Professor Mike Bottery,University of Hull, England.

If you could only keep two of the following, which would they be?Your non-writing handThe company of the person who loves you the

most250,000 EurosThe company of the person you trust the

mostThe company of the most logical person in

the worldThe company of the person you love the

most.

What is a portrait approach?First used by Lawrence-Lightfoot and The Good

High School (1983); A desire to capture the person and their

concerns; The use of standard qualitative tools to listen

to a story and then create a picture of themListening for a story as much as listening to a

story.It’s about their perceptions of their reality.

The background to using the approachA general increase in : Government direction;

Accountability and testing; Use and influence of markets;

A focus on results and achievement rather than people.

Much pressure on English Headteachers; were they doing what they felt they ought to be doing?

Some academic literature indicated they were (e.g. Gold, Day); some argued that they were not (Ball, Wright);

But what was the job really like?

Were the same things to be found with Hong Kong Principals?

Three samples(a) 12 UK Primary Headteachers and 12 HK

Principals identified

(b) Then 12 UK Secondary Heads and 12 HK Principals.

Both samples contained Experienced and inexperienced; Males and females Comfortable and difficult schools Denominational and non-denominational

(c) Then 5 UK ‘Troubleshooter’ Headteachers.

The question areas (for the ‘normal’ heads )Describing themselves and their schoolsTheir satisfactions and dissatisfactionsAttitudes to legislationRelationships with governing bodyAttitude to external inspectionMarket issuesQuestions of time and energyPrioritising these for frequency and seriousnessAny other issues they feel are problematic

The methodology Questions drawn up, and piloted in England and Hong Kong;

strong similarity of areas of concern

Questions posted/emailed before the interview; confidentiality and anonymity guaranteed;

Semi-structured interviews conducted; in Hong-Kong with both English and Cantonese interviewers;

From the transcripts of the interviews, a ‘portrait’ of each Principal was written;

The portrait plus the full transcript was sent to the Principal for any changes: very few made.

Results 1: The effects of legislationBoth sets had similar legislative architectures ––

privatisation, managerialism, markets, inspections, accountability – policy borrowing?

A much greater adversarial English approach – a perceived lack of trust and embattlement;

A more favourably disposed if still critically aware HK approach

Evidence was seen in England as ‘defence’; in HK more as confirmation;

Comparing England and Hong Kong ENGLAND:

All kinds of systems and procedures that make sure it works, and lots of record keeping systems, because that is my evidence to OFsted…

I am not going to implement it simply because somebody says this is the latest thing…

HONG KONG: It is very difficult for me to find…I agree with the guidelines and also the ordinances…

Results 2: The effects of inspectionEnglish embattlement seen again; at best an ever-present

threat, at worst the enemy;

Being able to do the unusual a function of personal values, length of tenure, personal courage;

HK approach much more relaxed – largely seen as fellow professionals with whom they would share.

At best a friend, at worst a neutral observer.

Comparing England and Hong KongENGLAND:

People feel that careers are made or broken on the strength of a group of people for a few days in your school looking round…

Whatever we’re discussing, it always got the Ofsted element there…’we can show this to Ofsted’ always comes up, no matter what you’re doing

HONG KONG: They have good intentions, not pick our faults…

It is a good means for the school to do something after listening to their expertise and ideas…

Results 3: The effects of marketisationThe same for both contexts:

Where there were declining numbers this was taken very seriously;

A realisation that market forces don’t always mean good education;

A feeling of unfairness – we haven’t done anything wrong, but…

Comparing England and Hong Kong ENGLAND:

It’s not that we have done anything in particular that has upset people, It’s just that the area is drifting away…

We have to be realistic and maintain numbers, purely for the fact that children have a price tag on them…

HONG KONG: I do my best to keep my school open, and I will try

anything to do that, provided it is in the interests of my students…

Now we do not have the luxury to choose [who applies]

Results 4: Time and EnergyIn both situations, personality and local

contexts were key factors;

But both sets exhibited stress over the accumulation of tasks and paperwork generated by legislative reforms;

Comparing England and Hong Kong ENGLAND:

We haven’t even got time to think about the fact that we haven’t got time…

Countless, countless, countless initiatives…

HONG KONG: I can do things very quick, very fast, but you see coming a lot

of papers, circulars… Time and effort are the main issues…even when I’m not

working, you have to think all the time… It’s a tough job for a head, so no one wants to take up this

position…

The personal issuesEssential to understand personality and context

to understand responses:

Harry C. and his Ofsted pressures

Michael K. the chess player

Mary N. and her religious convictions

John L. and thriving on 14 hours a day.

Katie and her Jurassic Park.

The Troubleshooters - the question areas How did your career take you to this job?Why did you want it?What makes it right for you?What have been the changes in the job and the

team?What are the major satisfactions and

dissatisfactions of the job?What are the most frequent/most serious

challenges in the job?What is the future – for you, and for the team?

Some early troubleshooter findingsThere seems to be a suited personality – lacks tolerance of

routine, an ‘adrenaline junkie’, can tolerate disorder, is not a dominating leader – needs to listen a lot; enjoys and feels they need autonomy to do the job;

The first job, they feel, is one of ‘healing’ the school rather than raising standards and achievement;

External pressure seems increasingly interventionist – we want standards raised now (and Robinson, 2009);

Will external pressure kill the geese that lay the golden eggs?

Unanticipated benefits from the approach:(1) It focuses on the person, rather than standards and

achievement;

(2) It provides discussion without accountability;

(3) It provides feedback by another party to a public figure;

(4) It provides space for private reflection before going public, and may therefore boost standards;

(5) By being private and non-hierarchical, it may reduces personal pressure.

As a supportive and developmental tool As a private confidential conversation with a

trusted and knowledgeable peer..

Another’s view of you every two years....

Knowing yourself better: It doesn’t matter how many courses you’ve been on, and how much you know intellectually about the processes of being a head, if you don’t develop an appreciation of yourself as a person...and [of] your own emotional understanding...you will never make a good head.Former Headteacher, In Pascal and Ribbins(1998)

Key featuresIt’s personal ; It’s private ; It’s peer-based.

The Question: Is this a model for supporting senior leaders at a time of problems in recruitment and retention worldwide?

Currently the model is being piloted in both the UK and Hong Kong.

Any questions?