““Powerful LearningPowerful Learning”

Being a relentless focus on improving the learning outcomes of Being a relentless focus on improving the learning outcomes of ‘every student’ in ‘every school’ across the whole system ‘every student’ in ‘every school’ across the whole system ……

KLA/PLT Secondary Leaders WorkshopKLA/PLT Secondary Leaders WorkshopNorthern Metropolitan RegionNorthern Metropolitan Region

Thursday 25Thursday 25thth August 2011 August 2011

Professor David Hopkins

Overview of WorkshopOverview of Workshop

Session One –The Big Picture of School Reform• Professional Activity – SWOT analysis• Moral purpose, systemic reform and the four drivers for improvement• The role of the school improvement team

Session Two – Teaching , Learning and Staff Development• “Theories of Action”• Professional learning• School improvement process

Session Three – Action Planning• The process of action planning• Professional Activity – Planning in school gropus• Networking and poster presentations

Session One Session One

The Big Picture of School Reform

Professional Activity Professional Activity SWOT AnalysisSWOT Analysis

• What are the preconditions of improvement in a school?• How does a school organize for improvement?• What are the key strategies employed to raise

achievement?• How does professional learning take place?• How are cultures changed and developed?• How effective is your own school’s approach to

improvement?

Moral Purpose of SchoolingMoral Purpose of Schooling

All these …. whatever my background, whatever my abilities, wherever I start from

All these …. whatever my background, whatever my abilities, wherever I start from

I know how I am being assessed and what I need to do to improve my work

I know what my learning objectives

are and feel in control of my learning

My parents are involved with the school and I feel I

belong here

I enjoy using ICT and know how it can

help my learning

I can get the job that I want

I know if I need extra help or to be challenged to do better I will get the

right support

I know what good work looks like and can help myself to

learn

I can work well with and learn from many others as well as my teacher

I can get a level 4 in English and Maths

before I go to secondary school

I get to learn lots of interesting and

different subjects

How the demand for skills has changedHow the demand for skills has changedEconomy-wide measures of routine and non-routine task Economy-wide measures of routine and non-routine task

input in the USA input in the USA (Levy and Murnane) (Levy and Murnane)M

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The dilemma of schools:The skills that are easiest to teach and test are also the ones that are easiest to digitise, automate and outsource

In 2013 …In 2013 …

A student finishing primary school will demonstrate:

− individual performance at or above national standards in literacy and numeracy

− a sharp curiosity for learning.

A student finishing secondary school will have:

− a clear, well-defined pathway to further training and education.

A parent will have:

− a substantive, meaningful engagement with their child’s school and their child’s teachers

− a clear understanding of their child’s progress against national standards.

Teachers will have:

− world class professional skills

− enjoy high regard in their school communities

− continuing access to quality professional learning opportunities.

The community will have confidence that:

− individual student performance meets national standards

− graduates are capable of making valuable contributions as citizens and employees.

Our success will be marked by:

− students who are proud of their schools and what they have achieved

− parents who are confident that sending their child to a public school is a sound educational decision.

In 2013 …

Every School a Great School Every School a Great School Improvement Strategy - 1Improvement Strategy - 1

Every School a Great School Every School a Great School Improvement Strategy – 2Improvement Strategy – 2

Every School a Great School School Every School a Great School School Improvement Strategy – 3Improvement Strategy – 3

Every School a Great School School Every School a Great School School Improvement Strategy – 4Improvement Strategy – 4

Every School a Great School School Every School a Great School School Improvement Strategy – 5Improvement Strategy – 5

Every School a Great School School Every School a Great School School Improvement Strategy – 6Improvement Strategy – 6

Towards system wide sustainable reformTowards system wide sustainable reform

Every School a Every School a Great SchoolGreat School

National National PrescriptionPrescription

Schools Leading ReformSchools Leading Reform

Building Capacity PrescriptionPrescription ProfessionalismProfessionalism

System Leadership

Awfu

Four key drivers to raise achievement and Four key drivers to raise achievement and build capacity for the next stage of reformbuild capacity for the next stage of reform

i. Personalising Learning

ii. Professionalising Teaching

iii. Building Intelligent Accountability

iv. Networking and Collaboration

• Learning to Learn

• Curriculum choice & entitlement

• Assessment for learning

• Student Voice

‘My Tutor’

Interactive web-based learning resource

enabling students to tailor support and

challenge to their needs and interests.

(i) Personalising Learning(i) Personalising Learning‘Joined up learning and teaching’

• Enhanced repertoire of learning & teaching strategies

• Evidence based practice with time for collective inquiry

• Collegial & coaching relationships

• Tackle within school variation

‘The Edu-Lancet’

A peer-reviewed journal published for

practitioners by practitioners & regularly read by the profession to keep abreast of R&D.

(ii) Professionalising Teaching(ii) Professionalising Teaching‘Teachers as researchers,

schools as learning communities’

• Moderated teacher assessment and AfL at all levels

• ‘Bottom-up’ targets for every child and use of pupil performance data

• Value added data to help identify strengths / weaknesses

• Rigorous self-evaluation linked to improvement strategies and school profile to demonstrate success

‘Charteredexaminers’

Experienced teachers gain certification to

oversee rigorous internal assessment as a basis for externally awarded

qualifications.

(iii) Building Intelligent Accountability(iii) Building Intelligent Accountability

‘Balancing internal and external accountability and assessment’

• Best practice captured and highly specified

• Capacity built to transfer and sustain innovation across system

• Keeping the focus on the core purposes of schooling by sustaining a discourse on teaching and learning

• Inclusion and Extended Schooling

‘Leading Edge Practice

Partnerships’Schools develop

exemplary curriculum and pedagogic practices

and share with others

(iv) Networking and Collaboration(iv) Networking and Collaboration

‘Disciplined innovation, collaboration and building social capital’

Networks & Collaboration

PersonalisedLearning

ProfessionalTeaching

SYSTEM

LEADERSHIP

Intelligent Accountability

4 drivers mould to context through 4 drivers mould to context through system leadershipsystem leadership

System Leadership: A PropositionSystem Leadership: A Proposition

‘System leaders’ care about and work for the

success of other schools as well as their own. They

measure their success in terms of improving

student learning and increasing achievement, and

strive to both raise the bar and narrow the gap(s).

Crucially they are willing to shoulder system

leadership roles in the belief that in order to change

the larger system you have to engage with it in a

meaningful way.’

System leaders share five striking System leaders share five striking characteristics, they:characteristics, they:

• measure their success in terms of improving student learning and strive to both raise the bar and narrow the gap(s).

• are fundamentally committed to the improvement of teaching and learning.

• develop their schools as personal and professional learning communities.

• strive for equity and inclusion through acting on context and culture.

• understand that in order to change the larger system you have to engage with it in a meaningful way.

These Twelve Secondary Schools …These Twelve Secondary Schools …

Are in the highest category of deprivation (35% or more FSM, yet, they all:

• Achieve over 80% good GCSE passes at 16, with a consistent trajectory of improvement

• Have at least two recent inspection reports judged as ‘outstanding’

• Received outstanding grades for teaching and learning, leadership and the school overall

• Record a pattern of high contextual value added scores from Key Stage 2 (age 11) to Key Stage 4 (age 16)

They defy the association of They defy the association of poverty with outcomespoverty with outcomes

Yet the scale of challenge faced by these schools is considerable:

• Higher than average proportion come form poor or disturbed family backgrounds where support for learning and expectation of achievement are low

• Many students are subject to emotional and psychological tension and regular attendance is a problem

• They are open to a range of ‘urban ills’ that often characterise poorer communities – drugs and alcohol, peer pressure of gangs and fashion and overt racism which tend to attract behaviour which ranges from anti-social to violent.

• Getting these students ready and willing to learn is a constant challenge, which the schools strive to meet by providing a better daytime alternative to being at home or on the streets.

2121stst Century Schools succeed for the Century Schools succeed for the following reasons:following reasons:

• They excel at what they do not just occasionally but for a high proportion of the time

• They prove constantly that disadvantage need not be a barrier to achievement

• They put their students first, invest in their staff and nurture their communities

• They have strong values and high expectations that are applied consistently and are never relaxed

• They fulfil individual potential through providing outstanding teaching, rich opportunities for learning and encouragement and support for each student

• They are highly inclusive, having complete regard for the educational progress, personal development and well being of every student

• Their achievements do not happen by chance, but by highly reflective, carefully planned and implemented strategies

• They operate with a very high degree of internal consistency

• They are constantly looking for ways to improve further

• They have outstanding and well distributed leadership

At the heart of this is outstanding leadership At the heart of this is outstanding leadership practicepractice

The Heads of these schools are not by and large iconic – they have taken on challenging schools out of a deep commitment to improving the lot of their students and communities. Moral purpose may be at the heart of it but successful Heads need a range of attributes and skills if they are to succeed in dealing with the challenges presented by turbulent and complex communities.

• Clear and unshakeable principles and sense of purpose

• Vigilance and visibility

• Courage and conviction

• Predisposition to immediate action, letting nothing slip

• Insistence on Consistency of approach, individually and across the organisation

• Drive and determination

• Belief in people

• Ability to communicate

• leadership by example

• Emotional intelligence

• Tireless energy

It is not surprising …It is not surprising …

• … that a number of themes emerged which were common to most or all of the schools. These included, for example, attention to the quality of teaching and learning; the assessment and tracking of student’s progress; target-setting, support and intervention; attracting teachers and growing leaders.

• It is important to stress that the success of these schools is due not simply to what they do but the fact that it is rigorously distilled and applied good practice, cleverly selected and modified to fit the needs of the school. The schools do not value innovation for its own sake, but only when it adds something extra. The practices described here are not ‘off the peg’ tricks; they mesh together and work synchronously.

The School Improvement GroupThe School Improvement Group

• The school improvement group is essentially a temporary membership system focused specifically upon enquiry and development. This temporary membership system brings together teachers (and support staff) from a variety of departments within the school, with a range of ages or experience and from a cross-section of roles to work together in a status-free collaborative learning context. The establishment of a school improvement group creates the research and development capacity, whilst retaining the existing structures required also for organisational stability and efficiency.

School Improvement Group DevelopmentSchool Improvement Group DevelopmentPhase 1 - Uncertainty about focusPhase 1 - Uncertainty about focus• What is School Improvement?

• What is the role of the SIG group?

• Where is it all going? It’s hard to make things happen.

Phase 2 - Clearer about focusPhase 2 - Clearer about focus• Using existing structures in new ways, e.g. department meetings with

single item research agendas.

• New ways of working.

• Beginning to shift from staff development mode to school improvement mode.

Phase 3 - Change/renewal of the SIG groupPhase 3 - Change/renewal of the SIG group• Establishment of research culture within the school

• Involvement of students as researchers

• The school generates its own theory

In addition, SIG members are involved in:In addition, SIG members are involved in:

• Out of school training sessions on capacity building and teaching and learning;

• The pursuit of their own knowledge in support of their role – about leadership, the management and implementation of change, the design of professional development activities etc.;

• Planning meetings in school;

• Consultancy to school working groups;

• Observation and in-classroom support;

• Study visits to other schools within the network.

Session Two

Teaching , Learning and Staff Development

“All our students will be literate, numerate and curious … “

I wrote (with Bruce Joyce) some time ago I wrote (with Bruce Joyce) some time ago that:that:

Learning experiences are composed of content, process and social climate. As

teachers we create for and with our children opportunities to explore and build important areas of knowledge,

develop powerful tools for learning, and live in humanizing social conditions.

Powerful Learning …Powerful Learning …Is the ability of learners to respond successfully to the tasks they are set, as well as the task they set themselves In particular, to:

• Integrate prior and new knowledge

• Acquire and use a range of learning skills

• Solve problems individually and in groups

• Think carefully about their successes and failures

• Accept that learning involves uncertainty and difficulty

All this has been termed “meta-cognition” – it is the learners’ ability to take control over their own learning processes.

Focus on the Instructional CoreFocus on the Instructional CoreCURRICULUMCURRICULUM

POWERFULPOWERFUL

LEARNING LEARNING

TEACHING and TEACHING and LEARNING LEARNING

STRATEGIESSTRATEGIES

STUDENT STUDENT ENGAGEMENTENGAGEMENT

What is ‘Professional Practice’?What is ‘Professional Practice’?• By practice we mean something quite

specific. We mean a set of protocols andprocesses for observing, analyzing, discussing and understanding instruction that can be used to improve student learning at scale. The practice works because it creates a common discipline and focus among practitioners with a common purpose and set of problems.

• The real insight here is that you can maintain all the values and commitments that make you a person and still give yourself permission to change your practice. Your practice is an instrument for expressing who you are as a professional; it is not who you are.

Whole School Theories of Action Whole School Theories of Action

1. When schools and teachers set high expectations and develop authentic relationships then student confidence, curiosity and commitment to education increases and the school’s ethos and culture deepens and curiosity can flourish.

2. When teacher directed instruction becomes more inquiry focused the level of student engagement and achievement increases. This is the foundation stone for high quality teaching and the development of curiosity. A greater emphasis on inquiry leads to improved achievement and curiosity is enhanced.

3. By consistently adopting protocols for teaching student behaviour and engagement is enhanced.

4. Learning protocols enhance student capacity to learn, develop skills, confidence and curiosity, and ensure that this happens in all classes.

Theories of Action for Teacher - 1Theories of Action for Teacher - 1

• Learning intentions, pace and narrative lead to students being more secure about their learning (and more willing to take risks); and achievement and understanding is increased, and curiosity enhanced.

• Teachers systematically using higher order questioning leads to the level of student understanding deepening and the level of achievement increasing. Students who are regularly required to analyse, synthesise and evaluate are more likely to be curious.

• When cooperative group structures / techniques are used to mediate between whole class instruction and students carrying out tasks, then the academic performance of the whole class will increase as well as the spirit of collaboration and mutual responsibility. Curiosity will be developed as students learn from each other in a structured manner.

Theories of Action for Teacher - 2Theories of Action for Teacher - 2

• When teachers consistently use feedback and data on students’ actions and performance, then behavior becomes more positive, progress accelerates and curiosity is enhanced.

• When peer assessment and assessment for learning are consistently utilised student engagement, learning and achievement accelerates. Curiosity will be enhanced as the depth of student understanding increases.

• When learning tasks are purposeful, clearly defined, differentiated and challenging, (according to the student’s Zone of Proximal Development), then the more powerful, progressive and precise the learning for all students. Curiosity will be enhanced as students work at a level appropriate to their understanding.

Achievement of students

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Reaching for the “Double Sigma Effect”

Three ways of thinking about TeachingThree ways of thinking about Teaching

Teaching Teaching RelationshipsRelationships

Teaching Teaching ModelsModels

ReflectionReflection

Teaching Teaching SkillsSkills

Effect Size of Teaching Strategies

• Information Processing – a mean effect size over 1.0 for higher order outcomes

• Cooperative Learning – a mean effect between 0.3 to 0.7

• Personal Models – a mean effect of 0.3 or more for cognitive, affective and behavioural outcomes

• Behavioural Models – a mean effect between 0.5 to 1.0. Best representatives are for short term treatments looking at behavioural or knowledge of content outcomes

Leadership as Adaptive WorkLeadership as Adaptive Work

Technical SolutionsTechnical Solutions

Adaptive WorkAdaptive Work

Technical problems can be solved through applying existing know how - adaptive challenges create a gap between a desired state and reality that cannot be closed

using existing approaches alone

System Leadership

The Nature of Adaptive WorkThe Nature of Adaptive Work

An adaptive challenge is a problem situation for which solutions lie outside current ways of operating.

• Adaptive challenges demand learning, because ‘people are the

problem’ and progress requires new ways of thinking & operating.

• Mobilising people to meet adaptive challenges, then, is at the heart

of leadership practice.

• Ultimately, adaptive work requires us to reflect on the moral

purpose by which we seek to thrive and demands diagnostic

enquiry into the realities we face that threaten the realisation of

those purposes.From Ron Heifetz – ‘Adaptive Work’ (in Bentley and Wilsdon 2003)

The Ring of ConfidenceThe Ring of Confidence

Circles of CompetenceCircles of Competence

The Experience of Educational Change

change takes place over time; change initially involves anxiety and

uncertainty; technical and psychological support is crucial; the learning of new skills is incremental and

developmental; successful change involves pressure and

support within a collaborative setting; organisational conditions within and in

relation to the school make it more or less likely that the school improvement will occur.

Six Approaches to Staff DevelopmentSix Approaches to Staff Development

• Achieving Consistency

• Specific Observation Schedules

• Japanese ‘Lesson Study’

• Coaching

• Instructional Rounds

• Peer Coaching

Achieving Conisistency –Achieving Conisistency –The Robert Clack “good lesson”The Robert Clack “good lesson”

• In terms of teaching and learning, three residential courses were held for teachers in the first term of Paul’s headship, out of which emerged the staff-created model of the Robert Clack Good Lesson. Regardless of subject, all departments explain the objective, content and process of each lesson, followed by a summary and a review.

• A modular curriculum was also introduced, whereby all pupils are tested to National Curriculum standards at each half and end of term in every subject. Not only do teachers know exactly where each pupil stands, but parents get a short and long report each term, which charts their children’s progress and behaviour.

Specific Observation SchedulesSpecific Observation Schedules

• Higher order questions

• Dealing with low level disruption

• Wait time

• Differentiation

• Level of task

• Pace

• etc

Japanese “Lesson Study”Japanese “Lesson Study”

• Choose a research theme

• Focus the research

• Create the lesson

• Teach and observe the lesson

• Discuss the lesson

• Revise the lesson

• Repeat the process with another teacher

• Disseminate and share the lesson

Structuring Staff Development Structuring Staff Development

Workshop

• Understanding of Key Ideas and Principles

• Modelling and Demonstration

• Practice in Non-threatening Situations

Workplace

• Immediate and Sustained Practice

• Collaboration and Peer Coaching

• Reflection and Action Research

With thanks to Bruce Joyce

The Instructional Rounds ProcessThe Instructional Rounds Process• The network convenes in a school for a rounds visit hosted by a member or

members of the network. The focus of the visit is a problem of practice related to teaching and learning that the school is currently wrestling with.

• The network divides into smaller group that visit a rotation of four or five classrooms for approximately thirty minutes. In each classroom network participants collect descriptive evidence related to the focus of the problem of practice.

• After completing the classroom observations, the entire group assembles in a common location to work through a process description, analysis and prediction. The group analyses the evidence for patterns and look at how what they have seen explains or not the observable student performance in the school.

• Finally the network develops a series of ‘theory of action’ principles from the analysis of the observations and discusses the next level of work recommendations for the school and system to make progress on the problem of practice.

Peer CoachingPeer Coaching

• Peer coaching teams of two or three are much more effective than larger groups.

• These groups are more effective when the entire staff is engaged in school improvement.

• Peer coaching works better when Heads and Deputies participate in training and practice.

• The effects are greater when formative study of student learning is embedded in the process.

Elmore’s Principles for Large Scale Improvement

• Maintain a tight instructional focus sustained over time

• Routinise accountability for practice and performance in face-to-face relationships

• Reduce isolation and open practice up to direct observation, analysis, and criticism

• Exercise differential treatment based on performance and capacity, not on volunteerism

• Devolve increased discretion based on practice and performance

A Three Phase Strategy for School A Three Phase Strategy for School ImprovementImprovement

• Phase One: Establishing the Process

• Phase Two: Going Whole School

• Phase Three: Sustaining Momentum

Phase One: Establishing the ProcessPhase One: Establishing the Process

• Commitment to the School Improvement Approach

• Selection of Learning Leaders and School

Improvement Group

• Enquiring into the Strengths and Weaknesses of

the School

• Designing the Whole School Programme

• Seeding the Whole School Approach

Preparing for School ImprovementPreparing for School Improvement

Pre-conditions School Level Preparations

Unifying Focus Means

Commitment to School Improvement

General consensus on values

Understanding of key principles

Shared values A mandate from

staff Leadership

potential Identification of

change agents Willingness to

make structural changes

Capacity for improvement

Improvement Theme

-An enquiry into Teaching and

Learning

School Improvement

Strategy

Phase Two: Going Whole SchoolPhase Two: Going Whole School

• The Initial Whole School PD Day(s)

• Establishing the Curriculum and Teaching Focus

• Establishing the Learning Teams:

− Curriculum groupings

− Peer coaching or ‘buddy’ groups

• The Initial Cycle of Enquiry

• Sharing Initial Success on the Curriculum Tour

Curriculum TourCurriculum Tour

WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PRIORITYAn Enquiry into Teaching and Learning

Dept. A(Inductive Teaching)

Dept. B(Inductive Teaching)

Dept C(Inductive Teaching)

Memory SynecticsGroup Work

WHOLE SCHOOL WORKING TOWARDS REPERTOIRE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES

StageI

StageII

StageIII

‘Curriculum Tour’

Phase Three: Sustaining MomentumPhase Three: Sustaining Momentum

• Establishing Further Cycles of Enquiry

• Building Teacher Learning into the Process

• Sharpening the Focus on Student Learning

• Finding Ways of Sharing Success and Building

Networks

• Reflecting on the Culture of the School and

Department

Processes of School ImprovementProcesses of School Improvement

The journey of school improvement• A clear reform narrative is created, and seen by staff to be consistently applied, with: a

vision and urgency that translates into clear principles for action.

Organizing the key strategies • Improvement activities are selected and linked together strategically; supported by robust

and highly reliable school systems with clear SMT roles in key areas.

Professional learning at the heart of the process• Improvement strategy informs CPD; knowledge is gained, verified & refined by staff to

underpin improvement; networking is used to manage risk and discipline practice.

Cultures are changed and developed• Professional ethos and values that supports capacity building are initiated, implemented

and institutionalized, so that a culture of disciplined action replaces excessive control.

Moving to Scale

Cohorts of 6 - 8 Schools

6 - 8 Members of School Improvement Group

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

PLAN

Cohort A | | ……………………….

Cohort B | | ………….........

Cohort C | | ………….....

The Logic of System Leadership

Learning Potential of all Students

Repertoire of Learning Skills

Models of Learning - Tools for Teaching

Embedded in Curriculum Context and Schemes of Work

Whole School Emphasis on High Expectations and Pedagogic Consistency

Sharing Schemes of Work and Curriculum Across and Between Schools, Clusters, Districts, LEAs and Nationally

Session ThreeSession Three

Action PlanningAction Planning

The Planning Process

Whole school development and classroom practice

An action plan for student achievement will An action plan for student achievement will need to include the following:need to include the following:

• Specific targets and success criteria related to pupils’ learning, progress and achievement that are clear and unambiguous;

• Teaching and learning strategies related to the ‘Theories of Action’ that are designed to meet the targets;

• Professional learning that develops those teacher behaviours associated with the ‘Theories of Action’

• Evidence to be gathered to judge success;

• Modifications to management arrangements, particularly the ‘Whole School Theories of Action’ to enable targets to be met;

• Tasks to be done to achieve the targets set and who is responsible for doing them;

• Time it will take;

• How much it will cost in terms of the budget, staff time, staff development and other resources;

• Responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the plan – progress checks;

• Evaluating its impact over time – success check.

The relationship between progress and success checks in development

Paulo Freire once said…Paulo Freire once said…

“No one educates anyone else

Nor do we educate ourselves

We educate one another in communion

In the context of living in this world”

David Hopkins is Professor Emeritus at the Institute of Education, University of London, where until recently, he held the inaugural HSBC iNet Chair in International Leadership. He is a Trustee of Outward Bound and is Executive Director of the new charity ‘Adventure Learning Schools’. David holds visiting professorships at the Catholic University of Santiago, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Universities of Edinburgh, Melbourne and Wales and consults internationally on school reform. Between 2002 and 2005 he served three Secretary of States as the Chief Adviser on School Standards at the Department for Education and Skills. Previously, he was Chair of the Leicester City Partnership Board and Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Nottingham. Before that again he was a Tutor at the University of Cambridge Institute of Education, a Secondary School teacher and Outward Bound Instructor. David is also an International Mountain Guide who still climbs regularly in the Alps and Himalayas. His recent books Every School a Great School and System Leadership in Practice are published by The Open University Press.

Website: www.davidhopkins.co.uk

Professor David Hopkins Professor David Hopkins