A Self Improving School System in Rochdale

Always part of the solution ….. Nobody is going to do it for us……. A Self Improving School System in Rochdale A Tale of Two Halves……..

The Rochdale Pioneers The Rochdale Pioneers are regarded as the prototype of the modern co-operative society and the founders of the Co-operative Movement. • Co-operative Values • Self Help • Self responsibility • Democracy • Equality • Equity • Solidarity • Ethical Values • Honesty • Openness • Social responsibility • Caring for others In 1844 a group of 28 artisans working in the cotton mills of Rochdale, established the first modern co-operative business, the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society. The principles that underpinned their way of doing business are still accepted today as the foundations upon which all co-operatives operate. These principles have been revised and updated, but remain essentially the same as those practiced in 1844.

System led engagement - 1st Half Began in 2008 -2011 with what was then called the Greater Manchester Challenge • Family 6 (SIGs) out of 10 • Lots of comparative data • A desire to improve What did we do ? • Chair and half termly meetings attended by Heads • Action points assigned and individuals held to account • Brokered whole family events and smaller cluster events all focussed on firstly improving Maths and English results and then widened it out learning walks/teaching/middle leadership/ K2S support all focussed on KPIs

System led engagement What did I learn? • Building relationships is key – investing in the social capital • Good Communication is a price beyond rubies because collaboration is complex • Power of networking • Development of own skills of influencing/negotiation Did it work? • Results improved for all schools • Heads were much more likely to call for support • Legacy of S2S support still continues and benefits children • It was not at all plain sailing

System led engagement • Find the best chair with the most dynamic and focused style (but don’t rotate) chair must fully understand role • Must spend some time agreeing all protocols • Must come away with action points clearly assigned to individuals (because you will have already openly discussed accountability to the group) • Reps or not –decide • Don’t underestimate the time commitment • Do build capacity for this in your own school • Who holds the cash? • Is there other support ? • What is their role?

System led engagement What do you think your SIG will look like? What are the barriers ?

System led engagement - 2nd Half Began in May 2010 and coincided with a new government • Fellowship tasked by DFE to give advice on Teaching Schools • Gave that advice in May 2011 to Sec of State What did I learn? • We were in an unmanaged system • Going to be high degree of autonomy & accountability for the education system • A lot of disquiet and uncertainty • The biggest shakeup of education in terms of structural change solutions and the accountability system but it was not a well thought out plan • No field force and no mandated action

System led engagement What does the education system in Wales look like? Is it a good system?

this is now an unmanaged system – get use to it! What characterises a school system moving from good to great according to Mackinsey is the autonomy of its school leaders to become system leaders and this is the major shift. How will that shift happen ? It will only happen when we as school leaders recognise that we are responsible not just for the children inside our gates but for all the children in our locality Against a background of no field force and no mandated action

This is an unmanaged system –get use to it! In order to do that we have to build “positive purposeful relationships between schools and between schools and other public institutions” In other words it requires collaboration built on a whole –systems approach.

SISS model for Rochdale

Leading a SISS will need capacity and autonomy combined Will need to have 3 things : • A CPD Revolution that moves away from sharing good practice to joint practice development • To build Social Capital - trust and reciprocity within and between schools • System leadership –more importantly distributed system leadership

Do we want a SISS for Rochdale? If we do, then there are some thorny questions • How will we drive partnership working in a more atomised system? • How do we secure collaboration with a competitive edge? • How do we make ourselves accountable? And to whom? • How do we challenge and support to really drive up standards. • Who quality assures the partnership working and standards within it?

A Self Improving School System in Rochdale