CPD – Tighten to be good, loosen to be outstanding

A question often posed to me after observing colleagues was 'Can you give me a list of things I need to do to be Outstanding?  Now on one hand it is fantastic that they wanted to improve, like we all do, however the issue was/is that we seem to be in search of the quick fix.   This is not surprising when you consider we are constantly aware of targets we need to meet along with the added pressures of delivering a lesson which is deemed ‘outstanding’ for Ofsted.   

What struck me was that CPD in some schools appears to focus on training/programming our colleagues to follow a series of pre-determined sequences in order to deliver a good if not outstanding lesson for the observer.  I remember sitting in many an INSET session with the focus being on what we can do in our lesson to be good/outstanding for Ofsted.  Ofsted will like to see this and Ofsted think that this is good practice.  I am sure we have all experienced it, being told that we must all ‘show learning objectives/outcomes at the start, link to literacy, numeracy, PLTs, SMSC etc. etc., then have a starter, middle and plenary.....use traffic lights for AFL to show the inspector it happens in the lesson, have the pupils working in groups and not being quiet, the list would go on and on.  I’m not against any of the aforementioned but delivered at an appropriate time and for a purpose.

Each INSET would bring a new wave of ‘hot off the press’ ideas from a school recently inspected that we must  include in our lessons with the focus being  ‘because Ofsted like it’ not because it will help pupils make progress.  The issue with all this was that staff became afraid to take risks, to deviate from the now perceived norm style of teaching. We want our pupils to be independent but we were brain-washing our colleagues to teach like automatons when delivering, understandably leading to repetition in style of delivery and in some cases hindering progress.

In my opinion following a set of pre-detrmined sequences will never make you 'Outstanding' or more importantly help the learners make progress in line with their ability. Something had to change for us. What became apparent when I joined twitter a year ago was that this style of INSET was the case for some schools however other schools had/are doing it differently achieving fantastic results and this was our cue to change.

What changed for us this year? (no particular order)

• Stopped referring to being ‘Outstanding’ instead focused on continual improvement.

• Banned the word Ofsted from meetings and INSET.  We do things for the pupils and staff not Ofsted.

• Introduced the 5 minute lesson plan (adapted from @teachertoolkit) which only needs completed if being observed by SLT  (we expect and trust everyone to plan their lesson but don't see the relevance of having to spend hours filling in lesson plans).

• All staff have an extra non-contact period a week on their timetable to focus on T&L (discussion with coach, observation, learning walks, action research projects, Masters).

• All staff have CPD review with SLT three times a year which looks at their development for progression.

• All staff have a peer coach with areas for development of one matched against strengths of another to improve practice in this area. The coach changes 3 times a year.

• All INSET delivered by experts in school (the teachers) on a carousal of sessions with staff selecting the ones they see most relevant to them.

• All resources from INSET sessions shared with everyone as hard-copy and on intranet.

• All staff will take-part in learning walks throughout the year looking at areas the need to develop.

• Observations used for coaching purposes, not grading purposes.

• School specific teaching handbook provided for all staff. Every staff member has contributed to what aspects they think improve a lesson. Under all these sections they list best practice and practical examples with links for all to share, this is continually added to by the staff.

• Creation of two CPD areas in school for staff, one area for quiet work and the other area for collaboration.

• T & L  (my best lesson) first item on every agenda.

• No expectation to reply to emails during evenings or over holidays.

• Common T & L target on appraisal.

Impact to date

Staff morale very high
Collegiate, collaborative ethos created and maintained
Improved progress in lesson
Reduction in behaviour issues
Attainment and Achievement higher (best results ever)
Parental engagement/input improved.

This is the start of the journey, it’s not meant to be a quick fix, it’s a long term culture shift which is working for us.   

It would be useful to hear of other ideas that we could incorporate to maintain our momentum.

The Gordon Ramsey approach to a new leader in a new School

Leaders undertaking their first Headship or Leadership role in a new school might want to think about the 'Gordon Ramsey' strategy initially. One of the keys to successful leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because they want to do it and this is true for the restaurant on Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares.  You need to put to one side for a moment  that the true rationale for the show is about entertainment and advertising profit and instead concentrate on the concept ‘ change management’.  So how can this be applied to a schools to ‘move them forward’.  I have deconstructed the concept of the  show and applied  it to a school setting.

The initial visit – Ramsey visits the restaurants (school), samples the menu (curriculum), observes the staff (Teaching and Associate staff), takes note of the décor (state of school building) and assesses the overall ambience (school ethos). All this is undertaken before any change is implemented.

In these restaurants there is no clear strategy for development, the menu is often too large, dated and does not wet the customer’s appetite, leading to customer apathy in the restaurant, business starting to decline and profits decrease.  Ramsey meets the owners and decides upon a clear vision.  A school needs to involve all stakeholders and be clear on its core purpose.  It’s not a catch-all mission statement. It’s a definition of what’s fundamental to the operation.

Ramsey streamlines the menu and makes it more appealing to the customers.  In the same way a leader in a school should look at their menu (curriculum).  Who is it for, the students or government targets?  Does it constantly evolve to keep up with pupil’s needs and local/regional contexts or is it results driven.  Has the school wetted the customer’s appetite (are students engaged, excited and motivated by the choice on offer).  A restaurant should cater for customer needs, a school for its students.

 Ramsey often finds in restaurants that some of the best staff are in the wrong positions or their voice is not heard and vice versa.  He undertakes a skills audit albeit very rudimentary and repositions them in a more appropriate role to maximize progress in the restaurant.  Ramsey also ensures that effective training is planned in the future, and recruitment of new staff occurs if appropriate.  In the same way schools needs to place the utmost importance on its strongest asset, the staff.  

A school needs to ensure that the best staff are in the most appropriate roles and effective professional development is in place to develop future leaders and change agents.  This may mean a staffing re-alignment and effective CPD program being established.  Be prepared to be creative with recruiting and retaining great talent.  Outstanding teachers can be like buses, they don’t often arrive by for some time so grab them when they come.  Create development opportunities by widening the school leadership team, breaking down larger responsibilities and creating new roles.

How a restaurant looks can say a lot about how a restaurant feels.  When Ramsey dines in the restaurant he looks at the fixtures and fittings.  Are they tired and dated, has pride in the restaurant gone?  The general look of the place will affect the general ambience and the opinions of the customers.  Ramsey goes for a total make-over approach developing it into an inspiring and welcoming place, one in which people want to eat it.  In a school we need to look at the buildings.  Understandable in the current climate, schools are unable to have new builds but schools don’t need new builds.  Spend money wisely, look for maximum impact with minimum monetary contribution, and maintain a relentless regime of upkeep staying on top of all the little things.  The general ambience (ethos) of the school can be influenced by your customers (students).  Make them have ownership and pride in the building….lead by example…pick up litter for example…role model how you want them to act.

Finally – Ramsey rebrands the restaurant, alters its perception in the community, makes it welcoming from the outside, and draws customer in.  In the same sense a school needs to market itself to the public, look at signage, corporate identity, how it looks to the community, how it involves the community and how it communicates?  School needs to ensure their biggest customers are kept well informed (pupils and parents); building a sense of community through shared successes, symbolic moments and interventions.

Ramsey undertakes this in a matter of days but school should plan short, medium and long term.  Effort in preparation and planning yields considerable dividends.  Obtain quick wins and initiate slow fixes and recognise the journey to high performance may take 5 years, it’s not the quick fix…..it’s the culture shift.