Middle Leadership Programme Day 1: The Effective Middle Leader

Today’s Objectives To gain an overview of middle leadership issues and processes To be introduced to a range of models and tools for applying to the role of middle leader

Session 1: The Active Leader Objectives: – To identify the role of the middle leader in school – To distinguish between leadership, management and administration – To understand the key elements of the role in the leadership of people, processes and provision

Fullan’s definition of moral purpose “acting with the intention of making a difference…” what does this mean to you? acting – leadership behaviours intention – strategic thinking, values making a difference – the nature of outcomes for children

People Process Provision Use the post its to note down all the actions a good middle leader will take during a normal school week Now divide all these activities into 3 columns a) Leadership b) Management c) Administration Who will do what in your setting?

Lead on preparing or reviewing the school policy for teaching your subject Plan and organise the curriculum ensuring standards continuity and progression Monitor and evaluate the implementation Regularly systematically provide guidance Ensure assessment and recording of pupil progress Use assessment to judge impact of actions and plan next steps Active Middle Leadership

Successful Middle Leadership Involves Working with the SLT to raise standards Observing lessons or parts of lessons Working alongside colleagues Assisting with planning, teaching assessing and reporting of the subject or area Leading discussion of the subject or area Organising and leading INSET Days – prompting others for training Attending own relevant subject leader INSET Audit resources and advise on acquisition of new!

Session 2: Managing Processes Objectives: – To understand key processes in managing development and change – To explore effective tools in these processes

As a middle leader, three key expectations dictate your work and behaviour: – What you are responsible for – Who you are accountable to and how you account for your successes and failures to them – What authority is invested in you

How important? Responsibilities of middle leaders: – Attainment – Achievement – Success – Enjoyment – Learning

What is your collective view on the relative importance of these responsibilities? What is the relationship between them? How do you go about achieving them?

The Development Process

Session 3: Being Effective Objectives: – Using the tools for managing development Auditing Planning Monitoring evaluation – develop confidence in being accountable – what makes good reporting/accounting for success and failure

In your pairs work out at least 10 or 12 actions you think a subject leader should take during a normal school year Arrange them in an order or in a hierarchy Be prepared to state your reasons why you have chosen the top 3 / bottom 3 / Middle 3-6 Subject Leader Actions

Auditing Strengths & Weaknesses of a subject What sorts of things Must you know? Key Info Core Leaders need Attainment on entry (KS1 SATs v Entry Ass) Attainment at the end of Year 6 (KS2 SATs) Attainment and Progress of Groups eg Boys v Girls, PPF, SEN, More Able, Others? Attitudes to learning and Views of Pupils Action Planning – Long Term Planning Teaching – Medium / Short

Auditing Strengths & Weaknesses of a subject Look at the Audit sheet provided How would you adapt this for your subject? What do you need to think of in order to be able to carry out the audit? Who will you report the audit and how?

Planning Actions to learn about your subject? What are the actions a good subject leader takes to know about their subject? Discuss! Five Best Monitoring Actions to Take Visit Classrooms – talk to teachers Look at Books – Work Scrutiny Interview Pupils at least annually Look at Teachers’ plans at least termly Assessment Tracking of En, Ma, Sc, at least termly

What can you learn from briefly visiting a classroom? Are targets visible? Working Walls or Window Dressing? Are Success Criteria visible? Prompts on display Is the room set out to support learning? If in lesson time – talk to pupils! Do they know what they are learning about? Monitoring Learning Walks

Monitoring Book Scrutiny Yr1Yr2Yr3Yr4Yr5Yr6 Differentiation Marking and Feedback Range and Cover Presentation Assessment and Self- assessment Progress and General comment Using a Work Scrutiny Grid Decide on how many books from each class Decide on which children’s books you wish to see Put time aside for this

What can you learn from briefly interviewing groups of children? How do you go about this? Interviews to be held where? And with which children? Decide on the range and number of children Decide are you seeing KS 2 and KS 1 separately or Lower and upper KS2? separately Decide on the questions to ask the children Before the Interviews Monitoring Pupil Interviews

What can you learn from scrutinising Teachers plans? How do you go about this? Do you check the plans alone or with the team? Do you have a planning proforma all must adhere to or is it a free for all? Decide on the focus of the scrutiny Decide on how you will follow up on the scrutiny Monitoring Planning Scrutiny

What can you learn from trawling Teachers Tracking? How do you go about this? Do you check the tracking alone or with the SLT? Is tracking just of English, Maths and Science? Take your lead from the Head and Deputy Decide on how you will follow up on the Tracking DATA Trawl. Eg will it lead to a change in lesson planning / interventions / curriculum planning? Monitoring Assessment Tracking

How and who do you report to? Reporting to the Head Teacher and the SLT Sharing information with the staff team Reporting to Governors Reporting to Parents Speaking with the LA adviser / Consultant Evaluation Reporting

How to Report to Governors Governors need top level info not detail Governors need this written down succinctly on 1 side of A4 if possible to include the: – Strengths & Weaknesses Summary of – Progress towards targets Developments – New Resources bought / needed / Budget – Staff Training – Priorities Make sure the report is based on clear evidence collected during the year

Session 4: Managing People Objectives: – to explore, understand and apply approaches to managing a team effectively – to identify good tools for managing the team in meetings and other situations

What makes a good team? What makes a good team leader?

Plenary What I intend to improve or develop in my leadership How I intend to go about it When I intend to do it How long it will take me to achieve.

Thank you for your engagement today Have a safe journey home