The self improving schools system- really?

Pete ThorpeAssistant Director: Education

NLAGB AGM12 November 2014

So what?

2048 more children and young people

now go to good or outstanding schools in North Lincolnshire

March 2014 compared to September 2012 when the current Ofsted framework was introduced – taken from Ofsted data view 12/11/14.

The distance travelled...

Are we any the wiser about the self improving

schools system?

The primary responsibility for improvement rests with schools… Our aim should be to create a school system which is self-improving… We know that teachers learn best from other professionals… We will make sure that schools are in control of their own improvement and make it easier for them to learn from one another.The importance of Teaching (Schools White Paper, 2010)

The rise of the system leader...?

Roger McGough The Leader

I wanna be the leaderI wanna be the leaderCan I be the leader?Can I? I can?Promise? Promise?Yippee I'm the leaderI'm the leader

OK what shall we do?

Which of these are system leaders?

Evidence of change

External support for the school provided by officers from North Lincolnshire local authority and from other schools, especially [ ] Church of England Primary School and schools in the [ ] Cluster, is of good quality, timely and well judged. This is making a significant contribution to improvements in the quality of teaching and learning, and leadership capacity.

Evidence of change

Local authority officers continue to support leaders and to conduct regular reviews. Middle leaders have benefited from working with the Senior School Improvement Officer so that they are more confident leading and monitoring their subjects. Senior leaders’ links with other schools in the [ ] Local Collaborative Trust is proving beneficial by providing training and opportunities for staff to learn from each other.

Evidence of change

[ ] Academies Trust is effectively supporting improvement and developing sustainable leadership capacity through a coaching and mentoring approach. Links have been maintained with the local authority, which is providing additional support, for example, for students who speak English as an additional language and to improve attendance.

Evidence of change

The local authority has identified schools to help leaders to explore examples of good practice. The school is part of a developing network of schools on the journey to ‘good’.

RELATIONSHIPS PARTNERSHIPS

All our Children

Governing bodies will be expected to review their capacity to act as a critical friend to school leadership and act on their findings. Understanding and application of effective governance will make a significant contribution to improving outcomes for children and young people.

All our Children

In an enabled education system for North Lincolnshire, school leaders and staff will be truly responsible for ‘all our children’. Achieving this demands a step change in leadership within the education sector, where leaders and governors act to secure outcomes for children and young people beyond the immediate confines of their own organisation.

All our Children

Partnerships and school-to-school working needs to be embraced as a means by which good and outstanding schools keep learning as organisations and keep getting better. Autonomy and individuality will be valued. Each individual school will have a complex and dynamic set of connections to other schools and organisations from which to further their own capacity and identity.

How engaged is your governing

body in this agenda?

How about...

...a partnership led education

system?

Is a self improving schools system the right ambition?

...for children and young people

The new conversation with school leaders

Ensuring a supply of good school places

Supporting vulnerable children

Tackling underperformance and ensuring high

standards

Changing communities

Cultural challenges

Performance challenges

Growth of System Leadership

Increasingly diverse set of providers

Increased financial pressures

Education in the market place

Tougher accountability

The Partnership Challenge

The Challenging Environment

Our learning about governance

• Effective governance leads to effective schools• Weak governance is a time bomb... and has to be

addressed, urgently• Leaders at all levels need exposure to governors• Effective governance is formal, focused and

forward thinking• Great governance sees beyond the railings• Partnership working = resourceful governance