Change has become a constant in the English school education system. A major driver has, and for the moment continues to be, the Government’s on-going strategy for a school-led self-improving system which incorporates a number of new, and relatively new, organisational structures and influential roles. In no particular order these include the office of Regional Schools Commissioners, the growth of Teaching Schools, the increase and variation in Multi Academy Trusts (MATS) and the local creation of other new models of school-based groups such as Schools’ Companies .
Significant parallel systems changes include the introduction of new approaches to teacher training through School Direct and Early Year Professional Status that have impacted on both University and School-Centred teacher training and the supply of qualified colleagues into the system to counter increased rates of loss.
These changes are contributing to new inter-organisation dynamics where effective partnerships often need developing, resourcing and a level of skills from those involved to make effective, focused and impactful decisions. These structural changes taken with the relative decrease in the capacity of many Local Authorities to continue to take their historical lead in organising strategic, tactical and operational responses to variations in schools’ performance is resulting in increased complexity, particularly with respect to achieving improved outcomes for children and young people.
This diversity is a source of richness in the overall system but also of challenge in managing common and efficient approaches to assessing needs of schools that are causing concern, organising effective strategies and achieving successful and sustainable improvements in the context of staffing, financial and other constraints. It has created a much more diverse environment in which schools:
a) engage with their own improvement agendas,
b) seek or are directed to seek support from other external sources and
c) could, should and do contribute to the improvement of others.
This increased turbulence in the education environment, with its multiplicity of organisational relationships, responsibilities and accountabilities, requires a coherent response to achieve a degree of stability, a response that is informed by the needs and capacities of the local system as well as the boundaries and opportunities afforded by national policies.
The concept of ‘place leadership’ is one approach to this, where local strategies can be designed, developed and, most critically, actually deployed. ‘Local ‘ may be defined at different geographical scales depending on the circumstances of the area but in all cases this needs to be a process that can bring together local stakeholders, draw on the complete set of available contributions so that they can make and mobilise the ideas, resources and commitment that they can bring . This in effect is the creation of a new ‘third tier ‘ that has been built and put into action by the organisations in the area, for the area, i.e. those whose work will be most directly affected by its success.
Success in this also requires a consensus on the issues that need to be addressed before embarking on strategies to bring positive impact. Education has a major advantage in this respect in that there is an almost universal consensus that improving the life chances of children and young people is a common goal of schools, MATs, local education authorities, colleges, universities and employers who engage with them to bridge education to the world of work.
The schools, MATs, SCITTS, School Direct lead schools, colleges, universities and local authorities in the Sheffield City Region are working towards this ambition of ‘place leadership’ through a new initiative “Partnership for Attainment” and hope to bring about change through a new form of partnership and collaboration.
Sean Cavan
Head of Business Engagement
Sheffield Institute of Education
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