Headteachers and executive principals gathered at two PTI conferences in January and February 2016 to debate issues in school leadership and focus on whole-school improvement that puts teaching and learning at its heart. Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools and Lee Elliot Major, Sutton Trust Chief Executive, joined us at our Schools Leadership Programme Day to speak to heads about challenges including recruitment, teacher workload and continuing professional development.
Our Headteachers' Residential provides induction into the Schools Leadership Programme, and our Schools Leadership Programme Day is an annual members' reunion day.
You can download the full conference report here.
Key conclusions
Following a series of inspiring lectures, headteachers came to the following conclusions in their discussions.
How to establish a strong school ethos:
- Develop a clear set of values and model behaviour that pupils will come to internalise
- Involve the whole school community in shaping the ethos
How to ensure great teaching and learning remains at the heart of school leadership:
- Prioritise love of learning and never narrow education to meet accountability frameworks
- Empower and enthuse teachers in their subjects through continuing professional development
How to succeed in educational leadership:
- Have a clear vision, uphold your core values and make teaching and learning the absolute priority
- Be authentic and optimistic; know your staff well and discover what drives them
How to recruit high-quality subject teachers:
- Nurture talented individuals already in your networks and provide clear career pathways
- Raise the profile of the school through social media and local media
The Headteachers' Residential Conference
Discussion was opened by Dr Ross Wilson and Dame Barbara Stocking DBE (above) who discussed how to establish a school's ethos so that pupils can take these values with them into life and become good citizens. Dame Barbara spoke about her experiences as Chief Executive of Oxfam, and the need for a leader to live the values they espouse. She emphasised that all stakeholders, from pupils to teachers to parents, have a role in shaping and upholding the ethos.
Then Professor Helen Cooper from the University of Cambridge spoke about the importance of inspiring subject teaching in creating the next generation of aspirational learners. She said that successful Oxbridge applicants have a deep curiosity about their subjects and that this has often been directly influenced by their teachers. She also emphasised the need to challenge students and broaden their cultural horizons rather than disadvantaging them by narrowing down to what we believe is relevant to them.
Heads then had the chance to hear from a panel of Year 9 and Year 11 pupils from Stewards Academy in Essex. They emphasised that their school's "Five Rs" (Reflection, Resilience, Respect, Responsibility and Resourcefulness) helped give them a straightforward way of talking about the school's ethos and reflecting on how their learning measures up against it, and that celebrating individual achievements motivated them to live up to the ethos. They also said that a great lesson is taught with passion and goes beyond exam specifications, and that an effective head allowed teachers to explore a subject beyond the curriculum.
Next, attendees heard from Lord Wilson of Dinton about his experiences as Cabinet Secretary, and gained valuable advice on being an effective leader. Then Yvonne Wilkinson, Headteacher of King Edward VI Five Ways School (above) spoke about how she was brought in to turn around a failing school in just ten weeks.
Schools Leadership Programme Day
Delegates were joined by Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools and Lee Elliot Major, Chief Executive of the Sutton Trust.
Nick Gibb stated that:
- Subject teaching and passion are central
- CPD that focuses on subject content benefits learners
- Autonomy for the profession is increasing
- Textbooks should be honed by the profession to cut down on teacher workload
Lee Elliot Major stated that:
- Focusing on teaching and learning will lead to gains in pupil achievement
- Subject knowledge and high-quality feedback are key
- A school is a learning community; teachers' learning should not just happen on inset days
You can download the full conference report here, or click the links to find out more about our Headteachers' Residential and Schools Leadership Programme.