reflective respectful collaborative innovative how we worked together to improve upton heath paula...
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Reflective Respectful Collaborative Innovative
How we worked together to improve Upton Heath
Paula Moreton – HeadHarry Ziman - Chair
Reflective Respectful Collaborative Innovative
This is where our partnership started
Ofsted Judgements September 2009
Outstanding 0
Good 3
Satisfactory 5
Inadequate 20
• Special measures• Interim Executive Board• Unhappy parents• Low morale• Inadequate SIAS inspection as a church school• No substantive head or deputy heads
Reflective Respectful Collaborative Innovative
What is an Interim Executive Board?
Similarities to a GB• Responsible for
governance• Still strategic in nature• Ultimately
accountable for the school’s performance
• Partnership between chair and head crucial
Advantages over a GB• Smaller and with
hand-picked people• Faster, more energetic
and flexible• Very clear mandate
Reflective Respectful Collaborative Innovative
Operational v Strategic
GB - Strategic• Contributes process to ensure
rigour and accountability
• Agree what needs to be achieved following advice from HT etc
• Developed governance with support from head
• Empowered head by providing both support and challenge
• Managed stakeholders
Head - Operational• Expertise on education,
teaching, curriculum
• Advises on what needs to be achieved and implementation
• Built school leadership team with support from chair
• Implemented difficult decisions knowing she will be supported
• Normal school communications
Reflective Respectful Collaborative Innovative
The Nature of Challenge and Accountability
Helpful behaviours• Build on each others ideas to
initiate innovative thinking• Ruthlessly objective focus on
impact and outcomes• Transparent when handling
complaints built trust• “How can we do things
differently next time?”• Doing what we said we were
going to do• Reflect and celebrate practice• Adapted the way we work as the
school improved• Learning from each other• Recognition and praise
Things that don’t work• “Why have you ….”• Focus on what people couldn’t
do• Paperwork and meetings that
kept the head in her office• Dwelling on past
shortcomings• Using email instead of talking• Disagreement in front of
others• Fear of things going wrong
inhibiting action (cowardice)• Obsessive concern about what
is strategic and operational
Reflective Respectful Collaborative Innovative
The key is to work together
• We have distinct roles but work as a team• Followed through on the things we said we would do• Rapid decision making
• Joint leadership with a common vision• Very clear organisation with agreed priorities• Challenged ideas, concepts and issues …
• Motivated and inspired each other• Respected the knowledge that each brought
• Values, principles, systems focussed on outcomes for pupils
• Celebrated successes• Not accepting second best … keep working on things until
they are right• Communicate, communicate, communicate
Reflective Respectful Collaborative Innovative
Ofsted were very helpful
• Provided an imperative for improvement
• Validated the work of IEB (governance) and Head
• Frequent Ofsted reports provided evidence of improvement
Reflective Respectful Collaborative Innovative
How are we doing?
Ofsted Judgement
September 2009
April 2011
Outstanding 0 1
Good 3 23
Satisfactory 5 4
Inadequate 20 0
• Level 6 pupils• A source of best practice• PTA Chair of the year finalist• SIAS – Good• Strong governing body• Full intake