Name: Dave Watson Assessor: Richard Townsend Date 15 ... · consolidation and help plan your...

Copyright Urban Leadership Centre 2008

Name: Dave WatsonAssessor: Richard TownsendDate 15 January 2008


Introduction

The job of a Headteacher is arguably the most important delivery role in government.That is why we believe you deserve the very best support and development opportunities, a viewthat is echoed by William Atkinson, Headteacher, Phoenix High School, West London (WilliamAtkinson is an adviser to the government on inner city schools):

Our work and approach has been very much influenced by YSC, a world renowned organisationspecialising in business psychology. They believe that a battery of formal tests is not the idealmeasure or reflection of an individual’s ability. In the final analysis, YSC believe it is moreimportant to understand how people live their lives and operate in the workplace.This thinking is rooted in robust research. As Daniel Goleman, one of the leaders in the fieldstates:‘Emotional intelligence is twice as likely as IQ and technical skills combined to predict successin professional and executive roles.’

This approach underpins all our work and is the reason why so much of your time at the Centrewas spent interacting with assessors. We wanted to focus particularly on how you go about yourjob on a day to day basis.We believe this profile will help you to reflect on your strengths and identify areas forconsolidation and help plan your further professional development.The profile sets out the evidence gathered at the Centre utilising a rigorous set of connectedexercises and techniques to collate the evidence and construct this profile.

In the rest of this document you will find:

• The Process

• Profile Structure

• Summary profile

• Detailed profile

• Reflections and next steps

‘Attending the Development Centre was the best professionaldevelopment I have received as a headteacher.It was challenging and conducted by people who know their stuff.The profile I received was extremely valuable and certainly reflects howI see myself both as a leader and professional.I would recommend visiting the Development Centre to all schoolleaders.’


The Process

The four activities that you undertook are mapped to the twelve competencies whichcomprise The Urban School Leadership Model.

Diagramillustrating howthe competenciesare mapped toeach of theexercises.

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1 Interview

2 Case study

2a Action plan

2b Presentation

3 Video lessonobservation

3a Role play

3b Technical interview

4 Group Exercise

During the Development Centre, assessors particularly look for evidence of thecompetencies mapped to the exercises as outlined above. However, additionally,assessors will note evidence of any of the competencies demonstrated in any activity.

The Model is the product of robust research, the key research ingredient being semistructured interviews with some of the country’s most successful headteachers.The Model has already achieved significant credibility with headteachers and othersin education. Tim Brighouse, Chief Adviser to London Schools, endorses the Model,stating:‘This is an excellent model. It recognises the uniqueness of the urban leader, affirmsthe characteristics of existing successful urban school leaders and increases thelikelihood of finding more potential leaders with the same character qualities andabilities.’


Your attendance at the Centre was only part of the process. We put in place a rigorousquality assurance programme to ensure that the outcome offers maximum value for allcandidates.Following your attendance at the Centre:

• Assessors hold a meeting to review evidence and test findings and agreegrades for each candidate in each of the exercises

• Your individual assessor then spends a day reviewing the evidence, analysingwritten work and writing your bespoke profile

• The profile is edited by an external reader to ensure that it meets the criteriaset out in the framework

• The profile is then is then reviewed by a second assessor at the Centre, beforefinal compilation. Only then is it forwarded to candidates.

The Centre uses four main techniques in producing your bespoke profile:

• A critical incident interview – focusing intensively on concrete behavioursexhibited spontaneously in the candidate’s recent career (testing the full rangeof characteristics).

• A case study – candidates are provided with a range of data, e.g. inspectionreport, RAISEonline data etc and are asked to outline the priorities andpropose a strategy for moving the school forward.

• A lesson observation – after watching a video of a real lesson, candidates areassessed on the ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a lesson andtheir ability to coach other staff.

• A Group Activity – candidates work as a group to achieve a commonoutcome.

Profile Structure

The first section is the Summary Profile which provides a written overview ofyour overall performance at the Centre, and then highlights the level obtainedin each of the twelve characteristics which comprise the Urban SchoolLeadership Model. The levels achieved are graded and highlighted. If therewas no evidence of a particular competency, it will be left blank.

The summary is followed by the Detailed Profile arranged in 4 clusters:Enabling; Relating; Operating; Sustaining. Your feedback is arranged withinthe framework of these four clusters. Each section contains a detailed reporton the specific competencies within each cluster and is followed by a clusteroverview.


SUMMARY AND NARRATIVE

Dave, thank you for attending the Urban Leadership Development Centre.Congratulations on your outstanding performance in the assessment. Only in twocompetences, Leading Learning Innovation and School and Community Champion,did we feel there was not quite enough evidence on the day to give you the veryhighest level 5.

We hope you found it an interesting experience. Please use the profile in whateverway you feel appropriate. We hope it will be useful for you as you review your careerto date and consider future possibilities.

You have demonstrated with considerable success your commitment to the lifechances of all children in a range of different contexts. Your faith is important to youand your family and you have experience as a lay preacher.

You spoke movingly and thoughtfully about your life and career to date beginningwith your own childhood upbringing in Dudley. You soon became accustomed to‘Lenny Henry’ references. You were the only black pupil in your school. Passing the11+ took you to grammar school. You reported that like many young men of that agein a co-educational school you went through something of a crisis wanting to appear‘cool’. Fortunately you came across a very strong P.E. teacher, a fine role model, whocalled in your parents and focused you on sport. Your results began to shoot up andled you eventually to a successful international athletics career, representing yourcountry in the high jump. The character building, not least your persistence anddetermination, developed partly from that time, as you moved from the Sixth Form touniversity.

That teacher had inspired you to become a teacher. You trained in mathematics andP.E.in Birmingham. Your teaching practices dropped you in the deep end, one in awhite school with a BNP undercurrent. - interestingly you assured us that you had noproblems and could be invited to homes for dinner- and another practice was inHandsworth with a similar profile to Moss Side.

Your first teaching post was in a Wolverhampton school with a very good reputation.It was a multi-ethnic school with a majority of white pupils and free school mealsdouble the national average. You found the headteacher inspirational and verypassionate about what he did. He took you under his wing and showed you the needfor confidence in leadership.

You were then promoted to be mathematics co-ordinator and leader of Year 5 in atwo-form entry school under a much more autocratic headteacher, a stickler for detail.You described how she once walked into a colleague's classroom and started takingdown a display in front of the children. You said, possibly slightly wistfully, that thiswould not work today! And you also described your time there as ‘good days’.

The next promotion took you to a deputy headship in an all-white school. You feltthat the headteacher who had indeed appointed you was less effective and came tofeel rather threatened by you. You missed the ‘can do’ culture of your previousschools. You learnt that you didn't want to be that kind of headteacher. Combining


deputy headship with full-time teaching and SATS was stressful. You felt lessinvolved in strategic planning leadership and became frustrated.You did NPQH and your first headship. You were very keen to leave your previousschool and were attracted to Birmingham, Tim Brighouse, Mick Waters and the team.You took over a failing school in special measures with a strong Muslim intake in adeprived area. Having visited the school, your wife asked you what you had done.The school's intake trebled. You felt that key to your success in taking the school outof special measures and rebuilding the community lay in not ignoring any issue,including the children's behaviour, putting people at their ease and creating hope.

For your second headship you moved to Manchester, your wife's home city. Your twochildren at school in Bramall give you an additional parent perspective. Your newschool has 720 pupils.

You were very clear that you were more interested in being a good person than aspecific role model. Looking back over your career you perhaps felt happiest in yourtime with the buzz and inspiration of Birmingham. You look ahead to furtherchallenges. You are doing work with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust.There is the possibility of executive headship. I hope that you will take theopportunity to consider these and other options further at the one-to-one coachingsession.


Detailed Profile

Enabling Cluster

Characteristics Core Question 1 2 3 4 5

Vision and Belief Consistently motivated by a passionate belief that all young peoplecan succeed

Courage andMoral Purpose Prepared to make a stand for what they believe in

EmpoweringCulture

Establishing a team based culture which develops sharedexpectations and embeds accountability.

ResourcingCreatively

Establishing a team based culture which develops sharedexpectations and embeds accountability

Leading LearningInnovation

Accurately identifying the components of good teaching andpossessing the coaching skills to transmit these

SituationalJudgement

Drawing on and applying breadth of experience in responding tonew situations and effectively evaluating possible outcomes andpotential impact of different courses of action

EmotionalIntelligence

Understanding the benefits of different leadership styles. Gaugeown impact as a leader

BalancingChallenge andEmpathy

Investing time getting to know and understand pupils, parents,teachers and staff. Combining a genuine interest, listening skillsand a desire to empathise with an underlying ability to remain firmwhen challenged

School andCommunityChampion

Actively championing the school to achieve desired outcomes indealings with local authorities, governors and external agencies.Understanding diversity and the variety of cultures in the schooland community

Stability andConsistency

Creating a stable learning environment with a consistent approachto teaching throughout the school. Establishing and maintainingconsistent behaviour management strategies and procedures

Vigilant Focus Determining overall priorities for the school and ruthlesslymaintaining focus on these – ‘seeing the wood for the trees.’Demonstrating disciplined self management when prioritising owntime and activity

EnduringResilience

Continually exuding optimism and a ‘can- do’ attitude

Summary Profile


Vision and BeliefPossesses a passionate belief that all young people can succeed, embedding this inthe school’s vision. Believes in and trusts the expertise of teachers and thepotential of all pupils.

No Evidence 1 2 3 4 5

Key Strengths• You have a powerful faith and values which underpin your moral purpose

without imposing on others• You have experience of developing school vision successfully. You have

adapted to a range of different schools, including some in challengingurban contexts

Key Development Areas• You need to clarify your vision for your own development in the coming

years

Courage and Moral Purpose

Conveys their passion to make a difference. Prepared to put their head above theparapet. Takes personal risks for what they believe in.


Key Strengths• A sense of moral purpose conveying a determination to make a difference

to the futures of children from all backgrounds• Challenging others when necessary to achieved desired improvements

Key Development Areas• Continue to build similar characteristics throughout your team of teaching

and support staff.•


Empowering Culture

Establishes a team based culture. Develops shared expectations and embedsaccountability.Delegates responsibility for decision-making, demonstrating trust in seniormanagement team.


Key Strengths• Encouraging a winning mentality and positive approach and encouraging

everyone to develop• Putting people into new and key roles to help them develop

Key Development Areas• Continuing to maintain a balance between individual accountability and

shared responsibility, delegating appropriately so that the school does notbecome overly dependent on you.


Cluster Overview: Enabling

‘The Foundation Cluster: these competencies enable the urban leader to capturehearts and minds. It gets you off the blocks’It was clear from the interview that throughout your career to date in a range ofcontexts you have demonstrated your strong personal vision and values in all youhave done. You have shown courage and moral purpose. You have developed yourleadership styles over time to create a culture and climate in which you build thecapacity of others, empowering them to share and meet your objectives. Everychild matters.

In your first headship you described a school in a mess. You knew you had toconvince the stakeholders of what good looks like. You were very clear in yourvision of a school with a calmer environment, teachers happy to come in every dayfeeling they could teach and aspiring children in a smart uniform. You had to pressahead in the face of little support and some opposition from parents whocomplained that you were being too tough but you were resolved.

You needed to summon all your courage and moral purpose. When under thegreatest pressure you described how you would fold your arms to hold the tensionyou felt.

Although in your second headship there were many more children from better-offmiddle class families, you needed to change the culture and climate bychampioning the cause of the poorest children while maintaining the very positiveinfluence of the more affluent and successful. With the staff you soon realised thatyou needed to adopt a more empowering, consultative style of leadership. Inadvance of some decision-making, you focused on removing barriers to change.You judged these issues well.

In the case study and in the lesson observation, your belief, values and moralpurpose were clear plus your determination to get all staff on board in the drive forimprovement. You could have developed further the community aspects of thevision.


Operating

Resourcing Creatively

Ensures creative use of resources (staff, buildings, funding) to gain maximumvalue for pupils.Works well with other agencies to generate resources for pupils


Key Strengths• Recognition of the value of investing in the fabric, facilities and equipment

of the school• Understanding the importance of delegating to quality staff in the right

posts in order to achieve the objectivesKey Development Areas

• Continue to seek solutions to longer-term resourcing needs to gainmaximum educational benefit.

Leading Learning Innovation

Accurately identifies components of good teaching and has the coaching skills totransmit these.Evaluates the benefits of new initiatives – enthusiastically adopting those that addvalue to the learning environment.


Key Strengths• You identify many components of good teaching and learning• Very good lesson observation and feedback

Key Development Areas• Clarify further your expectations of teachers in terms of personalisation,

differentiation and the use of technology.


Situational Judgement

Draws on and applies breadth of experience in responding to new situations.Effectively evaluates possible outcomes and potential impact of different coursesof action


Key Strengths• You draw on your varied experience from previous roles to help with new

situations and challenges• You are confident and timely in your decision-making even when faced

with difficult choicesKey Development Areas

• Continue to work on predicting others’ reactions to different proposals oroutcomes


Cluster: Overview: Operating

‘The Relating and Operating clusters enable the vision to be realised and theschool to make real headway’When you arrived in your first headship you were determined to raise the bar, not attackthe person. The school environment had a shabby appearance. You walked around ‘like awhirlwind’ and saw what you wanted to do. This included knocking through classrooms,redecorating, and creating an ICT suite. Rising pupil numbers helped you to deal with thesignificant deficit you inherited. You also delegated budgets for each classroom teacher tohelp build capacity and distribute responsibility. You faced six teachers, including adeputy head, leaving early in your first headship. The link adviser had told you all wereterrible but you discovered one outstanding teacher. You secured the support of the localauthority who changed the link adviser. You had an early opportunity to appoint somenew staff. Close monitoring and a programme of lesson observations gave you valuableinformation.

When you moved to your second headship you judged accurately the very differentsituation and consequent demands. You identified almost two schools in one, with 60%mainly Asian families. The intake ranged from a significant number of children from well-off and professional backgrounds to 30% taking free school meals and families of ‘careercriminals’. The governing body and parents' association were much more active andconfident. Whereas you had been the sole candidate for your first post, this time you wereappointed from a shortlist of seven following a three day selection process. You madefurther detailed assessments of the situation through focus groups, questionnaires and yourown hands-on experience. You took more time to decide priorities. You restructured theleadership team, reducing to one deputy head and having four assistant heads as phaseleaders. This time you introduced the structure over eighteen months, the retirement of adeputy allowing you to take the school in new directions.

The first challenge you quoted related to the change of the lunchtime in order to reducethe possibilities of fights and aggressive behaviour.

In the case study you correctly identified the data pointing to low standards. You wereclear about the responsibilities of strategic leadership from headteachers and governorsworking together. You picked out many points but you were a little less clear about thepriorities for action to develop innovative classroom practice.In the lesson feedback you identified many of the areas for development and componentsof good teaching. You highlighted the need for personalisation and differentiation withoutgiving much detailed advice about what this might entail.In reply to the question about when you felt at your happiest and best, you noted that youfeel now at your best as a strategic leader, delegating most effectively.


Relating Cluster:

Emotional Intelligence

Understands the benefits of different leadership styles. Seeks to gauge own impactas a leader.Shapes own approach according to the particular needs of the situation and people.


Key Strengths• You demonstrate a considerable emotional self-control and self-awareness• You now spend significant time interacting with a range of stakeholders

and listening to viewsKey Development Areas

• Continue to develop the use of the pupil, parent and staff voice in raisingstandards

Balancing Challenge and Empathy

Invests time getting to know and understand pupils, parents, teachers and otherstaff.Combines a genuine interest, listening skills and a desire to empathise with anunderlying ability to remain firm when challenged.


Key Strengths• You often walk the school to ensure you know what is happening and can

challenge in an informed way• You demonstrate a high degree of concern for pupils’ needs especially

those from poorer backgroundsKey Development Areas

• Continue to challenge robustly on issues relating to pupil performance


School and Community Champion

Actively champions the school to achieve desired outcomes in dealings with localauthorities, governors and other external agencies.Understands diversity and the variety of cultures in the school and community.Exploits opportunities to reflect diversity within the school curriculum.


Key Strengths• You have a detailed understanding of the diversity and different sub-

cultures within the school and the community• You are proud of your schools’ achievements and celebrate success

Key Development Areas• Produce more strategies for championing the school in the community and

continuing to raise your own professional profile


Cluster Overview: Relating

‘The Relating and Operating clusters enable the vision to be realised and theschool to make real headway’

To win staff over and to raise morale, you adopted some personal strategies todemonstrate empathy. You provided refreshments for staff, personal support andwould on occasion offer to take lessons to allow them to have a little time forthemselves. You recalled that in order to improve the effectiveness of your firstchair of governors and governing body you produced questions for them to askyou. This helped to build their capacity. Leaving the school was an emotionalexperience for you.

It was interesting to hear you describe how you learnt from your mistake in tryingto drive through the lunchtime change over the heads of longer - serving staffleading to you nearly having a strike on your hands. Reading a book on leadershipduring the holiday led you to understand that you needed to promote morediscussion, develop more options, in summary understand better how the schoolworks as a learning community, You showed you valued the staff's views anddevelopment by establishing a staff library with books and DVDs, and otherstrategies. You had an individual meeting to help you relate to each member of thethirty-two teaching and sixteen support staff.

In the lesson observation you gave direct feedback including some criticisms, in awarm and encouraging way. You made recommendations for improvement.In the case study presentation you did not have time to produce a communityaction plan or to be clear about your strategy for championing the school. Thisaspect could have been highlighted rather more throughout the assessment. .In the group activity you listened and were courteous with your interjections, inspite of some apparent alternative view which you could not get across. Yousought clarification from time to time but also occasionally appearing a little lessengaged. Towards the end of the discussion you said the group had gone wrongand you had done it differently from everyone else. You accurately drew attentionto the difference between the group's views and what the MORI poll haddiscovered but this was at a point when it was too late to recover.


Sustaining CLUSTER

Stability and ConsistencyCreates a stable learning environment with a consistent approach to teachingthroughout the school.Establishes and maintains consistent behaviour management strategies andprocedures


Key Strengths• You have demonstrated an enduring commitment to improving chances for

children in a range of contexts• You have created and sustained stable and effective learning environments

monitoring quality and consistencyKey Development Areas

• Continue to build the capacity of others to try to ensure successfulsuccession planning

Vigilant focus

Determines overall priorities for the school and ruthlessly maintains focus onthese.‘Sees the wood for the trees’. Demonstrates disciplined self-management whenprioritising own activity and time.


Key Strengths• Your ability to identify key priorities and act on them• You maintain a strategic focus in spite of the day-to-day pressures

Key Development Areas• As you move into the next phase of your career, continue to prioritise your

own activities for the benefit of the school’s and your own development


Enduring Resilience

Continually exudes optimism and a ‘can-do- attitudeMaintains personal drive through challenging times by drawing on inner reservesof commitment and self belief


Key Strengths• You have met a multiplicity of demands and at times conflicting pressures

in stressful situations and demonstrated successful self-management for thebenefit of your schools

• You have shown inner strength and an engaging determination,perseverance and optimism

Key Development Areas• Continue to ensure a successful work life balance for yourself and your

family• Consider carefully your next steps including the challenges of executive

headship


Cluster Overview: Sustaining

In your first headship you were determined to emphasise positive behaviour. Onarrival you had found the pupils to be great but there were around forty out ofcontrol. You established that around twelve were the main protagonists in thisculture of poor behaviour and you maintained a rigorous focus on them. Youpresented them with an ultimatum, to turn things around or go. With temporaryexclusions and a new reward system most were saved. There were two permanentexclusions which you regretted but knew you had to draw a line in the sand.

When you restructured your senior team in your current context, you demonstratedyour understanding of the value of one internal appointment to meet the need forsome continuity.

In the case study you were clear that sustained improvement of leadership wouldbe necessary over time. Similarly in the lesson observation you were clear thatimprovements would need to be embedded over time.

You said that you enjoy the ‘rough and tumble’ of headship. Looking ahead youfeel the school is settling well and you will certainly need further challenges.

When you moved on from your first headship you said you were not sure you werea ‘long term headteacher’ as you get bored easily. Above all you felt you had donethe job you were appointed to do, you knew your own limits and you felt theschool needed new direction and some fresh ideas at that stage. You have certainlysustained your commitment to children in the education system over time andenjoyed wide-ranging success.


Your next steps

Reflections

The first thing to do is to reflect on your profile, perhaps a week or so after the event.

Some useful initial questions might be:

• What are your first reactions and feelings about your profile?• What themes have emerged for you from this profile?• What am I good at?• What key areas for improvements have emerged for you?• What critical areas would you like to develop further to improve your

performance?• What are the key messages for me in this profile?• What am I going to do about them?• Are there any barriers to me moving forward?

Unusually, we ask the question: what am I good at? In this era of self-assessment andevaluation, inspection and action planning, we are trained to focus on deficits and thegaps in performance i.e., where am I failing?

In terms of professional development, this approach on its own quite simply doesn’twork. It is equally important to recognise your strengths, including your Spike, thearea in which you are especially competent. Try to develop and extend thesestrengths to maximise your full potential as a leader. Of course development needsmust addressed, but don’t let them dominate the agenda. We learn and change best ina state of optimism, hope and high self-esteem. There is research to prove it!

As part of the process you will receive telephone feedback from your assessor. Thiswill provide you with an opportunity to clarify issues and discuss your development.

Remember leadership skills can be developed; the key to success is self awareness,being clear about your strengths and areas for development. Once you are aware ofyour areas for development, be clear about why the competency is important to yourleadership role; practice it in a safe environment, then in a more challenging context.

If you have opted for a follow-up coaching session you will have a ‘one to one’, in-depth session with one of our specialist coaches to help you to identify your fullrange of strengths - as well your Spike - and key development needs, prioritise themand put together an agenda for action.To assist in the production of your action plan you can visit our Online Leadership

Development programme, developed with Bluewave, Becta winners 2008

1. Go to www.urbanleadershipcentre.com

2. Click on the login button at the bottom of the page

3. Go to Guidelines.


4.Enter your email address and your password. To obtain your password just let ushave a password of your choosing

5. Complete proforma 1: Identification of Spike and other strengths

6. Complete Proforma 3: Leadership Competencies and Development Plan

7. Go to the Development section of the website to find development resources

Your staff, colleagues and peers in your school also provide a valuable source ofguidance. This is why we have added the option of a 360 feedback. If you have optedfor the 360 feedback, the results will be incorporated into your profile. To see thisand all our other products visit our website www.urbanleadershipcentre.com or emailus [email protected]

Good luck in your career.

Kind regards

Joan FyeManaging DirectorUrban Leadership Centre Ltd

Name: Dave Watson Assessor: Richard Townsend Date 15 ... · consolidation and help plan your...

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