Leadership and Management Managing the School Workforce (PDF Format)
Transcript of Leadership and Management Managing the School Workforce (PDF Format)
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Leadership and management:managing the school workforce
HMI 1764
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HMI 1764
December 2003
Leadership and management:
managing the school workforce
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Crown copyright 2003
Document reference number: HMI 1764
To obtain an additional copy, contact:
Ofsted Publications Centre
Telephone: 07002 637833
Fax: 07002 693274
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.ofsted.gov.uk
This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial
educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproducedwithout adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.
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Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Main findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Managing the culture of the school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Managing the staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Managing the working environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Managing change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Annex A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Annex B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
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Introduction
1. In June 2003, Ofsted published Leadership and management: what inspection
tells us, which summarised key inspection findings about leadership and
management in schools.1 It emphasised the central importance of goodleadership and management in school improvement and in sustaining high
performance, and drew out a number of common features of effectively
managed schools.This report complements the earlier one and focuses
particularly on the human resources dimension of school management
how schools manage their workforce to ensure high-quality education
for their pupils.
2. This report is based on a survey carried out by Her Majestys Inspectors
during the autumn term 2002 and spring term 2003, involving inspection
visits to 80 primary schools and 70 secondary schools.The sample includedinner city, suburban and rural schools that had shown consistently good
standards, quality of education, and leadership and management,or significant
improvement in these areas, from one section 10 inspection to the next.
Inspectors held detailed discussions with school staff with a wide range of
roles and responsibilities, including technicians, site managers, administrators,
teaching assistants, class teachers, subject co-ordinators, heads of faculties
and departments, members of senior management teams and governors.
They also reviewed school policies and other relevant documentation.
3. The inspection was carried out against the background of the proposed
changes outlined in the Department for Education and Skills (DfES)
document Time for standards: reforming the school workforce, the intention
of which is to restructure the teaching profession and to reform the
school workforce, involving:
more time for high quality, more individualised lesson planning,
preparation and pupil assessment
a concerted attack on any bureaucracy that gets in the way of
what matters most teaching and learning and raising standards
of pupil achievement extra support inside and outside the classroom, with new support
staff filling roles at every level in the school, so that teachers can
focus on teaching.2
4. A key element in the implementation of these changes was the signing, in
January 2003, of a national workforce agreement between the government,
employers and school workforce unions.3
The phased implementation
of this agreement from September 2003 (see annex A) is intended to
achieve progressive reductions in teachers working hours by lessening
administrative and clerical burdens and providing increased in-class support.
11 Leadership and management: what inspection tells us, HMI 1646, Ofsted, 2003.
2 Time for standards: reforming the school workforce, DfES,2002.
3 Raising standards and tackling workload: a national agreement time for standards
(ATL, DfES,GMB,NAHT, NASUWT, NEOST, PAT, SHA,TGWU,UNISON,WAG), 15 January 2003.
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Main findings
About a quarter of the schools managed their workforce very effectively.
They showed how managers can make the best use of the staff and other
resources to raise standards.These schools were well placed to take onthe imminent challenge of implementing the national workforce agreement.
In two fifths of the schools, management of the workforce was generally
good although there were also weaker areas.While these schools are
familiar with the governments remodelling proposals, they are likely to
find some elements difficult to implement.
Just under one in ten of the schools did not capitalise sufficiently on
the strengths of their staff and did not do enough to ensure good staff
management practice. Five of these had significant weaknesses in theirmanagement of staff and are likely to find remodelling a particular challenge.
In summary, schools that manage their workforce effectively to help raise
standards are those that actively:
manage the culture by creating a climate in which staff can work
together productively
manage the staffby implementing effective policies and procedures
which ensure that highly competent people are recruited, deployed,
and trained and developed further
manage the working environment by investing in it to make it a place
where staff and pupils feel able to work hard and are motivated to do so
manage change by harnessing the energies of the workforce to plan for
and introduce changes that lead to better teaching and higher standards.
Schools managed the culture effectively in the following ways:
managers took deliberate steps to create a culture of openness that
embraced all teaching and non-teaching staff. They recognised that theworkforce needed to work together as a team if changes were to be
implemented successfully
schools had a clear set of values and aspirations that the workforce
knew and agreed with.They held fast to these, measuring the value
of new initiatives against them
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managers recognised the achievements and contributions of staff,
individually and in teams, formally and informally
teams were established in which all members of the workforce worked
together productively.
Schools managed their staffeffectively in the following ways:
the appointment process was fair and transparent, allowed for some
negotiation of roles and responsibilities, and ensured that the most
suitable people were appointed to the right jobs and remunerated
accordingly
managers deployed teaching and non-teaching staff effectively, and knew
how to use and build on their individual strengths
staff were well supported by the schools arrangements for continuingprofessional development (CPD), which included a wide range of
different development opportunities
the performance management procedures were used well to support
staff development.
Schools managed the work environment effectively in the
following ways:
there was investment in improving the quality of the physical working
environment
there were successful behaviour management policies and leadership
teams were prominent in implementing them
managers were aware of the need to promote a healthy work/life
balance and had begun to use flexible approaches to staffing to
achieve this
managers had made conscious efforts to help staff manage
their workload and had begun to implement plans to transfer
responsibility for the 25 tasks (see annex B) identified in thenational workload agreement.
Schools managed change effectively in the following ways:
change, including government initiatives, was introduced successfully
because managers saw the potential benefits to the school, presented
them to staff in a positive light, and took care to stage and time the
introduction of the changes
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Main findings
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information and communication technology (ICT) was used increasingly
to support effective management and teaching, and funding was used well
to improve ICT resources and develop the skills of the staff in their use
managers monitored the effect of their decisions on the work of the
school through self-evaluation and external review and took account
of the findings in future planning.
There were barriers to change even in effective schools.The most
significant were:
headteachers were reluctant to use the new pay flexibilities available
to them as they and their staff feared such decisions would be divisive
in a minority of the schools, the historical allocation of management and
incentive allowances restricted headteachers scope for making changesin staffing and the allocation of responsibilities
although schools had used different funding streams imaginatively to
increase the size of their workforce and promote staff to new posts
that carry additional responsibility points, headteachers were concerned
that the funding might not be sustained in the long term.This limited
their scope for further development of the staffing structure
teachers did not always have the knowledge and skills required to
make the most effective use of the non-teaching staff who provided
them with classroom and administrative support many schools did not have the space to provide suitable accommodation
for an increase in the workforce
few schools were good at evaluating the effect of CPD on teaching
and learning
in primary schools in particular, there was insufficient non-contact
time to enable staff to carry out fully their management roles
and responsibilities
even where schools were introducing government initiativessuccessfully, many staff perceived that the approach was uncoordinated
and the pace of change too rapid
although the long-term benefits of ICT as a management tool were well
understood, the introduction of new systems in schools had considerably
increased the workload of some staff in the short term.
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Managing the culture of the school
Culture of openness
5. Leaders in the majority of schools in this survey understood that whenteachers and other staff felt able to approach those in leadership roles
with their ideas and concerns, and knew that their views would be taken
seriously, they were likely to be more committed to the work of the
school. Such schools promoted an open management culture and the
following features were commonly present:
the headteacher was accessible to staff
there was a collaborative ethos in which staff were respected as
responsible professionals
there was an expectation that there would be negotiation and
consultation about policy decisions, with consensus sought as far
as possible
once decisions had been made, there was an expectation that everyone
would abide by them
the headteacher was willing to confront issues and take hard decisions
when the need arose.
6. In addition to promoting openness from day to day, some of the schools
made a particular effort to consult staff in ways that enabled them to
express their views freely. Effective strategies included off-site discussion
groups, questionnaires and staff surveys.
Primary and secondary schools in one local education authority (LEA) had
participated in a staff well-being survey, which canvassed the views of all
staff, including support staff and midday supervisors, on various aspects of
school life. Staff had responded to questions on communication, the quality
of management, work/life balance, team-working, career and professional
development, and the quality of external agency support.The LEA carriedout a detailed analysis of the results and fed these back to the schools.
Headteachers were encouraged to consider all the ensuing recommendations
and to publish the responses from the different sectors of the workforce so
that everyone would have a better understanding of the views of the whole
staff. School staff felt that this initiative had been highly successful, and
schools used the results to help develop their improvement plans. Staff
valued the opportunity to contribute to the development of school policy
and, as a result, felt more committed to it.
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7. Where a less open culture existed, staff often felt that the senior
management team paid only lip service to negotiation and consultation,
and the rhetoric of openness was not matched by the reality. In spite of
the often considerable energy invested in consultation, they believed that
senior managers had generally already made up their minds and takendecisions without heeding the views of the staff. In such schools, the
headteachers commonly believed their leadership style to be open, but
failed to recognise how differently it was perceived by their staff. This
dissonance was sometimes due to ineffective consultation procedures
while, on other occasions, the staff failed to appreciate that it was not
always possible for managers to accommodate their views.Whatever the
cause, such situations often resulted in a degree of disillusionment and lack
of commitment to implementing the decision that had been taken.
8. In a minority of the schools, staff felt unable to express their views, orat least to do so without prejudice to their careers, and, as a result, often
felt demotivated and less likely to give of their best. A change of school,
or of management style within a school, could sometimes re-engage staff
who were becoming disenchanted with their job.
Framework of values
9. The majority of schools in this survey had a clear framework of values which
were known and understood by the staff.Where they had helped to shape
them, staff generally felt more committed to them.To raise the achievement
and self-esteem of the pupils and staff, most of the schools had values that
promoted an inclusive ethos and collaborative approaches to working. In the
minority of schools that lacked a well-understood framework of shared values,
there was often a lack of common purpose and staff felt less motivated.This
had a detrimental effect on the quality of education provided for the pupils.
One teacher related how, in her previous school, to ask for help was seen as
a sign of weakness, and this had almost led her to leave the profession.When
she joined her current school, she recognised immediately that the headteacher
promoted an open door policy where staff, pupils, parents and governors couldapproach him with their views and concerns. Staff knew that their comments
would be taken seriously, and their views respected. For example, the headteacher
agreed to one teachers request to develop a mentoring programme.This resulted
not only in improving pupils attitudes to work, but also placed the school in a
better position to introduce a comprehensive mentoring scheme, as was required
as part of the Excellence in Cities initiative.The headteacher had created a
climate where it was safe to try out new ideas and to learn from mistakes.The
professional trust he placed in his staff was returned in their trust in the senior
management team and in their loyalty to the school.
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10. While the values in some schools were widely understood without being
formally documented, in others they were expressed as a mission statement.
Effective mission statements commonly emphasised the core values of high
expectations, opportunities for pupils of all abilities, respect for others,
personal achievement and partnership.At best, the schools values werewell known to the pupils, staff and governing body and formed the basis for
decision-making and action.The following mission statement from a primary
school featured in its documentation and was prominent in classrooms and
staff work areas around the school. It was drawn up after consultation with
staff, pupils, governors and parents, and fostered a shared understanding of
what the school valued:
11. It was common to find newly appointed headteachers recognising the
importance of revisiting the shared values of the school as a key priorityfollowing their appointment.
The newly appointed headteacher in a large secondary school organised a
training day to formulate a strategy for developing a shared view of the core
purposes of teaching and learning, and for creating a clearer sense of values
and vision for the school. Prior to the day, teachers were asked to identify two
core purposes of teaching and learning.This revealed little common ground
and the lack of a shared language.Their initial views were summarised in eight
separate statements about possible core purposes and these formed the basis
of an exercise to agree priorities. Staff then identified the barriers to achieving
the core purposes.The outcomes of the day were used successfully to develop
a policy on teaching and learning, a shared set of values for the school, and to
confirm the importance of listening to one another and sharing ideas.
We believe pupils learn best when they work from first-hand experiences
which engage their interest, help them feel good about themselves and givethem opportunities to succeed.
We believe pupils are entitled to a stimulating classroom which should be a
place of order, of industry and well-organised resources.
We believe that pupils should be challenged by their work and that this
happens effectively when teachers set realistic targets and goals to which
pupils can aspire.
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Recognising the achievements and contributionsof individuals
12. Managers in the schools generally went out of their way to make time to
show their appreciation for what individual members of staff had done or topraise them for the quality of their work.They understood that a workforce
that felt valued was likely to be motivated to achieve more highly.The means
by which achievements were recognised varied widely, but all managers took
care to deal with staff individually. Simple actions such as sending thank-you
cards or acknowledgements in the school newsletter were appreciated by
staff as confirmation that their contribution was valued. Personal support
from the headteacher at more difficult times, such as bereavement and
ill-health, were also appreciated and signalled that they took a genuine
interest in their personal and professional circumstances.
13. In many of the schools, performance management was used to recognise
and record individual achievements and to identify opportunities for
development. For example, giving teachers a new or enhanced role, such
as leading a whole-school working group, was sometimes used to develop
their leadership skills and enhance their career prospects while, at the
same time, benefiting the school. Such additional responsibilities were
sometimes recognised by awarding temporary or permanent management
allowances.Teachers achievements were also recognised financially by
progress through the threshold to the upper pay spine. Another way in
which the schools often recognised achievement was through encouragingand supporting staff to undertake professional development activities that
would help to further their careers.
In a secondary school, recognition of achievement was embedded firmly in
the style of leadership and management and reflected in the processes of
monitoring and evaluation. Clear and detailed guidance was given to subject
departments on how to review their performance during the year. All staff,
including technicians and teaching assistants, became effective at evaluating
their own practice and contributing to the cycle of departmental and school
development planning. This process of departmental review provided a sound
evidence base for identifying those who had made a significant contribution.
Teachers and support staff in a primary school particularly valued the ways
in which the headteacher and governors had expressed their gratitude to
them for their hard work and achievements by improving their working
conditions.Three attractive work areas for staff had been created around
the school through the refurbishment of stockrooms and cloakrooms.The
staffroom had also been redecorated.
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14. The extent to which schools felt that external recognition of success
promoted good relationships varied considerably. Some felt that initiatives
such as the Investors in People award, Beacon School status or the DfES
Achievement Awards helped to reinforce a positive ethos. A significant
number were more cautious, however, when financial rewards wereinvolved, for fear of creating tensions among the staff. For example, one
small primary school had considered refusing the financial element of a
DfES Achievement Award on the grounds that it was potentially divisive.
In the end, it divided the award equally among all the staff, after careful
discussion and reflection.
Inclusive culture
15. Effective school leaders placed a strong emphasis on promoting
an inclusive ethos by seeking to harness and develop the potential ofthe entire workforce to achieve the schools aims and objectives. One
way in which they did this was to establish broadly based teams with
responsibility for particular areas of the work of the school. Many had
decided to involve all staff, teaching and non-teaching, in the professional
and social life of the school. Strategies for doing this included ensuring
that non-teaching staff were involved in performance management
arrangements and staff development activities. Giving all staff access to the
staffroom was sometimes as important symbolically as it was practically.
16. Teaching assistants particularly appreciated being recognised as importantmembers of the teaching team. A small number of the schools, however,
treated them insensitively, for example denying them access to the
staffroom at break. In several of the schools, teachers failed to make full
use in the classroom of the skills and strengths of the teaching assistants
or to consult with them over planning. They were reluctant to use them
in a teaching capacity and this led some teaching assistants to feel
undervalued and resentful.
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Managing the staff
Recruiting and retaining staff
17. Most of the schools had fair and transparent procedures for appointingstaff. Headteachers and governors generally drew up well-defined job
descriptions and specifications of the skills and experience that they
were seeking for forthcoming appointments.The appointment process
for teachers usually entailed a searching interview, with teachers and
sometimes other staff represented on the panel.The candidates were
often observed teaching a lesson.The panels generally used clear
criteria to assess candidates capabilities, exploring, in particular, the
extent to which they were likely to share the schools values and its
approach to teaching and learning. Many of the schools reported that
recruiting teachers was becoming more difficult and that the numberof applicants for posts was declining. Schools involved in initial teacher
training, however, had often been able to recruit high-quality teachers.
18. Most headteachers and governors had a clear idea of the sort of
person they required for a post and had the courage to make what
they considered the best appointment, even when this meant disappointing
an internal candidate who might have expected to get the post. Occasionally,
however, headteachers reported feeling forced into making a poor
appointment when what they perceived as a weak external field led them
to promote an internal candidate about whom they had some significantreservations. Such appointments sometimes had unfortunate longer-term
consequences, such as the underperformance of pupils in a particular
subject area. In one school, for example, a weak teacher was appointed
internally to lead the mathematics department; teaching in the department
was subsequently unsatisfactory, standards of attainment declined, and the
headteacher had to invoke competence procedures.
19. A number of the headteachers had used monies from a variety of national
initiatives to fund promotions to newly created posts and, in this way,
sought to motivate and help to retain high-quality teachers. Excellencein Cities funding, for example, was used in many of the secondary schools
to appoint co-ordinators to work with gifted and talented pupils. Some
schools had appointed experienced and highly competent members of
staff as advanced skills teachers to develop teaching and learning across
the school. Specialist Schools saw the additional funding available to them
as important, both because it enabled them to enrich the curriculum they
offered through improved resources and also because they were able to
create additional teaching and non-teaching posts. Conversely, schools
which did not have additional funding of this kind were often acutely
aware of their more limited scope for creating new posts or awardingadditional responsibility allowances.
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20. Recruitment and retention allowances to attract high-quality teachers were
used more frequently in secondary than in primary schools. Their use was
not widespread, however, as many teachers opposed them on the grounds
that they were seen to be divisive. Schools in areas where housing costs
were particularly high were very conscious of the need to use theirbudgets imaginatively to help recruit and retain good staff. Some used all
of their allocated recruitment and retention points, in one case awarding
an additional responsibility point to all teachers to help retain them. In a
large secondary school in the south east, arrangements were made for
three young teachers to live rent-free at a local independent boarding
school in return for some supervision duties.The same school found
suitable accommodation for a recently appointed teacher who was
unexpectedly evicted from her rented flat. Some schools arranged loans
from school funds for newly qualified teachers to ease financial pressures
in the early stages of their careers. All of these approaches were designedto help retain teachers because of the likely adverse effects of staffing
turbulence on the quality of education provided and the standards
achieved by the pupils, and because of the considerable management
time expended in recruiting and training new staff.
21. The schools generally recognised that succession planning is an important
aspect of staff management.The degree to which schools gave priority to
this often depended on their size and the extent to which they faced high
turnover and recruitment difficulties. Good succession planning was helped
by effective staffing policies and well-devised staff induction arrangements,for example paired working and shadowing before a member of staff took
over a new role. In one primary school, a teacher shadowed the deputy
head carrying out data analysis before taking on this area of responsibility
herself. In another school, to induct a new special educational needs
co-ordinator, the headteacher initially took on the role herself and
worked with the less experienced teacher to prepare her for taking
over full responsibility for special needs within the school.
22. While senior managers generally worked hard to establish positive
relationships and provide support for staff, they also recognised that,on occasion, it was necessary to deal with issues of staff competence
and conduct and sometimes to take disciplinary action. Headteachers
expected high standards of performance and conduct from every teacher
and saw competence procedures as a necessary measure where staff had
consistently failed to meet them.
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Defining roles and responsibilities
23. In most of the schools, staff have clear job descriptions; these are
generally shared to help colleagues with whom they work understand
their roles and responsibilities. Some roles, such as heads of year,
often have fairly generic job descriptions; other responsibilities aremore precisely defined for an individual. For example, one deputy
headteacher might be responsible for analysing achievement and
formulating strategies to raise standards. In the most effective of the
schools, managers used a variety of ways to clarify and illustrate their
expectations of staff, in addition to stating them in the written job
descriptions. In many of the secondary schools, for example, all members
of the senior management team were linked with middle managers, had
regular dialogue with them, and provided informal feedback on how well
they were developing in their roles.
24. Problems sometimes arose when staff were unclear about the roles and
responsibilities of their colleagues. In one secondary school, for example,
the light teaching timetable of a junior member of staff led to some
resentment among colleagues who did not realise her job entailed
considerable time supporting and training other staff in ICT. In a primary
school, on the other hand, changes in roles and responsibilities were
discussed at staff meetings before formal job descriptions were drawn
up.This strategy ensured that everyone understood the expectations of
the member of staff undertaking each new role.
25. In some of the schools, the roles of particular post-holders had not
developed in line with current expectations for the level of seniority
of their posts. For example:
One headteacher admitted to being ruthless with staff when necessary. He
felt that the role of senior managers was to give clear leadership, not to court
popularity. He believed that he no longer had any weak teachers on the
staff as they had been removed through pressure and disciplinary procedures.Although other staff often felt uncomfortable when a colleague was subjected
to such procedures, they understood the reasons and appreciated the
long-term benefits to the school.
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26. Schools varied considerably in the way they drew up and reviewed job
descriptions for support staff. In many, teaching assistants had clear job
descriptions that accurately reflected their work and status in the school.
In one school, for example, they undertook some teaching and marking ofhomework under the supervision of the class teachers. Where they took
on additional responsibilities of this kind, these were generally included in
their job description. In a minority of the schools, however, the individual
strengths and expertise of teaching assistants were not used effectively.
This was especially evident in those schools with no performance
management system for support staff.
Staffing structures and allowances
27. Many of the schools made effective use of financial allowances to motivate
staff. In one secondary school, for example, the headteacher was faced with
the need to motivate and develop a group of long-serving heads of subject
departments, each of whom had a substantial management allowance. It was
agreed that three quarters of the allowance should be for their substantive
role and that the other quarter should be considered as payment for
specified additional whole-school responsibilities. In this way, each of these
very experienced teachers was able to make a more significant contribution
to the school while having the stimulus of a new set of challenges.
28. New headteachers sometimes found they had inherited a long-established
staffing structure in which the allocation of management points either no
longer matched the teachers roles and responsibilities, or did not reflect the
direction in which they now wished to take the school.The degree to which
headteachers had successfully managed such situations varied. Some had
waited until a member of staff moved before making changes; others used
their recent appointment as an opportunity to restructure the management
teams and to redefine the roles and responsibilities of staff.When handled
well, this restructuring helped to motivate the staff by providing them with
new challenges that were matched to their strengths and interests. It also
helped to ensure that key responsibilities for school development and
improvement were held by those most able to carry them out successfully.
In a secondary school, a long-established deputy heads role included
responsibility for health and safety, school visits, production of data for external
requirements, primary liaison, day-to-day examination arrangements and acting
as clerk to the governing body. It did not, however, include any significant inputto the strategic management of the school. A significant number of the tasks
she undertook were those that need not be carried out by teachers. The
recently appointed headteacher used an analysis of the excessive costs of
this inappropriate allocation of responsibilities in order to persuade the deputy
head and other staff of the need to reallocate a number of these tasks.
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29. A schools ability to award additional allowances occasionally failed to
keep pace with rapid changes in responsibilities. Senior managers in these
schools generally tried to maintain the commitment of the teachers by
signalling that they were aware of, and would seek to eliminate, such
inconsistencies as soon as possible. Although teachers generally attachedmore importance to job satisfaction than to pay, they did expect that the
pay structure would be equitable and that they would be fairly rewarded
for the jobs they were doing.Where schools were not systematic or
transparent about awarding responsibility allowances, this sometimes
led to a feeling of resentment among staff. Staff who thought the pay
structure inequitable were sometimes difficult to manage and did not
contribute fully to the life of the school.
Linking performance to pay
30. All of the schools in the survey were cautious about linking teachers
performance to pay, with particular concerns about the use of the upper
pay spine. Several of the headteachers had awarded all their eligible staff a
rise on the post-threshold spine, despite having reservations about a small
number of them.They felt they had been given insufficient advice about the
criteria to use in determining whether individual teachers should progress.
Teachers on the upper pay spine in a significant number of the schools had
expected a pay increase and headteachers believed they would have been
demotivated had they not received an increment. Although they recognised
that the decision could turn out to be a costly precedent, they rewardedthe performance of all eligible staff in the interests of harmony.
31. The minority of schools which had sought to apply rigorous criteria to
decisions about progress up the upper pay spine had found the process
very time-consuming, and feared challenges from unsuccessful staff,
especially since the decisions were not subject to external moderation
in the way that threshold applications had been.
32. Two further concerns occupied headteachers in making decisions about
pay.The first was that, because of uncertainties over future funding, theschools budget might not sustain, in the long term, pay increases related
to performance.The second was that, in some cases, there was a danger
that pay differentials were becoming eroded. It was not untypical for some
of the primary school deputy headteachers, for example, to find that their
pay was similar to some of their senior staff on the upper pay spine.
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Deployment of staff
33. Some schools were making increasing use of part-time and job-share
arrangements to help recruitment and to retain staff who wished to
change their work/life balance. In one secondary school, for example,the head-of-department roles in three subjects had been shared over the
previous two years in response to the personal needs of the individual
members of staff. These arrangements had provided excellent professional
development opportunities for less experienced teachers, prepared them
for future management responsibilities and secured effective succession
planning.The arrangements ensured the school retained the services of
good teachers who might otherwise have moved on or left the profession.
The opportunity to develop the shared roles had been fortuitous, but the
school had been creative in seizing and acting on the potential benefits
of the situation. Such arrangements required careful management andmonitoring by senior staff, however, to ensure that the quality of pupils
learning was maintained.
34. Several of the schools had recently increased significantly the number of
non-teaching staff in order to carry out tasks that would otherwise be
carried out by teachers.The schools commonly used non-teaching staff
for tasks such as the organisation of supply cover, the administration of
examinations and management of the learning resources centre. As well as
enabling teachers to concentrate on teaching, these appointments often led
to improvements in the way the non-teaching function was carried out.Theappointment of an attendance mentor in one school, for example, not only
released teachers from the daily burden of tracking absent pupils, but also
led to better coordination of the schools attendance policy; trends and
patterns were monitored more closely and liaison with the educational
welfare officer was better informed. In an infant school, lunchtime
supervisors were trained and deployed as lunchtime mentors to reduce the
pressure on teachers.This relatively inexpensive initiative had additional
benefits in that pupils now had access to a much wider range of activities
during the lunch break, including construction toys and large apparatus.
35. Teaching assistants were deployed effectively in most of the primary schools
and made a valuable contribution to teaching and learning.Their attachment
to specific teachers, classes and year groups contributed to their secure
understanding of the teachers working practices and the needs of
the pupils.Where they were attached to a year team, they were often
involved in the teams planning and professional development sessions:
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36. In the secondary schools, teaching assistants and other support staff
frequently undertook a broader range of activities than in primary schools.
This support helped teachers to carry out their duties more effectively.
For example:
In a rural community school, teaching assistants played a variety of roles in
supporting teachers and pupils. Their deployment generally made best use
of their individual strengths. One had particular responsibility for providing
support in design and technology lessons. She had been trained in brazing
and welding techniques, and in the use of design-related software. She worked
very effectively alongside the teachers to support and supervise practical
activities, to the clear benefit of both staff and pupils.
Another member of the support staff held a certificate in behaviour
management from a local university and was used to help identify causesand patterns of unsuitable pupil behaviour.Her role ranged from working with
pupils who were given time out following bad behaviour in the classroom to
monitoring absences and contacting parents where there were questions about
unauthorised absence. She also supervised the team of 13 teaching assistants,
arranged their timetables, carried out their performance management reviews,
and appointed and inducted temporary teaching assistants.
In one primary school, each year group had its own dedicated teaching assistant
who attended all planning sessions, professional development activities and year
team meetings.Time was not wasted in giving instructions or receiving feedback
at the end of each lesson because the teaching assistant was an integral partof the planning and assessment process.They moved up with the pupils into
the next year.This arrangement provided continuity for the pupils and made
it easier to pass on information about individual pupils previous achievements
and difficulties.The teaching assistants were employed on a full-time contract
and paid at the top of the scale in recognition of the importance of their roles
and to ensure that they were available to join planning sessions and training
events at the beginning and end of the school day.
By contrast, in another primary school, teaching assistants were deployed
across the whole school.While this provided them with variety, they were not
part of the planning process.Their role had to be explained to them at thebeginning of each session and time was taken up providing feedback to
teachers at the end.This proved to be a very inefficient use of the time
of both the teachers and the teaching assistants.
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37. In some of the secondary schools, the deployment of support staff was
less effective and teachers often continued to carry out tasks which could
have been carried out by others, such as preparing equipment for lessons,mounting displays and collecting money for school trips. Some teachers in
both primary and secondary schools were reluctant to delegate such tasks
to others because they had habitually seen it as part of their job. Many
more were reluctant to see teaching assistants given a more leading role in
teaching groups of pupils or whole classes. Many teachers had not received
sufficient training in making the best use of support staff. As a result, the
potential of the teaching assistants was not realised fully, teachers spent
time on unnecessary tasks, and the quality of education was less good
than it might have been.
Opportunities for professional development
38. The most effective of the schools recognised fully the value of good
professional development for their staff and ensured that teachers and
teaching assistants had regular access to a range of suitable development
opportunities. Staff in these schools felt valued because they recognised
that their managers were investing in them and this increased their
commitment to the school. Senior managers recognised the benefit to
the pupils of investing in the professional development of the teaching
staff. At best, staff were encouraged to take responsibility for their ownCPD and each had an individual programme of appropriate development
opportunities that was properly funded.
39. The schools that planned CPD most effectively had a clear and open
process by which professional development priorities were determined.
They tempered school and departmental priorities against the career
aspirations and development needs of individuals. Some imposed a
common structure for performance management objectives; for example,
in one secondary school all staff had a pupil-progress objective related
to the whole-school priority for that year, a department-wide objective
In the same school, a member of the administrative team studied on a
vocational ICT course alongside a class of Year 10 pupils. She developed
her understanding of the pupils needs and, with the agreement and support
of the teacher, undertook the role of informal learning mentor.This wasparticularly effective in the case of a group of pupils who understood the
work but had difficulty in completing coursework. She used her knowledge
of the course requirements to give closely targeted guidance, helping them to
find strategies for organising their work to meet deadlines and to achieve a
higher standard. She was particularly sensitive to the importance of providing
support that matched and enhanced the work of the teacher with these pupils.
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reflecting an agreed priority, and an objective determined by the
individual, related to their own teaching.These objectives were supported
by well-designed individual training plans which fed into a whole school
improvement plan and a staff training and development plan. Another
feature of some of the more effective schools was that they held regularmeetings for staff to discuss their work and learn from each other; in
some, this took the form of a regular voluntary learning forum that
allowed the sharing of successful practice, and encouraged teachers
to be more reflective and to focus on the pupils learning.
40. In most of the schools, there was a well-organised programme of induction
for all newly appointed staff, including those who were newly qualified.
These programmes commonly consisted of a number of sessions after
school covering topics such as the schools values and ethos, its pastoral
system and behaviour policy, the use of assessment to improve teachingand learning, special educational needs and provision for gifted and talented
pupils. High-quality support at an early stage in their appointment generally
enabled teachers to establish themselves quickly and provided continuity
for the pupils. It also commonly had the effect of strengthening their
commitment to the school.
41. Professional development was often built into the day-to-day life of the
schools. Senior managers and teachers appreciated, for example, how
opportunities to work with other colleagues in a variety of ways, from
planning and teaching lessons to collaborating on projects, were often veryinfluential in improving the teachers professional knowledge and skills.
In one primary school, the staff had produced videos of good teaching
and used them both to illustrate particular skills and to encourage lively
professional discussion about the most effective teaching approaches.
In another primary school, strong links had been developed with a local
higher education institution to provide a co-ordinated and extended CPD
programme on leadership and management skills.This replaced a staff
meeting once a month and was seen by the headteacher as a model fordeveloping tailor-made training for the school. Teachers with subject or
year-group responsibilities had gained in confidence as a result of the
training and were carrying out their roles more effectively.
A junior school had given one of its senior staff responsibility for seeking
out recent and relevant educational research to share with staff as the
basis of professional debate and reflection on their classroom practice.
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42. In a minority of the schools, professional development was still too
narrowly defined, largely in terms of external courses and whole-school
in-service training. Staff were not seen as being entitled to a programme
of professional development matched to their personal needs. In these
schools, teachers often resented the lack of development opportunities
and many failed to thrive. Ambitious teachers frequently looked elsewhere
to develop their careers.
A 1419 college was involved in planning and teaching a transition
uni for pupils in one of its partner middle schools.The exercise not only
benefited the pupils but also had a clear advantage for the teachers
who were working collaboratively in developing innovative approachesto their teaching.
The most recent Investors in People evaluation of another secondary
school confirmed that CPD was now firmly established within its culture,
reflecting the commitment of the senior management team to the
concept of the school as a learning community. The modern languages
department, for example, held a good practice day once a year during
which the teachers observed, shared and evaluated each others teaching.
In addition, each departmental meeting included a clear focus on sharing
practice.The second-in-department had responsibility for managing this
process, organising the good practice days and establishing the focus ofthe departmental meetings.
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Managing the working environment
Physical environment and resources of the school
43. Where people work, and the conditions in which they work, often helpto determine attitudes to their jobs.This applies as much to schools as
to any other workplace. Parents recognise the importance of the right
environment for their children, and good school managers recognise it as
a key factor in allowing staff to carry out their job effectively.The majority
of the schools in this survey had created an environment in which it was
pleasant for teachers and pupils to work and which supported effective
teaching and learning.There were generally sufficient learning and teaching
resources, and many of the schools had placed a strong emphasis on
improving the physical environment.There were, however, limits to
what some schools could achieve. For example, few primary schoolshad adequate private study or working areas for teachers. Also, teaching
assistants and others working with small groups of pupils often found it
difficult to obtain a suitable room; this seriously impeded their ability to
plan together or teach effectively. In one school, for example, investment
in an additional teacher who worked with groups of high-attaining pupils
was not wholly successful because of the unsatisfactory teaching
accommodation to which the groups were assigned.
44. Although sometimes rather cramped, staffrooms were generally well
equipped to support the work and recreational needs of the workforce. Anumber of the schools had made good use of additional government funding
to improve staffroom facilities. Many had also invested in improving the
attractiveness of the outdoor environment and this had had a positive
effect on the motivation of staff and pupils. Some school buildings required
considerable improvement to meet fully the demands of the curriculum.
Cramped and poor classrooms did not necessarily have an adverse effect
on standards of achievement because of the efforts of teachers to overcome
such constraints; they did, nevertheless, often affect staff morale.Teaching in
shabby classrooms, and without a comfortable base in which to relax, to
meet colleagues and plan work, often left teachers feeling undervaluedand they were more likely to be seeking employment elsewhere.
45. The most successful schools had a clear and coherent strategy for the
development and use of ICT. Despite concerns about whether funding
would continue to support the costs of updating computer systems,
these schools had a programme for improving ICT resources that often
drew on a wide range of funding sources. Staff were trained as new
equipment was purchased and were able to make effective use of the
resources for planning and administration, as well as for teaching.Teachers
in these schools were able to work more efficiently, and to introduce theirpupils to a greater range of teaching and learning resources and strategies.
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46. Very few of the schools had exploited fully the potential for ICT to improve
the working environment for staff and the learning environment for pupils.
One school that had made the most of the opportunities provided by
moving to a completely new building offers a possible vision of the future.
In November 2002, this large secondary school moved to a new building.
It took four years to plan and eighteen months to build.Throughout that
time, the headteacher and the business manager led the school team in the
strategic planning and managing of the project. They helped ensure that the
new school was equipped with the latest technology to support teaching and
learning, promote efficient administration and reduce the teachers workload.
There were 26 classrooms, each equipped with at least one networked
computer and every department had at least one interactive whiteboard and
data projector.There were three computer suites.The technology rooms werefitted with the latest computer-aided design equipment and the five art studios
had access to an adjacent ICT studio for activities such as digital photography.
The learning resource centre included a book collection, a range of multimedia
resources and an ICT centre. This significant investment in ICT had raised the
expectations of staff but had also brought its pressures, in the short term,
particularly in terms of technical support. An ICT manager had been
appointed to manage the systems in the new building.
The increased emphasis on ICT provision was having a significant impact on
the working patterns of staff and on the motivation of pupils. All teaching staffand the senior teaching assistants had a laptop computer.They were exploring
ways of maximising their use to support teaching and learning, in addition to
assisting them with their day-to-day administration. For example, a geography
teacher had transferred all his teaching materials and lesson plans to a CD-
ROM and each pupil had a copy. Pupils downloaded worksheets and engaged
in pre-lesson preparation.The school was monitoring the effect of this initiative
on the pupils attainment. Improved electronic communication and resource
areas for laboratory and technical staff had contributed to greater efficiency
in the organisation and availability of equipment to support science teaching.
The school was fully committed to exploiting the potential of ICT to improve
organisational efficiency. An intranet was already in place and was improving
communication within the school. Each departmental resource area had its
own computer, scanner and small photocopier. For larger jobs, staff e-mailed
their work to the dedicated reprographics unit for copying.This unit was
equipped with all the latest technology for printing, laminating and binding.
Careful planning had reduced the administrative workload of staff and
enabled them to work more efficiently.
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Promoting a healthy work/life balance
47. The more effective senior managers monitored the workload of teachers
and took effective action to support them in managing their work. In addition
to planning and teaching lessons, the most time-consuming responsibilities
of teachers are: marking work; attending meetings; writing reports; keeping
records; planning for the medium and short term;covering for staff absence;
and, for those with management responsibilities,monitoring the subject oraspect of the school that they lead.The schools used a range of strategies
to help teachers meet these demands as efficiently as possible.The majority
had taken steps to cut the amount of time spent in meetings, for example
adopting more efficient procedures for conducting staff meetings.They
insisted that meetings started and finished on time and had clear agendas
which were followed closely, and that brief minutes were taken and
circulated quickly.These changes often led not only to a reduction in
workload, but also to an improvement in the quality of the activities.
48. One secondary school had convened a number of groups to consider issuessuch as work/life balance and staff welfare. All staff were invited to join a
group of their choice and, consequently, teachers and support staff were well
represented.These groups generated a lot of useful ideas that led to
improvements in the way their workload was managed. Another secondary
school gave all members of each subject team protected non-contact time
simultaneously so that weekly department meetings could be held during the
school day.This resulted in more productive meetings as well as reducing the
need for staff to remain in school at the end of the school day. In a third
school, the dates for written and oral reports to parents were staggered to
ease the pressure on staff. It also brought benefits for parents as they now
ICT developments were not confined to the increased provision and use
of computers, digital cameras, interactive whiteboards and data projectors.
Radio-controlled clocks had been installed in every classroom and there
were no bells to signal the end of lessons.This had reduced congestion in thecorridors between lessons, and improved behaviour. Closed-circuit television
monitored all access and movement spaces around the school. This had a
major effect on improving discipline and reduced the time teachers spend
on tracking incidents of unacceptable behaviour.
The school was committed to meeting the challenges of modern technology
and exploiting its potential to create an innovative teaching and learning
environment, where staff used ICT to enable them to work more efficiently
and reduce their administrative workload.The challenges the school faced
were the provision of a relevant training programme for all staff, tailored to
individual needs, updating staff on new developments, and the provision ofgood technical support to ensure that the systems were fully operational.
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received two separate reports during the year, one oral, at the parents
consultation interview, the other an annual written report.
49. A few of the primary schools had well-developed strategies for the use of
ICT to reduce the workload of staff. For example, a rural primary schoolmade good use of ICT as a management tool both to reduce bureaucracy
and to improve the effectiveness of teachers planning:
50. Few primary schools allocated teachers regular non-contact time,
with the result that subject leaders often had insufficient time to fulfil the
responsibilities outlined in their job descriptions. One urban junior school,
however, provided time for all subject co-ordinators to fulfil their monitoring
roles and the headteacher was very clear and specific about the focus of this
monitoring to ensure that time was used effectively:
A wide range of material required frequently by the staff was held on the
computer network, including registers, attendance records, pupil data and pupils
reports. School development plans, school policies, performance management
plans, financial management, curriculum planning and information for parents
and others were generated using ICT, and could be quickly adapted to meet
different needs.A subject leader for ICT was appointed on a fixed-term management allowance;
a student technician was also employed for one day a week to sort out
equipment problems.The ICT subject leaders job description was well defined
and contributed to her success in introducing systems and staff training to
support the effective management of ICT. As a result, teachers who had previously
lacked skills and confidence in using ICT were generating all their planning on
computer, using the Internet and e-mail regularly, and accessing appropriate
software to support their teaching.They used pre-existing literacy and numeracy
plans, and those for foundation subjects from the Qualifications and Curriculum
Authoritys web site.They had templates for half-termly forecasts, lesson plansand assessment records, which they changed and adapted to suit their needs.
Once set up, this system allowed teachers to plan quickly and efficiently.The
plans were placed on the schools internal network and were available for
others to see and for the headteacher, curriculum managers and ICT subject
leader to monitor. Assessment records were set up and used by the teachers
to identify individual learning needs; they used them with the teaching
assistants so that they, too, could identify where individual pupils required
support. In turn, the teaching assistants added to the records when they had
further evidence of pupils progress.These records formed the basis for bothinterim and annual reports to parents. The school used its web site to provide
details for parents of the homework set by teachers, and paid a teaching
assistant to provide online homework support in the early evening.
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51. Where teachers took on too many responsibilities, and became
overloaded as a result, the quality of support they could offer pupils
suffered.This was especially true of newly qualified teachers, who, in
their desire to involve themselves fully in the life of a school, sometimes
took on too much.While managers in a minority of the schools failed to
monitor the workload of staff, better managers intervened when there
was evidence that a teachers workload was becoming unmanageable.
A few teachers felt they had been required to set unrealistic targets for
themselves, with a consequent sense of failure when they were unable
to meet them, even though their overall performance had been good.
Provision of administrative and technical support
52. Consideration of the 25 tasks identified in the national workforce
agreement that need not routinely be carried out by teachers was leading
many of the schools to increase the number and range of administrative
and other support staff.There was an increasing focus on ensuring that
teachers and senior managers were freed from tasks that could be done as
well, or better, by others.
53. Several schools had site managers who line-managed the caretaking
and cleaning staff, and increasingly played a wider role in the school. In
a specialist arts college, for example, the site manager was involved in
supporting teachers and pupils through working with them on the lighting
and sound requirements for drama examination coursework. He was also
invited to staff meetings when decisions relevant to his work were being
discussed.The headteacher had ensured that the site managers salary
reflected his wider role.
A programme of weekly non-contact time for the deputy headteacher, subject
leaders and the special educational needs co-ordinator was introduced to
enable staff to have time to plan, monitor and evaluate their curriculum areas.
Each co-ordinator was required to submit a plan showing how the time wouldbe used and how it matched the priorities identified in the school improvement
plan. Cover for teachers was provided by the headteacher and two part-time
teachers. The school evaluated the effect of this initiative on the pupils learning
and achievement and there was clear evidence of improvement in some
curriculum areas. A questionnaire was also completed by teachers to gauge
the effect on their workload and work/life balance. Overall, the effects had
been positive. Subject coordinators felt better able to carry out their leadership
roles, and they were able to point to improvements in the quality of the
teaching in the school.
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54. Teaching assistants were used in a variety of ways to enable teachers to
focus more on teaching the pupils. In one school, for example, departments
were able to bid for the teaching assistants time to mount displays, file
documentation, update resources, help to arrange field trips, and enter
pupils attainment data on the schools ICT system. Another school hadtrained selected teaching assistants to invigilate examinations under
the supervision of an experienced teacher, and had given a member
of the administration team responsibility for managing the supply cover
arrangements.This administrator also provided a detailed analysis of staff
absence patterns to enable the senior management team to identify any
matters of concern.
55. A number of schools, especially larger ones, employed skilled finance and
administration managers to provide support for the headteacher and other
senior teachers.There was a lack of common status or salary structure forthese posts and the roles varied considerably, for example the bursar in
one school managed all administrative and premises staff; in another, the
school manager was responsible for cleaning and technical staff as well
as for the bursar and the finance officer. Only a minority of finance and
administrative managers had qualifications and experience that were well
matched to the job they were required to do.The lack of any clear career
progression route was a significant concern for the most able and best
qualified of them.
56. All of the secondary and some of the primary schools benefited from thesupport of technical staff.The range and quality of practical work available
to pupils in subjects such as science, ICT, design and technology, and art
and design often depended crucially on the technical support available
to the teachers and pupils. In the absence of such support, teachers
were forced either to carry out the tasks themselves, or to reduce
the opportunities for pupils to engage in practical work.The number
of technical staff varied considerably between schools and also between
departments within schools.There was often no clear rationale for the
deployment of technicians; historical allocations of time and funding were
sometimes an obstacle to progress.
Support for behaviour management
57. A key feature of the teachers working environment is the standard of the
pupils behaviour.The majority of the schools in the survey had adopted a
range of measures to ensure that high standards of pupil behaviour were
promoted. In most, there was a behaviour policy based on rewarding
positive behaviour, staff were expected to follow the set procedures and
good behaviour was tied closely to an emphasis throughout the school on
mutual respect. Senior managers in these schools constantly insisted that
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good standards of conduct were maintained.They had introduced effective
systems that supported teachers in dealing with difficult pupils and, through
their high-profile presence around the school, set an example by
implementing the agreed procedures themselves.
58. Many schools had simple but effective support systems,such as on-call
arrangements for senior managers, to help teachers whose lessons were being
disrupted. Some organised training for selected teachers to act as mentors to
disaffected pupils. In a few schools, senior managers failed to provide effective
support in behaviour management for teachers.As a consequence, some found
it harder to teach successfully, and this depressed staff morale and levels of
professional satisfaction.The majority of teachers,however, reported that
good, school-wide behaviour management systems, fully implemented and
backed by the personal commitment of senior staff, allowed them to manage
their classes and to support pupils learning more effectively.The followingexample, from a large urban secondary school, illustrates how effective
behaviour management systems can support teachers well:
During the previous academic year, the school had noted a deterioration in
pupils behaviour and had decided to make tackling this a priority for the year.
This led to the introduction of a number of initiatives:
a focus on identifying teaching and learning strategies that promote good
behaviour and increase pupils motivation, and on providing professional
development for staff to support the introduction of these strategies
behaviour management training for teachers
the establishment of a student support room (SSR) that made use of
staff with particular skills in dealing with challenging behaviour, for example
experience of working in a pupil referral unit
the use of these support staff and teaching assistants in classrooms to
target areas where behaviour was poor.
An important aspect of the strategy was the use of the SSR to promote
inclusion; this was set up to help pupils who found it difficult to cope with
learning in the normal classroom.The aim was to reduce exclusions and the
number of pupils on report. Those pupils who were sent to work in the SSR
were identified through discussions with their personal tutor, teaching staff
and head of year.They were required to work on individual targets with their
teachers to achieve the necessary changes in their behaviour that would
enable them to return to normal lessons. Pupils spent varying amounts of time
in the SSR, based on their individual needs. A range of issues was addressed to
help change the behaviour of pupils, including anger management and the
development of the pupils social and life skills and their self-esteem.
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59. Teachers in primary schools often used teaching assistants effectively to
support pupils with behaviour difficulties. Good communication between
teachers and teaching assistants resulted in a high level of understanding
of appropriate behaviour strategies and in a consistent approach.Teaching
assistants, who knew the class well, often provided valuable behaviour
support to supply teachers who were covering the short-term absence
of the class teacher.
Consultation and liaison with parents and external agencies formed an
integral part of the work. A pupil tracking system and regular monitoring
and evaluation were also key aspects of the programme.The schools special
educational needs co-ordinator and the student support team also providedspecialist training for teachers in behaviour management and in-class support.
This focused support backed up the school-wide training in the use of
teaching and learning strategies to promote good behaviour.
Teachers in the school reported significant improvements in the behaviour of
the individual pupils who had worked in the SSR.The training provided had
enabled many teachers to reduce the incidence of poor behaviour in their
classrooms. The number of exclusions fell dramatically. Teachers could now
focus much more on their teaching and other pupils could focus on their
work.This initiative had contributed to raising standards across the school.
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Managing change
Positive view of change
60. The theme of managing school development and change is one that hasoccurred a number of times in this report. In recent years, schools have
been faced with the need for what has sometimes seemed like almost
constant change in response to a series of central government initiatives.
The more effective schools in this survey have combined the implementation
of these changes with their own individual priorities, to support a process of
continuous improvement.These changes have generally had a positive effect
on the deployment,motivation, development and performance of teachers.
Their introduction has required flexible but determined leadership.The most
effective school managers are skilled in assessing the attitudes of the staff,
are able to establish the scale of the changes required and are careful to beseen to be committed to them.They are generally quick to capitalise on new
opportunities for their schools when they see potential benefits in them.
Use of funding
61. The effective management of change in the schools in this survey has often
involved innovative use of the budget to achieve the schools aims. Many of
the headteachers have tapped into a variety of funding sources, including
government-funded initiatives such as the Specialist Schools programme,
and made use of low-cost or no-cost services, to maximise the funds
available for school buildings, resources and staffing.They have often made
use of skilled finance managers to advise on how best to fund their plans
for development and improvement. Conversely, the minority of schools
which had not sought additional funding or made the most effective use
of their budget, often felt that they were being left behind in terms of
resources and staffing.
62. Additional government funding, such as that from the Excellence in Cities
or Specialist Schools programmes, had, for some of the schools, meant a
significant increase in spending power.This had enabled them, for example,
to provide additional ICT resources. Several of the schools had overcome
budget difficulties by entering into consortium arrangements with other
schools. By benefiting from the economies of scale offered by these
arrangements, the headteachers were able to make progress with planned
improvements at a lower cost than if they had worked in isolation. The
sharing of the expertise of staff was sometimes an equally important
outcome of collaborative working.
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63. The provision of improved ICT resources led to the use of more up-to-
date materials in the classroom and the introduction of a wider range of
teaching styles. At the same time, it helped to reduce the workload of staff.
There was a consequent improvement in morale and motivation in many
of the schools. However, the additional resources sometimes brought
unwelcome pressure to bear on teachers who were less confident with
ICT. For example, one small rural primary school decided to buy laptop
computers for pupils and teachers, as well as electronic whiteboards in
classrooms. It was hoped that the purchase of this equipment would lead
to greater integration of ICT within classrooms. Most of the teachers
welcomed the initiative and quickly learned how to use the technology
to support their teaching. Nevertheless, a minority of teachers felt they
were under peer pressure to keep up with their colleagues and were
having to spend a considerable amount of additional time in preparation.
The headteacher of an inner-city infant school was very active in the
management of a number of Excellence in Cities projects. She was particularly
aware of the ways in which the school might benefit from projects involving
laptop computers and became a key member of the management groups fortwo such projects. In one of these, she worked with another local primary
headteacher to devise a project for a consortium of 13 primary or nursery
schools to develop innovative ways of using laptop computers in teaching.
The pooled Excellence in Cities funding allowed her to purchase a set of
24 laptop computers and other hardware to give greater flexibility in the
classroom, also a range of software.The schools in the consortium recognised
that they needed a specialist teacher to devise curriculum materials and to
manage the technical aspects of the project.The consortium seconded a
primary teacher to lead the project who had been the ICT co-ordinator at
a local primary school and was seeking a new challenge.
The impressive outcomes from this project could not have been achieved with
the staffing and other resources of the infant school alone. By pooling resources,
all the schools involved in the project were able to purchase sufficient laptop
computers.The specific expertise of the teacher employed to lead the project
was considerably greater than that of any of the teachers in the infant school.
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Careful introduction of initiatives
64. Staff responded positively when the introduction of initiatives was
staged effectively.The key factor was ensuring that the agreed change
was manageable and that staff were persuaded of the benefits both tothemselves and to the school. Negotiation before and during the process
of change was important in securing the agreement and commitment of
all staff. In a few schools, managers had failed to prioritise effectively or to
phase the introduction of new initiatives with sufficient care, leaving staff
feeling overloaded and, at times, demoralised.
65. Most of the schools were cautiously optimistic about the introduction
of the National Workforce Agreement. Debate prior to the agreement
had stimulated many of the schools to consider their own approach
to staff workload issues.They had often found that the agreement waslargely in line with their developing thinking. Some headteachers, however,
expressed concern over the funding implications of this initiative, especially
whether their school budgets would enable them to employ sufficient
support staff to relieve teachers of the 25 tasks listed in the agreement.
Structured approach to self-evaluation and monitoring
66. The quality of strategic and operational planning was a significant strength
in the majority of the schools.They established clear priorities based
on rigorous self-review. A minority of the schools made effective use
of external consultants, for example to lead off-site self-review days toexplore what staff felt about the school and to collect their views on its
future direction. Staff were generally involved in identifying priorities and
planning for improvement; their views were listened to and taken into
account where possible. Managers were mostly skilled at convincing staff
of the need for change even when there were initially signs of reluctance.
Staff completed a questionnaire which took the form of a personal self-review
and included the management of faculties and departments.Within the
questionnaire they noted the strengths of their current practice and wherechanges might be needed.They then indicated whether current practice was
mainly satisfactory (in which case it might be maintained), was suitable but
could be improved upon significantly, or was not working.The questionnaire
results were then analysed.This analysis provided a clear profile of the schools
strengths and weaknesses, and gave a strong steer for improving the quality
of education.
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67. Where less effective practice was observed, managers failed to seek
evidence of the impact of their management strategies. In these schools,
there was a limited understanding of how monitoring and evaluating the
quality of leadership and management could be used to inform planning
for change designed to improve provision and raise achievement.
A large 1118 secondary school had successfully developed its evaluation of
the management of teachers as part of a whole-school strategy that employed
systematic processes of monitoring, evaluation and review.
Staff were interviewed and asked to reflect on their responsibilities interms of job description, training received, promotion and career prospects,
goals and targets, appropriateness of support received to carry out
responsibilities and the working environment.
The headteacher developed a questionnaire for staff to evaluate the
effectiveness of management in the school. Each member of staff was asked
to judge key areas of management in relation to leadership, communication,
teaching and learning, behaviour management and improvement planning.
They were also asked to rate these areas according to what was most
important to them.The design of the questionnaire allowed the strongestfeatures, weakest features and features falling short of expectation to be
identified and cross-referenced against importance ratings. The results raised
some interesting issues, not all expected.There was strong agreement, for
example, that support given to new staff was good. However, all staff agreed
that the feature falling short of expectation was the lack of non-teaching
staff input into school development planning.There were also some clear
messages for the leadership team regarding behaviour management.Their
perception was that this was a strong feature of the school. However, the
features falling short of the staff s expectations were disruption not being
dealt with promptly, pupils not clear about standards of behaviour andpupils not respecting teachers.
The headteacher also developed a questionnaire for staff to evaluate
the effectiveness of departmental management, to provide a platform for
teachers within the department to give their views. One head of faculty
managed a large team, many of whom were older and more experienced
than himself.When the responses to the questionnaire were collated, the
majority were favourable. However, there were two negative responses
relating to communication with the head of faculty. He was aware of the
disaffection of two colleagues but had not known how to approach them.
This gave him the opportunity to evaluate his own management style and
to act on evidence rather than his own instincts. He arranged individual
interviews with the members of staff concerned to discuss the issues
raised and this led to improved relationships.
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Annex A
The National Workforce Agreement
The National Workforce Agreement, signed in January 2003 by the government,employers and