System leaders in Wales – self-evaluation tool

Version for use during Autumn Term 2012

The national training is part of a long-term development programme focused on six sets of skills and knowledge

2

• Relate to school leaders• Inspire school leaders• Signal ambition, raise sights• Establish a narrative for improvement

• Mentoring and coaching• Role modelling and dialogue• Setting high expectations • Communicating clearly

• Use a range of data sources• Interpret data, describe context • Develop schools use of data

• Understand data measurement/collection• Data analysis and benchmarks• ‘Story telling’ and using plain language

• Evaluate teaching and learning • Inform target setting• Engage in performance dialogue • Effective self-evaluation

• Lesson observation and evaluating learning • Target setting (pupil and school)• Influencing and negotiating• Leading difficult conversations, giving feedback

• Evaluate leadership• Develop peer reviews• Advise on robust objectives • Undertake developmental

performance reviews

• Modelling and challenging leadership• Promoting shared ambition and building trust • Developing individual and collective accountability • Using evidence in performance review

• Identify best leadership practice • Share within and between schools • Promote action research, evaluation • Develop practical teaching strategies

• Identifying and brokering support• Monitoring and evaluating impact regularly • Facilitating learning through peer observation

Role (aspect) Actions Skills Knowledge

Get the engagement

right

• Effective system leadership • Effective coaching and mentoring • High performing school systems

Make the best use of data

• Formative and summative data • Trend data and benchmarks • Contextual data

Challenge current

performance

• Characteristics of effective learning and teaching

• Use of targets in accelerating progress

Develop school leaders

• Key aspects of emotional intelligence

• Effective leadership teams • Performance review

requirements and criteria

Use effective support and intervention

• Capacity of schools/leaders to provide support

• Proven interventions/tools • Impact evaluation

Build strong partnerships

around schools

• Develop governors in their role • Engage local authority and

consortium peers

• Communication• Building and maintaining relationships • Consultancy and facilitation

• Effective engagement approaches • Understanding of governance &

LA functions

• The self-evaluation is designed for you to use, as system leaders, to inform your development over year one and beyond

• It is based on the six core sets of skills and knowledge• It will help inform the national training but should also help

guide regional and personal development opportunities• You will complete an initial baseline self-evaluation early in

the Autumn term, before the national training• The expectation is that you will return to your self-evaluation

regularly throughout the year to reflect on your development and progress

• You may want to discuss your self-evaluation with your line manager/senior leadership/peers to get feedback on your development

• At some stage it might be useful to get feedback from schools on your development (e.g. part of a broader 360 degree self-review)

• The self-evaluation tool will also be used to help judge whether development opportunities have been effective

The self-evaluation tool is intended to underpin this long-term development programme

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Purpose and approach Evaluation

• This tool provides an introduction to each of the six sets of skills and knowledge, including what success looks like

• There is a set of questions for both skills and knowledge related to each of the six. Read these, reflect on them and give yourself a score of 1-4 as follows:

1. Significant area for improvement – new or no experience of doing it effectively

2. Area for improvement – new or limited experience of doing it effectively

3. Confident – some examples of doing it effectively or in limited school contexts

4. Very confident – multiple examples of doing this effectively in a range of school contexts

Aspect 1: Get the engagement right 4

Skills required Knowledge required

Mentoring and coaching - The skills to support the development of a school leader through asking structured questions, stimulating innovative thinking, encouraging self-reflection, and challenging initial assumptions.

Role modelling and dialogue – The skills to demonstrate effective leadership practice in all contexts, identify potential areas for development and show by example how these could be addressed, and create the conditions for an ongoing discussion about effective school leadership.

Setting high expectations – The skills to inspire school leaders to embrace high expectations for all children, challenge constructively where ambitions are too low, and bring an external perspective that enables school leaders to see beyond their own school context.

Communicating clearly – The skills to be structured, precise and convincing in communication, to tell a clear ‘story’, get the most out of every conversation, and to leave each engagement with agreement on next steps.

Effective system leadership – Knowledge of how system leadership is conducted in other education systems; research based evidence on the qualities of an effective system leader and how system leadership can improve outcomes; the purpose of the system leader role in Wales and how it fits into the statutory education framework.

Effective coaching and mentoring – Knowledge of proven techniques and approaches to getting the most out of a coaching / mentoring relationship; research-based evidence on the qualities of effective coaches; the theory of supporting leadership development.

High performing systems – Knowledge of the key features of high performing education systems drawn from PISA, MckKnsey and other internationally recognised sources; research-based evidence on the stages of system reform and school improvement; how to use comparative benchmark data to challenge performance and expectations.

What does success look like?

Fully achieved

• Relationship has been established as challenging and supportive.• Credibility of the system leader established.• School leader sees the potential for added value from relationship.• High levels of ambition and expectations have been set.• The discussion is informed by a high level of relevant knowledge and

wider expertise about excellent practice.• The conditions for leadership development have been created.

Not achieved

• Initial engagements have not established an effective relationship.• Role seen as too challenging, or too cosy.• Little added value expected by the school leader from the

engagement, or low levels of ambition.• Uncertainty and unanswered questions about the role.• Too meagre perspective on wider good practice brought to bear.• Limited potential for leadership development.

Aspect 1: Get the engagement right – self-review (skills) 5

When engaging with school leaders ....

I am confident in my ability to establish a challenging and supportive mentoring/coaching relationship

I can add value to their approach to school improvement by asking pertinent questions and stimulating them to think differently

I have a wide repertoire of relationship building skills, that means I can differentiate my approach to specific contexts and personalities

I am able to demonstrate what effective leadership looks like in a way that will help others to learn and improve

I can quickly identify areas for development, based on a range of hard and soft evidence, and help others to recognise these

I have the depth of knowledge and understanding to sustain a dialogue around school improvement across multiple engagements

I can confidently use data and other benchmark evidence to challenge low aspirations and reinforce high aspirations

I am able to provide constructive criticism in a way that builds confidence and capability, without losing a challenging edge

I have the ability to inspire to raise their sights and try new things

I can bring a convincing and evidence-based external perspective to discussions around school improvement and leadership

I am able to communicate clearly and without ambiguity in a way that inspires trust

I have the ability to simplify complex problems so that each engagement leads to a clear plan of action

Aspect 1: Get the engagement right – self-review (knowledge) 6

I have a good understanding of how system leadership roles have been constructed in other education systems

I can draw on the existing research to provide evidence for the qualities that make an effective system leader

I know how system leadership can improve outcomes, and can draw on examples of places where this has happened

I have a thorough knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of the system leader in Wales and its place in the broader system

I know and can use a wide range of different theoretical frameworks for building a coaching/mentoring relationship

I can draw on existing research to identify the qualities of work makes an effective coach or mentor

I have a good understanding of the theory of how leaders develop and can apply this to a range of different contexts

I am well versed in the full range of comparative international evidence on school performance and keep up to date on latest releases

I understand the theory of both system improvement and individual school improvement and can apply this successfully

I know where to find school performance data and how to analyse this in order to inform and challenge school improvement

Aspect 2: Make the best use of data 7

Skills required Knowledge required

Understanding data measurement/collection – The ability to understand how pupil attainment and achievement is measured, what that data can tell you about pupil progress and school performance, as well as the limitations of the data available; the skills to access a range of publicly available data, as well as performance data provided by the school, and collate this to provide an informative and consistent view of performance.

Data analysis and benchmarks – The skills to interpret a range of different data sources in order to fully understand the performance of the school overall, the progress made by particular groups of pupils, and the progress made by individual pupils; the ability to compare performance between schools and within schools, based on the use of benchmark information, ‘families of schools’ data and contextual information.

‘Story-telling’ and use of plain language – The skills to clearly explain what the data analysis means both to teaching professionals and a wider audience (for example governors) so that it becomes a useful tool for action.

Formative and summative data – Knowledge of the differences between formative and summative performance data; what data sources are publicly available and what further data might be collected from an individual school; the timing of data release and relevant resources for accessing and analysing data.

Trend data and benchmarks – Knowledge of how to plot school and pupil performance over time and how to interpret these trend series; understanding of the different types of benchmark data available and how these might be used to compare an individual school or pupil’s performance with national, regional and local averages and with schools/pupils that share particular characteristics.

Contextual data – Knowledge of the range of different factors that might be used to contextualise school or pupil performance, such as deprivation or ethnicity; understanding of the implications of using contextualised information for evaluating school or pupil performance.

What does success look like?

Fully achieved

• Available data has been interpreted and a coherent narrative has emerged of the school’s successes and areas for development, and of the progress made by particular groups of pupils.

• School staff, governors and parents recognise the picture and know what it means for how the school should improve.

• Support has been provided to develop further data collection and schools are confident in their use of data for teaching and learning.

Not achieved

• Data has not been analysed to understand the school’s strengths and areas for improvement, nor has the progress made by groups of pupils been scrutinised.

• The school’s development plan is not informed by a strong understanding of the data.

• Use of data to inform teaching and learning is limited to a minority of staff and general understanding of data is weak in the school.

Aspect 2: Make the best use of data – self-review (skills) 8

I am confident in my abilities to use data to understand priorities for improvement for a school

I am able to use data to explain priorities for improvement to a school leader

I am confident in my ability to access and collate data from a range of sources so as to build a performance profile of a school

I have the skills to interpret data intelligently and to analyse it constructively, while appreciating its limitations

I can look beyond the overall performance of a school to understand the data that informs measures of pupil progress

I can use benchmark information successfully to compare a school’s performance with national, regional or local peers

I am able to use contextual information with confidence and validity to inform my understanding of both school and pupil performance

I have the communication skills to make data accessible to a wide audience

I can use data to tell a convincing ‘story’ about performance that describes the context and will resonate with staff, pupils and parents

I am able to instil in others the skills to become confident users of data to inform school improvement and teaching and learning

Aspect 2: Make the best use of data – self-review (knowledge) 9

I know what the differences are between formative and summative data, and how each may inform a view of school performance

I know what data is available publicly and what data schools should be collecting as a matter of course

I know where to go to access data and where to find the tools to manipulate and analyse it

I know how trend data is collated and analysed and how it can inform a picture of performance over time

I understand the theory behind creating benchmark groupings and am confident that I can use these to inform performance analysis

I have a good understanding of how contextual variables are used to inform data analysis, and what variables are important

I know how to use contextual information to enrich a dialogue about school and pupil performance

I understand how contextual and benchmark data can sometimes be misleading and know how to use it appropriately

Aspect 3: Challenge current performance 10

Skills required Knowledge required

Lesson observation and evaluation – The skills to observe teaching and learning to accurately identify the strengths and areas for development of the teacher and understand how they might be supported to improve; the ability to evaluate a school’s performance and progress based on multiple lesson observations and other sources of data.

Target setting – The skills to work with a school to set targets that are both ambitious and realistic and are likely to inspire staff and pupils; the ability to analyse a range of different data to inform secure target setting.

Influencing and negotiating – The interpersonal skills and techniques to find common ground and shared values where there are opposing perspectives; use objective evidence to make a case; and persuade through discussion.

Leading difficult conversations/giving feedback – The ability to provide feedback in a way that is constructive, without being cosy, and to deliver tough messages while continuing to build confidence.

Characteristics of effective learning and teaching – Knowledge of what constitutes outstanding teaching and learning in different subjects and for different age ranges, based on the best internationally available evidence; understanding of the particular characteristics of effective practice that might be seen in a typical lesson and the knowledge of how to turn an assessment of strengths and areas for development into a plan of action to enable an individual teacher to improve.

Use of targets in accelerating progress – Knowledge of how target setting has been used in other education systems, and different contexts in order to stimulate faster progress; understanding of what differentiates an effective target from an ineffective target, and how to judge whether a school’s system for setting targets is secure and robust; knowledge of the limitations of targets and the possible unintended negative consequences of setting a target that measures the wrong thing or incentivises unhelpful behaviour.

What does success look like?

Fully achieved

• Evaluation of teaching and learning has accurately highlighted areas for improvement, supported by data analysis.

• Staff feel supported to improve and know how to go about it• Target-setting has been robust and ambitious, and the targets are

owned by staff and pupils.• Detailed feedback has been provided to support judgements,

delivered through a constructive and challenging dialogue.

Not achieved

• Observation of teaching and learning has been patchy or inconsistent and therefore does not provide a sound basis for improvement.

• Staff do not know how to address weaknesses identified and are demoralised.

• Target setting process has not been effective in raising ambition.• Dialogue about current performance has been overly critical,

lacked supporting evidence, or failed to explain areas for improvement.

Aspect 3: Challenge current performance – self-review (skills) 11

I am confident in my ability to observe a lesson and accurately identify strengths and areas for development

I can determine, on the basis of a lesson observation, what a teacher should do to improve their practice

I am able to link diagnosis of strengths and weaknesses with future action and professional development

I have the skills to be consistent, fair and objective in lesson observations and not be swayed by external factors

I can build up an accurate picture of overall school performance from multiple lesson observations and other information

I can engage with school leaders effectively to have a challenging and constructive discussion around future targets

I am confident in my ability to use data to inform the setting of targets that are ambitious but achievable

I have the interpersonal skills needed to build a consensus and ownership around a set of future targets

I am able to influence and negotiate through establishing shared values and common purpose

I am confident in my powers of rational argument and logical persuasion to establish consensus in the face of different views

I can give tough feedback in a way that builds rather than undermines confidence

I have the skills to sustain a positive relationship based on honesty and objective challenge, rather than taking the easy way out

Aspect 3: Challenge current performance – self-review (knowledge) 12

I have a good understanding of the international evidence for what constitutes effective teaching and learning

I know what the characteristics of outstanding teaching and learning are, and I have observed them in the classroom

I have a thorough knowledge of the developmental steps that are needed to move towards outstanding teaching and learning

I know how targets have been used in other education systems and contexts, and can draw on examples of good and bad practice

I understand the theory of setting targets to stimulate improvement and am confident I can put it into practice

I know what makes a target inspiring, and its reverse

I have the knowledge to judge whether a school’s system for setting targets is likely to be robust

I understand how targets can lead to inadvertent negative consequences and how these can be avoided

I can consistently and accurately identify the quality of teaching and standards of learning in the classroom

Aspect 4: Develop school leaders 13

Skills required Knowledge required

Modelling and challenging leadership – The skills to accurately identify strengths and areas for development in a school’s leadership team, and the ability to demonstrate examples of effective leadership.

Promoting shared ambition and building trust – Working with a leadership team to create a sense of joint purpose and establishing an environment that fosters reflective self-evaluation and improvement.

Developing individual and collective accountability – Encouraging school leaders to assume personal accountability and responsibility for outcomes across the whole school by developing a strong shared diagnosis of what needs to improve, clear targets for performance, and building their confidence in their own ability to make a difference.

Using evidence in performance review – The skills to use the formal performance review process for heads to stimulate an ongoing and constructive dialogue about future development and progress.

Key aspects of emotional intelligence – Understanding the theory behind emotional intelligence in order to be able to assess the dynamics within the leadership team, and to help build the conditions for trust, shared capital and mutual support.

Effective leadership teams – Knowledge of the characteristics of leadership teams that have both achieved and sustained excellence, based on the best available evidence; understanding of how these characteristics can be instilled in less effective leadership teams.

Performance review requirements and criteria – Detailed understanding of the system for performance review of headteachers in Wales, the statutory underpinning for this, the annual timescales around performance review and the roles of the different partners in the review process, including governors.

What does success look like?

Fully achieved

• A shared understanding has been developed with school leaders of the priorities for leadership development.

• A climate conducive to ongoing leadership development has been created, characterised by strong trust, shared purpose, clear lines of accountability and clarity about future targets and objectives.

• The performance management process is embedded in the life of the school and helps to drive ongoing improvement.

Not achieved

• Areas for development in leadership have not been accurately diagnosed and there is disagreement about next steps.

• The leadership team is not united behind a common vision and an atmosphere of distrust means individuals are unwilling to take responsibility for outcomes or for their own development.

• The performance review process for the headteacher is superficial and not effective in holding the head to account or driving improvement.

Aspect 4: Develop school leaders – self-review (skills) 14

I am confident in my ability to work with a school leadership team and accurately identify their strengths and areas for development

I am an experienced and effective leader myself, and have the skills to develop and lead high-performing teams

I can model specific leadership behaviours in a school setting, in such a way that others can learn from what I am doing

I have the skills to support a leadership team to define their goals and agree on their common ambitions

I am able to inspire teams to stretch themselves further through my engagements with them

I can work with teams and leaders in such a way that they embrace challenge and are keen to self-evaluate honestly

I am able to challenge school leaders to take greater personal responsibility for outcomes, where this is lacking

I have the skills to work with school leaders to co-develop an accurate picture of what needs to improve, in terms of leadership

I am able to work with school leaders to agree both quantitative and qualitative personal targets for their performance as leaders

I have the skills to build the confidence of school leaders, so that they believe that they can personally make a difference

I am able to use formal performance review structures to provide feedback that is challenging and constructive

I have the interpersonal skills to ensure the performance review process is genuinely developmental and welcomed by those involved

Aspect 4: Develop school leaders – self-review (knowledge) 15

I understand the theory of emotional intelligence, and how it might be applied in this role

I know how to interpret and assess the dynamics within a leadership team

I have a good understanding of both the theory and practice of how to build trust and high social capital in organisations

I know and can recognise the characteristics of effective and ineffective school leadership, based on international evidence

I know what the techniques are for supporting leaders to become more effective individually and collectively

I have a detailed and accurate knowledge of the performance review standards and regulations in Wales

I know what the specific roles and expectations of different partners are in the headteacher performance review process

I understand the annual timescale on which performance review takes place, and can plan for the critical interdependencies

Aspect 5: Use of effective support and intervention 16

Skills required Knowledge required

Identifying and brokering support – The skills to accurately identify the development needs of a school, in partnership with the headteacher and leadership team, and based on this diagnosis the ability to source and broker in appropriate support which is tailored to the specific needs of the school.

Monitoring and evaluating impact regularly – The ability to objectively track the impact of support and intervention through use of both quantitative and qualitative measures of progress; the skills to hold to account both the givers and recipients of support to ensure that interventions are timely and successful .

Facilitating learning through peer observation – Brokering strong partnerships within and between schools to enable teachers to develop their skills in real time by working alongside colleagues; the skills to instil a culture of reflective practice and action learning across partnerships of schools.

Capacity of school leaders to provide support – A clear understanding of the way in which school to school support can be effective, based on proven best practice; knowledge of how to identify schools which have the right characteristics and leadership capacity in depth to provide support; up to date intelligence of the capacity and appetite of schools locally.

Proven interventions/tools – Knowledge of the full range of different types of intervention and support which have a proven impact, ranging from small-scale time limited provision of support through to whole-scale intervention in a school which is failing; clear understanding of the powers and statutory framework that governs intervention in Wales.

Impact evaluation – Knowledge of the timescales in which a given intervention or support package should take effect and the range of data and other information that can be collected on an at-least half termly basis to measure the impact of a particular intervention and assess its effectiveness.

What does success look like?

Fully achieved

• A shared understanding has been developed with the headteacher of what the school needs to do to improve, how improvement will be measured, and over what timescale.

• An appropriate package of support and/or intervention, drawing on the skills and experience of peers, has been brokered in and is regularly evaluated.

• There is a culture established of staff learning from each other.

Not achieved

• Priorities for school improvement have not been agreed with the head, or have been misdiagnosed based on insubstantial evidence.

• Support needs are therefore not being met, either because support/intervention has not been put in place or because it is poorly aligned to the needs of the school.

• There are no objective measures of whether support is working.• Staff are insular and do not look to others as a source of learning.

Aspect 5: Use of effective support & intervention – self-review (skills) 17

I am confident in my ability to work with heads and teachers to accurately identify the development needs of a school

I can turn my assessment of the needs of a school into the specification for an effective and tailored support programme

I have the skills to broker in a tailored support package from a wide range of sources, including other effective schools

I can structure a programme of support in such a way that it is streamlined, coherent and manageable for the school

I have the ability to set meaningful outcome based targets for a programme of support or intervention

I have the skills needed to objectively track the impact of support provided over a prolonged period

I am able to intervene effectively if a programme of support or intervention is having less or slower impact than desired

I have the interpersonal skills to support both the givers and receivers of school intervention, and increase their effectiveness

I am able to broker strong partnerships between schools in a support relationship

I have the ability to work with schools to establish governance arrangements for a partnership that enable it to thrive

I have the skills to work with teachers at all levels in a school so that they benefit from peer support and learning

I have the skills to work with a school or a partnership to instil a culture of collaborative learning and reflective practice

I have the skills to evaluate practice in to order to identify impact on outcomes and share effective practice

Aspect 5: Use of effective support & intervention – self-review (knowledge)

18

I have a good understanding of what makes school to school support effective, based on published and international evidence

I know how to identify a strong potential candidate for providing school to school support

I understand how to work with schools to encourage them and build their capacity to provide support

I know what the evidence says about effective support and intervention in challenging schools

I understand the full range of support programmes that might be constructed, and their relative timescales

I have a clear and detailed understanding of the statutory responsibilities for school intervention in Wales

I know what the respective roles of different partners are in relation to statutory intervention

I understand the steps that need to be carried out when a school receives a poor Estyn inspection, or if a school is deemed at risk

I know who the available providers of school support are in my local area, and how good they are

Aspect 6: Build strong partnerships around schools 19

Skills required Knowledge required

Communication – The skills to communicate effectively with a wide range of partners who will contribute to a school’s ongoing development including Governors, local authority staff, other regional consortium teams, and schools or individuals proving support; the ability to tailor communications to the knowledge and needs of a particular audience.

Building and maintaining relationships – The ability to create, sustain and nurture a team of people who are contributing to the schools’ development so that information is shared, data and activity are transparent, systems and process are consistent and well understood; and everyone is clear about the role that they play.

Consultancy and facilitation – The skills to support others’ to be more effective in their role by building their confidence and ability, acting as a source of expert support and knowledge, and enabling groups to come together to address common issues through expert approaches to facilitation.

Effective engagement approaches – Knowledge of the theory behind building effective inter-disciplinary teams and effectively engaging with colleagues from a range of different professional backgrounds and experiences; understanding of the range of tools and approaches that are effective in facilitating meetings and workshops and how to encourage participation from all involved.

Understanding of governance & LA functions – A clear and detailed understanding of the respective roles of governing bodies, chairs of governors, local authority school improvement teams, local elected members, and regional consortium staff and how these are enshrined in education legislation; knowledge of how these roles have changed over time so that misunderstandings can be anticipated and addressed.

What does success look like?

Fully achieved

• The full range of partners contributing to a schools development understand their roles, feel engaged and supported, and communicate with each other effectively.

• Data is shared appropriately and everyone engaged with a school is well-informed about current activities and future priorities.

• Where issues arise, good systems are in place to resolve them swiftly and collectively.

Not achieved

• Partners involved in a school’s development do not feel part of a team. They do not know who else is engaged and lines of communication are weak.

• Lack of transparency in data and activities leads to confusion and mixed messages for the school and governors.

• The collective experience of a wider group is not brought to bear on problems which are not resolved in good time.

Aspect 6: Build strong partnerships around schools – self-review (skills) 20

I have the communication skills to engage effectively with a wide range of partners, including non education-professionals

I can make complex issues simple to resolve, by explaining them well and clearly

I can tailor what I say and how I communicate to the knowledge and needs of different audiences

I have the interpersonal skills to create cohesive and well-functioning teams, even when they are virtual

I have the ability to make people feel engaged and part of a wider endeavour

I am confident in my ability to share knowledge, data and relevant information effectively and consistently across a virtual team

I have the skills to help people see how their roles inter-relate and how they can work together effectively

I have the ability to coach partners in education so that they become more effective in their role, without patronising them

I am confident in my ability to act as a source of expert knowledge and support for a wide variety of partners to a school

I have strong facilitation skills that enable me to bring people to together and get everyone to participate and engage

I have the skills which mean I can facilitate groups to come together to arrive at collective solutions to common problems

Aspect 6: Build strong partnerships around schools – self-review (knowledge)

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I know the theory behind building effective interdisciplinary teams and how to put it into practice

I understand the range of different facilitation techniques that can help encourage participation and engagement

I understand the range of different facilitation techniques that enable joint problem solving

I know enough about my local schools to act as a credible and trusted central point of expertise

I have a good understanding of the roles of governors in education

I have a detailed understanding of the role of the local authority in education, including elected members, and how it has changed

I know the roles of different teams within the regional consortium and how they should interact around individual schools

I understand how different roles have evolved, and are likely to evolve further, over time

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