10 Strong Claims About Successful School Leadership

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Inspiring leaders toimprove children’s livesSchools and academies10 strong claims aboutsuccessful school leadershipProfessional development

AcknowledgementsWe would like to thank all the teachers and heads who gavegenerously of their time and energy to participate in this project,especially those headteachers and staff who gave us materialfor the case studies and allowed us insight into their successfulleadership journeys.Thanks also go to the members of the research team for theircommitment, skills and sustained presence: Clare Penlington(Nottingham), Palak Mehta (London), Alison Kington (Nottingham)and Elpida Ahtaridou (London), and to Martina Daykin andHayley McCalla for the many miles travelled. Last but not least,we would like to thank Dr Colin Conner for his wise advicein shaping this report.Christopher Day, Pam Sammons, David Hopkins, Alma Harris,Ken Leithwood, Qing Gu and Eleanor Brown.

10 strong claims about successful school leadershipContentsIntroduction210 strong claims3Claim 1: Headteachers are the main source of leadershipin their schools3Claim 2: There are eight key dimensions of successfulleadership4Claim 3: Headteachers’ values are key componentsin their success7Claim 4: Successful heads use the same basic leadershippractices, but there is no single model for achieving success8Claim 5: Differences in context affect the nature, directionand pace of leadership actions9Claim 6: Heads contribute to student learning andachievement through a combination and accumulationof strategies and actions10Claim 7: There are three broad phases of leadership success12Claim 8: Heads grow and secure success by layeringleadership strategies and actions15Claim 9: Successful heads distribute leadership progressively16Claim 10: The successful distribution of leadership dependson the establishment of trust17Conclusions19Appendix 120References211

210 strong claims about successful school leadershipIntroductionThis report summarises the findings of a three-year nationalresearch project on the impact of leadership on pupil outcomes,with particular reference to the leadership of the headteacher(DCSF, 2009). It is the sequel to Seven strong claims aboutsuccessful school leadership (Leithwood et al 2006) and itconfirms, qualifies and builds on those original claims.The research project investigated a national sample of schoolswhich had improved pupil learning outcomes over at least threeconsecutive years under the leadership of the same headteacher.It included a literature review and surveys completed by theheads and a range of other stakeholders. In addition, 20 casestudies of primary and secondary schools were conducted over2 years.The research found that leaders of successful schools definesuccess not only in terms of test and examination results, butalso in terms of personal and social outcomes, pupil and staffmotivation, engagement and wellbeing, the quality of teachingand learning and the school’s contribution to the community.Also, successful heads improve pupil outcomes through who theyare – their values, virtues, dispositions, attributes and competences– as well as what they do in terms of the strategies they selectand the ways in which they adapt their leadership practices totheir unique context.

10 strong claims about successful school leadership10 strong claimsHeadteachers are the main source of leadershipin their schools.Claim 1: Headteachers are the main sourceof leadership in their schools2There are eight key dimensions of successfulleadership.Headteachers are perceived to be the main source of leadershipby key school staff. Their educational values, reflectivestrategies and leadership practices shape the internal processesand pedagogies that result in improved pupil outcomes.3Headteachers’ values are key components intheir success.4Successful heads use the same basic leadershippractices, but there is no single model forachieving success.15Differences in context affect the nature,direction and pace of leadership actions.6Heads contribute to student learning andachievement through a combination andaccumulation of strategies and actions.7There are three broad phases of leadershipsuccess.8Heads grow and secure success by layeringleadership strategies and actions.9Successful heads distribute leadershipprogressively.10The successful distribution of leadership dependson the establishment of trust.The leadership of the head has a direct effect on teachers’expectations and standards. This includes the way they thinkabout, plan and conduct their teaching and learning practices,their self-efficacy, commitment and sense of wellbeing, and theirorganisational loyalty and trust, all of which indirectly influencepupil outcomes.Leaders in improving schools diagnose individual andorganisational needs and place the needs of pupils first.They then select improvement strategies in well-thought-outcombinations and sequences so that these reinforce and supporteach other. There is a strong link between setting the directionand restructuring the organisation, and between reculturing theorganisation and improving school conditions.Since our previous review (Leithwood et al, 2006), moreevidence has been uncovered to support our original findingthat school leadership is second only to classroom teachingas an influence on pupil learning1.Our case study evidence confirms the importance of headteachersto the level of expectations, aspirations and wellbeing of staff,the improvement of teaching and learning conditions, and thewellbeing and achievement of pupils:I think underestimating the importance of a good headwould be wrong. It doesn’t matter how the work isdelegated, he is still sailing the ship, so to speak.School business managerThe head is an incredible leader. I don’t know what hersecret is, except she has good interpersonal skills, goodorganisational skills. She’s forward thinking. She has away of encouraging self-belief in staff. I don’t knowwhat she has for breakfast, but it works!Primary teacherIf I have any strengths at all, I would say it is in choosingthe right people for the school.Secondary head1Robinson et al (2009); Leithwood & Sun (2009)3

410 strong claims about successful school leadershipSuccessful leaders:When I appoint staff, I don’t care about the academicqualifications. We always watch them teach. When I amgoing around, I look at what they are doing, how theyreact to children, because if they haven’t got a goodrapport with the children, they are not going to be ableto deliver an effective lesson. And the children are notgoing to engage with them.Secondary head–define their values and vision to raise expectations,set direction and build trust––reshape the conditions for teaching and learningrestructure parts of the organisation and redesign leadershiproles and responsibilities–––––She’s in charge and I think everybody knows that. Thechildren know she’s the head because she can walk intothe hall and it goes silent. She’s got this air of authority,which I think the children like. It makes them feel verysecure because the head is there.Primary deputy headenrich the curriculumenhance teacher qualityenhance the quality of teaching and learningbuild collaboration internallybuild strong relationships outside the school communityAlthough the sequence, timing, order and combination of thesestrategies varies from school to school, the visions and valuesare strikingly similar.Claim 2: There are eight key dimensionsof successful leadershipOur study identifies eight key dimensions of successfulleadership, which all centre on student learning, wellbeingand achievement.In our previous review (Leithwood et al, 2006), we arguedthat four core leadership practices – setting directions,developing people, redesigning the organisation, and managingthe teaching and learning programme – formed part of therepertoire of successful leaders. Our new evidence buildson these core practices.In Figure 1, the inner circle illustrates the core focus of leaders’attention, the inner ring their core strategies, and the outer ringthe actions they take in support of these strategies. The buildingof trust is an intrinsic part and embedded within each of the corestrategies and an essential part of the actions in the outer ring.The eight dimensions are described below.Figure 1 The dimensions of successful leadershipImproving Conditions forTeaching & LearningBuildingRelationshipsInside theSchool CommunityEnhancingTeaching& LearningDefining Vision,Values & DirectionStudent LearningWell Being& AchievementsHigh ExpectationsRedesigningand Enrichingthe CurriculumRestructuring theOrganisation:Redesigning Roles& ResponsibilitiesBuilding TrustBuilding RelationshipsOutside theSchool CommunityEnhancing TeacherQuality (includingSuccession Planning)

10 strong claims about successful school leadershipDefining the vision, values and direction. All the heads hada very strong and clear vision and set of values for their school,which heavily influenced their actions and the actions of others,and established a clear sense of direction and purpose for theschool. These were shared widely, clearly understood andsupported by all staff. They were a touchstone against whichall new developments, policies or initiatives were tested.I always had a vision of where I knew the school hadto be. That was always there, but I did not sit down andthink ‘this year we are going to do this’. We do havea strategic long-term plan, but until you get some of thekey things right, the staff just would not have coped witha more creative curriculum. We did some creative thingsbut it needed to be managed in such a way that peoplewere not overwhelmed and felt quite secure andconfident to trial things.Primary headImproving conditions for teaching and learning. All theheads identified the need to improve the conditions in whichthe quality of teaching could be maximised and pupils’ learningand performance enhanced. They developed strategies toimprove the school buildings and facilities. By changing thephysical environment of the schools and improving the classrooms,the heads were confirming the connection between high-qualityconditions for teaching and learning, and staff and pupil wellbeingand achievement.The biggest changes have been a new school building,new facilities, especially in certain departments. In termsof my department that has been fantastic. As with anythingthere have been problems, you are moving from a schoolthat has been up for 50 years and you are used to certainthings. Staff have to readjust to the new school. It hasbeen a settling-in process, but I think that has been thebiggest change. I think that has been a positive change.Secondary head of departmentRestructuring the organisation: redesigning roles andresponsibilities. The heads purposefully and progressivelyredesigned their organisational structures, redesigned rolesand distributed leadership in ways that promoted greater staffengagement and ownership which, in turn, provided greateropportunities for student learning.While the exact nature and timing varied from school to school,there was a consistent pattern of changing the hierarchy.This included:–––redefining senior leadership functionschanging from a horizontal to a vertical pastoral structureusing teaching and learning responsibilities (TLRs), advancedskills teachers (ASTs) and support staff more widelyRoles, responsibilities and accountabilities were made clearto all staff and were allocated according to ability. Therewas also recognition of people’s individual strengths andorganisational needs.So there was the reshaping of the senior managementteam and we started to look at accountabilities a lotmore. The job descriptions were revised to reflect thenational standards far more closely. The first thing wasthat the senior management team was extended toincorporate all the core subjects.Secondary deputy headEnhancing teaching and learning. All the schools werecontinually looking for new ways to improve teaching, learningand achievement. The heads provided a safe environment forteachers to try new models and alternative approaches thatmight be more effective. Staff responded positively to theopportunity. It affected the way they saw themselves asprofessionals and improved their sense of self-efficacy. This,in turn, had a positive impact on the way they interacted withpupils and other members of staff.I think the head gives you the freedom to experiment,obviously not to go completely overboard and mess it allup, but he’s very positive, very supportive, and he willlisten to you. Then obviously he has an overview of that,but he allows you to get on with your role.Secondary head of departmentI have been trying to change the mindset of everyteacher to say that every teacher is a manager and aleader. Everybody is, within their own classroom.Primary head5

610 strong claims about successful school leadershipRedesigning and enriching the curriculum. All the headsfocused on redesigning and enriching the curriculum as a wayof deepening and extending engagement and improvingachievement. Academic attainment was not in competition withpersonal and social development: the two complemented oneanother. The heads adapted the curriculum to broaden learningopportunities and improve access for all children, with theemphasis on ‘stage not age’ learning. Many of these changeswere in line with government initiatives. In primary schools therewas particular emphasis on greater flexibility and continuitybetween Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, while in secondary schoolsthe focus was on personalised learning and providing differentpathways towards vocational qualifications.Each student is doing a personal curriculum, somethingthat we have tailored for them to help them get the bestout of the school while they are pursuing their variouscurriculum options.training (Inset), and were given the opportunity to train forexternal qualifications. This combination of external and internalcontinuing professional development (CPD) was used to maximisepotential and develop staff in diverse areas.We do get quite a lot of in-house training. That isimportant because going out on various days out andcourses to learn specific things is fine for one member ofstaff and then obviously you have the opportunity ofextending your knowledge from that single day to yourdepartment, but as a teacher working in a particular area,sometimes you can’t always extend that to peoplebeyond your particular area simply because you don’thave time to do it. So we tend to have more peoplecoming in so that the whole school can benefit from thesame things.Secondary teacherSecondary head of departmentA number of the schools had introduced more emotional supportinto the curriculum through personal health and social education(PHSE) programmes. Building creativity and self-esteem featuredheavily in the curriculum, as did a focus on developing key skillsfor life. There was major emphasis on enjoyment of learning,and recognition that when pupils enjoy learning, they are moreeffective learners.The big thing about the school is the PHSE curriculum. Itis very caring, and throughout the school we are teachingthe children right from nursery to be caring and respectfulof each other and to share things, to respect each other’sdifferences and to look out for each other. And whenvisitors come to the school they notice how polite thechildren are – even the very, very young children.Primary teacherThere was also emphasis on providing a broad range ofextracurricular activities, including at lunch time and inafter-school clubs, as well as activities during school holidays.Enhancing teacher quality (including succession planning).Heads provided a rich variety of professional learning anddevelopment opportunities for staff as part of their twin driveto raise standards and sustain motivation and commitment.They placed a high premium on internally led professionaldevelopment and learning, but teachers and support staff werealso encouraged to take part in a wide range of in-serviceSuccession planning was a feature of all the schools, whiletargeted recruitment was a feature in those which acted asTraining Schools for pre service teaching students.Previously [the head] would interview until he got theright person. Recently – I’m talking about 18 months ago– he started talking about appointing somebody fromwithin the school as the new leadership in such and sucha department, and training them up ourselves rather thantaking people who come in from elsewhere.Secondary head of departmentBuilding relationships inside the school community. Headsdeveloped and sustained positive relationships with staff at alllevels, making them feel valued and involved. They demonstratedconcern for the professional and personal wellbeing of staff. Therelationship between heads and senior leadership teams (SLTs)in particular was one of trust and mutual respect. Theyengendered loyalty from parents, staff and pupils.He walks round the school all the time. He’ll go intolessons, he’ll cover, he leads assembly, he goes in bothstaff rooms and he knows the children, he knows theparents. He’s got an open-door policy in terms of staffand parents. He’s got a good relationship with thegovernors.Primary deputy head

10 strong claims about successful school leadershipBuilding relationships outside the school community. For allheads, building and improving the reputation of the school andengaging with the wider community were essential to achievinglong-term success. They and their SLTs had developed positiverelationships with community leaders and had built a web oflinks across the school to other organisations and individuals.Strong links with key stakeholders in the local communitybenefited the school.We are certainly a well-known school. We have goodrelationships in terms of staff training, and quite anumber of our staff go to other schools to do Inset [days].Likewise staff come here. We are one of the schools inthe authority that is on the up at the minute, and I thinkthat when you go to other schools – and we hear parentstalk about other schools – they are saying things arehappening at this school. We went on learning walks athalf-term with other schools, and they have been hereto do the walk as well. I think we have a good status. Ithink the head is well known in the authority and wellrespected. We have a particularly good relationshipwith two geographically close schools, and I think ourrelationship with those schools is good but competitive.Successful heads share certain attributes and hold commoncore values:–a strong sense of moral responsibility and a belief in equalopportunities–a belief that every pupil deserves the same opportunitiesto succeed–respect and value for all people in and connected with theschool––a passion for learning and achievementa commitment to pupils and staffSuccessful heads see pupil achievement as having behavioural,academic, personal, social and emotional dimensions:–Setting high expectations for staff and students is centralto developing teaching and learning programmes.–Care and trust feature highly in achievement-focused culturesthat aim to improve student outcomes.–Introducing a whole-school approach to pupil behaviourmanagement is considered a positive step towards improvingstudent outcomes.Secondary assistant headThe heads achieved improved performance, not only throughthe strategies they used but also through the core values andpersonal qualities they demonstrated in their daily interactions.As Figure 1 illustrates, they placed pupil care, learning andachievement at the heart of all their decisions.Claim 3: Headteachers’ values are key componentsin their successIn our previous review (Leithwood et al, 2006), we argued thatvariation in the effectiveness of leaders is often explained bya small number of personal traits; indeed, research points toevidence of an association between leaders’ personal qualitiesand leadership success2. Our claim is

3 1 Headteachers are the main source of leadership in their schools. 2 There are eight key dimensions of successful leadership. 3 Headteachers’ values are key components in their success. 4 Successful heads use the same basic leadership practices, but there is no single model for achieving success. 5 Differences in context affect the nature, direction and pace of leadership cactions.

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