Deputy Head Questions - Leadership & Strategy Flashcards
How communicate vision?
- Make sure it is agreed and verbalised/driven by all
- Make it real
- Structures and processes
- Personal interactions
- Keep it going - constancy of purpose
Examples: “I loved the trip to … AND I did not think I would!, or I’m loving the art class … AND I did not think I would!”
* writing a blog / homework to visit art gallery
* all involved in extra-curricular
* organisational and study skills
How share leadership?
1.Identify
2.Work with – then more independence
3. Keep end and vision in mind
Examples: assessment without levels, enrichment assembly; Assistant YL
I do not have all the answers – I may have some of them
Cannot share leadership and expect them to act exactly as you would
What type of leadership?
1) varies; adaptable; NB I’m not alone
2) collaborative; principled; transformational; practical
3) visible around school; accessible/listen - not look too busy (‘the swan’))
4) focus on T&L and student and staff culture
- purposeful (clarity of gaols)
- inclusive (goals shared by all)
- values-driven- trust and verify
Transformational & Instructional
Someone disagrees with your leadership?
- First find out what and why
- Then discuss
- Then decide
- Take personal out of it
- Lead / be grown up & professional
If disagree with Head’s decision?
- listen & discuss privately & make my case
- once decision made, support it and put it into effect
Loyalty - impact
Key issues facing sixth forms and our sixth form?
- self-evaluation - what exactly are we looking for and how are we looking
- A Levels
- BTECs
- Funding
- Oftsed (will change again)
- Facilitating subjects
- school-to-school challenge and support
Where want school to be in three years?
- Numbers up
- Wider range of subjects
- Grades up
- Extra-curricular
- Service in school
- Service outside school
What vision for Sixth Form?
- Are our students getting into the full range of Universities?
- Are all our students taking part in a range of extra-curricular activities and developing passions and interests
- Do we have a reputation in the local community for being helpful, responsible and caring
- Do we lead the rest of the school in their development as rounded individuals?
- Have we developed a range of connections in different sectors which our students are making use of?
My key strengths and weaknesses?
- vision
- attention to detail
- Teaching
- ability and willingness to learn and change
- hard work
- loyalty
Weaknesses????
One change if I was Head?
Either 1.What we know about memory and mindset Or 2.Student voice Or 3. Staff culture Or 4. Student culture
Greatest achievement so far?
Setting up Sixth Form
IB
Assessment and Feedback
How career led to this point?
- 6 years at EPHS
- set up and then ran Sixth Form
- then wider school focus on curriculum, assessment, T&L and behaviour
- educational philosophy of HFS (high aspirations, develop thirst for learning, desire for young girls to develop into confident and capable young women who want to change the world, community school)
Why did you become a teacher?
1.Love subject
2.Love helping students to develop their knowledge and conceptual understanding
• Subjects I teach: History, Philosophy and Psychology are so rich and varied, have fascinating details and also fascinating big ideas and concepts
• Believe every student can handle them and get something form them – also think they are hugely important
Why did you become a senior leader?
1.Want to help schools develop – can do this as a teacher but impact is greater as senior leader
2.Want to help set and develop a vision for education which goes beyond exam grades
• I know exam grades can make all the difference to a student’s life – know about research into correlation with health, mental well-being and earning potential
• But want schools to be more than that
• As a senior leader I know I am my most effective when I am listening to others and leading others (rather than just leading myself)
Main challenges in education today?
- Teaching & Learning (working memory, visible learning)
- Assessment
- Post-16
- funding
- staff culture
- student culture
- closing the gap - not just about grades but wider education
- cultural capital
- school-to-school support and challenge
- self-evaluation (what are we evaluating as well as how)
How support staff in their development
- identify needs
- pedagogy & subject knowledge
- sharing and celebrating
- my own practice practice practice
How do you maintain effective professional working relationships with teachers?
- make sure they know I like them
- if they act unprofessionally, needs to be dealt with (e.g. Head of Geog)
- stress how their ability to work well with others inc SLT is important to the students and their success
- if problem occurs be first to take responsibility (like an argument with your partner)
- empathise - they have a heavier workload and are at the sharp end of most things
Attributes of successful school leader?
- committed to shared leadership
- listen and reflect
- clarity of vision
- excellent and improving teacher
- attention to detail AND big picture
- courage - difficult conversations
- loyalty and honesty to Head
- principled and thoughful
What in your opinion would be an effective curriculum for a school like ours look like and aim to do?
- breadth
- rigour
- pathways
- rich and relevant
- opportunities to develop as leaders
- cultural capital
First priorities if appointed to Sixth Form
- Get to know staff and students and parents and community
- current self-evaluation
- Quality of T&L
- Extra-curricular and opportunities
- UCAS and apprenticeships
- Sixth Form leadership
- Marketing and numbers
What learnt from previous schools
- thanking people
- strive to achieve your mission
- role of middle leaders
- distribute leadership & all drive for vision
- focus on developing T&L through coaching and staff development opprotunities
Books?
- Carole Dwek “Mindset”
- Leaverage Leadership by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo
- Daniel Wallingham “Why don’t students like schools?”
- Patrick Lencioni “5 Dysfunction of a team”
~ currently reading Graham Nuthall “the Hidden Lives of Learners”
How do you manage your time efficiently, with so many demands on school leaders?
- use of calendar
- closed task lists
- delegate
Increase parental involvement?
Parents
1. audit current communication system - what is the aim
2. identify hard to reach
3. what do parents want
Community
1. audit current communication system- what is the aim
2. what does the community want
