School Partnership Conference Friday 10 th May 2019 Colchester - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

School Partnership Conference Friday 10th May 2019 Colchester Football Club

Vision To establish a new system in which schools, maintained

• r academy, improve themselves by working in

partnership with each other in a school-led improvement system which supports children and young people 0–25 to achieve their highest aspirations in education and employment.

Essex School-led Improvement System

A partnership document between Essex County Council, Essex Primary Heads Association, Association of Secondary Heads in Essex, Essex Special Schools Education Trust and Essex School Governors Association.

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Essex Partnership Conference

Friday, 10 May 2019

Local area partnerships: the national picture

Christine Gilbert Visiting Professor, UCL Institute of Education

The origins of local partnerships

❖The national context ❖Local contexts ❖The Essex story ❖The future?

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The opportunities

❖The glue in a diverse and potentially fragmented system ❖A force to drive improvement by energising teachers, leaders and schools to build expertise ❖A focus for involving the local community and business in education ❖An opportunity for efficiencies of scale ❖A space to build children’s social, emotional and cultural capital

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Essex and ‘mutual gain’

❖Vision, outcomes and moral purpose ❖Commitment and contribution ❖Networks and clusters ❖Challenge welcomed as part of support ❖Peer review

MO MODEL 1 DEL 1 Statutory school improvement Traded school improvement Traded business and support services e.g. Herts for Learning; Octavo (Croydon) MO MODEL 2 DEL 2 Statutory school improvement Traded school improvement e.g. Birmingham Education Partnership; Camden Learning; Learn Sheffield MO MODEL 3 DEL 3 Collaborative partnership and traded school improvement e.g. Brent Schools Partnership; Ealing Learning Partnership MO MODEL 4 DEL 4 Collaborative partnerships e.g. Essex; Wigan; Schools NorthEast, a school- led regional network

The he ran ange ge of

• f

pa partne tnership ships

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Intelligence gathering Brokerage Development and improvement work Evaluation: evidencing progress and impact

Practice on the ground: common features

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The key challenges

❖Danger of distraction from core purpose ❖Developing new skills ❖Finding capacity ❖Going beyond the ‘land of nice’ ❖Shifting the accountability mindset ❖Securing recognition

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Successful area partnerships

❖Collective moral purpose and vision linked to place and community ❖A clear model of change, using professional power and skills, and aligned with evidence ❖An inclusive culture of openness, trust and mutual accountability ❖Attention paid to developing networks ❖Good planning, quality assurance and business development ❖Capacity building to develop a self-improving system

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And Essex….

❖A success story ❖Distinguishing features ❖Breadth, depth and maturity ❖A learning partnership, so next steps?

The role of the LA

‘…there is a clear role for the local authority to

not only support the formation of partnerships but to use its current powers and influence to ensure sustainability for the future….to act as the midwife and to prevent schools being left as isolated islands.’ Clare Kershaw, 2016

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The Essex system – a closer look

Take a look at the diagram of the Essex system Do you recognise it? How does your partnership / school currently fit into it? If we were to collectively work to strengthen

• ne element of the system that would make

the biggest difference to outcomes across Essex which aspect would you focus on?

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A closer look at two areas to support system maturity

Effective partnerships Effective peer review

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A view of the self improving system – what’s needed?

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• Systems and processes: To engage in peer review,

monitor, review, improve and assess impact

• Architecture: Groups of schools working to secure
• utcomes and impact focused collaboration
• People: Partnership leads, NLEs. LLEs, SLEs, NLGs
• Mind set and culture: Trust, transparency and honesty,

and a responsibility to work for the improvement of all schools

Taken from David Hargreaves: Self Improving Systems - toward maturity NCSL

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Harder More Essential

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An exploration of system architecture: partnerships

Above all the purpose of partnerships is to improve outcomes Every partnership must be founded on a clearly articulated shared ‘ moral purpose in action’ Transparency, trust and honesty are a professional obligation A commitment to and a capacity for effective peer review is the engine that drives improvement The partnership must have a clear plan to move from collaboration to co responsibility to shared professional accountability The partnership should go beyond relationships between school leaders to engage with student, teachers, families and communities Partnerships should not be isolated but should welcome scrutiny and support from other partnerships as part of their contribution to creating a connected and improving wider system

Fullan and Munby Inside out and upside down How leading from the middle has the power to transform education systems

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A healthier system?

‘Far from being a thin veneer plastered over a fundamentally individualistic nature, the impulse to collaboration and altruism is our greatest asset in just about everything we do. There is very solid evidence now showing that lack of collaborative interaction and lack

• f the opportunity for giving can make us both mentally and physically ill.

Given the opportunity and the sense that it is safe to do so people would much rather cooperate and collaborate because it is more rewarding in every way. It goes right down to our basic brain chemistry’

Matthew Liebermann ‘Social; why we are wired to connect’ 2015

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Partnership in a complex system- safe to do so?

‘The best MATS ensure there are strong partnerships beyond the MAT so that system leaders collaborate to make their part of the region stronger’

10 things the best MATs do David Carter 2017

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Hard wired for collaboration?

What would this mean in relation to (for example) :

• Hiring of staff?
• Use of resources?
• Meeting the needs of specific groups of children?
• Engaging in research?
• School improvement processes and priorities ?
• Staff development?
• Health and wellbeing?
• Monitoring of improvement and managing risk of failure?

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An activity

Take one of the hard wired for collaboration areas Ask yourself: ‘What issue are we currently facing in this specific area as a group

• f schools, or as a system?’

How might a collaborative response address this more effectively? Plenary; What next for Essex as a ‘partnership based system?’

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A closer look at a culture change process; peer review

Insights from Essex

Impact on pupils Impact on people Impact on schools Impact on the partnership

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‘ The Rosie Question’ …..

By adopting the model, schools say they gain the ‘legitimacy’ to have conversations about what needs to improve in each other’s schools as well as celebrate effective practice. Effective peer review is not a cosy chat, it is a professionally demanding process and, to be effective, requires a planned and managed approach. ‘Peer review provides the legitimacy to have the conversations that have needed to be had, between peers for some time’

The power and potential of peer review Ed Dev Trust 2016

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What makes the difference?

NAHT, Challenge Partners and Ed Dev Trust have been working together on the features of great peer review, whatever model you use. Take a look at these features 1. Which of them are currently ‘designed in’ to your partnership, and how do you know? 2. Which feature, if strengthened would have the greatest positive impact on your partnership and its ability to achieve its ambition?

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Finally …

‘Finally it is revealing how accountability plays itself out in improving and connected

• systems. It turns out that accountability focusing on tests and standards is not the best

way to get results, Rather successful systems combine vertical and lateral

• accountability. The public is assured by the vertical accountability system and the

system itself generates greater lateral accountability as peers working with peers in a deliberate way provide both the support and challenge needed to improve. Once this work is underway there is no greater motivator than internal accountability within groups of schools, to oneself and ones peers, – what we call ‘ the moral imperative realised’

Fullan: Learning is the work 2016

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Insight sessions

Claire Goodchild – Headteacher of Chelmer Valley High School Steven Turnbull – Headteacher of Hazelmere Infant School and Nursery Beci McCaughran – Director School Improvement Saffron Academy Trust Julie Puxley – Headteacher Katherine Semar Infant and Junior school Emma Vincent – Headteacher RA Butler

Triads

Alec Hunter Academy The Ramsey Academy Chelmer Valley High School 2015-19

Challenges and Concerns

Is it OFSTED? Anxious Staff Perception Heads concerned to do the scheme justice Fear of failure External Facilitator Exposure Where does the outcome go? Can the

• utcome

trigger …. By working together as Heads, agreeing protocols and building TRUST , Issues are overcome.

Impact

SEF Accuracy and Development Peer to Peer QA Outstanding CPD Clear areas for consideration identified Sharing practice Challenging and honest evaluation

• f provision

High impact progress dialogue Evidence for OFSTED showing collaboration and QA Network building at all levels Increased information/evidence for governors about progress and impact Standardisation

• f work

Staff involved in the process and value the involvement and experience Senior / Middle Leader

• pportunity to

evaluate other schools in depth Impact on

• utcomes

long term Opportunity to discuss a range

• f issues /situations and

consider varying approaches Reports easy to access – simply

• bservations of

strengths and areas to consider

Significant Support of effective School Led Improvement

Next Steps

We have evolved and hopefully will continue to do so

• Rob, Trevor and I know we can contact each other at any time about anything for help, support

and guidance without any concern

• Further establish relationships between Senior Leaders, Middle Managers and staff
• We continue to respond to individual school priorities and national demands
• Curriculum review in light of new the new OFSTED framework
• Continued whole school / subject area reviews
• PPG SEND Safeguarding
• Think about how strengths in schools across the region can be accessed
• As with all schools we work in many partnerships and the TRIAD is another link that we will work

within to continue to help us on the journey of improvement led by our schools

Case Study - Technology

Agreed Areas of Focus

• Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment including the level
• f Challenge in Technology Subjects
• Impact of new initiatives

Technology Review - Outcomes

General Strengths

• Students receive feedback as to whether they are below, at or

above their target. The emphasis is on ‘What do I need to do next to improve and make progress?’ rather than ‘What step am I on ? How well have I done compared to ….’ This is a whole school approach. Areas to consider

• Many students enjoy their Food lessons; however, some students

had not had experience of this until Year 9 – look at ways to maintain popularity of Food and Textiles at GCSE level.

Technology Review – Outcomes Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment including the level of challenge Strengths and Areas for consideration were outlined for

• Impact of Teaching
• Feedback
• Questioning
• Challenge

Technology Review – Outcomes Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment including the level of challenge Strength examples

• Teachers plan and build on knowledge and progress across

years 7 to 9, this was evident in student books, observations and student discussions

• Year 8 and 9 projects are thought provoking and challenging,

encouraging students to problem solve and think hard

• Students are given time to research and then report back to

each other for example, ‘students becomes the teacher’

Technology Review – Outcomes Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment including the level of challenge Areas for consideration examples

• Develop more opportunities to cross

standardise student work and share good practice of constructive feedback

• Consider developing further the ways to stretch

and challenge students

Head of Technology, Jess Lucking

‘I am extremely privileged to work alongside excellent practitioners, they take great pride in what they do. As a result, they were worried and concerned about the visit, which did cause some stress and anxiety amongst the team prior to the day. The reality was completely different. The day provided opportunities to discuss at length the curriculum reforms, assessment/marking policies , behaviour strategies and schemes of work. The whole process was centred around sharing good practice in every aspect. By working together we will provide opportunities for students to access a high quality and purposeful curriculum in Design Technology and Engineering. The experience has been invaluable, it reassured us that the ideas that we were implementing for the new reforms were effective and enabled us to discuss strategies to develop these further. A significant benefit of the review was the formation of partnerships, we continue to advise and support each other to drive our subject forward.’

Peer to Peer

Reflections on the last three years

Beginnings…

Our Group

• 13 Schools in Colchester
• 2 Special Schools (one MLD, one SLD) – both Primary & Secondary

(& post 16)

• 2 Schools are part of MATs
• 1 stand alone academy
• Two church schools
• Infant, Junior and Primary Schools
• Vast range in context
• Schools ranging from Requires Improvement to Outstanding
• Big range of HT experience but most have six years or less

experience

Make haste, slowly…

Measure twice, cut once.

Measure twice, cut once. Swear, force it to fit, fill gaps.

Greatest Im Impact

What would you say is the greatest impact your partnership has had and what did you collectively learn from that about effective partnership working?

It’s all about relationships

“Personal relationships are the fertile soil from which all advancement, all success, all achievement in real life grows.”

Ben Stein

Peer Review

• Flexible start
• Lots of nerves
• Aim for consistency
• Focus:
• Current area of school improvement
• Quality Assure work completed

Stop Look Listen Think

Stop – fresh perspective, not the HT Look – often and carefully Listen – talk less, listen lots Think – respectfully, responsibly

Bigg iggest Challenge

What would you say is the biggest challenge you faced as a partnership and how did you address this? What are the strategic insights from this experience that Essex as a system might need to work together to address?

It’s all about relationships

My School…

My School… Our Schools…

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

George Bernard Shaw

Trust is a pre-requisite for establishing relationships.

Ego

Our Perception of ourselves and how we’re seen by the outside world.

“One of the hardest things is making a rational decision where you’re invested emotionally. It becomes an ultimate test of your will.”

Maverick Mindset (via Twitter 2017)

Responsible to each other not Responsible for each other

Next xt Steps

What are the next steps in your growth as a mature partnership and how might other partnerships help you with that?

It’s all about relationships

Next xt Steps

• Involving other leaders and teachers more

closely in partnership working

• Developing a more pro-active approach to

supporting each other

• Headteacher well-being

Slowly make haste, and without losing courage; Twenty times redo your work; Polish and re-polish endlessly, And sometimes add, but often take away.

Nicola Boileau

French Poet and Critic

Art of Poetry (1674)

Saffron Academy Trust

A family of local schools who work together to provide an excellent standard of education to children in our community. We do this by sharing practice, developing common policies and making the best use of the resources we have.

Saffron Walden County High School Alec Hunter Academy R A Butler Academy Katherine Semar Schools

Impact

 Central services  MAT Development and Improvement Fund Bid

 Director of School Improvement Primary  Director of School Improvement Secondary

 OFSTED

Challenges and next steps

 How will the Trust grow?  How can the Trust maximise collaboration with

• ther partnerships?

Conversation

What did we hear that we found interesting? What are we most curious about? Is there anything we would want to challenge? What implications does any of this have for our own collaborative practice?

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Looking beyond today

Your insights and recommendations from today will be written up and shared with you and with the Essex School Led Improvement Partnership Board Spend time now discussing and noting on the flip chart

• What are your collective insights from today?
• What are implications of these insights for the Essex system as

we embark on our next stage of reform?

• What should we now focus on as a system?

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