Shopping or Teaching?

Friday began with a telephone call from China. Professor David Reynolds is continuing his work on Within School Variation (making sure there is consistency of quality across all Departments and teachers in a school) and he invited me to continue some of the research we have done together.

In an article in this week’s Times Educational Supplement I’m quoted as saying that a good school should be like Marks and Spencers: you know you get the same quality whether buying shirts, sausages or shoes. Did I say that? No, M&S are not paying me a retainer. It’s just a way of explaining why we need consistency.

An hour later another call from the British Council asks if I’m free for a week in August to lead a Conference in South America. This time the invitation is from Susan Douglas who I know reads my blogs. Susan, you’re quoted at last. I’d love to go but I have a prior booking in France- another time perhaps.

Then I receive one of those emails that remind teachers they can make a difference. I’m always quoting examples from colleagues who’ve received similar letters so it’s nice to receive one again. I used to teach in Norfolk at North Walsham Girls’ High School. Recently the new Head of Sixth Form from nearby Reepham High School visited us with former deputy, Chris Hassell, on a fact finding tour. It seems that I had taught his sister back in 1979. Her email read:

“The Best English TeacherMy brother, John Randall, just returned from visiting you at South Dartmoor College. When he mentioned your name, I remembered you very clearly from North Walsham Girls' High School.My name was Jackie Randall then. You took over in September 1979 and taught us English in room 9 in the Huts
I really enjoyed your lessons, especially as you had some of my essays read out, one called "A Breakdown in Communications" from a past O level paper, as my strength was maths but you increased my confidence in English.We were also studying Julius Caesar and you really brought it alive. One day, you brought in a cryptic crossword clue - something like "tradesman in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar" and I worked out the answer which was butcher, mainly because my parents always did the Telegraph crosswords on Saturdays and Sundays.Looking at your photo, you don't seem to have changed much.Like John, I recently moved from Head of Maths to Head of Sixth Form at Notre Dame High School in Norwich.
I can honestly say that I really had not enjoyed English lessons until you came along; thanks for being such a great teacher.”

Do head teachers have to have teaching experience? I certainly believe it’s essential. But there’s a debate now about whether it’s really necessary. I loved teaching and enjoyed getting to know classes and individuals well. Heads can do lots of things in their schools as well as working with distinguished professors of education or attending international conferences. But there’s nothing quite like the difference a teacher makes to an individual.

As Henry Adams wrote: “Teachers affect eternity; no one knows where their influence ends.” The quotation has been chosen to frame the certificates being given to our newly qualified teachers who are now about to have L plates removed.
However good the food and clothing at M&S, this is a claim they can never make, even if it seems to take an eternity at the check out. And that’s why we’re all in education and not retail!

Unauthorised Absence?

Virgin Trains seem to grow shorter as well as more crowded. On the return journey from attending the annual National College for School Leadership Conference in Birmingham, I sit wedged between a family whose children want to reach Torquay: (do they have their holiday absence authorised? I wonder), and a young man listening to his MP3. My laptop is finally balanced on the folding shelf in front of me, with documents on my knee and hot Costa coffee on the floor by my side. Last night’s luxury in Malmaison Hotel seems a dream away, but the Snog me Senseless mouth spray freebee is proof I really was there, as a guest speaker on the subject of Within School Variation. South Dartmoor wouldn’t have paid for a luxury hotel! As I settle down to do some work, a man with an over-large dog and a giant suitcase tries to get past. I catch my coffee just in time, but the window seat MP3 listener also decides he wants to get out, to use the buffet car, so everything is chaos. The little boy has an electronic device and is resiliently trying to change the date, which means erasing his data. His parents respond brilliantly to all questions. I find myself scoring their teaching, OFSTED Grade 2 - Good, for learning and personalisation. That’s just the parental achievement!

Parents and their communities were very much the focus of the Secretary of State, Ed Balls’, speech to the Conference. I sat with over a thousand delegates and marvelled at his knowledge and fluency – a wide ranging 45 minutes which was delivered without notes or hesitation. The largest applause came when he told us he didn’t like selection, going on to outline plans to support Secondary Modern Schools. A million pounds per school seems to be the price. Why not just take the morally, educationally and socially correct decision and abolish selection?

His story about an English teacher’s work in motivating a disengaged group in a lesson about metaphors, using lemon sherbets, held us all fascinated. We have a Secretary of State that listens, is ambitious for schools and does not sound like a politician.

A small group of us watched the opening speech by the Chief Executive of the National College on closed-circuit television as we waited in a VIP room for a private audience with the Secretary of State. We had been asked to tell him about our roles and the frustrations and satisfactions. He is the third Education Secretary I have met, and he certainly listened and commented in ways that suggest he wanted to understand, to improve things, not just to impress or make a political point. He is totally focused on schools and raising standards. I told him about the Variation Projects I have carried out with NCSL and Professor David Reynolds, which have now been published. It is a simple idea: you take the very best aspect of the school and make sure that the same standards apply everywhere to everything. We can learn from our own best practice. This was the theme of the presentation we were asked to give at 8.00 am. In the programme it was described as a ‘fringe meeting’. Well, there wasn’t much comedy, but this was Birmingham not Edinburgh. Plenty of delegates missed breakfast to be there.

Disparity in society is a result of poverty or parents’ lack of interest in education. So I am pleased that the family taking their child to Torquay are helping him to learn. After all, learning is all about feeding curiosity. They seem to be parents who care and respond - even though they are prepared to sacrifice a week of school. Now I wonder what Mr Balls would make of that?

If it's Tuesday it must be the Secretary of State...

We’ve been blitzed this week! It’s like hosting a twenty four hour party but when the guests leave another lot arrive.

On Monday Sharnbrook School, Bedford came to see our Trust work and look at our data and reporting systems. They are also a Trust School with Capita Children’s
Services so it was fascinating to see what their projects looked like. They met the BECTA Five- Student Council members who are brilliant at explaining how we use data. Lunch in CTC was as impressive as ever and ended with our superb students racing off to RS period 4 carrying doggy bags of left overs- profiteroles and cream. (Sh… we are a Healthy School really).

Next it was the turn of our SIP. This stands for School Improvement Partner- and Roger Fetherston, Head of Devon Education Services, is a great partner to have, so wide is his knowledge. During interview Tuesday, he approved our priorities for the coming year, gave stimulating feedback, drank copious amounts of coffee and survived the roller coaster ride of meetings with the South Dartmoor Leadership Team. They have to be the most dynamic team never to feature on The Apprentice. Eat your heart out, Sir Alan. No you can’t have them. I hired them first.

By Wednesday, we were in full party mode- just wheel in the next visitor. This was the new Director of Teaching and Learning from Devon LA. I always enjoy working with energetic, decisive professionals and Devon is fortunate to have recruited a whizz. But she was taught Geography as a pupil by the current Head of Coombeshead. As she thought she was at Dartmouth rather than Dartmoor, for the first ten minutes we had a surreal conversation. Who said teachers make a life-long difference!

Thursday and the paperwork and emails are mounting. I have a million things to do. My inbox is fuller than the College car park (never a space) and the partying goes on. A head from Dorset spends a morning talking Trusts and vertical pastoral systems. Again, we see how much what we are doing here is valued. Notes are taken. Maybe there’s a film deal in this one.

Friday and we host our local MP, Sir Anthony Steen. This is always a pleasure because I’m fascinated by politicians and love to hear about what is going on in the House of Commons from the members themselves. By coincidence I receive an invitation to a meeting next week with the Secretary of State, Ed Balls. I have to provide a résumé for him on the school and my role. Scary.

The party continues next week when Chris Hassell, Deputy here from 1990-1996 makes a return, fact-finding visit. Twenty four hour party people. Watch out Secretary of State.

Deep Drilling

Check ups are reassuring- but only after you’ve had them. Whether it’s the doctor, dentist or car MOT, it’s fine after the event, as long as you don’t need that operation, filling, or new engine.

So we approach this month’s check up with the usual trepidation. After a three year period it is for the Investor in People Award which we’ve held for twelve years.

It’s a national standard, externally verified, and ensures that everyone who works here is being properly trained and supported. Over 50 members of staff, teaching and support, will be interviewed during a rigorous five day programme. There will be a written report- and it will be open for circulation to everyone. It’s a useful process, keeping us on track and giving us the views of staff about life at South Dartmoor. Do we look after colleagues? Are we a good employer? What do we neglect and how can we improve?

This time around, there are new areas the assessor can look at. We sit in front of the Plan in my Office and our assessor offers to ‘drill deep’-her term- into the leadership of the College. I’m grateful this is not my dentist speaking

A glint appears in the Chair of Governor’s eyes. “What does that mean?” he asks, with a feigned innocence that reminds me he is still an amateur actor. This is deadly serious. “Well, we can explore the deepest levels of successful leadership, penetrating right down to inspiration,” she responds. The glint has become a dazzling light of anticipation, and the Chair looks across for me to comment.

Am I feeling inspired? Well not just at that point. It feels like another bit of accountability to add to the existing burden of OFSTED, Performance Tables, School Improvement Partners, Governors…. The list is endless.

But it’s the role of schools to be open, scrutinised, analysed and compared. We can help solve the problems of society. Education is the great hope and changer of lives- if only we have the chance to provide the best for all.

In the 1980s, schools were secret gardens with no requirement to publish results or evaluate themselves. I can remember a deputy telling me to ignore a request for information from a local employer because what we did was none of their business. She believed it too. Parental choice? Hadn’t been invented yet. Some would say it never was.

As for training, that was something you did to domestic pets or babies. Teachers didn’t have any entitlement to the remarkable levels of professional support that schools now offer. A day on a course was a once in a life time event. My NQT year was a non-event. I blinked and missed it. No wonder staff rooms were often hot beds of cynicism, fed by isolation and lack of recognition.

We have a published set of priorities, a three year Development Plan, Performance Management, Learning Hubs, Learning Observations, mentoring, coaching, NQT programmes, induction for new staff, Training Days, teacher training….and we even find time to teach children in the hours that are left.

So I might as well enjoy it and go for the challenge. “Yes, inspiration would be great,” I hear myself saying, as if choosing an expensive meal from a restaurant menu. But I know who will have to foot the bill.