Addressing the leadership challenges using the principles of assessment for learning Steve Munby Chief Executive National College for School Leadership

“Pupils produced work of better quality when their teachers explained the criteria used in its assessment. Relatively few teachers did this effectively and pupils were generally unaware of any assessment criteria that the teacher might have been using. Pupils rarely understood the reason for their grades and often felt, wrongly, that features such as length and presentation were most important.” OFSTED 1992

“ The pupils’ response to the task was sometimes less than their ability warranted because they were not given regular progress reports or were unaware of the specific criteria used to assess their work. Some pupils’ recorded Attainment Levels were depressed as a consequence.” OFSTED 1992

Key themes for Assessment for Learning 1.Recognising the importance of the whole child/person and the broader achievement agenda 2.Engaging the learner in the learning and assessment process – giving learners a voice and empowering them to be proactive and to take responsibility for their own learning. 3.Peer review. Sharing learning with others – learning together. 4.Using clear assessment criteria to identify current performance and to set personal targets.

The context – the state of school leadership in England

We have the best set of school leaders this country has ever had. Leadership is good or better in over 75% of schools, very good or excellent in over 40%, and becoming stronger every year.

Source: MORIBase:All respondents in England (2004: 1,756) Q Which, if any, of the following professions do you think provide particularly good examples of leadership? 51% Headteachers 38% Officers in the armed forces 35% Police 34% Doctors 17% Ministers of religion 15% Sports coaches/managers 13% Business directors 10% Members of Parliament 7% Trade union officials 4% Local politicians 4% Health service managers 3% Civil servants

“The two significant issues that stand in the way of consistent improvement across the whole education system are: 1.the impact of social class on educational achievement 2.the variability in performance and lack of progress made by a substantial minority of schools.” HMCI Annual Report 2003/04

“few schools have a convincing, systematic programme for developing middle managers. Without such a programme, schools find it difficult to improve the consistency of leadership and management and to support career development.” HMCI Annual Report 2003/04 The HMCI Annual Report says:

The four challenges

The implications of the Children Act - the balance between the ‘standards’ agenda and the ‘whole child’ agenda Challenge One

“In terms of attainment in school, if a child had a choice between moving from having a bottom quartile parent to having a top quartile parent or moving from a bottom quartile school to a top quartile school, the child should change the parent every time.” Charles Desforges

System leadership – developing capacity within the school and leadership beyond the school Challenge Two

Sustainability, succession planning and growing tomorrow’s leaders Challenge Three

Ensuring clear leadership in a time of uncertainty and in a context that will continue to be complex, relentless and accountable. Challenge Four

“And its best if you know a good thing is going to happen, like an eclipse or getting a microscope for Christmas. And it’s bad if you know a bad thing is going to happen, like having a filling or going to France. But I think it is worst if you don’t know whether it is a good thing or a bad thing which is going to happen” Mark Haddon “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”

New opportunities for school leaders Developing Capacity Every Child Matters Focusing outward towards the community and other agencies System Leadership Focusing outward to other schools Succession Planning Focusing forward – developing others Relentlessness Complexity Accountability Focusing inward – developing yourself

The Role of the National College for School Leadership

NCSL aims (September 2000) 1.to provide a single national focus for school leadership development and research 2.to be a driving force for world class leadership in our schools 3.to be a provider and promoter of excellence; a major resource for schools; a catalyst for innovation; and a focus for national and international debate on leadership issues

Overall vision for the College The distinct College Focuses on core business. Clear moral purpose. Everyone knows what it stands for. “Our College” Much greater school ownership. Inclusive. Collaborative in style. The responsive College Flexible in approach. Commissioning. Connecting theory with practical realities. Personalisation. The National College Leading edge and informing future policy and practice. The self- evaluating College Focusing on outcomes and welcoming external challenge.

Michelangelo once said: “Sculpture is a wonderful thing. Inside every piece of stone is a beautiful statue – all you have to do is to get rid of all the stuff that is in the way.”