1. Lead practitioner accreditation Building a world class work force for a world class education system
What is LP accreditation?
SSAT lead practitioner accreditation recognises the work of those who not only demonstrate outstanding expertise in their field but also lead colleagues to improve their practice – leading to positive impact on pupil learning
It offers high quality status for high quality practitioners
This programme can support our vision to ….. (link to key areas of development for our school with emphasis on teaching and learning/pupil achievement)

2. Objectives Understand what it is to be a SSAT lead practitioner
Gain an overview of the LP accreditation programme
How the programme can support school improvement, linked to priority areas
Accreditation package within your school context:
where your challenges lie
how a ground force of excellent lead practitioners can support school improvement
what success will look like in our school

3. What is LP accreditation?
Nationally recognised endorsement of innovation
A Framework and tool to facilitate reflection and evidence impact
Builds on the SSAT’s network of lead practitioners
What is the LP accreditation?
The network of SSAT lead practitioners have become a well recognised and highly respected mark of excellence in developing the practice of others. The accreditation was developed by head teachers who wanted to provide a way of promoting school improvement attracting and retaining effective practitioners valuing those who lead practice and who want to continue as practitioners themselves
Practitioners applying for lead practitioner accreditation need to provide evidence of meeting the criteria that defines expertise in leading practice: personal skills, professional knowledge and the process of leading and impacting on others.
The criteria was developed with practitioners and verified by Curee and Warwick University. The LP Accreditation acknowledges that leading practice can take place at different levels from working with just one other colleague (Beginning level) through to working with larger groups within a region and beyond (Transforming and leading level).

4. The Challenge:
Develop a culture where teaching and learning is constantly being discussed and improved – without reliance on outside intervention.
Build capacity for improvement and provide evidence that can be used for external measures of success such as inspection.
Motivate our best staff to stay, to improve and attracts the best candidates to our school.
Connect our school to local and national networks to go on improving.
By the school, for the school. SSAT’s aim to support school-led school improvement. How this meets our needs…..

5. Benefits for individual staff
National accreditation for professional expertise in leading practice
Continued professional development through the accreditation process
Opportunities through the membership of SSAT lead practitioner community
National stage to showcase work
through SSAT radars / conferences
Supports future leaders of learning in getting
to the next stage of leading practice
Track record for aspirant SLEs.
Progression to Masters with Russell
Group university
Evidence if applying for Leading Practitioner
pay scale
A professional development tool to identify and set professional development targets
Access to a wide range of resources, research and case studies that can be drawn on and shared to improve and develop practice
Opportunity to engage with current regional, national and international developments through the wider network of SSAT’s lead practitioners
Quality mark of excellent practice and of the organisation’s commitment to professional learning - High quality status for high quality practitioners

6. It is a sustainable model to help you drive your vision as a whole school, providing a mechanism to develop consistency of outstanding practice and measurable impact.
Developing a culture of learning, this places the practitioner at the centre, rewarding and recognising their strengths in leading others and providing the forum to enable this to happen.
A CPD tool that is flexible and can grow

7. Why do it as a school?
a way of celebrating, valuing and rewarding those who lead practice
a professional accreditation for what they are doing already
a tool to support you to get to the next stage of leading practice.
Now it is possible to have a much more ambitious approach in school, and to establish a group of people all taking the accreditation together. This brings a number of advantages over and above the benefit of a single practitioner going through the process.
By having a group in school working together it becomes economic to bring in high-quality support if needed, developing next future leaders of learning.
The participants are much more strongly supported by their peers and far more likely to complete the programme and have an impact.
Because it is larger scale the outcomes are more immediate and measurable for self-evaluation.
It creates a hot-house effect where colleagues gain in confidence to develop and try ideas through reinforcement.
It takes that year’s focus on teaching and learning, which all schools will have, and embeds it in a real process that will produce clear results, supporting other programmes in school to achieve the same end.

8. Model for our school
Outline proposed or agreed structure – see pack for exemplars

9. NB evidence that is used for one criteria might be able to support another.
Personal attributes to work successfully with colleagues – able to inspire others, not the ‘guru’ but open to new ideas
Professional knowledge – we often underestimate our expertise. The self evaluation process helps us to unpick our skills and knowledge – a necessary part of the process of developing others. Understanding of the process of leading practice –the process will develop a team of highly skilled lead learners in our school.
Applicants meeting the coaching criteria at the highest levels will be offered opportunity to join our data base of LP coaches
Aligned to core, post threshold and AST standards

10. Action Research Plan Action Observe Reflect
What will you do and why?
Action
In your classroom/school
Observe
What do you see and hear?
Reflect
How could you refine?
Projects may be from School Improvement Plan or Teacher area of development. Aspiring LPs will initially research from external sources and then translate into the classroom.

11. Exemplar School based projects
Raising standards through development of learner voice
Creativity Across the Curriculum
Raising standards in Literacy using digital technology
Maximising impact through scientific writing, group work and research skills
Independent learning in outstanding business lessons, using successful questioning
Raising achievement in GAT cohort through Residential Activity
High Quality training for NQT on AfL
Stretch and Challenge for high achievers through understanding and challenging mindsets in MFL
Using Screen Capture technology to flip the learning
Cross the Magic Threshold into Collaborative Working
Projects may be from School Improvement Plan or Teacher area of development. Aspiring LPs will initially research from external sources and then translate into the classroom.

12. Application steps Step 1: Undertake online self-assessment
Step 2: Write supporting statements for each criteria
Step 3: Gather evidence to exemplify impact
Step 4: Upload evidence and submit work for moderation
Step 5: Await feedback
A rigorous but not onerous process

13. ‘We are heavily redesigning the way our school is structured to create a stronger focus on learning and on improving coaching, mentoring and teaching. We’ve used the SSAT lead practitioner accreditation as a key tool in that process, establishing four members of staff in each Faculty team to work as lead practitioners’
Principal

14. ‘‘It gave me the structure to purposefully reflect on the work I had been doing in school and with other colleagues, then to identify targets for my own personal professional development”

15. “In my school I had reached a point in my career that involved working with a network outside the school – no one else had this type of experience – the accreditation process gave me a structure for my own performance management. It helped me to see where I could develop – into the Transforming and leading section”

16. “Undertaking the lead practitioner accreditation process is a fulfilling and rewarding experience. It enables you to reflect on your practice, recognise and celebrate your achievements and focus your attention on where you need to be headed next”

17. “Applying for the lead practitioner accreditation was, quite simply, the best CPD I have had in 14 years of teaching”