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The importance of effective leadership and governance to school improvement. Shropshire Primary Headteacher Conference Angela Westington, Senior HMI, Ofsted Monday 9 March 2015
The importance of effective leadership and governance to school improvement.
Shropshire Primary
Headteacher Conference
Angela Westington, Senior
HMI, Ofsted
Monday 9 March 2015
Introduction and aims of session
to communicate key messages about school improvement priorities in Shropshire
to foster discussion and debate about priorities and the challenges of leadership
The importance of effective leadership and governance to school improvement.
1.What’s the school improvement challenge in Shropshire?
2.What’s your job about?
3.What’s your job?
EYFS good level of development comparisons DfE 2014
EYFS literacy comparisons DfE 2014
EYFS inequality comparison DfE 2014
Year 1 phonic check comparisons DfE 2014
Year 1 phonic check comparisons DfE 2014
Year 1 phonic check 2014 LA RoL
Key Stage 1 outcomes 2014 LA RoL
Key Stage 1 outcomes 2014 LA RoL
Key Stage 1 outcomes 2014 LA RoL
Key Stage 1 outcomes 2014 LA RoL
Key Stage 2 outcomes 2014 DfE LAIT
Key Stage 2 outcomes 2014 LA RoL
Key Stage 2 outcomes 2014 LA RoL
Key Stage 4 outcomes 2014 DfE LAIT
Key Stage 2-4 expected progress in English 2014 DfE
Key Stage 4 outcomes 2014 LA RoL
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Shropshire’s position - similar in many ways to other LAs
Very positive start in EYFS
Tailing off of progress and attainment in English and generally as pupils move through school system
Inequity in performance of fsm and non fsm / disadvantaged pupils
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Range of work in the region to tackle these issues
Stoke-on-Trent primary reading survey
West Midlands secondary literacy challenge leading to
Stoke-on-Trent secondary literacy challenge and
Staffordshire LA secondary literacy pilot
... To educate .......
From the Latin ‘educare’
‘To draw out (lead out) that which lies within."
What’s your job about?
‘educare’ – a latin verb built on another latin verb .....
‘ducare’..........
................................To Lead
What’s your job?
To draw out, or lead out, the best, the potential in each child
To draw out, or lead out, the best, the potential in each teacher
To draw out, or lead out, the best, the potential of the whole school community – as a single entity or organism
What does this mean for you as leaders and governors? It’s your job …..
Year 6 reading results. What decisions and actions did leaders take here that made this improvement in four months?
Identified the problems
Set about building new culture, new expectations,
Introduced reading test and timetable for this
Training / CPD for staff on use of tests and test data
Reviewed and revised teaching of reading and reading provision
Training / CPD for staff on teaching of reading at different stages
Observed lessons, monitored match of books to groups and reading ages,
Observed again, and again, re-emphasised expectations, more CPD....
Performance management issues
Engaged parents, governors............................
Leaders’ decisions and actions
WPS Year 4 reading results – what should leaders consider?
Year 2 reading results. Where should leaders be focusing their attention?
Year 1 reading results. What should be leaders’ focus?
Leaders’ decisions and actions….
The school’s most recent reading test of pupils’ reading ability revealed that in year groups 2, 3 and 4 around 40% of pupils have a reading age below or well below their birthday age. In Year 1, the figure rises to nearly half of pupils and in Year 5 the figure is almost three quarters. There have been significant improvements in the four months since the first reading test was completed, with some pupils making gains of two years or more in that period. In each year group, it is very clear from the reading age data that there are high ability readers for whom the school does not provide enough challenge and direction. The school has overhauled the teaching of reading, spent more than £15,000 on reading books, catalogued them all, ensured there are reading areas in every classroom, updated the library and sharpened up the additional, daily thirty minute guided reading session. Despite all these new initiatives, most pupils still read far too few books, do not read often enough and are not building up reading stamina.
To oversee.......
To see over..........and beyond...
What’s your job about?
So what does Ofsted consider to be your job?
Inspectors should consider how well leaders, managers and governors pursue excellence, modelling professional standards in all of their work - for example through:
the creation of a culture of high expectations and aspirations and scholastic excellence in which the highest achievement in academic work is recognised as vitally important
having the highest expectations for social behaviour among the pupils and staff, so that respect and courtesy are the norm
the rigorous implementation of well-focused improvement plans that are based on robust self-evaluation
the consistent application of policies and procedures, in particular in relation to reading, writing, mathematics and behaviour
the extent to which pupils, parents and staff are committed to the vision and ambition of leaders, managers and governors
the establishment of an orderly and hardworking school community.
So what does Ofsted consider to be your job?
Inspectors should consider the effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation and the extent to which it is shared with governors. This includes monitoring and evaluation of:
the quality of teaching and the achievement and progress of all groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, relative to other schools nationally
the performance of the school, including, if applicable, the school’s sixth form provision and/or early years provision
the satisfaction levels of pupils and their parents
how effectively the school uses the primary school PE and Sport Premium to improve the quality and breadth of PE and sport provision, including increasing participation in PE and sport so that all pupils develop healthy lifestyles and reach the performance levels they are capable of.
So what does Ofsted consider to be your job?
Inspectors should evaluate how well leaders use formative and summative assessment to ensure that pupils, teachers and parents know if pupils are achieving the expected standard or if they need to catch up. Inspectors should consider how well:
assessment information, including test results, is used by leaders and governors to improve teaching and the curriculum
leaders ensure the accuracy of assessment through internal and external standardisation and moderation
schools adopt the best practice of working together to moderate assessment for year groups and the end of key stages, and come to a common understanding of attainment and share records at points of transfer (within the context of the revised common transfer file).
So what does Ofsted consider to be your job?
Inspectors should consider how well leadership and management ensure that the curriculum:
is broad and balanced, complies with legislation and provides a wide range of subjects, preparing pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life in modern Britain; inspectors should not expect to see a particular range of subjects but should be alert to any unexplained narrowness in the breadth of curriculum being offered by the school
actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
focuses on the necessary priorities for ensuring that all pupils make excellent progress in reading, writing and mathematics
So what does Ofsted consider to be your job?
promotes high levels of achievement and good behaviour
links to the school’s system of assessment and that together they set out what pupils are expected to know, understand and do, and when
information about what is taught in the curriculum each year is shared with parents and carers, including by meeting the statutory requirement to make curriculum information available on the school’s website
promotes tolerance of and respect for people of all faiths (or those of no faith), races, genders, ages, disability and sexual orientations (and other groups with protected characteristics) through the effective spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, including through the extent to which schools engage their pupils in extra-curricular activity and volunteering within their local community
Are you putting in place the safety net?
It is leaders’ responsibility to put in place the safety net - the systems, minimum expectations and non-negotiables; e.g. the way we teach maths, reading, or handwriting in this school; the way we manage behaviour in this school.
Looking at Ofsted’s evidence: what do we know about schools that improve?
Raising expectations of pupils and teachers
Our analysis of inspection reports of schools that have become good or better provided a broadly similar picture:
more consistency across the school in high quality subject leadership
better understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses – accurate self-evaluation
high levels of accountability and strong performance management
stronger commitment to raise standards and team approach to achieve this – high expectations
no inadequate teaching tolerated with significant investment in coaching and developing staff – high expectations
sustained action to improve learning focussing on reading, writing and mathematical skills.
Approaches used for raising performance in schools
In some schools staff meetings had been remodelled to focus on learning and teaching.
In most schools recruitment and induction were described as crucial. In half only good or outstanding candidates were considered.
In half the schools staff were provided with the opportunity to take external qualifications.
In most schools the headteacher had reinforced that it was the teacher who was responsible for their own performance management.
Approaches used for raising performance in schools
Headteachers in all schools perceived performance management as necessary to build the capacity for consistent and sustained school improvement.
Coaching and mentoring procedures were established in all schools visited. In half the schools part of a mentor’s performance management was to be responsible for the improvement in performance of their mentees.
In the majority of schools programmes of peer working were established that were judged to be highly effective.
In all schools professional development programmes were tailored to the ability of staff – and were helping to motivate them.
Even schools that get to good are still on a journey – the aim is to be outstanding
Areas identified for further improvement in the ‘good’ schools often include:
greater extent of outstanding teaching
greater focus on learning
challenge and engagement for all pupils, including most able
better recording of progress and provision of feedback
subject leadership, including sharper and more consistent monitoring across all subjects
higher standards, including in the sixth form
attendance and punctuality
literacy and numeracy across the curriculum
greater consistency in marking and feedback
a small proportion of teaching was not strong enough to promote good learning.
Inspection arrangements
Key documents:
School Inspection Handbook January 2015:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-handbook
Getting to good: how headteachers achieve success, Ofsted, 2012; (Study of 447 primary and secondary schools, previously judged as satisfactory, that were judged as good between January and August 2012)
School governance – learning from the best, Ofsted, 2011;
Further reading
Twelve outstanding secondary schools, Ofsted, 2009. Twelve outstanding primary schools, Ofsted, 2009
Further reading
Research informing the Education Endowment Foundation
