Sector-led improvement: taking a fresh look at children’s services Summer Think Tank 2017

1. Sector-led improvement: taking a fresh look at children’s servicesSummer Think Tank 2017 21st – 22nd August 2017 The Manor House Hotel Moreton-in-Marsh

2. Review and reflection Anton Florek, Chief Executive, The Staff College

3. Day Two

4. Session 4 – Improvement through collaborative professionalism: creating the conditions for school-led solutions Anton Florek, Chief Executive, The Staff College

5. McKinsey’s second major report on school systems, How the World’s Most Improved School Systems Keep Getting Better, observed that: “As the school systems we studied have progressed on their improvement journey, they seem to have increasingly come to rely on a ‘mediating layer’ that acts between the centre and the schools. This mediating layer sustains improvement by providing three things of importance to the system: targeted hands-on support to schools, a buffer between the school and the centre, and a channel to share and integrate improvements across schools.”

6. ‘As the school systems we have studied have progressed on their improvement journey, they have increasingly come to rely upon this mediating layer between the centre and the schools for sustaining improvement.’ (McKinsey, 2010) • strategic direction • performance management • skills, leadership capacity, human capital. • The middle tier has played a key role in: • implementing reform • co-ordinating practice • facilitating collaboration. • Its role was not always part of the original vision – some systems have strengthened their middle tier, others have created new ones • targeted support • facilitate communication and collaboration • “buffer”. The international perspective: growing interest in understanding education systems as systems, and greater recognition of the role of the middle tier • lead and deliver classroom instruction • drive improvement • engage community.

7. Who are the players in your locality middle tier?

8. The shift in improvement focus……

9. McKinsey (2010) report on How the World’s Most Improved School Systems Keep Getting Better. This study is the most ambitious attempt so far to examine the improvement trajectories of educational systems. Based on their performance across a range of international benchmarking studies twenty systems were identified as either ‘sustained improvers’ or ‘promising starts.’ From an examination of this sample four stages of improvement were identified - ‘poor to fair,’ fair to good,’ ‘good to great’ and ‘great to excellent.’ In line with the research already discussed, this study identified ‘stage- dependent’ intervention clusters, that respectively were, focused on first ensuring basic standards, then consolidating system foundations, followed by professionalising teaching and leadership and finally system led innovation.

10. Poor to fair - ‘Achieving the basics of literacy and numeracy’ Fair to good - ‘Getting the foundations in place’ Good to great - ‘Shaping the professional’ Great to excellent - ‘Improving through peers and innovation’ • providing motivation & scaffolding for low skill teachers • minimum standards • getting students in seats. • sharp analysis & accountability • financial & organisational foundation • better teaching & learning. • high quality teachers & leaders • school based decision making. • building system capacity • creating additional support mechanisms for professionals • system-sponsored experimentation and innovation across schools. England has been strongly influenced by the characteristics of systems that have moved from good to excellent

11. Role of the Local Authority Challenging Environment • Performance challenges • weak performance in PISA • slow improvement in standards. • Growth of System Leadership • NLEs and LLEs roles as system leaders • Teaching School Alliances providing CPD and school improvement. • Increasingly diverse set of autonomous providers • Academies and Free Schools • growth of chains. • Increased financial pressures • reduced budgets for school improvement • rules on centrally retained funding – changes in SEND funding. • Tougher accountability • demanding floor targets, increased focus on attainment gaps • tougher school inspections • stronger focus on school governance • LA sweeps and inspections • Regional Commissioners and the growing infrastructure Ensuring a supply of good school places Supporting vulnerable children Local Authorities in England have core responsibilities for education that need to be delivered in the context of a challenging and changing environment Tackling underperformance and ensuring high standards

12. ISOS field work identified three developing key ‘roles’ emerging for local authorities in a more autonomous education system

13. Champion • retaining regular contact with all schools and providing effective challenge on pupil outcomes using high quality data and strong relationships • rethinking the role of elected members and using their challenge and support effectively • developing concordats with academies about the response to under-performance • using the full powers of intervention swiftly • co-ordinating the placement of hard to place pupils; ensuring schools ‘play by the rules’ • strengthening governance though use of National Leaders of Governance and high quality governor training • setting clearer outcomes measures for support, training and outreach for vulnerable children, linked to the achievement and progress of vulnerable children in mainstream education • helping schools to focus on closing gaps and using the pupil premium effectively.

14. Convenor Emerging local solutions • setting out a local strategic vision; giving schools a sense of belonging and a sense of place • creating local school partnerships led by schools for schools • building sustainability and helping to sharpen the focus and impact of partnerships • working with primary schools to broker federations, umbrella trusts and multi academy trusts • approaching place planning in a different way; providing data and facilitation to enable local decision making • bringing schools into the centre of decision-making about SEN resourcing and assessment.

15. Champion Convenor Current issues and challenges Emerging local solutions Commissioner • setting out clear terms of business for academy sponsors and free school promoters; making themselves an indispensible partner with DfE • working creatively with free school promoters to ensure high quality places • working strategically with Teaching Schools to ensure strong local school-to-school support and CPD, and establishing locally based commissioning of Teaching School support • ramping up commissioning for vulnerable children; developing special schools as outreach hubs and ensuring effective commissioning of support • work with their neighbours to commission low-incidence high-need SEND, while building capacity among mainstream schools to commission AP for themselves • playing a brokering role and holding to account school-to-school support mechanisms, using flexible commissioning.

16. Questions for discussion • In your table group look at these three functions and review: • How many of these functions are you still discharging? • Are there any that schools, collectively, could take on?

17. Key features of the local authority of the future in school improvement • An inspiring and inspirational educational vision and values for the local authority area developed with schools which is underpinned by the advocacy role for every child. • Maximising the use of influence to shape the system. • Building a self-sustaining improving school system for all schools, which schools own and drive and which seeks to exceed national standards. • An ability to use engagement with all schools to strengthen other functions. • Securing sustainable funding to deliver the self-improving system through the successful engagement of key elected members and chief executives. • Facilitate partnerships and operational links with local stakeholders and agencies. • Facilitate communication between the schools and government and understanding of the wider system. • The Future Role of Local Authorities in School Improvement • ADCS, (2012)

18. Key pointers for the middle tier • Develop a long-term vision and strategy for Teaching and Learning that moves beyond compliance and to which all partners sign up. • It might include: • Prioritising changing the culture of LA staff and schools and developing a more adaptive leadership approach.Growing system capacity. • Focus on growing the number of outstanding schools and system leaders, as well as supporting lower-performing schools to improve. • Supporting Teaching Schools‟ development and effectiveness, particularly around leadership development, teacher recruitment and induction. If there is more than one Teaching School you may want to encourage specialisation to increase effectiveness. • Encouraging schools to ring fence funding for professional development, if necessary, by dropping less important activities to make space. • Develop a framework for school-to-school support, covering: • An agreed data-based system for categorising all schools‟ performance as a basis for planning supportRecognition of schools‟ autonomy to choose which middle tier bodies they join and the way that they develop for NLEs • Funding to ensure capacity for leadership and intervention, produced by redeploying resources in schools and the LAA mechanism for holding the operational network and strategic partnership to account for delivery against agreed objectives. • NFER. (2013)

19. Embed evaluation and challenge Encourage – and support capacity building in – individual schools to embed evaluation and challenge through a common approach to developing teaching and learning, including peer-to-peer support and challenge, use of data and CPD. Leadership teams are critical in modelling the right behaviours, which can then extend across schools. If necessary, have a mechanism for undertaking the challenge role if the schools feel they cannot. NFER. (2013)

20. Creating the conditions for a self-sustaining school improvement system

21. David Hargreaves used his seminal article, a self-improving school system – towards maturity, to set out what he believes to be the corner-stones of a system led by schools for schools. Key to success is what he describes as a collective moral purposeor that which motivates and sustains teachers in their professional commitment. Group members were clear that, along with a belief in making a positive difference, the interests of all children and young people must be cornerstone of their collective moral purpose.

22. A further enabling condition draws on the concept of moral purpose, or that which motivates and sustains teachers in their professional commitment. It is not primarily for financial reward or for social status that teachers do what they do, but rather because preparing the next generation to be fully realised individuals and to create a better society are at the heart of what education is for. In the most successful school partnerships known to me this already happens: the principles and practice of system leadership of system leadership get distributed. But there is no common term for this. Initially I coined the obvious phrase distributed system leadership for the phenomenon, but the term is, however, unfamiliar and somewhat technical, and I now prefer collective moral purpose (CMP) Collective moral purpose David Hargreaves (2012)

23. Alongside collective moral purpose, Hargreaves identifies high social capital as a further key ingredient of the deep partnership, characteristic of a mature self- improving system. Social capital is best summed up as trustand reciprocity. Reciprocity thrives as long as people can be persuaded to collaborate with one another to improve professional practice. Trust, however, is a more subtle concept and is established much more slowly. David Hargreaves (2012)

24. Collaborative capital

25. The challenge As a result of the loss of the local authority safety net, and the increased responsibilisation of schools by Government, schools now become increasingly significant in students’ lives. At one and the same time you will feel the injustice of being made responsible for the massive impacts of inequality in the UK and feel that “schools cannot cure all of society’s ills” but at the same time recognise that your school may be the only route and only hope for a child from a poor family to at least lead a life free of economic stress and at best fulfill a potential to contribute to society in many possible ways. Question: How are the schools in your locality responding?

26. What are the opportunities? systems leadership – working with other partners and citizens to increase your reach and impact on student outcomes– as we each increasingly recognise that we cannot do this alone leading for social change – recognising the strengths in communities referred to as ‘disadvantaged” and reaching out to build social capital and strengthen community capacity using innovative new ways of engaging your community – co-production, time banking, peer support etc restorative approaches – if we have to pay for alternative provision, how much would we save by never excluding children from our community ambitious collective preventive approaches – how much difference could we make (and how much would we save) if we collectively concentrated all efforts on ensuring all our children can read at age level?

27. Examples…….

29. Ontario is committed to the success and well-being of every student and child. Learners in the province’s education system will develop the knowledge, skills and characteristics that will lead them to become personally successful, economically productive and actively engaged citizens. Ontario will cultivate and continuously develop a high-quality teaching profession and strong leadership at all levels of the system. Our education system will be characterized by high expectations and success for all. It will be responsive, high quality, accessible and integrated from early learning and child care to adult education. Together, we will build on past achievements and move forward with ambitious goals.

30. Collaborative professionalism is foundational to Achieving Excellence, Ontario’s renewed vision for education. This renewed vision is the product of extensive consultation with all education stakeholders across the province. Ontario has a world class education system and is committed to building on the successes of the past decade to further improve outcomes for all learners.

31. As part of the transformation process, all education professionals will work together to build on Ontario’s solid foundation of achievements through the establishment of trusting relationships that value the voices of all, encourage reflection and support professional growth. As such, collaborative professionalism: values all voices and is consistent with our shared responsibility to transform culture and provide equitable access to learning for all; takes place in and fosters a trusting environment that promotes professional learning; involves sharing ideas to achieve a common vision of learning, development and success for all; supports and recognizes formal and informal leadership and learning; includes opportunities for collaboration at provincial, district and school levels; leverages exemplary practices through the communication and sharing of ideas to achieve a common vision.

32. All partners, individually and collectively, have agreed to uphold and model the principles of collaborative professionalism: • share a vision of professional collaboration and a clear sense of purpose of the work of all education professionals; • engage all education professionals at all levels in fostering and sustaining the conditions for collaborative professionalism; • share ideas for the streamlining and enhancing of initiatives and strategies; • shift from an initiatives-based approach to a coherent system-wide approach to change; • mobilize research and evidence on effective practices; and • engage in ongoing reflective practices.

38. Lincolnshire County Council Children’s Services PUTTING CHILDREN FIRST: Working together with families to enhance children’s present and future lives.

39. To challenge each other and be open to challenge Championing your community within the wider collective good To have an awareness of everyone’s needs (not just your own) Common moral purpose To build and sustain resilient communities/resilient learners (resilience) Be prepared to take risks for the common good (innovation) Shared and collective responsibility that we all buy into (colleagues, parents, stakeholders) To be prepared to learn from each other (learning) Effective (cost/time/personnel) use of deployment of resources (responsibility) To be aspirational for our wider communities - academic, social, moral (empowerment) Being prepared to communicate and share best practice (integrity) To include all equally (equity) To be open and receptive to practices that will benefit all North Lincolnshire children North Lincolnshire Council

40. Kathryn Riley video

41. Our public value proposition Provision without boundaries: where children feel they belong, are respected, hopeful and optimistic about their future. Collective moral purpose To establish and maintain a health, care and school system where children and young people get the right education, in the right place, at the right time, as close as possible to where they live. Lincolnshire Council

42. The Newcastle Promise A city where we all share responsibility for providing the best educational opportunities for all our children and young people. • We will: • create the sense of belonging in our schools, where children are proud of the present and ambitious for their future • support and challenge each other so that no school or child is left behind • drive improvement, seeking excellence through equity • work creatively, beyond institutional boundaries, to raise standards and maximise the learning opportunities for all • build a collaborative learning community, sharing our success, innovation and evidence-based practice.

43. Sector-led improvement: taking a fresh look at children’s servicesSummer Think Tank 2017 21st – 22nd August 2017 The Manor House Hotel Moreton-in-Marsh Break

44. Session 5 – Creating a local school-led system in Newcastle Dean Jackson, Lead Assistant Director Education and Skills, Newcastle City Council

45. Dean JacksonLead Assistant Director, Education & Skills Newcastle City Council The Journey Toward School-Led Improvement in Newcastle

46. Newcastle City Council: Schools • October 2016, 39641 pupils 3 – 19 years in 99 educational establishments • 5000 more than October 2011 and 1465 more than October 2015 • Big differences in cohort sizes between year groups – in October 2016, 3330 pupils in year 1, 2479 in year 11 – difference of 851 pupils • Everything except a grammar school • Changing population – increasing special needs, especially pupils with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and children with severe disabilities and complex needs

47. Newcastle City CouncilEducation Division • Overspend of around £1.3m – income not generated and savings not achieved • Overspend on SEN Transport of £1.1m • Loss of School Improvement funding • Rising demand for SEN support • 75% of ESG reduction nationally by 2020 • Very low financial contribution from NCC towards education – predominantly grant and income funded • Education staffing structure not fit for purpose – “unplanned” redundancies and retirements • Schools organised into locality trusts to head off academisation.

48. Pupil Achievement • Good improvements – EYFS – GLD up 28.1% in 5 years to match national average • Solid performance – now broadly in line with national average in last two years • Strong performance – above the national average in each of last two years • Good progress through EYFS, KS1 and KS2 • Progress, at best, average through KS3 and KS4 • Attainment at GCSE broadly average • Level 3 at Age 19 poor over a prolonged period – 9% below in 2016

49. Stated Priorities in 2016 Education Annual Review • Better support for most vulnerable pupils to achieve better outcomes • Improve pupil progress through secondary schools • Raise attendance in primary schools • Increase the number of 19 year olds with a level 3 qualification • Better coordinate school organisation and place pressures • Ensure that the Education Service has a fit-for-purpose structure • Develop a school-led model of educational improvement in the city

50. THE NEWCASTLE POSITION SEPTEMBER 2016 • The Newcastle City Council Education Division is now emerging from a chaotic 18-month period in which: • The post of Assistant Director Education and Skills was vacant for 15 months from June 2015. • The post of Head of School Improvement has been unfilled since July 2015. • The Senior Secondary School Improvement Officer has been absent from work since May 2016. • Interim staff appointed by the LA lacked, in schools’ eyes, credibility. • OFSTED monitoring visit in October 2015 highlighted 32 schools at risk of dropping at least one grade at next inspection. Schools reacted by pointing fingers at the LA for lacking experience, expertise and ambition for the city. • Follow-up letter from the OFSTED Regional Director described Newcastle’s 2015 pupil outcomes as ‘frankly unacceptable’ and ‘bottom of the heap’. • New Assistant Director Education and Skills appointed from September 2016. Clear from headteacher conversations that schools did not want to rebuild the ‘old’ school improvement systems and that a significant majority wish to move towards a school-led system and will support moves by the local authority to facilitate this development. • (Note to Staff College, Autumn 2016)