Introduction
The Collaborative have been working with Mark Burns (Primary) and Andy Griffith (Secondary) to develop leadership of the improvement of teaching at all levels in schools through the Leading for Excellence programme. Colleagues from the collaborative have been attending the sessions with Mark and Andy over the Autumn and Spring terms 2016-17.
The ‘Leading for Excellence’ programme is targeted at anyone who has a leadership of teaching role in school. This could be a phase leader, subject leader, or whole school Teaching and Learning role. The focus is based upon leading backwards to close the following gaps:-
They are the gaps that Mark and Andy have found time and again, limit leaders’ impact on the improvement of teaching in their teams.
The programme enables input on the impact of each gap, and then explored practical strategies to close the gap.
Analyse and apply the principles of Teaching Backwards to leadership at all levels. The training is structured so that leaders have time to reflect on their own practise and identify both specific gaps they wish to close as well as strategies to employ Each session provides time for leaders to identify the key change levers that they will use to improve their leadership so that learning for students improves.
The leadership of the improvement of teaching is crucially important. Indeed, there is compelling evidence from Professor Vivianne Robinson, University of Auckland, and her work identifying the key characteristics of effective school leadership. Her study pinpoints that it is those school leaders who actively lead the learning of teachers and their development who have the most impact.
Starting with the end in mind, what does a high performing team look and sound like? Do we got clarity on this, and has our team? In this module we examine what leading backwards means and how we can be more of a ‘Blue Peter’ leader by ensuring there is shared clarity about processes and destinations.
Creating a Growth Mindset team is key to leading sustainable improvement and capacity to improve. In this session we examine strategies to :-
The final day focuses the leaders on themselves and their impact on others. As Oscar Wilde was quoted as saying, ‘some people brighten a room when they enter it; others when they leave’. We examine what makes an effective leader and what energies they need; passion, intellect, relationships, and physicality.
Mark and Andy continue to work with primary and secondary schools in Kirkby and across Knowsley further developing a range of CPD programmes.
For further information on the work of Malit and the strategies that the Kirkby Collaborative has engaged in see: http://www.malit.org.uk/
