this model fresh through the mixed composition of these teaching and relevant, so year two doesn’t become a watered and learning research meetings. Staff have chosen down, less effective rerun of an exciting first year. their own areas to improve, so whether you are an But these are challenges that we are ready to tackle NQT or 30 years into the job, your development after a solid introduction and positive feedback belongs to you. This is another fundamental part of from our teachers this year. the teachers’ CPD standards on which we based our model. In the groups, experienced staff informally We feel we are developing a research-led model coach and support newer teachers. NQTs share new at Sackville that is itself informed by research ideas with established practitioners. into effective CPD. We believe that continuing professional development misses a key factor, More peer lesson observations take place. Staff see so we have amended what we call training here. colleagues working on the same focus to help each We are now talking about engaging our teacher other improve. No grading, no judgements, just stakeholders in their own professional learning. professional conversations about the successes and challenges of making these improvements to their teaching.
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Changing lives through learning Abby Deeks, West Lakes Academy
Abby Deeks, vice principal, explains how Having taken the (now somewhat obvious) step the professional learning programme at of recognising all staff as learners, our eyes were West Lakes Academy has been designed to opened to the wealth of research available on what have an impact on student learning. works in professional learning. An early influence on our plans was the Teacher Development Trust’s Remember the last time you went on a course, Developing Great Teaching report. We also learnt loved it, and then did… almost nothing with what a lot from hearing Philippa Cordingley speak you’d learnt? Or the last time you listened to an on ‘What we know about effective continuing expert, only to be left feeling that you do most of professional development and learning (CPDL)’. that already? Ever read someone’s blog on the next big thing only to think that it doesn’t really apply to As we started on our journey, we had a few you in your context? guiding principles: • Any training must have a focus on how it Yep, me too. In fact, it turns out that this is a pretty would improve learning for our students. common experience of CPD for educational staff. So, two years ago, we decided to think differently • All staff would take part, as they about professional learning at West Lakes Academy. all had a role to play in changing lives through learning. Our academy’s motto is ‘Changing lives through • The teaching and learning learning’. It’s our obsession – we’re in it for the kids, techniques we experimented with basically. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t be in would be research-informed. it for the adults too. In fact, wouldn’t it be better if everyone saw themselves as a learner and was • The process of professional learning treated and supported as such? At West Lakes, would be research-informed. learning is for everyone. It is not just the realm of • Colleagues would have some choice in the children. Recognising all our staff as learners what they engaged in – to make it as was the first crucial step we took in reforming relevant as possible to their own learning professional learning. And I do mean all our staff needs and those of their students. – principal included, support staff included… • The programme would be iterative, everyone included! It’s not because we weren’t good building effective practice over time. enough but as Dylan Wiliam says ‘because [we] can be even better.’
24 CHANGING LIVES THROUGH LEARNING
Our professional learning programme follows a teaching strategies that centred around memory simple but effective structure: and knowledge retention.
Staff then hear from external experts on the selected key strategies and choose one strategy that they feel stands the best chance of helping their target groups of students overcome the barriers to their learning.
Staff meet in professional learning communities to discuss and plan how they will experiment with the strategy that they have chosen to try to make a difference to the learning of their focus group of students. To aid these discussions, they have access to bite-sized versions of the research that informs their chosen strategy. Crucially, staff also agree what Inspire success would look like for their target students at Based on academy-wide student priority groups, all the end of this project and how they will measure the staff identify a small group of students whom they impact of their actions. teach/support and who could make greater progress in their learning. They identify what they feel to be Engage the barriers inhibiting the learning of these students. Staff embark on their projects. They meet half-termly within their professional learning The academy leadership group select a small range communities (PLCs) to discuss and refine their of research-informed teaching strategies which plans. All staff have a co-coach and use part of align with the academy’s priorities. For example, this these PLC sessions to hold coaching conversations. academic year, new GCSE and A-level specifications At the end of each of these conversations, staff were a priority for many. Staff had raised concerns complete a blog post, helping them to evaluate the that students were not able to remember much of impact of their project as part of the process. They what they had been taught months earlier – and also arrange peer observations with their co-coach our student voice interviews substantiated these and receive active feedback on their projects. Some concerns. Based on this information, we opted for use video technology to help with this.
25 CHANGING LIVES THROUGH LEARNING
Reflect how effective they felt the programme had been in Staff evaluate the impact of their project on changing lives through learning. Ninety-six percent students’ learning. Each PLC decides which of staff said that their projects had had a positive projects to share with the rest of the staff body at impact on the learning of their target students, an internal TeachMeet event. Following this, they while 89% felt that their projects had also improved receive feedback from staff across the academy the learning of other students that they taught. on their projects. Using the TeachMeet as their inspiration, staff then re-engage with their projects, The vast majority of staff value the academy’s reshaping them in the light of what they’ve learnt approach to professional development. They say from our internal experts, modifying and refining they find it ‘relevant’ and ‘challenging’. Support their approaches to have the maximum impact on staff are happy that it ‘allows [them] to be involved’. student learning. Working across departments is seen as a strength of the programme, as is engaging with research- At the end of this process, staff write up their informed evidence. Staff particularly enjoy the projects and these reports are shared across the TeachMeet sessions, commenting that they ‘could entire academy community in a published research clearly see how the focus area was embedded into journal. a lesson’ and that the sessions ‘challenged me to think about how I could use that strategy.’ The projects which have had most impact on student learning are also shared at our annual However, not all staff have welcomed the changes middle leaders’ summer conference. Subject teams in our approach to professional learning with open are given time to work these effective strategies into arms. Indeed, an early mistake we made was in not their schemes of learning for the following year. acknowledging from the start how unsettling this new process might feel. Some staff were used to being told ‘the answer’ and in the brave new world of research projects, there were no ‘answers’ given out any more. While some found this empowering, others missed the sense of certainty (albeit false) that their previous experience of CPD had given. The same was true at leadership level; we had to recalibrate our understanding of what makes great teaching and how we would measure whether staff practice was improving year on year.
We have also learnt that staff struggle to access research summaries independently, even if these are provided for them. In the next iteration of our professional learning programme, we intend to employ professional learning leads who will help bridge the gap between theory and practice for our classroom staff, identifying the barriers to staff learning and seeking ways to overcome these, just as we do for our students.
It is our ambition that these new professional learning leads will grow to become academy leaders What next? of the future, changing lives through learning for a Our research project-based professional learning whole new generation of staff and students. programme has been running for two years now with, as you’d expect, a tweak or two along the way. Last term, we surveyed our staff to get a sense of
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Under staffed: reflections on how best to integrate non-specialists into a department Russell Coombes, Haydon School
It was a steep learning reflect, I decided to use this before the summer holidays to curve for Russell Coombes, setting as my SSAT think-piece: discuss the schemes of work Leadership Legacy Fellow how best could I integrate the and assessment points. Along and history department non-specialists into my history with my six specialist teachers leader, Haydon School. department and what would I (three of whom split their learn from the year? timetable with other subjects As a first year head of department such as classics, and politics), my I had hoped for a fully staffed Pre-September 2017 department was to also include team of history specialists – but As an inexperienced department four non-specialists (three the department was 24 lessons leader, I sought advice from a geographers, and one from REP – per fortnight short of specialist colleague in the often under- religion, ethics and philosophy). I teachers, and we were not able staffed science department. His arranged to meet all 10 teachers to recruit a new teacher. The 24 advice was two-fold: make sure in the summer term. ‘spare’ history lessons would they feel confident in asking have to be distributed to teachers you questions, and praise them, It turned out the non-specialists’ across the humanities faculty. because they will lack confidence. concerns were very different Wanting to use this challenge To help with this, I felt it was from those I had envisaged. as an opportunity to learn and important that I met with them I had expected concerns
27 UNDER STAFFED: REFLECTIONS ON HOW BEST TO INTEGRATE NON-SPECIALISTS INTO A DEPARTMENT about content knowledge, and difficulties in teaching challenging historical concepts. However, their concerns were much more practical: where do I get exercise books from? Do they stick in their tracking sheet? How often do you mark books? What comes after the Roman SoW in Yr 7?
First learning point: Do not assume you know the concerns that non-specialists may have.
Solution: Meet individually with teachers and listen. Following our meeting and to support my non- specialists I created a document which detailed an overview of KS3 and addressed some of their practical concerns. For example, department, I spent the first had turned during the previous I arranged preparation lessons department meeting of the summer term, when shown before assessments. And in new academic year forging these documents, said wistfully: response to concerns I ensured a collective vision. All team ‘I wish we could create this type we would collaborate and share members were asked: ‘What of thing in science’. marking. does a great history department look like?’ The results of this Second learning point: September 2017 round-table discussion were Do not assume you can’t create So the non-specialists knew collated and resulted in the culture, or won’t get buy-in from the practical steps in delivering document in appendix 2. This non-specialists. the history curriculum, but ‘vision’ was then distributed to now there were the challenges all history classrooms and was Solution: of creating a team ethos in my the foundation of our future Create a genuine round-table department. This comprised department meetings. It proved discussion on vision. You may be three specialist history teachers extremely valuable in uniting surprised at how liberated non- who were sharing their capacity the team and reminding us what specialists feel in contributing with a second subject, four non- we were working towards. In the to a new vision. It will also make specialists, and three history same meeting we had two more them feel part of a new, dynamic teachers. Of the last three, one round-table discussions: one on team, and will help you hold worked part-time as an AHT, a department marking policy them to account if your marking another had recently been (appendix 2) and the second gets dropped to the bottom of promoted to head of year 7, and on quality control of lesson their to-do list. the third was an NQT. Not an planning (appendix 3). By the easy challenge. start of the first day of school, I December 2017 felt we had a team ethos with a As the first term progressed I To help cultivate a sense vision created by all members of became increasingly impressed of togetherness, and for the department. Interestingly, with the vigour and enjoyment consistency across the large the science colleague to whom I that these non-specialists
28 UNDER STAFFED: REFLECTIONS ON HOW BEST TO INTEGRATE NON-SPECIALISTS INTO A DEPARTMENT
showed in teaching history. should have been more proactive were improving them: adding Some even admitted to enjoying in support and more consistent glossaries for lessons, improving teaching history more than their in book-looks. It turned out sentence starters, bringing own subject. I had an ‘open- that one of the teachers was contemporary images to lessons door’ policy when it came to struggling with their marking, on modern London, etc. I supporting the non-specialists, and by the end of the term had been so concerned about and we met as a faculty once per was unable to deliver data in a consistency and supporting my fortnight where we could discuss consistent manner. non-specialists that I hadn’t any problems arising. One considered the extent to which area which did require further Third learning point: they would actually improve the support was in the marking of Do not assume that if you don’t department. Sometimes this was formal assessments. To assist hear anything, it’s all going well. achieved through the questions non-specialists I held a drop-in they asked me: ‘Why do you do session during the assessment Solution: it like that?.’ And sometimes, weeks, moderating assessed Organise consistent lesson simply because they are great work and helping ensure observations and book-looks: teachers and could find a way of marking consistency. That said, ensure a collaborative and teaching the lesson better. This I feel I could have done more supportive approach to all. was one of the most profound in this area. One non-specialist and important moments in the was very keen for support and February 2018 year and made me reflect further had the confidence to attend Reviewing the first term’s on how and why we teach the the moderation sessions and lessons, I was struck by the things we do. ask me when they were unsure. improvements the non- However, I saw considerably specialists had made to our Fourth learning point: less of the other non-specialists. lessons. I had perhaps arrogantly Non-specialists can be great Given our busy workloads I had assumed that the non-specialists teachers – regardless of the rather ‘assumed’ marking was would simply teach from the subject. not a problem. In hindsight, I lessons on the system. But they
29 UNDER STAFFED: REFLECTIONS ON HOW BEST TO INTEGRATE NON-SPECIALISTS INTO A DEPARTMENT
Solution: What does the Haydon History department want to achieve? Give them the confidence and Students scope to help you improve your STRONG STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND APPROPRIATE USE department. They may approach OF BEHAVIOUR FOR LEARNING TECHNIQUES STUDENTS WILL BE CONSULTED REGULARLY & WILL LEAD THEIR TAKE AN challenges from different angles ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR PROGRESS THROUGH THE USE OF PLCS, REACT ETC or have experience of similar STUDENTS WILL BE APPROPRIATELY SUPPORTED AND challenges in a slightly different CHALLENGED THROUGHOUT LESSONS THERE WILL BE A STRONG UPTAKE OF STUDENTS FOR KS4/5 context. Consistency and Professionalism THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WHEN LESSON April 2018 PLANNING, AND FEEDBACK IS OF A HIGH QUALITY During February half term there STAFF WILL FEEL VALUED AND WILL HAVE STRONG PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS was a major shake-up within Leading in Sharing Practice IT IS A DEPARTMENT THAT IS WILLING TO TAKE RISKS the faculty. One of my non- IT IS A DEPARTMENT THAT TAKES THE LEAD IN specialists went on maternity SHARING PRACTICE ACROSS THE SCHOOL leave, which left geography with Appendix 1 the ‘correct’ number of teachers, and history further under- staffed. The school allowed me to What does good quality marking look like in history? recruit a history teacher to cover (agreed in dept, Sept 2017) this maternity period. We were Red Amber Green fortunate to appoint an excellent NQT, which has resulted in all of Evidence of regular but shallow marking to ensure students are held to account (ie the non-specialists going back stampers, stickers, peer assessment) into their original departments. Clear targets for improvement following My experience of working deep marking (2 per term) with non-specialists was cut Assessment feedback sheets provided for all unexpectedly short. That said, assessments to provide continuity and visual feedback Forms of ReACT or evidence that the student during this period I learnt a has attempted to improve their skill level great deal which has made me / understanding following marking reflect on my own practice and Teacher: has undoubtedly improved the Students' books shared: department that I oversee. Key learning points Comments or areas for development: 1. Do not assume you know
the concerns that non- Appendix 2 specialists may have. 2. Do not assume you can’t create culture, or won’t get DO MY LESSONS MEET THE HAYDON buy-in from non-specialists. HISTORY DEPARTMENT STANDARD? 3. Do not assume that if 1. HAVE I FRAMED MY LESSON AROUND you don’t hear anything, INTERESTING ENQUIRY QUESTIONS? it’s all going well. 2. DOES MY LESSON HAVE SOMETHING THAT WILL ENGAGE STUDENTS OR GET THEM THINKING IMMEDIATELY? 4. Non-specialists can be great teachers – regardless of 3. HAVE I CONSIDERED HOW I AM GOING TO SUPPORT AND STRETCH ALL LEARNERS (EITHER BY OUTCOME OR BY TASK)? the subject, allow them to improve your department. 4. IF I HAVE INCLUDED AN EXAM QUESTION - IS IT FROM THE CURRENT SPECIFICATION? 5. HAVE I CHECKED STUDENTS PROGRESS?
Appendix 3
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Addressing teacher recruitment at academy level Thomas Bayston, The Priory Academy LSST
Thomas Bayston, Leadership Legacy Fellow the University of Lincoln’s School of Education – to and history teacher, Priory Academy LSST, develop the scheme’s provision and delivery. on development of the Introduction to Teaching Scheme. The main aims of the development were to give the course greater gravitas in the wider academic Over the past year my colleagues and I have developed community. Originally, the bursary/scheme was an extracurricular activity for year 12 students that an internal extracurricular activity with little provides them with relevant experience to pursue standing outside the academy. Over the past year a career in education. The Priory Academy LSST collaboration within the trust and with the external has run the Introduction to Teaching Scheme, partners has not only made it more visible in the under its former title, Teaching Bursary, for some community, but broadened opportunities for our years; this has now been developed and expanded students. as part of an SSAT Leadership Legacy Project. As part of this I have collaborated internally within Limiting impact of teacher recruitment crisis the trust and with external training providers – the Another, longer term, aim for the scheme’s Lincolnshire Teaching Schools Alliance (LTSA) and development was to go some way to limiting the
31 ADDRESSING TEACHER RECRUITMENT AT ACADEMY LEVEL impact of the national teacher recruitment crisis for students who embody what we expect not just on our multi-academy trust. If we can inspire as students, but also as staff: young people from within the trust at an early age • Academic excellence: students to pursue a career in education, they can develop must be on target to meet the basic their skills and qualifications appropriately, and requirements to study at degree level. perhaps even return as teachers to their former • Role models: behaviour, uniform and attitude academy. Although we have now created a clear to learning must be of a good standard. pathway into the profession for young people from GCSE to qualified teacher status, it will of course • Confidence and commitment: they must be several years before we can see whether this have the practical skills and confidence outcome is achieved. to be able to talk in front of a class and to manage their time effectively. Over the coming year, I will coordinate the As part of the scheme, the students must complete continuation of the scheme at The Priory Academy the following compulsory elements over the course LSST, and the first year expansion of the scheme at of two terms: another academy within the trust. We then plan to • Safeguarding and child protection: all expand it to remaining academies in the trust with candidates must complete a Disclosure relevant post-16 provision, taking it to a total of and Barring Service check, and participate four academy sixth forms by 2019. in an internal training course delivered by our academy safeguarding lead. The first year expansion will also act as a trial • Training sessions: candidates must attend 10 period while a uniform approach to the scheme training sessions that cover skills and areas is developed and adapted to suit a wider multi- that will be relevant to them as part of the academy environment where different policies, scheme, such as behaviour management, cohorts and opportunities exist. lesson planning, and differentiation.
Students are selected for the course in year 11, with • Secondary placement: candidates must a few spaces also being put aside for students who participate in at least one lower school may join the sixth form from different academies lesson a week in a subject of their choice, and schools in the September. A maximum 10% with the subject teacher acting as their of our year 12 cohort are offered a place, some 25 mentor. As part of the scheme they are then spaces per year. Students are selected via a written expected to complete a selection of activities application and interview process. We are looking based on the DfE teacher standards.
Standard Activity
1. Set high 1.1 Create a set of class rules that promote a good learning environment expectations which inspire, 1.2 Act as a teacher for a small group of high achieving pupils motivate and and/or create a resource that challenges them challenge 1.3 Act as a teacher for a small group of low achieving pupils, and/ pupils or create a differentiated resource for low attainers
1.4 Reward good behaviour, using the school reward system
2. Promote 2.1 Plan or discuss a seating plan with your mentor that shows good progress the needs and abilities of different students and outcomes by pupils 2.2 Deliver part of a lesson or create a resource or activity where students reflect on a previous piece of work
2.3 Deliver part of a lesson that uses differentiated resources or activities based on learning styles (audio, visual, kinesthetic)
32 ADDRESSING TEACHER RECRUITMENT AT ACADEMY LEVEL
Students can also participate in the following Distinction optional activities to broaden their understanding: • Complete 80% of the standards, including at • Participate in educational trips: acting as an least 1 standard from each of the 7 sections. additional member of staff. Nine students • Receive a good reference from their can also participate in a week-long residential secondary placement mentor. to Normandy in France with a year 7 form. • Complete at least 10 hours of the • Assist at open evenings and parents evenings: optional ‘wider course elements’, spread participating in wider roles of teachers. across at least 4 of the elements.
• Primary school placements: visiting Aims of the development a local primary school where they The development of the scheme would involve can either observe or take part. collaborating with both internal and external During the scheme the students will complete an colleagues and organisations, with the same evidence folder, similar to that completed by most common aims: trainee teachers. This will then be supplemented by • Increase the standing of the scheme, references from their mentors and other staff who taking it beyond simply an internal they have worked with. This is then assessed with extra-curricular activity. the following grades being awarded: • Improve the opportunities available for students on the scheme. Pass • Complete 50% of the standards, including at • Develop a passion in young people to want to least 1 standard from each of the 7 sections. become teachers, and provide them with a clear pathway of how they can achieve that goal. • Receive a satisfactory reference from their secondary placement mentor. Creating a team The first stage of development was internal within Merit the academy, with the appointment of Jade Danby • Complete 70% of the standards, including at to the role of academy coordinator for the course. least 1 standard from each of the 7 sections. As of September 2018, she will be responsible for • Receive a good reference from their leading the course at the Priory Academy LSST, secondary placement mentor. while I will focus on the management of the trust- wide expansion. She has brought many different • Complete 10 hours of the optional skills to the scheme and we are currently looking wider course elements. at recruiting additional staff to widen the skills available.
33 ADDRESSING TEACHER RECRUITMENT AT ACADEMY LEVEL
Teaching career pathway
The Priory School of Education Lincolnshire Federation of University of Lincoln Teaching Schools Academies Trust Alliance
Year 12 BA(hons) BA(hons) Introduction to Education Education Teaching Scheme BSC(hons) BSC(hons) Psychology & Psychology & Education Education SCITT
Trust expansion After a number of formal and informal meetings The final stage of internal development was taking with each of these organisations during September- the scheme to other academies within the trust. December 2017, it was clear that we would all This involved collaborating with the LTSA.. benefit from collaborating and working together.
Following consultation, it was agreed that The In December 2017 it was agreed that the Priory Ruskin Academy (Grantham) would adopt Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance (LTSA) the scheme in September 2018, with either The would act as a strategic partner to the scheme. As Priory Witham Academy (Lincoln) or The Priory the Trust is the legal entity of LTSA SCITT there is City of Lincoln Academy adopting it the year after. a very close relationship between the academy, the MAT and SCITT. LTSA would: Collaborating with external organisations • Allow the use of their logo on course materials. Our intention to collaborate with the two external • Fund and provide high quality formal organisations, LTSA and the School of Education certificates for those who complete the course. at the University of Lincoln, stemmed from our understanding that each played a vital role in the • Maintain contact with students after development of future teachers. There was already sixth form, providing updates on teacher a close link between the University and the SCITT training opportunities within the trust. as the university delivers and assesses the PGCE • Act as an advisory body and element of the training course. We should be quality assure the scheme. working together to create a clear pathway into the profession for students, from the end of GCSEs LTSA’s involvement gave the scheme the gravitas right through to achieving qualified teacher status that we had been aiming for, taking it beyond (see diagram). simply an internal extracurricular activity at our academy. More importantly, it was essential in the long-term recruitment of teachers to the trust and surrounding area, as students would be aware of the training and employment opportunities within the trust at the appropriate time of their career.
Our other proposed strategic partner at that stage, University of Lincoln, was one of the most rapidly growing universities in the UK. With a new School of Education, it was seen as
34 ADDRESSING TEACHER RECRUITMENT AT ACADEMY LEVEL a perfect opportunity to close the gap between the Future of the scheme trust and post-degree provision of the LTSA. We In February 2018 it was announced that the were originally approached by the university, who government has failed to meet its teacher wished to advertise their new education courses recruitment targets for five years in a row, leading to to our students, and we took this opportunity to 10,000 fewer secondary school teachers being hired informally discuss collaboration. This was well than intended. With what appears to be a long-term received and the School of Education was keen to problem, school leaders should be looking for long- participate. term solutions. Although we fully accept that our attempts will likely only be a drop in the ocean of As a strategic partner the University of Lincoln the national picture, we hope that this will at least would: go part way to solving a local recruitment problem. • Allow the use of their logo on approved course materials. We have already interviewed our candidates for the 2018-19 course and as of September will be • Deliver some of the training sessions, starting the course in two academies, with a total including talks on education degrees. of four academies delivering it the following year. • Allow Introduction to Teaching Scheme Internal collaboration within the trust has proven students to attend some university lectures to be logistically more difficult than expected, and gain some university experience. however this has not hindered our ability to With both external organisations keen to play an deliver. The support of the Lincolnshire Teaching active role in the scheme, we feel we are achieving School Alliance has been invaluable in allowing our main aims in terms of wider collaboration. this to happen, helping us collaborate with other In addition to improving the experiences of our academies. students and the opportunities available to them, this has increased the status of the course. At the time of writing this, we are still collaborating with the University of Lincoln, but are hopeful that the university will have an increased practical involvement in the 2018-19 course.
Bibliography Syal, R. (2018). Teacher shortage leaves UKPOL. (2018). Damian Hinds – 2018 Speech English schools in crisis, watchdog says. at Association of School and College Leaders’ [online] Guardian. Available at: https://www. Conference. [online] Available at: http://www. theguardian.com/education/2018/jan/31/ ukpol.co.uk/damian-hinds-2018-speech-at- teacher-shortage- leaves-english-schools-in- association-of-school-and-college-leaders- crisis-watchdog-says [Accessed 4 Mar. 2018]. conference/ [Accessed 14 Mar. 2018]. Hazell, W. (2018). Exclusive: Chartered Lincoln, U. (2018). About the University | College boss warns government against University of Lincoln. [online] Lincoln.ac.uk. 'lowering the bar' on teacher entry. [online] Available at: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/ Tes. Available at: https://www.tes.com/news/ abouttheuniversity/ [Accessed 4 Mar. 2018]. school-news/breaking- news/exclusive- Savage, M. (2018). Shortfall in teacher chartered-college-boss-warns-government- numbers hits 30,000. [online] Guardian. against-lowering [Accessed 4 Mar. 2018]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/ Gov.uk. (2018). Teacher Standards. [online] education/2018/feb/04/30000-teacher- Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/ shortfall--secondary-schools- further- uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ education [Accessed 4 Mar. 2018]. data/file/665522/Teachers_standard_ information.pdf [Accessed 4 Mar. 2018].
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LGBT inclusivity in schools: teaching children there are ‘no outsiders’ Andrew Moffat, Parkfield Community School
Andrew Moffat, author specialising in plans called, ‘Challenging homophobia in primary inclusivity and assistant headteacher, schools: an early years resource’. The resource used Parkfield Community School, explains why 12 picture books, most with LGBT content, to teach it is a mistake to focus on just one aspect of young children that LGBT people and different inclusivity. families existed. The resource was later expanded to include texts and lesson plans for KS2 children, and What messages are children and young people given a snappy title, ‘CHIPS’ (see what I did there?) getting about life in 2018 as they navigate their But there was a problem; the lesson plans focused way through school and adolescence? Home Office on just LGBT equality which, I realise in retrospect, figures revealed hate crime soared by 41% since undermined my aim. When you’re focusing on only Brexit, and police figures showed reports of hate aspect of equality, you take it out of context and draw crime in schools rose by 89% in the year to May attention to it; you single it out; you invite a backlash. 2016. In February 2017 the Manchester Evening News reported on the bullying of an 11-year-old trans girl When you’re focusing on only which culminated with her being shot at with a BB one aspect of equality, you gun. In January 2018 the Guardian reported a 48% take it out of context and draw rise in hate crime flagged as race related, and a 167% increase in hate crime flagged as transgender related. attention to it; you single it Meanwhile we are seeing a significant rise in terrorist out; you invite a backlash activity, and many children will be used to seeing armed police on the streets. Why context is important My experience in 2013-14 was a result of focusing 2018 is a tough place for young minds making sense on only one aspect of equality. Some parents in my of the world. school were concerned that the school was teaching ‘gay lessons’. The first letter of complaint included; If we’re going to talk about LGBT inclusivity in ‘As a Christian I don’t mind my child learning about schools we must talk about it in context. Gone are the different people, but I also want him to learn about days where single issue lesson plans are sufficient; the correct way of life.’ This was followed by a flurry schools need a strong narrative to explain the world of similar letters and then a difficult public meeting and present an alternative to the negative messages. of about 40 parents making clear that they wanted not only the word ‘gay’ to be removed from the Some years ago, I made the mistake of ignoring school, but also any books with an LGBT subtext to context; I focused on lesson plans that tackled just be removed. homophobia. In 2007 I wrote a first volume of lessons
36 LGBT INCLUSIVITY IN SCHOOLS: TEACHING CHILDREN THERE ARE ‘NO OUTSIDERS’
I had encouraged this backlash by singling out context with other protected characteristics in the LGBT above other equalities and failing to engage Equality Act is key to developing our whole-school with a parent community who found the concept inclusive ethos. Children no longer see being gay or threatening to their faith. I left the school under a lesbian, bisexual or trans as a negative to be feared or cloud and scrapped my lesson plans. I rewrote the laughed at, or as something we can’t talk about. whole scheme as ‘No Outsiders’, this time using the Equality Act 2010 as a cornerstone for the work Putting LGBT inclusivity in and, most importantly, removing the focus on LGBT context with other protected equality. Instead, the lesson plans were about all characteristics in the Equality equality: all the protected characteristics mentioned in the Equality Act, in fact; race, religion, disability, Act is key to developing our gender, gender identity (gender reassignment), whole-school inclusive ethos age, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership. Returning to my original question, this is how we make sense of the world for the children. When One protected characteristic is not more important there is a terrorist attack or a significant world event than any other and we cannot pick and choose the that threatens community cohesion, we discuss in ones we want to talk about. ‘There are no outsiders relation to our ‘No Outsiders’ ethos. We reflect that here,’ we say; everyone is welcome. not everyone understands; some people want one kind of person, one faith or culture – which is the In the resulting how-to guide, I make very clear that opposite to us. holding small parent meetings are key to the success of the project. There are 35 picture books used in the We want a world with different kinds of people, No Outsiders scheme, and at parent meetings we different faiths, different cultures. And if we talk about all of them, allowing parents to read them encounter someone who does not understand, we and get an understanding of what the lessons are talk to them. We reinforce the message that there about. ‘After seeing the books, I felt quite relieved,’ are very many more people in the world who agree says one parent in a short training film I use when with us, and want to see peace and cohesion, than I deliver Inset. ‘It’s not going suddenly into “this those who do not agree. Our job is to spread the No person is a gay person” or “she’s a lesbian.” It’s slowly, Outsiders message so that more and more people slowly, bit by bit exposing children to the intolerance hear it and we reduce fear and prejudice. In this that exists between people.’ way we build confident and resilient citizens for the future generation. In my school, with an intake that is 98% Muslim, we had challenging discussions about how to align Lesson plans and detailed descriptions of LGBT equality with an understanding from some how to build an inclusive ethos in schools can parents that it was forbidden. In the film a mother be found in two books by Andrew Moffat: explains, holding up two hands to show two sides No outsiders in our school: Teaching the equality to an argument; ‘Ok so this is our religion, but this is act in primary schools (Speechmark, 2015) also how the world is. And it’s important for our kids to know there are two sides. They can put these ideas Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: in to their heads and hold both views.’ Preparing young children for life in modern Britain (Routledge 2017) Working with difference to find solutions www.equalitiesprimary.com Our relational trust with our parent community Andrew leads No Outsiders training days at pulled us through some challenging discussions, but Parkfield Community School and also delivers I learned so much about working with difference and training days at other schools modelling finding solutions. Within a year of the meetings I felt lessons across key stages, followed by inset. able to come out to children and parents and today we hold regular ‘No Outsiders’ training days for other teachers at the school. Putting LGBT inclusivity in
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Preparing for life after school – especially relevant to young people with special needs Peter Chambers, SSAT
Some specialist SEN these populations are growing, ‘This is not only a moral and schools are undertaking nationally,’ says Graham Quinn, social issue,’ she adds. ‘For every inspirational work, CEO of New Bridge MAT, an young person with special needs in partnerships with Oldham-based cluster of schools who goes into employment, employers and others, to and associated organisations the economy could save some help their students achieve that support the learning, social £1 million over their lifetime a fulfilling life. Many and pastoral needs of over 700 in health and social care, etc. of their approaches are children and young people aged And there is huge benefit for relevant to other schools 4-25 with additional needs. the young people, through their that support young people Schools must also, he contends, sense of self-worth and of being with SEND too, reports cover areas such as learning valued. So this is not something SSAT publications editor support, appropriate behaviour to be taken lightly.’ Peter Chambers. and mental health. ‘Where does the vision of “work is good” fit for The Parliamentary Education Schools are now widely all these learners?’ Select Committee agrees, it recognised as being seems. Its inquiry into the SEND instrumental in developing Less than 5% of adults with system is looking at assessment qualities such as team working, learning difficulties are in of and support for children and co-operation, empathy and employment, notes Pauline young people with SEND; the resilience, as well as enabling Holbrook, SSAT’s head of SEND. transition to EHCPs; level and their students to achieve ‘That’s a sad reflection on our distribution of SEND funding; academic results. In short, we society. Organisations are the cooperation between have the task of preparing our often reluctant to get involved education, health and social care youngsters to become fully with people with special needs sectors; and provision for 19-25- rounded citizens who can as potential employees, not year olds including support for benefit from and participate in knowing how to make those independent living, transition all the opportunities that exist in reasonable adjustments that are to adult services, and access to communities. needed. A number of schools are education, apprenticeships and preparing SEN students for work work. ‘That is all well and good for life, but even if those students those who are able to seize these achieve industry standard What some special schools are opportunities – but what about qualifications, they are still not doing young people with additional or getting employment. Many special schools are special needs? I would argue that working successfully with local
38 PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER SCHOOL – ESPECIALLY RELEVANT TO YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS employers and getting results, autistic girl sterilises equipment three important aims: though mostly on a small scale. A for the dental surgeons. Each • to promote inclusion major benefit of these initiatives time, she has every piece of for young people with is that they show employers equipment in exactly the right special needs what these young people can position, taking into account • to enhance the professional do, rather than focusing on what whether that surgeon is right development of staff they can’t. For example, people or left handed. There are now with autism often have an 32 young people working at the • to raise awareness of diversity, exceptional attention to detail hospital, and a follow-along inclusion and disability. which can be an advantage in job coach is based there. The The project will give the young some jobs. As Pauline points out, retention rate over five years is people experience of the world they would stick at a job that 87%. A second site started in the of work through work experience others might find hard to focus county a year later, with Bath and an internship programme. on. ‘In fact they may well regard College as the education provider. These opportunities will include it as their dream job!’ four intern candidates working At Brookfields School, in Reading, at the park from this September A major benefit in an enterprise project a local onwards, in areas such as of special schools wine merchant gives the school retail, catering and community working with local wine boxes free of charge. A engagement. Park staff will also group of local men with mental have the chance to learn about employers is that health issues then deconstruct the challenges faced by students they show what the boxes and produce kits for the and adults with multiple and these young people students to assemble into trays complex needs. and other objects which are then can do, rather sold – mostly back to the wine Gareth Ivett, assistant than focusing on merchant. They recently fulfilled headteacher at Isebrook, says: what they can’t an order of over 100 boxes for a ‘Many of our students can add wedding picnic. immense value to businesses, yet Among the schools enabling nationally figures show that less these activities is Fosse Way in Inclusion and community than 5% of adults with additional Bath, where ‘project search’ has engagement needs/disabilities are employed. since 2009 involved students Isebrook SEN Cognition & We need to do our bit to address working at Royal United Hospital, Learning College, Kettering, and this employment gap.’ Bath, with external support a large nearby park with many from employment agencies. One facilities are in partnership with
39 PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER SCHOOL – ESPECIALLY RELEVANT TO YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Less than 5% bursaries to work in the shop forward to a career in IT.’ of adults with during school holidays and weekends. And a new programme Cross-curricular learning additional needs/ called ‘Step in, step up and linked to off-site activities disabilities are stepping out’ enables more able West Oaks SEN Specialist employed. ‘We sixth form and 19+ students to School and College in Boston become work ready, with the Spa also focuses on preparing need to do our bit intention of gaining internships its young people for adulthood. to address this leading to employment. There Principal Andrew Hodkinson employment gap.’ are currently four placements, has an ambition to develop a and one student has progressed curriculum to age 25, and the Gareth Ivett, assistant headteacher, Isebrook SEN to an apprenticeship. site includes a bungalow where Cognition & Learning College sixth formers develop their A shop in the town independence skills. SSAT’s Pauline Holbrook centre provides comments: ‘This is true retail experience A student-led enterprise, community engagement which WeCanDoCo designs, provides deep understanding of for sixth form customises, prints and sells the needs of your students while and post-19 SEN gifts, cards and other products showcasing the skills, knowledge students. Some have including aprons, bags, green and attributes they possess.’ tomato chutney, keyrings, bursaries to work money boxes, mugs and water SEND students run businesses in the shop during bottles. It has made products Catcote Academy in Hartlepool school holidays for organisations including the has a café in the school hub run parish council, local schools, by students, a bistro run by post- and weekends Leeds library service – and the 19 students, and another café run ICT firm Agile Group is railway museum in Freetown, by the students in an art gallery in collaborating with Catcote Sierra Leone. the town. The school coordinates to provide six months’ work these entrepreneurial activities experience for one student, Students age 16+ are involved in to facilitate students’ successful 15-year-old Mathew. During his charity and community events involvement: for example, the time with the company, Mathew to develop skills, knowledge and coffee machines are of the same will work in various departments experience that is transferrable design in all of these outlets, to get a good understanding of to the world of work, including so the students’ training in the how the company functions, teamwork. These are linked to school café enables them to be including installing a new cross-curricular activities for familiar with the equipment network for a business, providing students to take away learning. outside. It’s simple, reasonable onsite and remote IT support, Students have, for example, adjustment. attending sales meetings with undertaken a ‘concept to the business development team market’ activity with the Royal Students also do gardening, and helping out the marketing Horticulture Society, and raised music and arts and crafts team with social media activity. money for Red Nose Day and activities. Catcote also has Of the opportunity, Mathew Children in Need. post-19 and lifelong learning says, ‘the staff have been very provision; its oldest student is welcoming and they are a great Cross-curricular activities and age 41. and funny team. I’ve been vocational learning include shown various systems and outdoor learning and food ‘Catcote Metro’, a shop in the processes and it has allowed me technology, which enable town centre, provides retail to gain more responsivity. This students to see products grow experience for sixth form and is my first experience working and find out how they are post-19 students. Some receive in a business and I am looking prepared for sale. For example,
40 PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER SCHOOL – ESPECIALLY RELEVANT TO YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS students grow fruits and Students in 16+ have Graham Quinn agrees on the vegetables from seed, make led the development scale of the challenge: ‘if “work jams and chutneys, design and is good”, where is the investment make the packaging and then of the radio station, and co-ordination to support sell these items within the exploring local this growing group of learners WeCanDoCo shops. The aim is radio stations and into the workplace?’ The answer, to give them the opportunity to he believes, lies partly in understand the world of work media organisations communication and promotion: and the relevance of functional and questioning ‘The pockets of excellent practice skills such as English and maths. experts in the field across the country need to be Gaining workplace skills such as urgently promoted so that other communicating with a variety of before generating schools and businesses can learn different people, teamwork and their own ideas for from them. independence in turn increases Radio West Oaks pupils’ confidence. Students are ‘What we also need, however, is a encouraged to reflect on their Some of the richest resources root and branch understanding work experience and keep a for learning lie just outside the of the challenge we face. Can learning log. classroom, starting in the school we use the National Audit grounds and within walking Office and other government Radio West Oaks allows the distance of school, while others departments to offer us an whole school community to may be further afield. initial baseline position? share students’ daily/weekly/ Where are the opportunities termly broadcasts. TheAs well as the benefits already in today’s economy for these programme includes content noted, such opportunities young people? What will these chosen by pupils, such as music, teach pupils about both their future opportunities be? How jokes, competitions, interviews, rights and their responsibilities can we be ambitious for this West Oaks news headlines, (eg responsibility for self and group of youngsters? How can student reviews and readings others); help them to understand the evidence inform future including poems and stories. a healthy lifestyle; and make curriculum design? Most classes play this to their them aware of safety issues. pupils during school hours such ‘We have to acknowledge that as at snack, play and break times. The challenge: spreading good there will always be some people practice more widely with special needs who cannot Students in 16+ have led the These examples illustrate some go into employment. But that development of the radio station. of the excellent work going number will shrink if we can Some of the students involved on in and with special schools provide quality provision more have been on educational visits, around the country, and the widely.’ exploring local radio stations vital contribution that local and media organisations, businesses and charities are questioning experts in the field playing to make it successful in before generating their own providing real preparation for ideas for Radio West Oaks. It is a adulthood. So far, so good. But creative way to improve literacy, as Pauline Holbrook observes, develop communication skills while there are pockets of good (presenting in a clear, audible work, ‘how do we turn local into manner) and problem solving. national? How can the examples It allows students to raise their we have looked at become the confidence by communicating norm? How can we embed it into in a safe and controlled the psyche of big business – and environment. even harder, smaller businesses?’
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Why is visible leadership so important in schools? Laura Clash, Cambourne Village College
Laura Clash, SSAT Leadership Legacy One of these issues is how to ‘visibly’ lead a school. Fellow, Cambourne Village College, This issue particularly struck a chord with me this examines why visible leadership is vital in year due to the changing nature of my school: successful schools . Cambourne Village College has entered its fifth year of being open, which has led to an increase in In the course of the SSAT Leadership Legacy the number of the SLG in order to cater for its needs Project this year, I have begun to consider how a as a growing school. This has meant that leaders at school can be successfully run beyond the context the school, both old and new, have needed to adapt of the classroom, to give me a broader picture of the their leadership style. It has been naturally more opportunities and challenges facing school leaders. challenging for a greater number of leaders to all guide, support, and innovate to the same degree of visibility as the original two leaders were able to do when the school was established. Additionally, the promotion of one of my colleagues and good
42 WHY IS VISIBLE LEADERSHIP SO IMPORTANT IN SCHOOLS? friends to the SLG has led to many conversations The team explained that these are not formal about how to be an effective leader, leading me to measures taken to evaluate teaching and learning reflect on this topic myself. against a rigid list of expectations; leaders try and get round as much of the school as possible in an So, what is visible leadership? To put it simply, it hour, spending a few minutes in each lesson to ‘get a is being ‘seen and heard as a leader’, or ‘walking feel’ for the teaching and learning taking place. The the job’. Owen Carter describes how by ‘modelling aim is to foster the sense of a school community, professional behaviours, responses and attitudes’, where the whole staff body is working together to it encourages all staff to have the same outlook, increase outcomes for their local area. embedding the leader’s vision for the school. However, as Carter and Brighouse acknowledge, Leaders try and get round it is about more than being seen around school: as much of the school as such visibility enables leaders to have a deep possible in an hour, spending knowledge of the school, its pupils, families and staff, gained through face-to-face conversations, a few minutes in each lesson which supplements and provides a human context to ‘get a feel’ for the teaching for the raw data. This enables schools with visible and learning taking place leaders to have a motivated staff and student body, where everyone feels valued and part of the Celebrating learning school community. By such lengths, a central moral High expectations are created in an informal way by purpose can be shared, enabling the system to then celebrating the learning that is taking place: impact upon the local area. iPads are used to take photos of exciting learning which are then shared on the school’s Twitter feed. Seeing it in action The executive principal explained that the aim for Having considered the theory behind the concept this is manifold: of visible leadership, I was keen to see it in practice. • Hopefully, it encourages students to aspire In December, I attended the SSAT National and to feel their hard work is valued. Conference in Manchester, where I heard the • It celebrates teachers’ excellent practice executive principal of a local school speak about and shares it with colleagues at the school what visible leadership meant to her. She explained and those on the Twitter-sphere. that she saw visible leadership as ‘getting into classrooms’ to ensure that her understanding of the • It gives parents a clear idea about school was both current and focused on people and exactly what goes on at the school. human interactions. She then discussed her use • It provides a transparent view of the school of technology to share the ‘positive things going to prospective students and their families. on’ at her school to create a warm, supportive and collaborative atmosphere for staff and students I also noticed that every image shared was tagged alike. In February, I was lucky enough to arrange with one of the school’s core values, thereby a shadowing opportunity at this school, where I meaning that this strategy is used to embed the spent a day with the SLT there. This enabled me to culture that the leaders wish to promote. Therefore, see visible leadership in action. visible leadership is used to share the school’s chosen moral purpose with the community. I was struck by the presence of the leadership team around the school: although their offices are in a In one day, I was unlikely to get a complete separate part of the main school building, which understanding of this model of visible leadership. perhaps might create a sense of detachment, the However, by observing the practice of the leaders senior leaders each conduct a learning walk every there in the time that I had, I was able to reflect on week. This means that a member of the SLT is likely the benefits of increased visibility in a school. As to pop into each teacher’s classroom on a daily an outside observer, I appreciated the collaborative basis. feel of the school, where leaders are ‘out and about’ on a regular basis and stay close to the classroom.
43 WHY IS VISIBLE LEADERSHIP SO IMPORTANT IN SCHOOLS?
Leaders being ‘out and about’ on engaging’ with the whole school community. a regular basis and staying close Visible leadership cannot be a policy or a strategy: to the classroom has created a it is an integral part of your attitude to education. collaborative feel in the school In conclusion, my exploration of visible leadership this year has highlighted the benefits of ‘walking I also admired the way learning walks were the job’ as a school leader. It can inspire confidence made more informal by their regular occurrence, and trust from staff, students and parents, while enabling leaders’ understanding of their school to giving leaders a clear, up-to-date and human- be current and for good practice to be shared on focused understanding of their school. a regular basis, leading to a celebratory, thriving school community. It has also shown me that this strategy cannot simply be enacted as policy in the course of one I would be interested to explore to what extent year: to work successfully, it has to be the result of classroom teachers felt that the learning walks much time spent around the school, building up were useful. Were this to be implemented in relationships with the community and developing another school new to this strategy, I could imagine knowledge of the school’s context. It also works teachers appreciating how leaders were now alongside other sources of information about the more clearly an integral part of the school, but school’s progress, such as data produced internally, possibly some teachers might interpret leaders’ and outside observations and reflections. increased presence as part of a monitoring process. Additionally, while the short time spent in each By doing all of this, leaders get to know their school classroom minimises pressure on teachers and really well, and can be in an excellent position to allows for a holistic picture of the school, some enact their moral purpose, improving outcomes might question the extent to which a few minutes and inspiring the next generation. I look forward to in a number of classrooms gives leaders ‘deep ‘learning the ropes’ of this delicate balancing act in knowledge’ of their school. the future.
It is therefore clear that the key to this school’s References successful use of visible leadership – and indeed Brighouse, Tim, ‘Successful leaders are visible visible leadership in any school – is genuine, leaders’, https://www.tes.com/news/school- sustained, personal relationships with staff, news/tes-professional/successful-leaders-are- students and parents. Acknowledging this allowed visible-leaders-says-sir-tim-brighouse (2015). me to understand the true nature of visible Carter, Owen, ‘Visible leadership for better leadership. Increased presence around a school learning’, http://blog.optimus-education.com/ might cause damage if it is not coupled with visible-leadership-better-learning, (2016). strong relations, enabling the school community to know that leaders are not sitting in a position DeWitt, Peter, ‘Being Visible Isn’t Enough’, of judgement, but are consistently reflecting on http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/ the strengths and weaknesses of the school to help finding_common_ground/2015/02/ guide it to improve outcomes for all. being_visible_isnt_enough.html, (2015).
Authentic engagement essential A few minutes in a classroom might not provide detailed understanding of a school’s context, but when built up over the course of a whole term or year, and when combined with a range of other sources of information, this would provide a genuine picture of teaching and learning at a school. This is a conclusion DeWitt reaches, insisting that ‘being visible isn’t good enough’ without ‘authentically
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Consider your ‘why’ to build and develop the school’s culture Dr Patricia Thompson, Sir Jonathan North Community College
Dr Patricia Thompson,Apple leaders conveyed the The second behaviour is the belief director of teaching importance of communicating that failure leads to success. school, Sir Johnathan that high level purpose and We were given the example of North Community College, how this was a key factor in the G4 Cube, a product that was explains how they are staff retention: they recognise derided by many as an example applying what they learned that young people are purpose- of form over function, with an from the Apple leadership driven, and without that purpose outrageous price tag to boot. It study visit. they will leave. So leaders focus was discontinued after only a on ‘feeding the souls’ of staff. New year, following disappointing I went on the Apple leadership employee orientation is focused sales. But Apple learned from study visit intent on finding on employees understanding the these mistakes quickly, quick out how one of the world’s great ‘why’, the culture and the values, enough to introduce the organisations operates, hoping to so all subsequent actions are true successful iPod only a few glean any leadership lessons from to the culture and values of the months later, using lessons experts. Right from the outset it organisation. learned from G4, including a was striking how every member more realistic price. of the organisation, from store Four key behaviours worker to senior executive, gave There were four key behaviours Taking risks, and managing the same consistent message. It that Apple seeks to develop in them was, in effect, an exemplification employees, and these all are Although the importance of of Simon Sinek’s ‘golden circle’ readily applicable to schools and growth mindset is now well theory: that every organisation colleges. established in many schools knows what they do, but only from a student perspective, it is some organisations know how The first is about raising the not, in my view, something we they do it, and fewer still know bar through a subtle language necessarily encourage enough why they do what they do – what change by using the word with staff. Bringing to mind the that higher level purpose is. ‘expectations’, rather than adage attributed to Henry Ford: Every Apple employee we spoke ‘goals’ or ‘targets’. How could ‘If you always do what you’ve to was able to articulate that this change student and staff always done, you’ll always get higher level purpose and felt they perceptions in our educational what you’ve always got.’ do we were part of an organisation that contexts? We all know the value trust our staff to take reasoned was in the process of ‘making a of high expectations, but does educational risks in order to dent in the universe’, as Steve our language always reflect it? improve outcomes for our Jobs used to succinctly put it. students, while acknowledging
45 CONSIDER YOUR ‘WHY’ TO BUILD AND DEVELOP THE SCHOOL’S CULTURE
that not all risks will be other until gleaming polished argue there is very significant successful? And how to we stones emerged. He likened overlap. At my school, Sir manage this risk? this to having a group of highly Jonathan North, an inner city talented people rubbing against girls’ school in Leicester with This links to the third behaviour, each other, causing friction an exceptionally diverse intake, about the need to be brave. Apple and working together until our staff would say the culture defined bravery as ‘boldness they polish each other and the is about aiming for excellence with a willingness to endure pain emerging ideas. in everything we do, but also as part of your decision’. This about treating the students creates an interesting paradox in Duty of dissent as individuals. Our strapline education: we want to encourage Apple discussed the ‘duty of is ‘chase perfection, catch bravery, but we need to be dissent’: individuals have a excellence’, and that can be seen mindful that ‘pain’ in education responsibility to challenge in how we approach everything is different to ‘pain’ in industry. each other, but then, once an from Young Enterprise In schools, brave decisions don’t issue has been discussed, staff competitions (where our year simply affect profits, but they need to commit to the decision 10 girls regularly beat A-level do potentially affect the life ‘whether they like it or not’. This students) to sports, where if a chances for young people. So behaviour may be exemplified in netball team goes to compete, our decision-making process some leadership team meetings we expect them to get to at least needs to be robust, sound and up and down the country, but regional levels, including beating collaborative. does it happen in all teams at all the local private schools. levels? How can we ensure that Their final behaviour,a culture of healthy challenge is But maybe our next step is to ban collaboration, was something being fostered in every team in the word ‘target’ in the context of that really resonated with our schools and colleges in order grades. Those aspirational grades my senior leadership team. to foster brave decision making, are what we expect our students When talking about his team, when the temptation might be to achieve, not nebulous and Steve Jobs regularly used the to give in to complacency? perhaps unrealistic targets that analogy of a rock tumbler, a they might aim for and never machine where dull pebbles So, how does this fit into an achieve. would be rubbed against each educational context? I would
46 CONSIDER YOUR ‘WHY’ TO BUILD AND DEVELOP THE SCHOOL’S CULTURE
Classroom impact projects time, where through the induction day in July, I intend to What does risk-taking look like in judicious use of directed time, start on the process of ‘feeding the context of the accountability every teacher has one hour a their souls’, of telling the story of framework of education? We week dedicated to collaborative what a difference we have made, have sought to develop this planning. This has had a positive and continue to make, to the culture through our ‘classroom effect on staff workload through families in our community. impact projects’, based on John the collective preparation of Hattie’s collaborative expertise resources and is something that But before that I think we need model. Each teacher is paired we would highly recommend to consider the ‘why we do it’ with a trained coach, and given introducing. Our next step will in terms of recruitment. Are all time to work on a research project be to make our expectations prospective candidates, for every that is intended to have positive (that word again!) clear about position within our college, clear impact on student outcomes. how that time is used and what about our ultimate purpose? We explicitly state that we the outcomes will be. Are all support staff attracted expect staff to take risks and not to us because of the difference all projects will be successful: Get all staff buy-in they can make to young the learning comes from the So, what next for us? In order people? And how can we ensure process, not just the result. And to get high consistency at every overall alignment between an to exemplify this risk-taking level I think we need to ensure employee’s purpose and that approach, the projects were first that all staff buy into that clear of our college, so that we can launched in a CPD session that purpose. One challenge for my all play our part in making the involved a (willing) member of school is to relook at the new biggest possible dent in the staff being coached into doing a staff induction programme and universe? headstand in front of the entire to flip the balance between the teaching staff. Fortunately the ‘what we do’ and the ‘why we do risk paid off and no bones were it’. The diversity of our school broken! and the richness of our cohort means that we have many stories To exemplify the illustrating the impact we have risk-taking approach, had on the life chances of some the projects were of our most vulnerable students. first launched in a When new staff visit us for their CPD session that involved a (willing) The Golden Circle member of staff What being coached into Every organisation on the planet knows what they do. doing a headstand These are products they sell in front of the entire or services they offer. teaching staff How Some organisations know how they do it. These are the things that WHY At Sir Jonathan North we make them special or set them recognise the importance of apart from their competition. HOW collaboration, particularly Why given the statistics on in- Very few organisations know why WHAT school variation, and seek every they do what they do. Why is not about making money. That's a result. opportunity we can to enable it. It's purpose, cause or belief. It's the This year we have successfully very reason your organisation exists. © 2013 Simon Sinek, Inc. trialled weekly collaboration
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Where students are empowered to improve teaching and learning Chris Stephens, The Romsey School
Chris Stephens, assistant headteacher As part of constructing the SLL vision, we also aimed for KS3 assessment and pupil premium to have the following impacts on our students: intervention, The Romsey School, describes • develop the students’ use of our ‘habits the significant impact of their 40 student of mind’ (metacognition) so that they are leaders of learning. more proactive in their learning and lives • improve their confidence Student voice has always been promoted and • allow them to make an impact on their celebrated at The Romsey School. In January 2017, school, and empower them to be agents Annie Eagle (deputy headteacher) and I decided of change in their future lives that we wanted to take it to the next level. We started by creating a vision for our student body where we • develop their leadership skills aimed to move from students contributing towards • prepare them for prefect status. school life in a committee towards proactive And the impact these students would have on the behaviours that make a sustained difference to school would be: learning. • to further change the ethos so that we are ‘doing with’ pupils rather than ‘to’. It would empower The vision that we created was ‘for students to be students and shift our school’s culture empowered to enhance the quality of their learning • help to develop the school’s teaching experiences at The Romsey School and to assist in and learning provision the development of positive learning behaviours • help us to become a research active school. with our whole student body.’ This vision led to the creation of a small group of pupils from KS3 It was no easy task to become a SLL. To start with, who were branded student leaders of learning students had to be nominated by their head of (SLL). Some of my reading (Berger, 2003; Creasy, year. Annie and I had been concerned that some 2014; Futurelab Report, 2006; Hattie, 2011 and the traditional models of student voice may empower Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) website) only the most articulate and confident students. informed me that by empowering the students in We were keen to avoid this and to use our SLL body this way, students would increase their intrinsic as a vehicle for social change. So I asked our KS3 motivation and sense of belonging towards school, year leaders to nominate a broad range of students, thus improving their experiences of school and including a significant proportion of those that were their wellbeing. pupil premium, as I was interested in the impact we could have with students from this sub-group (one of my roles is intervention). We also wanted to have a representation from SEND students.
48 WHERE STUDENTS ARE EMPOWERED TO IMPROVE TEACHING AND LEARNING
Once the students were nominated, they had to complete an application form, highlighting one thing they would like to change about how they learn at Romsey, among other questions. The following figures (1-5) illustrate these questions, along with some of our student responses.
Figure 1: Written by a year 8 Pupil Premium child
Figure 2: Written by a year 7 SEND child
Figure 3: Written by the same year 7 SEND child as Figure 2
Figure 4: Written by a year 8 Pupil Premium child
Figure 5: Written by a year 9 child
49 WHERE STUDENTS ARE EMPOWERED TO IMPROVE TEACHING AND LEARNING
Putting their plans into action The starting point for the students was to help to Over the course of this last year we have seen our co-construct the school action plan for teaching team of 40 SLL do some amazing things as they and learning for 2017-18. This element was given have completed ‘spirals of inquiry’ into an aspect of special mention when we were visited by Ofsted in learning that they wanted to change, and then gone June 2017: about leading the change that they would like to see ‘Pupils seize the opportunities that the school in the school. gives them to develop their leadership potential. For example, student leaders have the opportunity After their applications, Annie and I delivered some to discuss the school’s strategic plan with leaders.’ training to the students to help them understand (Ofsted 2017) our construct of leadership. While leading this Having seen the school action plan, students then training with our students, we felt it was important conducted research into their area of development. to teach pupils to be respectful of staff and of This included them covering the following guided their experience and professionalism. With all the research (or ‘spiral of inquiry’). projects our SLL have led on we didn’t want our staff • What is your group’s shared vision? feeling undermined or judged by our students, nor did we want our students to think that they should • What should be changed to make teaching and be having such effects. learning even better at The Romsey School? • Why does this change need to happen? During these initial meetings we also introduced • What evidence have you found to support this? the SSAT SLA (Student Leadership Accreditation) • How will this change come about? to the SLL team, as this helped the students realise What will you do to lead this? the importance of the job in hand and the national accreditation they could work towards. This is being Having established their vision, SLL worked to led at whole school level by Emily Slade, who is one understand the area they were researching more of our SSAT accredited lead practitioners. fully. The SLL read (or watched via YouTube) key research from several practitioners such as Then I used their applications to group the Dylan Wiliam (2011) and John Hattie. They also students into six different research teams, to conducted surveys and questionnaires with staff mirror our school action plan and the performance and students, to gauge current perception which development teams that staff had been placed into. would help them develop the required change. Each team focused on one of: • effective learning Each group has had the freedom to research their area of teaching and learning and then propose • literacy and challenge a tangible (evidence informed) change that they • modelling learning would like to see in the school. • feedback and assessment • challenge in lessons Students changed marking policy • focused learning. For example, one group challenged our marking policy. This led the group to look at research on This grouping allowed the SLL the opportunity to feedback to improve student progress. Their key work with students from other year groups on a finding was that feedback should be given by the topic that they all wanted to change in the school. teacher, on the best work the student is capable The teams had a shared vision, as their applications of. They found that written feedback should be demonstrated that they all wanted to work on the given after a student has had a long process of same concept. oral feedback. The suggestions the SLL came up with were that this oral feedback could come from teacher questioning, modelling work, setting tasks carefully (scaffolding) and planning careful drafting by the pupils. A second group also ended up focusing on feedback. Their findings illustrated
50 WHERE STUDENTS ARE EMPOWERED TO IMPROVE TEACHING AND LEARNING the need for quality feedback over quantity, The ultimate test for all our SLL was what to do whereby students are given specific targets to work with their plans. Annie and I felt it was appropriate on and given time to improve on these targets. This for them to meet with and present their ideas research from both groups has now changed our to our governors of the teaching, learning and marking policy, as we have extended this to create assessment (TL&A) committee. All of the SLL a policy that focuses on all assessment of learning. groups presented their findings to our governors. These presentations included ideas for how to make Another group of SLL have researched digital teaching, learning and assessment even better at learning as they want to change our use of a moodle The Romsey School. We were extremely impressed system to Google Classrooms. To do this, they by the professionalism and insight that the SLL surveyed the teaching staff and students, spoke demonstrated during this phase. The chair of the to our ICT administrator to obtain his opinion and TL&A Committee wrote the following feedback to even visited a local sixth form college which already Colm McKavanagh (headteacher) and Annie, which has Google Classrooms in place. Their aim was then we shared with our SLL (see below). to be able to train all our staff on how effective Google Classrooms is as a tool for teaching, learning and assessment.
Good morning Colm and Annie, This is simply a note to ask that you pass on my heartfelt thanks on behalf of the Governors to all of the participants at yesterday's Student Leaders event. All the presentations were well made and presented. In each case the research was evidence based, and the analysis was thorough. Each presentation was communicated in a clear and structured manner. Significantly in my view, the conclusions were enlightening and thought provoking. Importantly, these conclusions were accompanied by concrete suggestions for change in a number of areas. Some are already the subject of strategic focus, action or review but in several instances the pupils offered entirely new and valuable insights. Alongside these conclusions were fresh perspectives about the need for further research together with practical recommendations for implementing change. These merit serious consideration and discussion among Governors. The findings dealt with a range of issues across teaching and learning. The presentations provoked questions that led to extremely valuable exchanges between pupils, governors and the senior professional team. If only there had been more time. I think we were all falling over ourselves to fit in our questions! It seems to me that the Student Leaders have thrown down the gauntlet. There is much to celebrate and much to change. The presentations will be on our next agenda for discussion of course. I hope consideration is given to giving the opportunity to Student Leaders to repeat these presentations to curriculum leaders too, if appropriate, or find some other way of ensuring the presentations or the slides are communicated among the staff in another suitable way. Again please pass on my thanks on behalf of the TL&A Committee to the Student Leaders for their considerable efforts, their confident presentations are in my view a highly effective and successful contribution to the implementation of the school's strategy. They challenge us all to continue to provide pupils with the highest standards of teaching and learning. Very many thanks, Matthew Gilks Chair of the TL&A Committee WHERE STUDENTS ARE EMPOWERED TO IMPROVE TEACHING AND LEARNING
Student leaders’ next steps Our SLL group will be presenting their research to We are really proud of our student leaders of our middle leaders over the next term. This for us learning as they have begun to implement real is ‘real’ leadership. They will start to influence our change within our school community. As a curriculum leaders and work collaboratively with consequence, we are convinced that this group them to enhance the quality of teaching at the of pupils are much more motivated to succeed school. at school than they were a year ago as they feel, rightly, that they are making a real difference to the We have indeed decided to abandon our moodle way students learn at The Romsey School. and adopt Google. The team focusing on Google Classrooms are starting to prepare the training that References they will deliver to staff so that all staff know how Berger, R. (2003), An Ethic of Excellence: to use the system. Building a Culture of Craftsmanship with Students, Heinemann Educational Books, U.S. All SLL teams have written their research findings into a spiral of inquiry poster, which is what all Creasy, M. (2014), Unhomework: How to Get teaching staff also completed for their performance the Most Out of Homework without Really development reviews. Annie Eagle is in the process Setting It, Independent Thinking Press of collating staff and student research to create Futurelab Report on Learner Voice a journal highlighting Romsey School action (2006) – Table illustrating the research. Nick Chafer, who leads teacher training at ‘Ladder’ of Participation (p. 11) the school, has also organised for some of our SLL to find more out about teaching via our local teaching Hattie, J. (2011), Visible Learning for Teachers: school; we are keen to encourage our excellent Maximizing Impact on Learning, Routledge student leaders into the teaching profession. Wiliam, D. (2011), Embedded Formative Assessment, Solution Tree Press Some of our SLL are now in the latter stages of their SSAT SLA. The students are looking forward to submitting their applications and receiving accreditation for their hard work.
52 School improvement planning with SSAT
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