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Making the Case for Ethos: Reflections

of the CS Editor as she retires!

  • How SSEN Case Studies Schools are selected
  • A personal perspective on some of the worrying challenges to a positive ethos
  • What did the 'super ethos' schools have in common?
  • Looking at Resilience Theory
  • Celebrating resilient schools with a positive ethos in countries at very serious disadvantage
  • Thank yous!


Selecting schools for SSEN Case Studies

  • What we were seeking: to share and generate constructive ideas in schools to help them towards a positive ethos (and perhaps to avoid some pitfalls)
  • Not perfection . . . or even completely good -
    but definitely positive progress worth sharing !
  • Early years of SSEN: Exemplars of evaluation of ethos
  • Later (post formal introduction of HGIOS QIs in ethos, and, in 2002, QIs in Equity and Inclusion) for general Case Studies: exemplification of schools working on ethos in general but also on particular themes/aspects of ethos and national developments, and
  • Also later, for Vision & Action Case Studies: exemplification of schools that used well-developed ethos to overcome unexpected demands or crises
    Making contact:
  • self-referral, recommendations from EA Officers, HMIs, colleagues and students from Edinburgh and other HE establishments.


A personal perspective on some worrying challenges to a positive ethos (attainments, achievements and inclusion for all)

  • Staff room (and occasionally classroom) talk that lacks respect for pupils and/or parents
  • Occasional failure to nurture probationer teachers
  • Curricular non-inclusion of students with significant learning difficulties
  • Failure to enable social inclusion of potentially marginalised / vulnerable children with peers – nurturing friendships
  • Head Teachers’ CPD - is there enough about ASL?

What did the most notably positive


Case Studies schools have in common?

They:

  • were immensely mutually supportive and collaborative among all members and levels of the school community
  • were very holistic in their views of children and young people, their development and achievements and in their views of school effectiveness
  • had clear leadership yet were quite egalitarian and very respectful towards all members of the school community - leadership styles were very diverse
  • responded as though problems were there to be solved by the school itself but recognised their fallibility, limits and when to seek external help
  • were flexible, creative, listening, had stamina . . . .

They were NCSs in all but name even before NCSs were created officially

They were resilient schools that fostered resilience in their pupils/students

Resilience theory


Resilience - 'the capacity to transcend adversity'

Factors that affect resilience

  • In-born aspects of child
  • Love and *support (or lack of it) from family/carers (including one long-term committed loving person)
  • *Support available (or not) within the child's 'community/ies' – peers and adults (including a consistently supportive 'listener')
  • Experience (successful or unsuccessful) of facing challenge

*Nature of ‘support’: (Schools are a very important part of a child’s community/ies)

Having his/her interests, abilities, efforts, pro-social values & relationships, achievements and attainments nurtured, recognised and valued

Having her/his concerns, fears and other negative emotions listened to, discussed and addressed

When some / all of the above are positive, then a child may develop:

  • A sense of belonging and security
  • A sense of worth (positive self-esteem) and competence (self-efficacy)
  • A sense of mastery and control, and a realistic understanding of his/her strengths and limitations

Clarke, A. and Clarke, A. (2003) Human Resilience: A Fifty Year Quest. London: Jessica Kingsley Publications.

Daniel, B. and Wassell, S. (2002) Assessing and Promoting Resilience in Vulnerable Children: 3 books: i)The Early Years ii) The School Years and iii) Adolescence. London: Jessica Kingsley.

Celebrating resilient

schools with a positive ethos 'elsewhere'

  • Shopokov High School, Kyrgyzstan
  • Prrenyas Elementary School, Albania
  • Prva Gymnasia, Sarajevo, Bosnia

Thank you!

  • All: for coming and participating and for generating lots of positive ethos here and especially in your own schools
  • SSEN teams past and present and ABN ditto: for sharing hard work and fun and for being wonderful colleagues
  • Gina:
    for being the ‘chivvier-in-chief’ who ensures that things get done on time in SSEN and especially for designing and producing the Case Studies with endless goodwill and creativity
  • Pamela
    For being a very supportive and clear-sighted Director and for still finding time to be active in SSEN despite her very many other duties

Alison Closs Scottish Schools Ethos NetworkSeptember 2004