Post on 28-Dec-2015
Leadership Research & Policy Development Workshop
Toby Greany, Operational Director - Research and Policy, National College and Chris Flynn, DCSF
Presentation at DCSF Conference: The Use of Evidence in Policy Development and Delivery, 9 February 2010
Overview
1. Overview of why leadership matters and of the research and evaluation work at the National College
2. School leadership supply: the succession planning programme
3. School leadership quality: learning from outstanding leadership and the College’s leadership curriculum
4. School leadership deployment: National Leaders of Education and leadership for 21st Century Schools
5. Children’s Services Leadership
Why leadership matters
i. Effective leadership is essential to improve the efficiency and equity of schooling worldwide (Pont et al, OECD, 2008).
ii. Heads in England today take more decisions and bear more responsibility than anywhere else in the world except the Netherlands. Leadership is therefore at an even greater premium. (Pont et al, OECD, 2008)
iii. School leadership is second only to classroom teaching as an influence on pupil learning. (Leithwood et al, 2006).
iv. ’Successful school leaders improve teaching and learning and thus pupil outcomes … most powerfully through their influence on staff motivation, commitment, teaching practices and through developing teachers’ capacities for leadership.’ (Day, Sammons, Hopkins, Harris, Leithwood et al. DCSF, 2009)
iv. We know from our inspection data that for every 100 schools that have good leadership and management, 93 will have good standards of achievement. For every 100 schools that do not have good leadership and management, only 1 will have good standards of achievement. There is not a single example of a school turning around its performance in the absence of good leadership. (DCSF 2008)
v. Variation within-schools (WSV) in England is significantly above OECD averages (PISA, 2006) and is between five and 14 times greater than between school variance. Effective middle leadership is central to reducing within-school variation. (Reynolds, 2008)
Overview of Research and Evaluation
2001-2006: • Director of Research oversaw programme of work focussed on understanding the nature and impact of effective
leadership and leadership development, also oversaw evaluation work• Developed key concepts (eg distributed leadership, Learning Centred Leadership) and identified some key priorities
(eg Succession planning) • Strong focus on engagement with leaders themselves (eg Research Associates programme supporting practitioner
research), development of practical resources (eg FutureSight toolkit) and communication of research findings • Separate, timebound research and development programme: Networked Learning Communities • Review of 5 years’ research
2006-2010:• Ongoing focus on understanding the nature and impact of effective leadership and leadership development,
characterised by strong engagement with the profession.• Formal link to policy (Director of Research and Policy) and knowledge management, with separate Director of
Evaluation and Impact • Smaller, timebound research programmes/campaigns focussed on strategic priorities (eg succession planning) and
with strong emphasis on communication• Lead role in developing curriculum for College provision/programmes • From 2009, with new College remit, new team focussed on researching leadership of Children’s Services
Current and future programmes • New Models of Leadership (ongoing)• Every Child’s Future Matters (closes summer 2010)• Reducing Variability and Narrowing the Gap (ongoing)• Leadership Development (2006 onwards, includes College curriculum and links to programmes)• Children’s Services Leadership (ongoing)• From 2010: market research campaign
Overview
1. Overview of why leadership matters and research and evaluation work at the National College
2. School leadership supply: the succession planning programme3. School leadership quality: learning from outstanding leadership and
the College’s leadership curriculum 4. School leadership deployment: National Leaders of Education and
leadership for 21st Century Schools 5. Children’s Services Leadership
School leadership supply: overview
The profession continues to face a significant demographic challenge– two-thirds of heads are 50 years or older, and one third are 55 or over– one-third of heads will retire between 2008/09 and 2012/13 and annual retirement rate
expected to continue to rise steadily until at least that date – heads have always been older but never in these numbers – in the late 90s only 40% were
50 years or older and only 13% were 55 or over
The supply of new heads will need to match the retirement of the baby boomers – about one-quarter of assistant and deputy heads are 55 years and older – historically NPQH supply has exceeded headship demand in all phases but the supply of
heads in primary remains relatively lower than secondary– labour market for senior school leaders has tightened in the last few years, particularly in
primary and special and in small schools and those of a religious character
National College taking action to reduce the risk of headteacher shortages by bringing more high quality people through more quickly to headship and seeking to retain the best.
– strong and rising aspiration to progress to headship– significant engagement with the succession planning challenge across the country through
local solutions approach– National Succession Consultants working in partnership with Local Authorities, diocese,
headteachers and governing bodies– encouraging evidence of progress against the key indicators
20% 21% 20%16%
24% 28%
6%
8% 6% 8%7%
9%9%
5%
9% 10% 8%
8%
9%9%
9%
17% 15%18%
20%
14%17%
18%
19%16%
20%22% 16%
17%
23%
27%34%
24% 27% 28%20%
39%
TOTAL Male Female Primary Secondary Deputy /
Assistant 40+
Deputy /
Assistant under
40
Base: Deputy or Assistant Heads (526)
Very interested
Not at all interested
How interested would you be in becoming a school’s
head teacher in the future?
Overview
1. Overview of why leadership matters and research and evaluation work at the National College
2. School leadership supply: the succession planning programme3. School leadership quality: learning from outstanding leadership and
the College’s leadership curriculum 4. School leadership deployment: National Leaders of Education and
leadership for 21st Century Schools 5. Children’s Services Leadership
Quality: School Leadership Today
Changing and evolving
Focused onleadershipcapacity
Complex,accountable,
relentlessAND
rewarding Learning-centred
Distributed across
staff and professional disciplines
Responsive to its context
More collaborative
than ever
Data and
evidence based
Successfulschool
leadership today is
What we know about school leadership, NCSL, 2006
2
The quality of school leadership is the best it hasever been, and improving (Ofsted).
Good leaders employ good teachers,and help develop their skills (Barber and Mourshed, 2007).
Key drivers:• improving learning and standards• shaping vision and delivery of schools for the future• improving behaviour and pupil engagement • working with other agencies to regenerate areas and improve wider outcomes.
Growth of teams - the average secondary school now has five deputy or assistant heads compared with 3.4 in 2001 – but issues re diversity and succession planning.
Schools supporting schools: growing expectationthat schools will take greater responsibilityfor each other’s improvement.
Quality: understanding a headteacher’s working week
Source: A Day in the Life of a Headteacher, NCSL, 2007
Strategic leadership , 7.1
Management , 15.0
Administration , 23.5
External stakeholders , 17.0
Internal stakeholders , 8.8
CPD, 9.0
Personal issues , 4.2
Various tasks unspecified times, 14.0
NB. Percentages do not total 100 due to rounding
“Evidence suggests many school leaders are too involved in operational and delivery matters and that this has been, to some extent, at the expense of embracing their more strategic imperatives.”Independent Review of School Leadership, DCSF/PWC, 2007
Quality: all skills are seen as important
1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%1% 2% 2% 2%1% 1%4% 6% 5% 5% 7%
5%3% 4%7% 5%
17%20% 18%
24% 23% 27%
18% 20%
24% 28%
40%35% 37%
38% 37% 40%
78% 76%67% 66%
39% 37% 37%30% 30% 27%
1% 1%
Developing a
learning
culture and
organisation
Good
interpersonal
skills
Leading
learning to
raise
attainment
Implementing
change and
improvement
successfully
Developing
future leaders
/ succession
planning
Adapting your
leadership
style to the
school's
culture and
needs
Working with
governors to
strategically
develop the
school
Forming
collaborative
partnerships
with other
schools and
agencies to
improve
outcomes
Managing
finances and
premises
Effective
project
management
skills
Base: All (1500)
Very important
Not at all important
How important do you feel that the following skills are for the school leaders of today and tomorrow?
0.27
0.84
0.42
0.31
0.42
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
5. Ensuring an Orderly andSupportive Environment
4. Promoting and Participating inTeacher Learning and
Development
3. Planning, Coordinating andEvaluating Teaching and the
Curriculum
2. Resourcing Strategically
1. Establishing Goals andExpectations
Effect Size
Quality: focusing the curriculum on what matters
Prof Vivianne Robinson, 2008
Building quality: the College’s Review of Provision and a new curriculum for school leadership
1. Personal leadership and effectiveness
2. Leading Teaching and Learning
3. Growing leaders and leading learning organisations
4. Leading change
5. Outward facing, collaborative and multi-agency leadership
Too rigid
Mainly course based
Modest entry standards. 50%
went on to headship
How the NPQH has changed
Quality: National Professional Qualification for Headship
Encourages autonomous leaders.
Tailored to participants’
development needs
Mainly ‘on the job’
Much more rigorous assessment on
entry. Applicants must be 12-18 months from
headship
The programme was redesigned in 2008 to be more tightly focussed on those intending and ready to become a head teacher within 12-18 months
• Estimates suggest that 35% of schools are now led by an NPQH graduate (2007 Pensions data / NPQH records)
• Schools that were led by NPQH graduates for all of the three year period from 2004/05 to 2006/07 achieved faster rates of improvement in their exam results compared to those without an NPQH head.
• Our evidence shows that NPQH graduate heads take schools out of special measures more quickly
i) The NPQH Curriculum
ii) Impact and reach of NPQH:
• The curriculum is based on the current national standards for head teachers: i) Shaping the future; ii) Leading teaching and learning; iii) Developing self and working with others; iv) Managing the organisation; v) Securing accountability; vi) Strengthening community.
Candidates undertake a rigorous assessment process at the beginning to assess their preparedness and development needs. They also face an appearance before a viva style graduation board –including head teachers –at the end of the programme.
Building leadership quality: the College’s provision
Key Stage 2 (% L4+) improvement for maintained primary schools engaged with core College
programmes (2005-8)
7.2
2.8
7.5
3.7
7.8
3.8
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
2003-2008 2005-2008
%
No Engagment
Some Engagement
Very High Engagment (4-5 core programmes)
Primary schools that are more engaged with the College’s leadership development programmes have consistently achieved faster rates of improvement in Key Stage 2 results
Building leadership quality:the College’s provision
GCSE 5A*-C improvement of maintained secondary schools engaged with core College programmes
2005-08
6.6
8.29
9.6 9.8
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
NoEngagment
Engaged withone core
programme
Engaged with2 core
programmes
Engaged with3 core
programmes
Engaged with4 or 5 core
programmes
%
National Average
Secondary schools that are more engaged with the College’s leadership development programmes have consistently achieved faster rates of improvement in GCSE results.
Overview
1. Overview of research and evaluation work at the National College and how it informs leadership workforce policy
2. School leadership supply: the succession planning programme3. School leadership quality: learning from outstanding leadership and
the College’s leadership curriculum 4. School leadership deployment: National Leaders of Education and
leadership for 21st Century Schools 5. Children’s Services Leadership
Deployment: making the best use of our best leaders
National Leaders of Education
NLEs are outstanding head teachers, who, along with their schools (National Support Schools), have capacity to support underperforming schools
Over 300 designated and target for 500 by 2012.
Both supported and supporting schools experiencing greater than average rates of improvement: see fig 1 & 2
Independent evaluation identified how NLEs can succeed in supporting other schools. This included:
• Taking decisive action on behaviour, curriculum and quality of teaching.
• Focusing relentlessly on teaching and learning
• Prioritising staff development and training
• Achieving consistency, clarity of expectations, and carefully monitoring areas of concern and progress
2007 - 2008 GCSE Improvement in % 5 A* - C (including Maths & English)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
National Average National SupportSchools
Supported Schools
%p
t im
pro
vem
ent
3.5%
1.3%
1.8%
2%
7.1%
2.1%
2007 – 2008 Improvement in % Level 4 at Key Stage 2
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
National Average National SupportSchools
Supported Schools
7.1%
2.1%2.0%
Deployment: new models of leadership and partnership
Within School
Across Schools
Beyond Schools
Management
Leadership
Governance
System direction
Headteacher role
Other roles
Uni of Manchester for NCSL, 2008
Key findings:• Context as the greatest variable in determining success• The quality of leadership is a powerful determinant
Most schools still fit traditional model of headship (eg 78% of primaries and 39% of secondaries have no senior support staff on leadership team – PWC, 2007)
One in ten schools say they are in a formal collaborative (PWC)
2009 survey of 50 LAs found 264 schools in 122 federations. 88% involved 2 schools, 8.5% three-schools, remainder larger. 81% had joint Headteacher, 19% did not. 15% had a joint governing body, 85% did not.
Analysis of these federations against comparator schools found evidence of positive impact on pupil outcomes from federation, particularly in ‘Performance Federations’ (ie high and low performing schools together, which represented 15.6% of the sample).
124 Trust schools open and a further 444 schools have applied for Trust status.
40 sponsors of multiple academies either open or in the pipeline. 15 “all-through” academies are open or planned.
Over 300 NLE/NSS now accredited, supporting 220 struggling schools in May 2009. NLE/NSSs will increase to 500 by 2012 (300 primary and 200 secondary).
200-400 Executive Heads? (research forthcoming)
Deployment and new models of leadership: the current-ish picture
Overview
1. Overview of research and evaluation work at the National College and how it informs leadership workforce policy
2. School leadership supply: the succession planning programme3. School leadership quality: learning from outstanding leadership and
the College’s leadership curriculum 4. School leadership deployment: National Leaders of Education and
leadership for 21st Century Schools 5. Children’s Services Leadership
Research into children’s services leadership
The average age of Tier-2 managers is 51 years
The average age of those who said the option of becoming a DCS appeals to them is slightly younger at 50 years
The average age of Tier-3 managers is 50 years
The average age of those who said the option of becoming a DCS appeals to them is younger at 47 years
The average age of DCSs is 53 years
The vast majority of current DCSs describe themselves as White British
Just over half of current DCSs are female
The average tenure would be 5 to 7 years as system currently operates
This equates to an annual turnover of 19% or ~30 DCSs
This is slightly higher but fairly consistent with historical data – there was a 15% turnover of DCSs in 2008, but this is highly volatile
A small scale survey of the voluntary sector suggests that:
other Children’s Services professionals are interested in the DCS role;
one third of respondents said the option of becoming a DCS in the future appealed to them.
80% of Tier-2 and Tier-3 survey respondents perceive there to be barriers to them entering the DCS role in the future. These barriers include:
- experience, expertise, skills- age
- politics; and- lack of confidence in own abilities
Our research has established that there is a succession planning challenge in children's services:
McKinseys&Co/National College/CWDC, 2009
Discussion
How can we best balance the need for rapid evidence to inform policy development and more longitudinal research into the practice and impact of leadership?
How should we approach the development of a research and evidence strategy for leadership in children’s services which informs both policy and practice?
What are the lessons for research, evidence and policy across the wider children’s workforce?