Challenges of leadership : Learning, CPD, accountability

1. @ProfCoe www.twitter.com/ProfCoe Challenges of leadership:Learning, CPD, accountability Robert Coe Durham Leadership Conference, 26 June 2014

2. Challenge 1Keep the focus on learning

3. True or false? • Reducing class size is one of the most effective ways to increase learning [evidence] • Differentiation and ‘personalised learning’ resources maximise learning [evidence] • Praise encourages learners and helps them persist with hard tasks [evidence] • Technology supports learning by engaging and motivating learners [evidence] • The best way to raise attainment is to enhance motivation and interest [evidence]

4. Poor Proxies for Learning • Students are busy: lots of work is done (especially written work) • Students are engaged, interested, motivated • Students are getting attention: feedback, explanations • Classroom is ordered, calm, under control • Curriculum has been ‘covered’ (ie presented to students in some form) • (At least some) students have supplied correct answers (whether or not they really understood them or could reproduce them independently)

5. Lesson Observation • Two teachers observe the same lesson, one rates it ‘Inadequate’. What is the probability the other will agree? a) 10% b) 40% c) 60% d) 80% • An observer judges a lesson ‘Outstanding’. What is the probability that pupils are really making sustained, outstanding progress? a) 5% b) 30% c) 50% d) 70%

6. Evidence based advice Judgements from lesson observation may be used for low-stakes interpretations (eg to advise on areas for improvement) if at least two observers independently observe a total of at least six lessons, provided those observers have been trained and quality assured by a rigorous process (2-3 days training & exam). High-stakes inference (eg Ofsted grading, competence) should not be based on lesson observation alone, no matter how it is done.

7. Challenge 2Professional development

8. Improving Teaching • Teacher quality is what matters • We need to focus on teacher learning • Teachers learn just like other people • Be clear what you want them to learn • Get good information about where they are at • Give good feedback

9. What CPD helps students? • Intense: at least 30 contact hours, preferably 50+ • Sustained: over at least two terms • Content focused: on teachers’ knowledge of subject content & how students learn it • Active: opportunities to try it out & discuss • Supported: external feedback and networks to improve and sustain • Evidence based: promotes strategies supported by robust evaluation evidence Do you do this?

10. RISE: Research-leads Improving Students’ Education • With Alex Quigley, John Tomsett, Stuart Kime • Based around York • RCT: 20 school leaders trained in research, 20 controls • Contact: aj.quigley@huntington-ed.org.uk

11. Challenge 3Accountability

12. Accountability cultures • Trust • Autonomous • Confidence • Challenge • Supportive • Improvement-focus • Problem-solving • Long-term • Genuine quality • Evaluation • Distrust • Controlled • Fear • Threat • Competitive • Target-focus • Image presentation • Quick fix • Tick-list quality • Sanctions

13. Official Accountability Systems Professional Monitoring Systems Accountability and improvement If you find a problem with your performance, what do you do? Cover it up Expose it to view. (Tymms, 1999)

15. Hard questions • Imagine there was no accountability. What would you do differently? • Would students be better off as a result? • No – I wouldn’t do anything at all differently • Not significantly – minor presentational changes only • Yes – students would be better off without accountability • What actually stops you doing this?

16. www.cem.org Summary … @ProfCoe It’s about learning: keep the main thing the main thing CPD: teachers learn just like other people Accountability: don’t let the tail wag the dog Robert.Coe@cem.dur.ac.uk