Effective Leadership in a MAT Understanding the power of collaboration in sustaining long term school improvement

Back to the beginning -Who are we? 10 Primary Schools – 5 Ofsted “Outstanding”, 4 “Good”, 1 newly sponsored in Special Measures 2 Teaching Schools 2 Secondary Schools- best results in Swindon 3 Commissioned services Strategic partnerships- LA’s, NCTL, CfBT, United Learning Soon to have Schools in Oxford Schools in Gloucester?

A changing landscape? Less centralisation at DfE level Reduction in LA involvement, control, support and advice Greater freedoms High impact central Government policies, e.g. RSC’s, Ofsted opportunities etc., school led systems of reform Changes in ITT- via SCITT Academies programme Supporting school-led improvement: The role of the middle tier. Creating and developing school to school capacity Growing learning communities, not just schools

Recognising the sequence of structural and cultural shifts From – Changing the status of your school – Being part of single Teaching School Alliance – Governance – Single School Leadership – Informal Partnerships – School led Accountability – Relative Isolation To – Using the status to drive change – Joining TSA together to add capacity – To strategic capability – Multi School Leadership – Formal Partnerships – Trust led Accountability – Collaborate to Improve

Bicester NW School What do we want to achieve and in which areas? Effective analysis of school data Improving rates of progress of vulnerable groups of learners Assessment and tracking pupil progress Improving teaching and learning in the classroom Subject specific curriculum support, teacher support, cross curricular themes Improving outcomes for vulnerable learners; narrowing attainment gaps Effective planning for learning Raising standards for all learners Intervention for impact Behaviour for learning PSHE Education Healthy Schools Equalities Raising pupil aspirations Coaching and training on positive behaviour management eSafety support and guidance Effective self evaluation Developing Leadership: subject leaders, assistant/deputy heads, emerging leaders Additional SIA Support Improving curriculum design Governor Services, support and training

LA aims, goals and statutory duties Teaching School/ NCTL and DfE aims and goals Local schools via SAPH/SASH/ ASSH aims and goals Understanding the shared drivers and levers RSC aims, goals and statutory duties Key Performance indicators linked to Ofsted criteria

Leadership has to come first in any system wide reform- 7 stages Where to start? Pre-teaching Leadership Experience as a student or professional in a different field Experience that shapes the individual that is not related to teaching NQT Leading in my classroom Team and Departmental Leadership Leading in other classrooms Senior Leadership Leading and being accountable for my section of the school Leader of my School Leading my school and its community Leader of my Collaboration Leading outcomes for staff and children beyond my building Leading in my Region Leading projects or advising schools on their improvement

Recognising key progression points Progression 1-ENTRY to SCHOOL Progression 2-RECEPTION to Y1 Progression 3-Y2 into Y3 Progression 4-YEAR 6 into YEAR 7 Progression 1-ENTRY to SCHOOL Progression 2-RECEPTION to Y1 Progression 3-Y2 into Y3 Progression 4-YEAR 6 into YEAR 7 Progression 5-TOWARDS GCSE Progression 6-ENTRY POST 16 Progression 7-HE and WORK – Each School leads on at least one transition point Progression 5-TOWARDS GCSE Progression 6-ENTRY POST 16 Progression 7-HE and WORK – Each School leads on at least one transition point

The twin leadership intelligences for collaboration IMPACT INTELLIGENCE SELF AWARENESS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IMPACT ON OTHERS SELF AWARENESS

Does membership of a MAT reduce Autonomy? Yes it Probably does! Ensures entitlement to the best education possible – Systems and Operating procedures – Data Collection Points – Common Exam Syllabi – Assessment and Reporting – Key Educational Policies – HR practice as one employer Not in every respect – Culture of the school – Uniform – Enrichment – Relationship with the local community – Educational networks unique to the school

Skill Sets needed by Collaborative Leaders Vision, Values and Beliefs – What does the leader of the collaboration believe in? Change Management Expertise – Scale, Scope and Reach of Influence Holding others (senior leaders) to Account for their decisions – and not making decisions for them – Leading through others Using data to inform strategy – Test decisions against the core values Communication Skills – Written and Spoken Performance Manager – Every Meeting and Interaction counts Insight to see how a successful strategy in one context could be applied to a different one

The 9 Characteristics of Successful MAT Characteristic 1 A well communicated strategic vision that moves from implementation to impact – Leaders lead at pace but use the strategic plan as a touchstone – Every strategy is mapped against its impact on outcome for children – Every Academy contributes to the MAT vision and the MAT vision supports the development of the academy Characteristic 2 There is a clear accountability framework for the performance of all staff in the trust – The CEO/EP and the Chair of Board is accountable to the RSC – The CEO/EP is accountable to their board for standards and – The Principals are accountable to the CEO/EP for all standards in their schools – The Academy staff are accountable to the Principal and CEO/EP for classroom standards and student outcomes

The 9 Characteristics of Successful MAT Characteristic 3 There are clear QA Systems in place to improve consistency and performance The trust has started to explore the consistent features that develop common practice Common systems and implementation enables the strongest structures to be used across all schools Characteristic 4 Clear Delegated Framework for Governance at Trust and Local Governing body level Strong understanding of the different roles of members and directors Board tests the Trust strategy Board holds the CEO to account for outcomes Board decides what authority to delegate to LGB LGB are “guardians” of standards in their academy and not the traditional governor

The 9 Characteristics of Successful MAT Characteristic 5 There is a trust wide school improvement strategy that recognises the best practice from its schools needs to form the basis of improvement more widely – The Executive Leadership of the trust is adept at monitoring performance and quick to provide support – Leaders can transmit the best practice between the schools – Right balanced between “weighing the pig” and “fattening the pig” Best practitioners work across the trust to improve standards Characteristic 6 There is a systematic programme of school to school support targeted at the needs of individual academies – Strong evidence that the best teachers and leaders create impact beyond their “home” school – Core development for staff exists across the trust for PGCE, NQT, and Leadership Development – Collaboration is led by leaders and teachers with little coordination needed by the executive team

The 9 Characteristics of Successful MAT Characteristic 7 Skilled Management of the Trust Risk Indicators – Awareness that risk exists and that it drives action and accountability – Quality systems that are outcome driven and not process led – Leaders can horizon scan to anticipate change & Challenge – The Trust Risk Register is live and owned by key leaders with authority to calculate risk Characteristic 8 A planned approach to Succession for all of the key roles in the Trust – The CEO – The Chair of Board – Directors of FD, HR, & IT – Sponsors, members and directors – Principals and Vice Principals

The 9 Characteristics of Successful MAT Characteristic 9 Commitment to making a contribution to local, regional, & national system leadership – Building strong partnerships beyond the MAT to work with schools who might never be formal partners – Enabling Academies to maintain their own networks that are unique to them – Contributing to school to school support beyond the MAT – Mentoring and Supporting new MATs

The 6 performance challenges Challenge 1-Progression for the most vulnerable children in our schools Challenge 2-Making sure that our most able children achieve Challenge 3-Ensuring that the culture of Continuous Improvement is true in every school Challenge 4-”Growing the Top” whilst we improve standards nationally Challenge 5-Recognising that poverty and deprivation is not unique to urban areas Challenge 6-Ensuring that there are enough great schools and leaders willing to support schools to become great

And finally ! If we don’t someone else will ! Who do you want to be?

Thank you and any