The 9 Pillars Of Great School Leadership

2Inspirational andTransformational Leadership Leaders recognise that incremental change isn’tenough and aim for transformation withreference back to the current and known worldand to future possibilities. They recognise thatthe time to explore transformational change iswhen things are apparently going well. They arefiercely committed to creating a better futurewith the people they lead.‘The longest lever we have at our disposal isleadership: Leadership at all levels, leaders wholeave behind a legacy of leaders that can go evenfurther, leaders who step out to make widercontributions and a pipeline of leadersdeveloping their dispositions and skills it isimpossible to get a system perspective if we onlystay at home. We need cross–connectedleadership experiences in order to transform thesystem so that progressive cultures flourish’.Michael FullanLeadership and Sustainability - SystemThinkers in Action The school’s leadership is visionary, inspiringand values based. Leaders extend the vision ofwhat is possible and confidently describe a pathfrom the present to the future – redirectingapproaches, anticipating developments andinspiring changes through being bold, positiveand ambitious. The vision of the school is clear, understoodand shared by all, underpinned by the school’svalues, philosophy, and ethos. All members ofthe school community promote the vision of theschool and the collective vision permeates thewhole institution. Transformational and inspirational leadership ismore than meeting existing needs or demandsfrom followers. It focuses on the people involvedand seeks to transform attitudes and beliefs,unleashing energy and motivation. It aims todevelop mature, stimulating relationships thatwill secure the maximum commitment from theschool community. Leaders create and manage culture. Inparticular, there is a culture of highexpectations. Leaders lead with enthusiasm andencouragement, empowering people and givingthem the opportunity to do their best. Positivelanguage increases aspirational thinking.Everyone feels fulfilled in what they do andcontributes to the fulfilment of others. Leaders lead by example – with trust, integrity,resilience, clarity and a heart-felt set ofpersonal values which they demonstrate toothers. They draw on their own scholarshipexperience and skills to influence those aroundthem. They are highly visible and reinforced theschool’s vision every day, inspiring staff andpupils to excellence. Leaders find time and space for creativity andinnovation throughout the school. They arerestless in their desire both to improve andtransform their school, looking outwards whereappropriate to seize ideas which they cancustomise to their own content. The vision and aspirations of the school and itsleaders are always optimistic and based upon agrowth mindset philosophy. There is no ceilingon hope and no cap on ambition. Leaderscreate excitement, idealism and confidence.‘The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It’s got to be a visionthat you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertaintrumpet’.Theodore HesburghThe Nine Pillars of Great School LeadershipThe Nine Pillars of Great School Leadership

3Strategic and OperationalLeadership Leaders have one foot in the present and Leaders pay great attention to the develop-another in the future. They make clear strategicchoices and once these get made they are adeptat managing the necessary changes throughpassionate communication, clarity of goals,maintaining the focus and careful evaluation.They are adaptive leaders with the ability tomobilise action and to promote collaboration. Strategic leadership hinges on effectivelyment of teams and team-working in order todeliver the overall strategy of the school and toprovide clarity and consistency of practice onthe front line. They establish a climate ofopenness and take decisions in a transparentmanner. There is a continuous process of reflection andcapturing and directing attention. The school’sstrategy represents the desired pattern oforganisational attention which everybody keepsin mind in their own way. Leaders know thatdirecting attention to where it needs to go is aprimal test of their leadership.feedback amongst leaders at all levels thatbecomes implicit and in which all talk abouttheir work and learning. The school as anorganisation learns its way forwardcontinuously striving to improve its processesand systems within the overall strategy forimprovement. Well-focused leaders can balance an inner focus The quest for excellence becomes a habit foron the direction, culture and performance of theschool with an outer focus on the large realitiesthat shape the changing learning environment,with time to reflect and see the bigger picture.They are good listeners and readers, sensingtrends and emerging realities, ready to seize theopportunities for change. There is excellent operational and organisationalleadership, enabling systems to work well.Leaders recognise the crucial importance offocusing on the right things and doing them right.They are highly effective planners, resourcers andorganisers, paying attention to detail and gettingresults. They successfully align internal structuresto overarching values and goals.leaders and their purposeful practice. There isan embedded culture of thinking and doing,building momentum and maintaining highimpact over a sustained period of time. Leaders recognise that there can be littleprogress without unity of purpose and action,harnessing the individual and group capacity tomake improvements. People are energised towelcome change in a climate of trust. Theyunderstand what needs to be done and theirrole in helping to improve practice and takepride in the process.‘Outstanding leaders think and actsystematically. In contrast to good leaders, theoutstanding leaders see wholes move fluidly fromelement to element and join up their thinkingand the organization’s activity. Central to all thisis a keen sense of purpose and theirunderstanding of how different aspects oforganizations internally connect. Purpose drivesperformance and the outstanding leaders bothunderstand this and refuse to allow anything tostand in the way’.John Pendleton and Adrian FurnhamLeadership: All you Need to Know‘The focus for leadership in actively improving schools is the creation and expansion ofimprovement capacity. Such capacity change—culture, structure and knowledge—supports continuous organisational and professional renewal’.David Hopkins - School Improvement for RealThe Nine Pillars of Great School LeadershipThe Nine Pillars of Great School Leadership

4Learning FocusedLeadership A relentless focus on high quality learning andteaching is at the heart of the school’sendeavours – ‘learning without limits’ and‘success for all’ are guiding principles for schoolleaders. Leaders demand ambitious standards forall pupils overcoming disadvantage andadvancing equality. Leaders regularly and openly model their learningand articulate their own learning challenges andgoals but also shape the conditions for all tosuccessfully learn on a continuous basis. Leadership has a direct impact on the quality of teaching and learning. The school is a knowledge – creating institutionwhere leaders embed a collaborative learningculture. Professional knowledge is continuallyexamined and reviewed and new knowledgedeveloped and shared. Leaders have acommitment to building professional capital bylooking to research evidence, seeking outexamples of brilliant practice in their own andother schools and disseminating it effectively. Leaders are enquiry-minded, geared toinnovation and action research. They are inconstant pursuit of ideas, evidence andknowledge, with a passion for curiosity. Leadersare highly reflective about their work and adeptat mobilising the school’s intellectual andcreative capital to produce excellent educationaloutcomes. Leaders enable the school to be at theforefront of successful and innovativecurriculum design providing the entirety ofeducational experience so that pupils can livefulfilling lives. Leaders ensure the acquisition ofknowledge and understanding, the development of learning skills and the fostering ofpositive character traits. Learning and teaching are personalisedthroughout the curriculum through tailoredprogrammes for a wide range of pupils withdifferent needs, so that all are able toparticipate, progress and achieve. Leaders invest in a variety of learningtechnologies and resources which encourageand stimulate independent learning and areused highly effectively and imaginatively bystaff and pupils. Leaders help the school function as aprofessional learning community wherecommunities of practice are fostered anddeveloped. They are able to review and adaptexisting practices through regularconversations to develop exemplary pedagogyand to lead high quality professionaldevelopment.‘One of the key principles of leadership is that leaders must strive to be model learners.They must continue to read and engage in discussions about all manner of subjects aswell as the most recent theories of learning. As leaders they should question currentpractices and never feel that they have progressed beyond being a learner’.5Student Centred Leadership Leaders make sure that pupils are involved inleading, managing and planning their owneducational experience at all levels. Pupils areencouraged to carry out their own lines ofenquiry and participate in focus groupsinvestigating and reporting back on school issues. Leaders are heavily involved in ensuring thequality of teaching. They develop a shared theoryof effective teaching in particular contexts. Thisforms the basis of a coherent teachingprogrammes focused on the best learning andwellbeing for children and young people. Leaders develop the capacity of teachers to teachwhat pupils need to learn whilst beingopen-minded about what that is and how toachieve it. They have expert knowledge of thetypes of professional development that are morelikely to make an impact on the pupils of theparticipating teachers. Leaders ensure a safe, secure and well-ordered The student voice is strong throughout theschool. Leaders empower and encouragestudents to suggest improvements to theschool and ways to help them learn better andfoster their well-being. They participate fullythrough School Councils and StudentLeadership teams, surveys, feedback andevaluations. School leaders make sure thattheir voice counts. Pupils are recognised as citizens of the schoolin a real sense. They may, for example,contribute to school publications andcommunications, observe and evaluatelearning, be represented on working partiesand represent the school as ambassadors andguides. Leaders ensure a strong focus on pupil wellbeing and safeguarding. Peer counsellors,mediators and mentors are used to maintainand rebuild pupil relationships.environment for both pupils and staff whichincludes school and class routines that prioritiseexemplary behaviour and protect learning time. Leaders resource strategically and therebyextend teachers’ capacity. Crucially, time andteaching materials are allocated to maximisestudent-centred learning.‘’The more leaders focus their relationships, their work and their learning on the corebusiness of teaching and learning the greater their influence on student outcomes.’Vivianne Robinson - Student-Centred LeadershipT.J. Sergiovanni - Leadership: What’s in it for Schools?The Nine Pillars of Great School LeadershipThe Nine Pillars of Great School Leadership

6Distributed and InvitationalLeadership Leaders practise invitational and distributedleadership in the belief that all have potential forgrowth and development and have differentleadership qualities as well as expert knowledge. The first role of leadership is that it is shared,‘For leaders to get results they need three kindsof focus. Inner focus attunes our intuitions,guiding values and better decisions. Other focuslets us navigate in the larger world. A leaderturned out of his internal world will berudderless; one blind to the world of others willbe clueless; those indifferent to the largersystems within which they operate will beblindsided. Leaders need the full range of inner,other and outer focus to excel - a weakness inany one of them can throw a leader off balance’.with the aim of building leadership capacity andownership in making significant decisions.Invitational school leaders invite everybody towear the mantle of leadership at different levelsand be part of achieving the vision and thejourney to success. Strategic development is inclusive throughinviting a range of leaders at different times toparticipate in achieving a common view of whatis required to sustain success. Invitational leaders welcome internal andexternal challenge stimulating professionaldialogue. They encourage the staff to take onmore responsibility and accountability for theirown decisions as part of the collectiveaccountability of the school. Leaders empower through delegating highlevels of authority. What has to be done isusually defined but how it is done is left tothose who have the responsibility which mightmean control over resources, methods anddecision making. The best leaders grow future leaders. There isa clear policy and programme to developleadership potential and talent throughgrowing and nurturing leadership habits andlearning with and from peers. This includesopportunities to take on new roles andexperiences, work shadowing and mentoring. Invitational leaders recognise that many groups– staff, children and young people, parents andthe community – have a stake in their schoolsand find ways to involve them in thedevelopment of the school’s collective visionand values. Leaders are confident and open enough toDaniel GolemanFocus: The Hidden Driver of Excellencedevelop high levels of trust, based on positiverelationships, leading to increased opportunitiesto draw upon specific knowledge and expertise,building collective capacity.‘Distributed leadership draws change from the everyday knowledge and capacities ofstaff rather than driving reforms through them. It is a crucial element in sustainableleadership. Distributed leadership is grounded in and advances a compelling moralpurpose’.Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley - The Fourth WayThe Nine Pillars of Great School LeadershipThe Nine Pillars of Great School Leadership

7Leadership Accountability forPerformance Leaders develop a robust, rigorous and Self-evaluation is grounded in accurate andtransparent self-evaluation process as part ofintelligent accountability to ensure that theirschools work effectively and efficiently towardsthe common good and the fullest developmentof their pupils. They welcome strong governancein holding them to account for the school’sperformance. Leaders accept accountability as part of‘Once a commitment is made, the goal will seemlarger, bolder, and more exciting leaders needto fix on it like a laser beam. They need to see itintensively, even obsessively. They feel it. Theyhear it. They taste it. They smell it. It becomespart of them, their very identity, because it issomething they are committed to make happen,come what may, whatever it takes’.Stephen DenningThe Secret Language of Leadershipdeveloping a performance culture, building intime for reviewing evidence and collectiveenquiry, constantly striving for betterment. Theymanage existing accountability systemsproactively and confidently and are willing to dothe hard things and make tough choices for thegreater good. They hold all staff to account fortheir professional conduct and practice. Leaders at all levels practise a continuous processhonest analysis and is used unflinchingly tocompare performance against the moststretching of benchmarks. Leaders practise 'appreciative enquiry' bydistinguishing the best of what is, fostering adialogue for knowledge around what should beand creating a vision for what will be promotingquestioning and creativity and a collectivementality for growth. Leaders regularly seek feedback, and take fullaccount of the views of staff, pupils, governors,parents and the community as a whole inevaluating progress and performance acceptingthe challenge of continuous improvement. Leaders make good use of external, criticalfriends including education consultants andpeer schools to provide a rigorous reality check.of reflection with their colleagues that becomesimplicit in all their work and learning, developingan accountability mindset, and acceptingresponsibility seeking a proper balance betweentrust and accountability. There is regular and forensic analysis ofperformance data and evidence informedpractice by leaders with exacting self-scrutinyand open discussion about strategies forimprovement and the implementation ofeffective action plans.‘The skill for a successful leader is to get the right balance between personalaccountability and the accountability of others. Ultimately what the leader does setsthe tone. Good leaders will take responsibility for results, are clear on how well theyare doing and how others are doing’.Andy Buck - What Makes a Great School?The Nine Pillars of Great School LeadershipThe Nine Pillars of Great School Leadership

8Leadership for Well-being Leaders develop well-being strategies and‘Nuance leaders have a curiosity about what ispossible, openness to other people, sensitivity tocontext and to loyalty to a better future. They seebelow the surface, enabling them to detectpatterns and their consequences for the system.They connect people to their own and each other’shumanity. They don’t lead they teach. They changepeople’s emotions, not just their minds. They havean instinct for orchestration. They foster sinews ofsuccess. They are humble in the face of challenges,determined for the group to be successful, andproud to celebrate success. They end updeveloping incredibly accountable organizationsbecause the accountability gets built into theculture. Above all, they are courageously andrelentlessly committed to changing the system forthe betterment of humanity’.Michael FullanNuance, Why Some Leaders Succeed and Others Fail Teachers, children and young people flourish inprogrammes as part of the overall culture of theschool and its values, fully integrated into the lifeand work of the school. Staff and pupils’ wellbeing is the result of a stimulating and inclusivelearning environment and meeting personalneeds and expectations. Leaders monitor carefully indicators of well-beingsuch as staff and pupil attendance, mental health,complaints and grievances, recruitment andretention and engagement and participation inschool life. They are open and transparent indiscussing well-being issues and seek feedbackthrough surveys and working groups. Leaders recognise that school environmentsshould be considered as an active part ofchildren and young people’s sense of belonging,where they can be confident they will fit in andsafe in their identity. Creating a sense of place,and emotional, rooted attachment to thelearning environment is vital to improvinglearning and well-being for every member of theschool community. Leaders build the best possible relationships,schools which foster their creativity, resilienceand sense of agency. Leaders bring a senseof hope, a sense of possibilities, a belief ineverybody and a recognition of the power ofplace and belonging. Leadership plays a key role in giving control andaffording participation in decision making.Professional growth,

Pillar 6 – Distributed and Invitational Leadership Pillar 7 – Leadership Accountability for Performance Pillar 8 – Leadership for Well-Being Pillar 9 – System Leadership The Nine Pillars of Great School Leadership ZA definition of leadership is to create the conditions for people to