CATHOLICLINKS LEADERSHIP

FORMATION, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT MATRIX


CATHOLICLINKS

CATHOLICLINKSLEADERSHIP FORMATIONAND DEVELOPMENT MATRIX

INTRODUCTION

This CatholicLinksLeadership Formation and Development Matrix is intended to support schools, academies, headteachers, principals, governing bodies and boards of directors, as well as senior leaders and aspiring leaders, and dioceses, in matters such as:

  • identifying areas for leadership formation and development at a personal, school[1] or diocesan level;
  • planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, reviewing leadership formation, training and development opportunities at a personal, school, alliance or diocesan level;
  • building progression and continuity into leadership programme design and development at school, local, alliance or diocesan level.

FRAMEWORK

The CatholicLinks Leadership Formation and Development Matrix is set within a conceptual framework that supports authentic leadership formation for Catholic leaders as human persons, professionals and effective learners in an integrated manner. The focus is on the formation of Catholic leaders, not simply training for leaders in Catholic schools. The latter may or may not be Catholic; the former cannot separate their Catholic character from being a leader, its gives them a distinctive identity rooted in faith.

Authentic Catholic leaders have a particular world-view which determines why they do, what they do, in the way they do it. The roots of their professional work are to be found in the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. The fruits of their leadership are to be found in the expressions of love of God and love of neighbour in their actions as leader, integrating who they are as person, professional and learner. Their effectiveness is understood in humility as a consequence of responding to God’s plan for them, a call to serve using the gifts and talents he has given them to fulfil Christ’s command that we love God and our neighbour as ourselves.

Catholic leaders are persons of faith, giving witness to their beliefs in their professional life, nurtured by prayer and reflection, nourished by the sacraments, with a deep understanding of the work of teaching, constantly discerning their vocation to serve the mission of the Church and the common good. Their work of leading a school requires them to integrate faith, culture and life in a completely holistic manner.

Catholic leaders benefit from understanding: the history of Catholic education; why Catholic education is distinctive; the characteristics of Catholic school and academies, their Catholic mission, vision and ethos, with Gospel values underpinning the Catholic educational enterprise and nurturing Christian virtues.

Catholic leaders need to know and understand: the virtues, qualities and behaviours needed to lead effectively; the place of Catholic schools and academies in the national system; the relationship between Church and State as providers of education; the professional standards for teachers and leaders; and the obligation to work towards outstanding as understood in the secular world and in accordance with Canon Law.

FORMATION

In nurturing Catholic leaders the emphasis is on formation. There is a proper place for training leaders to do certain things and there is a proper place for providing leaders with opportunities for development, but first there needs to be a proper understanding of formation. In essence, training is largely about learning skills and may involve instructing; development is largely about practising skills and involves providing the circumstances for practice; both aspects of training and development are important.

But most important is an understanding of formation for Catholic leadership, which focuses holistically on the human person. Formation refers to the forming of the whole person to take up and carry on the mission of Christ in the world, addressing his or her spiritual, personal, professional and learning needs as a Catholic leaderwho supports the teaching ministry of the Church. It is a transformational process, a process of continuous change. Formation encapsulates the concept that a Catholic leader’s character is shaped, individually and in community, by a relationship with Christ, through the power of his Spirit, to become the human person God created him or her to be, reflecting God’s image and likeness. A Catholic leader has a privileged calling to be part of God’s plan to build up his kingdom on earth – a transformed world. A Catholic leader’s work is to foster in children and young people their growth as good human persons who love God and their neighbour and thus fulfil their destiny of becoming holy, becoming saints.

Formation for leadership brings into harmony the personal, spiritual, professional and cultural worlds in which Catholic leaders live and work. Formation enables leaders to explore what it means to part of the Church, how to live by Gospel values and how to work so that all members of the school experience the fullness of life. The formation of a Catholic leader is embedded in: the way, the truth and the life of Christ; in the values of the Gospel; in community and in professional practice. Catholic leadership involves discerning the will of God, knowing what is good, what God wants, what is the best thing to do. Catholic leadership involves thinking and reflecting in an integrated manner as person, professional and learner on:certain core questions; how to answer them in the practice of leadership; and the transformation required as both person and professional in order to be become the leader needed by the community and its children.

CORE QUESTIONS

•Who am I as a human person, a professional and a learner?

How does being a Catholic determine my identity?

What is my educative mission supporting the teaching ministry of the Church?

•What do I think and believe as a person and a professional?

What is my vision of and for children and young people as children of God with gifts and talents and an eternal destiny?

Do I have a vocation to exercise leadership and possibly lead a school or academy?

•How might I behave as a person and a professional?

How should I conduct myself as teacher and leader in accordance with the values of the Gospel?

What virtues, qualities and behaviours do I need to nurture to strengthen my character?

•What might I do as a person and a professional?

What actions can I take that will transform the ethos and cultural norms of the school and enable children or young people to develop their potential as human persons, neighbours and citizens in the way of Christ?

•How might I lead the community as a person and a professional?

How do build community as part of the Church, the Body of Christ, integrating faith, culture and life, and lead witness to the presence of God, the authentic daily living of the values of the Gospel and the moral and social teachings of the Church?

•How might I be accountable as a person, a professional and a leader?

To whom do I give an account of myself and how?

How do I understand the relationship between the freedoms and responsibilities I have and the moral and contractual nature of accountability?

SOURCES

TheCatholicLinks Leadership Formationand Development Matrix is underpinned by:

  • The publications from the Vatican, including from the Congregation for Catholic Education:
  • Catechism of the Catholic Church;
  • Code of Canon Law;
  • Gravissimum Educationis, Declaration of Vatican 11 on Catholic Education, 1965;
  • The Catholic School, 1977;
  • Catechesi Tradendae, Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul 11, 1979;
  • Lay Catholics in Schools: Witnesses to Faith, 1982;
  • The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School, 1988;
  • The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium, 1997.
  • The Common Good, 1997.
  • Christ at the Centre, Mgr Marcus Stock, STL MA.
  • Publications from Catholic organisations such as HeythropCollege.
  • Work by Catholic academics such as John Sullivan, Gerald Grace, etc.

Other sources of information on leadership in general include:

  • The National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers (DfE) ;
  • The Teachers’ Standards (DfE);
  • The National College Leadership Characteristics (NC);
  • The National College “A framework for excellence in the leadership of church schools and academies: qualities and behaviours”;
  • The work of John West-Burnham;Jim Collins;Michael Fullan;Mark Hadfield; Daniel Goleman and others.

CONTEXT

The CatholicLinks Leadership Formationand Development Matrix is not meant to replace other leadership frameworks or schedules. The Matrix is meant to reflect the particular aspects of leadership that can be understood as distinctive to leading a Catholic school.

STAGES

The CatholicLinks Leadership Formation and Development Matrix covers 7 Stages of leadership formation and development, which can be aligned with the National College Leadership Curriculum Competencies:

STAGES / LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS
  1. Newly Qualified Teacher
/
  • Aspirational towards Level 1 Leadership Characteristics

  1. Recently Qualified / Established Teacher
/
  • Working towards Level 1 Leadership Characteristics
Moving CatholicLinks Programme
  1. Middle Leader (key stage, subject or curriculum leader; pastoral leader; head of department; etc.)
/
  • Level 1 Leadership Characteristics
Moving On CatholicLinks Programme
  1. Senior Leader (experienced middle leaders; assistant or deputy headteacher / assistant or vice principal; SENCO; other senior staff)
/
  • Level 2 Leadership Characteristics
Moving Forwards CatholicLinks Programme
  1. Aspiring Headteachers / Principals (trainee headteachers / principals ready for leading a school or academy)
/
  • Level 3 Leadership Characteristics
Moving Forwards CatholicLinks Programme
Moving Up CatholicLinks Programme
  1. Headteacher / Principal
/
  • Level 4 Leadership Characteristics
Moving Together CatholicLinks Programme
  1. Executive Headteacher / Principal of more than one academy / Executive Principal
/
  • Level 5 Leadership Characteristics
Bespoke CatholicLinks Programmes

The Stages have key elements running through them, i.e. reference to the human person, character, witness, vocation, leadership and pupils/students, which are core to leadership in a Catholic school.

STAGE 1 - NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER

Leadership Development Stage
NQT / Personal and Spiritual Formation and Growth
Character formation, personal and professional qualities and behaviours / Professional and Leadership Formation and Growth
Professional knowledge and understanding / Effective Learning and Development
Professional characteristics
  • Aspirational towards Level 1 Leadership Characteristics
/
  • Explore and reflect on beinga human person who is a practising Catholic with opportunities foryour personal and spiritual formationand growth, through prayer, the Sacred Scriptures, liturgy and the sacraments.
•Explore and reflect on the contribution of virtues to the formation and development of your character.
  • Explore and reflecton being a teacher in a Catholic schooland in that role, through your faith, how you witness to the presence of God through the authentic daily living of the values of the Gospel and the moral and social teaching of the Church, which flow from those values.
  • Explore and reflect on being an entrant to the teaching profession and the concept of vocationas being called to use your God-given gifts and talents in the service of others.
  • Have high aspiration for and expectations of yourpupils / students ensuring they can achieve their potential as children of God.
/ As an newly qualified teacher you know and understand the following and apply the learning to your professional practice and conduct:
  • The basic requirements of youin terms of professional duties and behaviours of a teacher contracted in a Catholic school or Catholic academy.
  • What is meant by a ‘Catholic world-view’ of education.
  • The mission and purposes of a Catholic school and the most fundamental characteristics that make a Catholic schooldistinctive.
  • What is meant by the concepts of vocation and witness in the setting of a Catholic school or academy.
  • How the formation, education, well-being and progress of children are affected by a range of spiritual, moral, social and cultural influences in the context of a Catholic school ethos.
/ Aspirational towards Level 1 Leadership Characteristics
See Appendix B

STAGE 2 -ESTABLISHED TEACHER

Leadership Development Stage
Recently Qualified / Established Teacher / Personaland Spiritual Formation and Growth
Character formation, personal and professional qualities and behaviours / Professional and Leadership Formation and Growth
Professional Knowledge and Understanding / Effective Learning and Development
Professional characteristics
•Working towards Level 1 Leadership Characteristics /
  • Explore and reflect on being a human person who is a practising Catholic and an established teacher, committed to your own spiritual formation and growth, and exercising the ministry of a teacher in a Catholic school.
  • Explore and reflect on how as you grow in virtue and develop effectiveness as a teacher: yourcapacity to influenceothersmay develop and deepen;you discern how scripture and the Church’s teachingapply to particular situations; you give strong witness to the presence of God through the authentic daily living of the values of the Gospel and the moral and social teaching of the Church, which flow from those values.
  • Explore and reflect on the difference between pursuing a career and a vocation.
  • Explore and reflect on how you“impart what [you] know and … live what [you] believe”[2]whilst meeting the Teacher Standards in the best interests of pupils / students.
  • Explore and reflect on the basic differences between leadership and management in the setting of a Catholic school.
/ As an established teacher you know and understand the following and apply the learning to your professional practice and conduct:
  • The statutory framework of the dual system underpinning the provision of Catholic education and how Catholic schools support the mission of the Church and deliver education in partnership with the State.
  • How effective teachers can grow leadership ability as they contribute to translating the distinctive vision of Catholic educationinto reality,in the classroom through the practice of teaching to promote learning.
  • What is meant by modelling witness, offering service and pursuing a vocation in the setting of a Catholic school or academy.
  • The concept of leading beyond the classroom by leading a team within the setting of a Catholic school.
  • Basic understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a governing body ora board of directors in a Catholic school or Catholic academy.
/ Working towards Level 1 Leadership Characteristics
See Appendix B

STAGE 3 - MIDDLE LEADER

Leadership Development Stage
Middle Leader / Personal and Spiritual Formation and Growth
Character formation, personal and professional qualities and behaviours / Professional and Leadership Formation and Growth
Professional knowledge and understanding / Effective Learning and Development
Professional characteristics
•Demonstrating Level 1 Leadership Characteristics
You will be leading a team and may be:
•A key stage, subject or curriculum leader
•A pastoral leader
•A head of department /
  • Explore and reflect on yourself as a humanpersonwho is a practising Catholic and a middle leader, and your acceptance of and commitment to the ministry of a teacher exercising leadership of a teamin a Catholic setting.
  • Explore and reflecton how as you grow in virtue and develop effectiveness as a leader: your capacity to support others improves; you demonstrate a commitment to improve team and individual performance; you give strongwitness to the presence of God through the authentic daily living of the values of the Gospel and the moral and social teaching of the Church, which flow from those values; your character strengthens to deal with the challenges of your role; and you discern what to do in challenging scenarios,integrating your faith with your professional experience.
  • Explore your ongoing reflection on vocation and living out your Catholic, personal and professional identity in a holistic manner.
  • Explore and reflect on how you“impart what [you] know and … live what [you] believe”whilst being accountable forpupil / studentprogress in your middle leader role.
  • Explore the distinctiveness of leadership in a Catholic school by considering the differences between being a leader, a leader in a Catholic school and a Catholic school leader.
  • Explore your potential for securing a senior leadership post in a Catholic setting.
/ As a middle leader you know and understand the following and apply the learning to your professional practice and conduct:
  • The legal statusof Catholic schools in the wider system and how they can work together in ecclesial communion to serve the local Church / Diocese as well as contribute to the common good.
  • How middleleaders help secure the mission of a Catholic school and bring visions to reality by leading and managing teams effectively (driving successful team performance and improved classroom practice) andby accounting for the impact of carrying out their professional duties(ensuring that the quality of teaching and learning meets the highest standards for every child, in every classroom),in harmony with the teachings of Christ and his Church.
  • A secure understanding of how the governing body or the board of directors functions to fulfil its role and responsibilities through delegation and committee working.
  • The relationship between a middle leader, the senior leadership and the governance of a Catholic school or Catholic academy.
/ Level 1Leadership Characteristics
See Appendix B

STAGE 4 - SENIOR LEADER

Leadership Development Stage
Senior Leader / Personal and Spiritual Formation and Growth
Character formation, personal and professional qualities and behaviours / Professional and Leadership Formation and Growth
Professional knowledge and understanding / Effective Learning and Development
Professional characteristics
•Demonstrating Level 2 Leadership Characteristics
You will be leading a team and may be:
•An experienced middle leader
•An assistant or deputy headteacher
•An assistant or vice principal
•SENCO /
  • Explore and reflect on yourself as a human person who is a practising Catholic and a senior leader, and: your role, responsibilities and accountabilityas a senior leader and how you support the work of the headteacher / principal and the governance.
  • Explore and reflect on the virtues and character attributes required of you as an effective senior leader: your capacity to support and challenge others to improve their performance; you ability to discern the moral imperative that determines what action to take; your character strengthens to pursue what is intrinsically good and true.
  • Explore yourvocation with respect to your identity as a Catholic senior leader, in terms of giving strongwitness to the presence of God through the authentic daily living of the values of the Gospel and the moral and social teaching of the Church, which flow from those values, by pursuing your educative mission.
  • Explore and reflect on how you“impart what [you] know and … live what [you] believe” as you increasingly articulate visions of the preferred future for pupils / students as human personsand are held to account for their progress and formation.
  • Explore and reflect on your potential for the key leadership post of headteacher or principal in a Catholic setting.
/ As a senior leader you know and understand the following and apply the learning to your professional practice and conduct:
  • In a Catholic school or academy the nature of: the mission, purposes and characteristics; the underpinning legal framework; the vision and values; governance and accountability; leading change; and establishing a Catholic ethos and cultural norms, and the ability to articulate these concepts to staff, governors, parents and children.
  • The characteristics, qualities and behaviours demanded of a senior leader working in partnership with the headteacher/principal and the governance of a Catholic school/academy to provide individual and collective leadership to create and sustain an outstanding Catholic school.
  • Sound mental models that underpin strategic thinking and planning and leadership practices in order to develop the capacity for sustained improvement.
  • The strategic relationship between the governance, the headteacher/principal and the accountabilities to the Bishop and other external agencies, e.g. DfE / LA, Secretary of State, Ofsted, etc.
/ Level 2 Leadership Characteristics
See Appendix B

STAGE 5 -ASPIRING TO BE A HEADTEACHER / PRINCIPAL