Attaining the Standards for Headship

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

LEADERSHIP FELLOWSHIP 2004 REPORT

Attaining the Standards for Headship –

The Preparation for School Leadership in Scotland

Mick McEntyre May 2005

Principal

Coonabarabran High School

Attaining the Standards For Headship -

The Preparation for School Leadership in Scotland

1. overview of the research study

This report relates to research undertaken between July 2004 and March 2005 into aspects of school and system leadership in Scotland. A significant amount of the research was undertaken in the Dumfries and Galloway local authority region.

The general topic for the research was related to leadership succession with specific reference to the Scottish Qualification for Headship (SQH). The specific title for research was "Attaining the Standards for Headship – The Preparation for School Leadership in Scotland". As research progressed the focus area was broadened to include the processes operating in Continuing Professional Development.

My report is presented in two sections, the first looking at the Qualification and the Standard from a diversity of views and the second being an overview of the professional development processes taking place in Scotland and other current relevant issues.

2. research methodology

Research into processes operating in the world renowned Scottish education system was undertaken electronically and contact established with education authorities, universities and key staff in schools.

Interviews were undertaken during March 2005 (see Appendix 1). I was also invited to be part of different meetings relating to both the Scottish Qualification for Headship and the Professional Development structure in Scotland.

The findings in this report were compiled from structured interviews (see Appendix 2), discussions, meetings and interviews involving:

Local Authority Education Director (1)

National Professional Development Co-ordination personnel (3)

University academics with SQH and CT responsibility (5)

SQH co-ordinators from across the Western Consortium (5)

University Tutors (3)

Headteachers (Principals) (8)

Depute Headteachers (6)

Local Authority CPD personnel (5)

Faculty Heads (4)

Principal teachers (2)

Classroom teachers (6)

School Governor (1)

3. key research questions used in the research

1. How does Scotland prepare school leadership for principalship?

2. Is there a conceptual leadership framework underlying the SQH?

3. What benefits did participants and stakeholders perceive for the SQH?

4. What concerns did participants and stakeholders have with the SQH?

5. What are the directions for the future in Scotland?

4. the findings

4.1. How Scotland prepares school leaders for principalship

The Scottish Qualification for Headship (SQH) is a post-graduate qualification in school leadership, offered across Scotland by 3 consortia of Higher Education Institutions working with clusters of Education Authorities. The 3 consortia are designated as Eastern, Northern and Western. The awards achieved by successful candidates are a Post Graduate Diploma in School Leadership and Management and the professional award of Scottish Qualification for Headship.

The SQH was launched in 1998 as the first route towards the achievement of the Standard for Headship. It followed a government promise to develop both a standard and process for attaining this. It was developed through a consultative process involving national educational staff, local authorities, teaching bodies and higher education institutions.

The first SQH program was run as a pilot and was cross-sectional in terms of educational sector, size and geographic location of candidate's school. As a result of the evaluation of the pilot program it was recognised that many of the potential candidates would already be very experienced school leaders and two routes were designed. The standard route took at least 2½ years to complete and the accelerated route usually a year. The program expanded from 1999 and University Consortia bid to be the provider.

Statistics proved difficult to obtain as no tracking processes were apparent and no statistics were held centrally. Approximately 1000 candidates have successfully completed the award with around 200 taking up the course each new session. The intake levels vary each year across the consortia and between the primary and secondary sectors.

Opinions are diverse as to the success or otherwise of the program in terms of tertiary delivery processes, preparation of candidates for successful headship, value to the schools and whether the local authorities and national system have a more professionally capable pool of potential school leaders.

The completion of the SQH thus attaining the Standard was to be mandatory from 2005 onwards in progressing to headship. This has been reconsidered for various reasons, the major one being that insufficient numbers have achieved it to fill vacant positions.

The Structure of the SQH Program (1999-2005)

The purpose of the program is to enable candidates to develop the competencies they need to meet the Standard for Headship as outlined in Section 4.2 below.

There were 4 units which took candidates through 3 stages in meeting the criteria for the Standard. The stages were:

(a) Self Assessment against the Standard.

(b) Implementation of whole-school projects to develop the professional competence to carry out key leadership and management functions. (2 units)

Units taken by candidates

1 The Standard for Headship (3 months)

Basically course work involved an understanding of the Standard; current self evaluation against this, the Quality Initiative in Scotland, raising achievement, managing change and planning for the project. (4 taught days).

2 Managing Core Operations - Learning, Teaching and Managing People (12 months)

This is an experiential work-based project where a significant element from the candidate's School Improvement Plan is driven by the candidate for a year. The intent is to develop and verify capabilities in all aspects of classroom practice, curriculum development and analysis, creating an achievement culture, ICT, innovation, parents and learning, recruitment and selection, developing teams, quality people management and effective communication, CPD and staff performance.

3 Managing School Improvement (12 months)

This is a second experiential project covering management of policy, planning, resources, and finance. It incorporates school planning, needs prioritisation, costing, budgeting, evaluation and decision making processes. (2 taught days).

4 School Leadership (4 months)

To a degree a summative unit which reviews the candidate's personal development and professional progress. It includes strategic thinking, managing multiple change, organisational culture, models of management excellence, accountability, team building, models of effective school leadership involving school cycles, the context of headship, varying communities and environments and priority changes. This unit involves a comparative investigation into management practices and issues in areas of organisational excellence from the non-educational sector. (6 taught days, 2 days comparative study placement).

There is a blend in the modes of learning. Program delivery was by direct teaching, work-based learning, supported study, comparative study placement and various levels of support people. The pedagogical model involves a combination of theory and practice, and professional experience and academic study.

The support provision was in the form of a University assigned tutor, a local authority SQH co-ordinator, the Headteacher and a nominated 'critical friend'. Extensive personal networking, generally with other candidates, was also strong. Assessment was by both a tutor assessor and a field assessor. It involved critical self assessment, evidence portfolios, practical project commentary, reports on comparative study, school improvement interview and observational assessment of tasks.

4.2 The conceptual leadership framework underlying the SQH

The Standard for Headship

The Standard for Headship sets out the key aspects of professionalism and expertise which the Scottish education system requires of those entrusted with leading and managing its schools. It gains its direction from the generic Key Purpose of Headship statement. "To provide the leadership and management which enables a school to give every pupil high quality education and which promotes the highest possible standards of achievement." The Standard (which is currently being reviewed) defines three elements which underpin the professional practice of school leadership and management.

The elements for the practice of headship relate to 3 fundamental questions:

(a) Why a Headteacher takes certain courses of action?

(b) What are the main functions of a Headteacher?

1 Professional Values

(a) Holding, articulating and arguing for professionally defensible educational values.

(b) Being the model of the leading professional within the school and committed to improving personal practice.

2 Management Functions

(a) Managing learning and teaching.

(i) System development for management and evaluation of effective learning and teaching.

(ii) Creation of conditions for effective learning and teaching.

(b) Managing people

(i) Recruitment and selection of staff.

(ii) Creation of a collaborative culture, teamwork and professional development structures.

(iii) Sustain effective and productive work practices.

(i) Develop and effectively communicate school values, aims, plans and policies.

(ii) Create and enhance external partnerships.

(d) Managing Resources and Finance

(i) Secure and allocate resources to support effective teaching and learning.

(ii) Monitoring and control the use of resources.

3 Professional Abilities

(a) Interpersonal

(i) Positivity, confidence and motivational capacity.

(ii) Empathy, advocacy and communication.

(b) Intellectual

(i) Strategic thinking capacity and political insight.

(ii) Effective utilisation of data.

(iii) Appropriate problem solving.

4.3 The outcomes participants and stakeholders perceived for the SQH

The Benefits to Practising Teachers Undertaking the SQH

In general the wide diversity of candidates were very positive about their SQH experiences. Underlying many views was the concern as to whether a Headteacher position was going to be achieved as a result of completing the qualification.

Benefits to candidates include:

1 The belief that it provided a high quality, intellectually challenging, professional development exercise and substantially increased in-depth knowledge of educational issues and high level practice. Graduates spoke enthusiastically of the personal and professional benefits. They felt it made them considerably better at what they did.

2 It led in many cases to heightened skills in reflection, self-analysis and evaluation and a resultant clarification of educational values and philosophy. Associated with this was a more willing acceptance of criticism and a more positive attitude to staff for which they are responsible. It also developed candidate’s confidence and awareness when approaching the selection process for headship.

3 It offers a strongly directed and co-ordinated approach to leadership and management of schools for anyone leading any group. It enabled a number of candidates to more deeply appreciate the school by broadening their theory base and viewing school operations from a Headteacher perspective. Most felt that the program increased their effectiveness as a leader.

4 The school-based projects were rooted in reality with obvious beneficial outcomes. An often expressed view was that the fact that the school was benefiting enhanced the worthwhileness of the project.

5 Some candidates had undertaken a variety of leadership preparation courses but felt the SQH was the more planned and sustained and prepared them to be more motivated, focused and time efficient due to the relatively onerous course requirements.

6 The professional benefits of bringing together motivated, like-minded people into both loose and formalised networks and the resultant exchanges were regarded as extremely positive.

7 Most support appeared to be from fellow candidates. However, in the Dumfries/Galloway region there was high regard for the enthusiasm and expertise of the SQH co-ordinator and the Authority Continuing Professional Development (CPD) officer. Each local Authority appoints and funds a program co-ordinator. Generally this is not a school post, but from outside schools which allow greater flexibility. In Dumfries/Galloway it is a school-based person on a 1-day/week allowance.

8 Candidates undertaking the SQH are fully funded by the local authority, though the funds for this are allocated to the local authority specifically for this purpose by the Scottish Executive.

The Benefits to Practising Teachers Undertaking the SQH as perceived by Headteachers

1 Most Headteachers felt that the major impact on candidates related to their increasing capacity to evaluate themselves and their professional actions and an increasing professional maturity.

2 The school-based projects ensure key aspects of School Improvement Plans are completed in an enthusiastic and co-ordinated manner. This was viewed as a major benefit as was a perceived positive impact on the teaching and learning culture of the school.

3 The majority of current Headteachers expressed doubts as to whether they would undertake the course once they had achieved a Headteacher position. However, there was a point of view that to heighten the credibility of the qualifications all Headteachers should be mandated to complete it.

4 Some felt that the changing nature of headship, particularly in relation to community and interagency dealings, requires skills not necessarily embodied in the SQH.

5 It was felt that the program content was well suited to the development both in theory and practice of management skills.

The Benefits to Practising Teachers Undertaking the SQH as perceived by Higher Education Institutes

Some issues in relation to candidates' success from a university perspective include:

1 The varying levels of support candidates receive in schools. The best case scenario is where the Headteacher is enthusiastic, providing regular meetings and there is whole school support. There are numerous cases where support is indifferent at best, even oppositional.

2 Success is very difficult if the candidate is not in a managerial position or has limited access to the management team. There are great variations in the quality of the candidature.

3 It is of particular benefit to Primary candidates, many of whom did not have a management 'identity'. As long as their project is part of the School Improvement Plan, the SQH gives them 'permission' to be a manager within the school.

4 The experiences gained through the SQH are expressed as valuable, especially in terms of value clarification and the self-evaluation of direction and effectiveness, but many question whether a Headteacher position will be the end result of their study.

5 The SQH is one of the few university courses in Scotland where the candidates are not selected by the University.

6 The perceived disparities between the workload of the projects in primary, as opposed to secondary.

7 A further concern is the role of a Field Assessor: Is he/she to be perceived as a mentor or an assessor?