Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence in Leadership Development: The Staff College Anniversary
This year, The Staff College reaches a significant milestone – our 25th anniversary. Since our foundation in 1999, we have been at the forefront of developing leadership and management capacity within local authorities and children’s services. It’s a journey that has seen us evolve from a small team with a big vision to a leading voice in the sector, championing the cause of effective leadership across the UK. Reflecting on this journey, Jane Parfrement, Chief Executive of The Staff College, shared, “Celebrating 25 years is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion that have been the hallmark of The Staff College since its inception. We have been committed to empowering leaders who make a real difference in the […]
Ontario Ministry of Education PPM: Collaborative Professionalism
This Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) clarifies a shared commitment of stakeholder to building a culture of collaborative professionalism in Ontario’s education system. The core priorities of this commitment include: building a shared understanding of collaborative professionalism, and articulating a commitment to working together to further improve student achievement and well-being of both student and staff; transforming culture an optimizing conditions for learning, working and leading at all levels of the education sector in alignment with Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario
Commissioning in children’s services: What works?
Pressures to do more with less are likely to be exacerbated now Britain has voted to leave the European Union – it is too soon to judge the full effects of the referendum result, but domestic funding will most likely be impacted, and planning in the short term will become more difficult. As pressure to improve outcomes under resource constraints increases, it is likely that so too will the number of local authorities opting to outsource at least part of their children’s services. With this in mind, this report looks at domestic and international examples to identify some of the features common to outsourcing which seem to be working well, and possible pitfalls to avoid, to help inform this rapidly developing […]
How to Turn Around a Failing School: Lessons from 160 UK academies
This paper presents the findings from a study by The Centre for High-Performance (a collaboration between senior faculty at the Universities of Oxford and Kingston) of the changes made by 160 academies after OfSTED put them into ‘special measures’ up to seven years ago…
Three wrong-headed ideas driving reform of U.S. teaching force
Sahlberg writes about three fallacies underpinning efforts to change the teaching force in the United States and beyond.
VSC Leadership Academy Programme 2013-14
This report captures some of the learning and thinking that took place during a Leadership Academy seminar held to explore the LA’s role in ensuring that all schools are good or outstanding, securing sufficient high quality pupil places and championing the needs of children and families who face the greatest challenges.
Learning to Make a Difference : School as a Creative Community
The education system is failing to meet the needs of too many learners today because it ill equips them for the challenges of an uncertain, turbulent world in which they will have to find solutions to challenges with other people. Drawing on some of the most innovative organisations in the world, including Pixar and Barcelona FC, Leadbeater builds a case for schools as a place where children go to explore, create, make and learn together in a creative community with a cause. School should be the place where learners can discover their passions and purpose –and inspire their active and collaborative, problem-solving learning.
Co-production In Children’s Services – A think piece
A think piece written by VSC associate Anna Wright focusing on co-production and its relevance to children’s services and community resilience. It explores co-production as a growing method for planning and delivering children’s services, with a strengths-based approach at its heart. The paper defines co-production and the different ways it can be used. It provides examples of its use in children’s services. It identifies how it can be implemented and the benefits and risks of doing it. Finally, it explores how leaders in children’s services might deploy it as part of systems leadership. This is designed as a companion piece to the think piece ‘Changing Professional Behaviour: What Works’, which focuses on how to lead the cultural change required to […]
Think Piece: Key Stage 4 reform
The Government is consulting on proposals for reforming Key Stage 4 qualifications, initially replacing GCSEs with ‘English Baccalaureate Certificates’ (EBCs) in the English Baccalaureate core subjects (English, mathematics, sciences, history, geography and languages). This think piece outlines the proposals, their rationale and some of the implications, including the potential impact on schools achieving floor standards. It suggests that DCSs (in line with the statutory guidance on their role) should engage with school leaders (and others) to try and forge a common position on the best outcome from these vital reforms, uniting school and broader community interests – thereby helping to secure a result with greater stability and longevity than the current lack of political consensus on the proposals otherwise holds […]