The European context of school leadership – current trends, innovations and international initiativesSchool Leader Competences: the Driving Force behind Teacher Motivation and Student Outcomes TEMPIS PF conference Budapest, 2011 November 24 Gábor Halász ELTE University, Budapest

The Great Research Question ENIRDELM conferenceCan we assume that leaders have a significant impact on the process and the outcomes of learning in the school? Is there an evidence-base? (Quoted from the announcement of the 2010 ENIRDELM conference, Szeged)

There seems to be something new… The great research question has become an explicit European policy questionThe great research question has become an explicit European policy question Strong new research evidence is now availableStrong new research evidence is now available

Conclusions/1 The impact of school leadership on pupil learning outcomes seems now to be proved by strong research evidence (taking into account complexity of the impact-mechanisms) Leadership development remains a complex task (there are no simple recipes)

Conclusions/2 Developing leadership seems to be one of the most efficient ways for countries to improve student learning outcomes (this has serious policy implications) The need for policy action seems to be widely recognised at EU level and in several member countries

Conclusions/3 Research should increasingly focus on identifying the most efficient specific policies for leadership development The next great question:What works in SL development policy? (the implications for defining competences) OECD (2009): Improving School Leadership The Toolkit

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The great research question has become a common European policy question European ministers dealt repeatedly with school leadershipEuropean ministers dealt repeatedly with school leadership Several European networks for school leadership emergedSeveral European networks for school leadership emerged The most recent initiative: engaging national decision-makersThe most recent initiative: engaging national decision-makers

Perseverance of Council conclusions on school leadership Conclusion of November 2006 Conclusion of November 2007 Conclusion of November 2008 Conclusion of November 2009 –The knowledge, skills and commitment of teachers, as well as the quality of school leadership, are the most important factors in achieving high quality educational outcomes – Effective school leadership is a major factor in shaping the overall teaching and learning environment, raising aspirations and providing support for pupils, parents and staff, and thus in fostering higher achievement levels.

European school leadership networks and programs Older formations (e.g. ENIRDELM, ESHA) Recent formations –European School Leadership Network ( ) –The Leadership Network (2009-) –AHEAD project –Developing Educational Leadership of Primary Heads and Institutions (DELPHI) –European Leaders' Training in Education (ELTE) –Leadership improvement on student achievement (LISA) –PROject-Based SCHOOL Management

European Policy Network on School Leadership launched (Crete, 6-8 September 2011) The Network should develop and manage a platform to facilitate knowledge exchange between those organisations and leading individuals responsible for developing school leadership policymaking and practice; This should include national policymakers, practitioners, researchers and stakeholders (Source: European Commission - Call for Proposals EAC / 42 / 2010

New research evidence In some countries significant investment has been made into finding answers to the great research question

What do research teaches us? The complex, non-linear causal relationships requires research designs that go beyond simplistic correlational modelscomplex, non-linear causal relationships It became clear that nothing can be understood –without considering contextual factors, andcontextual factors –without considering the time factor.time factor The components of effective leadership should be presented in models that do not hide complexityThe components of effective leadership should be presented in models that do not hide complexity

Complexity Quantitative methods using limited number of simple variables grasp only a small part of factors Research design implications: –Qualitative and quantitative methods had to be combined –Sophisticated linkages between the variables and the reality had to be assumed –Complex, dynamic casual models had to be applied

Contextual factors Schools operating in different social environments require different leadership approaches (what is good in one environment may be harmful in another) Research design implications: –Failing schools and effective schools had to be put into different sample groups –Differential causal relationships had to be looked for in different subsamples

The time factor Schools in different phases of development require different leadership approaches (what is good in one phase may be harmful in another) Research design implications: –Schools in different phases of their organisational development could not be left in the same sample group –Differential causal relationships had to be looked for in different subsamples based on developmental phases Phases in the NCSL research report

Leadership in the three phases of organisational development Initial phase (the first year as head) Middle phase (after 5 years) Extended phase (after 10 Years)

What effective leaders do in the initial phase improving the physical environment of the school in order to create more positive, supportive conditions for teaching and learning, teachers and pupils restructuring the senior leadership team and its roles and responsibilities implementing performance management systems and CPD opportunities for all staff (in more difficult schools) setting, clearly communicating and ensuring implementation of school-wide standards for pupil behavior

What effective leaders do in the middle phase a more regular and focussed use of data as a means of informing decision- making related to pupils progress and achievement distribution of leadership roles and responsibilities.

What effective leaders do in the extended (later) phase personalising and enriching the curriculum continuing the wider distribution of leadership (in more difficult schools) greater attention to establishing, maintaining and sustaining school wide policies for pupil behaviour as well as further improvements to the physical environment and in the quality of teaching and learning

Leadership strategies for improving student learning Low SES Middle SES Higher SES Initial phase Middle phase Extended phase Leadership behaviour adapted to phase SES (Social Economic Status) Level (primary, secondary) and other factors…

Strategies for improving student learning Day et al., (2009): The Impact of School Leadership on Pupil Outcomes. Final Report. University of Nottingham. Research Report No DCSF-RR108

The components of school leadership development policies OECD (2009): Improving School Leadership The Toolkit Implications for defining school leadership competences