1. The Triads Approach
How communication between teachers has improved outcomes for pupils and informed performance management. 
Georgina Bull
Deputy Principal

2. The Triads Approach at Ravensbourne School
2nd year of project
Groups of three teachers
Work together to address issues identified by each teacher
Discussions / idea sharing / challenge / observations / feedback
Uses ideas and practices from lesson study, coaching, mentoring, action research

3. Rationale
Move away from traditional lesson observations used to inform performance management
One off lesson observations – not accurate reflection of every day practice / rehearsed / not developmental
Move away from the ‘expert’ model where more experienced staff are seen (and see themselves) as having all the answers
Gap between educational research and classroom practice well documented
Structured way of supporting staff to access the professional dialogues that move practice forward
Supports the messages from the Rochford Review around the need for new bespoke approaches to teaching and learning for complex learners

4. Expectations of Triads Process
Participants will :
Understand why lesson study is important
Dedicate time, energy and passion for teacher improvement
Be open to new ways of teaching and learning
Be willing to take risks
Develop others through effective feedback
Support each other, challenge and be a critical friend

5. Lesson Study Approach
Lesson study – Japanese model of teacher led research
Advocated in the UK by the National College for Teaching and learning
Teacher development trust (2015)

6. Lesson Study Cycle

7. Peer Coaching
Range of studies have found peer coaching to have ‘a positive and/or statistically significant effect of participant’s behaviour’(Brennan , 2017)
‘A core role of any Head-teacher and senior leadership team is to ensure that their school becomes a productive learning organisation in which their staff have genuine and transformative learning opportunities’ (Lofthouse, 2016)

8. Clarke and Hollingsworth , 2002

9. Implementation Teachers are placed in triads by SLT
Triads are chosen to include teachers at different stages of their careers and with different expertise
30 minute session once a fortnight as part of directed time – although most teachers choose to continue discussions for longer than this
Triad groups were given the choice to observe lessons ‘live’ or for lessons to be recorded and watched back together. Both options have advantages and disadvantages

10. The First Term Principal at the time – Jane Murray
Proposed a new approach to performance management
Supportive discussions between teachers from the start
Teachers found it was more challenging than lesson observations
Initial term identified issues with paperwork and need for clarity about the process.

11. Meeting the needs of pupils with Complex Needs
Ofsted – 3 I’s
Issue
Intervention
Impact
Professor Barry Carpenter (2016) argues that 2 additional steps are needed.

12. New approach Issue Inquiry Intervention Innovation Impact
The triads process at Ravensbourne school uses these extra steps to promote positive outcomes for pupils

13. New Paperwork and process
Step 1 – Issue - completed by teacher before first meeting
Step 2 – Inquiry A - completed by teacher before first meeting
Step 3 – Inquiry B – record of discussion during first Triad meeting
Step 4 – Lesson observation
Step 5 – Intervention – completed during 2nd triad meeting
Step 6 – Innovation – completed during 2nd triad meeting
Step 7 – Lesson 2 – either with or without observation
Step 8 – Impact – completed by class teacher and discussed during 3rd triad meeting

14. Topics Wide range of areas and topics identified and researched
All bespoke and relevant to individual pupils
Cross pathway triads gave a wider experience and perspective.

15. Example issue: How to meet the needs of a pupil with Batten’s disease
Teacher discovered that long term memory persists while short term memory is impaired
Teacher worked with family to produce a memory box using items from the pupil’s earlier childhood

16. Example issue: How to increasing Engagement for one pupil with PMLD
Pupil was presenting as sleeping and disengaged
Triad researched stimulating experiences and found that exposure to certain smells could help increasing alertness
Action research was done to assess effectiveness of approach
Was found to not be an effective approach and new ideas are being investigated

17. Example issue: Overcoming reluctance to explore different textures
Teacher researched issues around tactile defensiveness including texture hierarchy
More structured approach was used to introduce new textures
Good outcome with pupil engaging with materials for longer and increasing tolerance

18. Teacher researched strategies for working with pupils with PDA
Example issue: Working with a pupil with Pathological Demand Avoidance and Severe learning difficulties
Teacher researched strategies for working with pupils with PDA
Able to identify controlling and avoiding behaviours as a reaction to anxiety and like a ‘panic attack’
Reduced staff sense of frustration and allowed more effective debriefing of staff after incidents

19. Other topics explored
Behaviour management strategies for pupil with hyper-insulinism
Self harming in a pupil with Cornelia De Lange syndrome
Depressive symptoms in adolescents with complex autism
Low self esteem in adolescents with complex autism and ADHD
Short term memory loss in students with ADHD

20. Sharing Outcomes
Teachers presented their triads work to each other and teachers from a another school
Allowed sharing of good practice and began to build up a resource of teacher expertise
Helped teachers clarify their ideas

21. Benefits
High expectations for all – barriers to learning seen as something to address rather than an excuse
Supportive relationships developed across the school, not just in immediate teams
Issues studied are bespoke to each teacher and their unique situation
Impact on teaching and learning
Direct impact of research on practice
Ethos of a learning school where no-one is expected to have all the answers
Creating an ethos and expectation of evidence based practice

22. Risks
Quality and source of information and research used is not always considered
One personality may dominate the triad
Concern from one teacher that peers may try to sabotage their evidence
Quality of outcome depends on the skills of the triad group
Can be uncomfortable for some staff to have their practice challenged by others
Confidentiality – honesty relationships that rely on trust.
Boundary between performance management and trust based coaching can be blurred.

23. Use in Performance Management
Each year teachers produce a folder with the paperwork showing the work done within their triads
This is moderated by SLT at the end of each term with feedback to teachers
Used as evidence of teacher effectiveness as part of performance management cycle. If insufficient evidence then a lesson observation may be required.

24. This year We have new triads groups
Teachers are now familiar with the process and able to ‘hit the ground running’
Less experienced teachers are needing more support with the process as they may not have as much experience of reflecting on their practice or implementing research
Research within school shows that teachers value the process and believe that it improves outcomes for pupils

25. Teacher’s views about the Triads process:
Liked more than observations 70%
Learnt a lot 80%
Relationships were supportive 80%
Has improve their teaching 77%
Improves outcomes for pupils 80%
Takes too long 60%
Has changed their own practice 77%

26. Conclusion New approach has been successful with positive feedback
Incorporates aspects of several research led approaches
Approach has significant time implications but we believe that this is an effective use of directed time
We need to ensure that process is robust enough and new staff have necessary skills to cause an impact on pupil outcomes
Moving the school forward in a way that lesson observations never did

27. Next Steps
Support for less experienced teachers to maximise the effectiveness of the process
Training for teachers in assessing the quality of evidence used
Training for teachers in coaching methods
Involve the wider disciplinary team in contributing to the inquiry and innovation stages
Extend the method to HLTAs
Find ways of sharing good practice developed during Triads process – e.g. a bank of issues and interventions

28. Any Questions? Neave Crescent Romford RM3 8HN

29. References
Brennan (2017) Examining the Effects of Expert Peer Coaching for Special Educational Teachers. PhD Dissertation, University of Pittsburg, USA.
Carpenter (2016) The i’s have it. SEND Magazine. March 2016, pg 15
Clarke and Hollingsworth (2002) Elaborating a model of teacher professional growth. Teaching and Teacher Education
Lofthouse (2016) Teacher Coaching: A collection of think-pieces about professional development and leadership through teacher coaching. Research Centre for Learning and Teaching, Newcastle University, UK.
Teacher development trust (2017)What is lesson study. Online