Reach4 Leadership Programme 2015-16

REACH4 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT 2015-16

CONTENTS

Contents1 INTRODUCTION

3 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES OF THE REACH4 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

4 PRINCIPLES FOR LEADERSHIP LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

6 PRINCIPALS’ LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

7 SENIOR LEADERS

9 MIDDLE LEADERS

11 EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE TO SECURE QUALITY TEACHING AND LEARNING

12 THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME CALENDAR

Introduction

The core purpose of the Reach4 Leadership Development Strategy is to support our commitment to translate the principles of the Trust into practice in every school. These key principles are expressed as follows:

The English education system is going through a period of profound change with many fundamental assumptions being questioned in terms of purpose, patterns of accountability, structures and relationships. At the same time there is a central moral imperative to secure high quality education for every pupil and to move to greater levels of inclusion and equity. These changes coincide with a period of sustained economic recession and social changes that have profound implications for schools and school leaders. Such a period of turbulence requires both confident leadership and leadership in depth.

Leadership development in Reach4 is designed to support the achievement of the key characteristics of developing highly effective MATs: Relentless focus on the quality of learning; Clear governance structures; Expert governance; Talent management and professional development for all Trust functions. An effective operating model; Capacity and affordability built through economies of scale.

The programme is focussed on developing the future potential of all participants, whilst enhancing their immediate practice to make a direct impact on their current school. In particular, the programme develops confidence in leading teaching and learning, closing the gap and encouraging a commitment to collaborative working.

A key principle of the programme is to see leadership as collective capacity rather than personal status and to emphasise the importance of collaborative working in the school, across the Trust and the wider system.

Libby NicholasCEO Reach4 Academy Trust

Responsibility and leadership

Enjoyment and innovation

Aspiration and development

Collaboration and inclusion

Honesty and integrity

Reach4 Academy Trust | Page 1


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Purpose and Outcomes of the Reach4 Leadership Development Strategy

To develop, nurture and sustain leadership potential across the Reach4 Trust in order to create a Self-Improving School System by:

developing a core group of future leaders with the professional strategies, personal resilience and the knowledge base to effect school improvement across the Trust as the educational landscape changes

providing a programme that will make an immediate impact on participants’ effectiveness in their current role and serve as a foundation to enhance their success in their long term careers

building leadership capacity and sustainability in order to embed succession planning and confidence in moving into new leadership roles and structures

harnessing the potential of those in leadership roles that have the capacity to become highly effective school and system leaders

developing cohorts of leaders who will support and develop others to seek leadership positions and attract others with potential into leading schools in the Trust

developing a group that will become the focus of leadership potential in the Trust and so inform leadership development, school improvement strategies and collaborative strategies

helping to build a coaching and mentoring culture across Reach4 schools

developing experience and confidence to work collaboratively across the system


Principles for Leadership Learning and Development

The programme has been designed to recognise and translate into practice the following principles of effective leadership development:

The most effective leadership development is based in the workplace

Leadership development programmes have the greatest impact when they combine coaching, experiential learning and a relevant knowledge base

Activities on leadership development programmes need to be challenging and focused on personal change

Collaborative working and opportunities for peer interaction are essential to enhancing the impact of programmes

Access to models of outstanding leadership and practice associated with high performance

Review and reflection and action learning approaches are the basis for learning that leads to real change



Principals’ Leadership Development Programme

This programme is for principals and provides three days across the year for collaborative review and strategic thinking. Each day will take the format of a facilitated, open-ended workshop working under Chatham House rules.

The sessions will focus on:

Reviewing and analysing strategic issues and analysing the implications of government policy

Capturing the emerging wisdom of the Reach4 community in order to embed coherence, consistency and clarity across the Trust

Learning from practice across the Trust especially the potential contradictions and tensions in the work of the strategic group

Monitoring principle into practice

Developing a shared language around the keystones and cornerstones

Developing the executive as a learning community

Supporting well-being, capacity building and sustainability of members of the group

Reinforcing the culture of coaching across the Trust

9th November 2016 Principals 1/3

3rd February 2017 Principals 2/3

25th May 2017 Principals 3/3


Senior leaders

This programme is designed for those aspiring to Principal, Deputy and Assistant Principal roles. The programme is made up of four workshops across the year plus a school-based placement and the support of a coach.

The purpose of the programme is to develop, nurture and sustain leadership potential across Reach4 by:

Developing a core group of future leaders with the professional strategies, professional confidence, personal resilience and the knowledge base to effect school improvement across their school and Reach4 as the educational landscape changes

Providing a programme that will make an immediate impact on participants’ effectiveness in their current role and serve as a foundation to enhance their success in their long-term careers

Building leadership capacity and sustainability in order to embed succession planning and effectiveness in moving into new leadership roles and structures

Harnessing the potential of those in leadership roles that have the capacity to become highly effective school and system leaders

Developing cohorts of leaders who will support and develop others to seek leadership positions and attract others with potential into leading schools in the Trust

Developing a group that will become the focus of leadership potential across the Trust and so inform leadership development, school improvement strategies and collaborative strategies

Developing experience and confidence to work collaboratively across the Trust

The programme will be made up of three interdependent elements that together will provide a range of leadership learning opportunities. It is essential that all elements are fully engaged in:

Coac

hing

Workshops

School based placement


Element 1: Workshops

There will be four workshops held at regular intervals across the academic year. Each workshop will include:

sharing progress, issues and successesfocusing on a specific issue in effective leadershiptime for peer coaching sessionscase studies from outstanding leadersfacilitating networks and learning visitsclinical review and analysis of school issuesreflection and learning review

Element 2: School based placement/internship

This is intended to provide experience of real-time genuine leadership issues in which participants will work, with support, in a leadership role in another school that responds to a genuine school need and makes a direct contribution to school improvement. The project might take a notional five days but this will be determined by negotiation.

Ideally the placement will be in a school that is very different to the participant’s own and will be focused on an aspect of school leadership that is new to the participant.

Element 3: CoachingCoaching is a central component of leadership learning and development. Coaching will be provided in the participant’s own school, as part of the placement and through peer support, for example:-

supporting each other through peer coachingsharing ideas and resources for the leadership placementwhere possible developing opportunities for Intervisiting using social media to share and record engagement with the programme

Workshop themes:Understanding the changing policy context for school leaders, focusing on closing the gap, securing equity and embedding sustainable high performanceLeading teaching and learning, securing improvement, accountabilityWorking with the team and senior staff, relationships, trust and challengeCollaborative working and learning; leading professional development

30th September 2016 Senior Leaders 1/4

25th November 2016 Senior Leaders 2/4

22nd February 2017 Senior Leaders 3/4

7th June 2017 Senior Leaders 4/4


Middle leaders

This programme is designed for middle and senior leaders and those aspiring to school leadership. The programme is made up of four workshops across the year plus a school-based project and the support of a school-based coach.

The purpose of the programme is to develop, nurture and sustain leadership potential across Reach4 by:

Developing a core group of future leaders with the professional strategies, professional confidence, personal resilience and the knowledge base to effect school improvement across their school and Reach4 as the educational landscape changes

Providing a programme that will make an immediate impact on participants’ effectiveness in their current role and serve as a foundation to enhance their success in their long-term careers

Building leadership capacity and sustainability in order to embed succession planning and effectiveness in moving into new leadership roles and structures

Harnessing the potential of those in leadership roles that have the capacity to become highly effective school and system leaders

Developing cohorts of leaders who will support and develop others to seek leadership positions and attract others with potential into leading schools in the Trust

Developing a group that will become the focus of leadership potential across the Trust and so inform leadership development, school improvement strategies and collaborative strategies

Developing experience and confidence to work collaboratively across the Trust

The programme will be made up of three interdependent elements that together will provide a range of leadership learning opportunities. It is essential that participants are fully engaged in all elements:

Coac

hing

Workshops

School based placement


Element 1: WorkshopsThere will be four workshops- held at regular intervals across the academic year. Each workshop will include:

sharing progress, issues and successesfocusing on a specific issue in effective leadershiptime for peer coaching sessionscase studies from outstanding leadersfacilitating networks and learning visitsclinical review and analysis of school issuesreflection and learning review

Element 2: School based learningThis is intended to be focussing on real-time genuine leadership issues in which you are able to work, with support, on a leadership project which responds to a genuine need in your school and makes a direct contribution to school improvement. The topic of the project is to be negotiated with the school but should be outside the participant’s normal working responsibilities. The project might take a notional five days but this will be determined at school level.

Element 3: CoachingThe programme will stress the importance of collaborative working across every aspect of the programme, for example:-

supporting each other through peer coachingsharing ideas and resources for the leadership projectwhere possible developing opportunities for Intervisiting using social media to share and record engagement with the programme

Workshop themes:Understanding the changing policy context for middle leaders, leading and working in Reach4 schools, balancing leading and managingLeading teaching and learning, securing improvement, accountabilityWorking with the team and senior staff, relationships, trust and challengeManaging resources, time and meetings; effective communicationCollaborative working and learning; leading professional developmentDeveloping and sustaining personal effectiveness and learningSchool based leadership project using action research/ lesson studyLeadership stories

10th October 2016 Middle Leaders 1/4

11th January 2017 Middle Leaders 2/4

24th March 2017 Middle Leaders 3/4

12th July 2017 Middle Leaders 4/4


Evidence-based practice to secure quality teaching and learning

This programme is designed to support the development of a culture of evidence-based practice across the Trust. There are two key sources of evidence that can help to secure consistently outstanding professional practice. Firstly, practitioners testing, analysing, reviewing and evaluating their own practice. Secondly, increasing awareness and application of research carried out by bodies such as the Sutton Trust, the Educational Endowment Foundation, the NFER and the range of work done by university departments.

The programme will be action based i.e. participants will carry out two projects; a school-based research project focused on improving the quality of teaching and learning in their own school and secondly compiling a review of research and publications focusing on agreed themes in order to develop a resource to support evidence-based practice across the Trust.

It is intended that the research projects will be published in a variety of media and that accreditation by a university will be available.

The programme will take place over an academic year and will be made up of the following elements:

1. Four workshops to set up the core activities

2. Regular twilight sessions to provide support and build a research community

3. Peer coaching to develop collaborative research networks

4. Support from senior Trust staff

Key Themes

The key themes to be explored will include:

Accessing the researchAction learning approachesDesigning school based projectsEvaluating school based projectsDesigning Randomised Control Trials in schoolsDeveloping evidence based policies and practice

Workshop dates:

The twilight sessions will provide opportunities for collaborative working, monitoring progress and sharing learning – these will be scheduled by mutual agreement. Peer coaching will ensure that learning and expertise are shared and that related topics and themes work to mutual advantage.

29th September 2016 Evidence-based Practice 1/4

8th November 2017 Evidence-based Practice 2/4

15th February 2017 Evidence-based Practice 3/4

26th May 2017 Evidence-based Practice 4/4


The Leadership Programme Calendar

29th September 2016 Evidence-based Practice 1/4

30th September 2016 Senior Leaders 1/4

10th October 2016 Middle Leaders 1/4

09th November 2016 Principals 1/3

08th November 2016 Evidence-based Practice 2/4

25th November 2016 Senior Leaders 2/4

11th January 2017 Middle Leaders 2/4

03rd February 2017 Principals 2/3

15th February 2017 Evidence-based Practice 3/4

22nd February 2017 Senior Leaders 3/4

24th March 2017 Middle Leaders 3/4

25th May 2017 Principals 3/3

26th May 2017 Evidence-based Practice 4/4

07th June 2017 Senior Leaders 4/4

12th July 2017 Middle Leaders 4/4


REGISTERED ADDRESS:

Reach4 Academy TrustScientia AcademyMona RoadBurton Upon TrentDE13 0UF

Company Number 9791051Tel: 020 7706 8981

Email: [email protected]

www.reach4.org.uk

Documents

Reach4 Leadership Programme 2015-16