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Leadership for learning: The challenges of leading in a time of change

One Introduction

If all our children, young people and adult learners are to develop and use their potential to the fullest extent, and contribute to a world-class economy, providers of education, training and related services must work together.

What approach have we taken to this report?

This report affirms that high quality leadership is essential in promoting excellent, effective learning across all sectors of Scottish education. It adopts a cross-sectoral approach which asserts that the principles of effective leadership are common to all sectors although the challenges and methods of approach may well vary depending on context. The report builds on the findings set out in Improving Scottish Education and aims to encourage practitioners and managers to learn more about what is happening in other sectors and to share what is happening in each. It is all too easy to focus on those aspects of good practice that are related to the sector we know and to skip those aspects that relate to other sectors. We do recognise, however, that aspects of college leadership and management are influenced by the sector's own history, its diverse client base and the demands of incorporation. Therefore, the main thrust of the report, which draws together and builds on key messages of earlier Inspectorate work, is of primary relevance to the pre-school, school and community learning and development (CLD) sectors of Scottish education.

Partnership is crucial if Scotland's people are to achieve their aspirations.

Partnership is crucial if Scotland's people are to achieve their aspirations. Quite simply, if all our children, young people and adult learners are to develop and use their potential to the fullest extent, and contribute to a world-class economy, providers of education, training and related services must work together. Effective liaison and collaboration are taking place at points of transition. Innovative practices include: family learning teams and early years staff easing the transition from pre-school to P1; youth workers, outdoor education staff and voluntary agencies working alongside school staff to ease the transition from P7 to S1; and vocational programmes for learners to ease the transition from school to the workplace or from unemployment back into work.

This report draws heavily on a generic framework for self-evaluation, inspection and review capable of application across sectors. The framework includes a suite of four quality indicators (QIs) for leadership which have already been contextualised in education authorities¹, the CLD sector², children’s services³ and increasingly by other inspectorates and agencies. It has informed the revision of our inspection model for schools. We believe that further exemplification provided in this report will help those working in all sectors of Scottish education to look more closely at leaders and leadership within their own context. The indicators have informed the structure of this report and the exemplification of ideas relating to leadership and its development.

What are we trying to do through this report?

The main objectives of this report are to:

• provoke discussion about the changes necessary to meet the leadership challenges facing Scottish education;
• identify key issues in leadership and management which are common across sectors and some which are more sector specific;
• identify and disseminate features of good practice and capture people’s imagination to think about what would really make a difference; and
• encourage all those with a stake or an interest in education to consider their contributions to leadership and how these contributions may be facilitated and extended.

Each section sets out key messages which are followed by discursive additional commentary. Each key message could be used for discussion and we would encourage the use of them in this way as the basis for further professional discussion and debate.

We recognise that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to leadership will not work because of the very different contexts that exist within Scottish education for professional and ancillary staff and for users of educational services and facilities. This is why the report aims to deal with ideas deriving from both inspection and the literature, and provides examples of best practice across sectors. It challenges readers to set up discussion groups to deal with aspects of the report and to translate the ideas into challenges for staff in their particular contexts. Examples of self-evaluation exercises and activities which have been developed in this way are included on the HMIE website. Our aim is to produce a report which becomes a working document for staff in educational establishments and services.

What kind of structure have we used in the report?

The diagram overleaf illustrates the four capacities for education, the growth points for leadership set out in the Improving Scottish Education, The Journey to Excellence reports and the suite of leadership QIs being used in HMIE self-evaluation guides. As with any diagram or model, it can be used flexibly, either as a quick point of reference or as a tool for individuals and groups to think more about leadership ideas. It is possible to generate any number of questions that arise from working either from the inside-out or from the outside-in. For example, ‘What are my strengths as a contributor and where do I make a real difference in my area of work? What is my role in contributing to and promoting our vision, values and aims?’.

Subsequent sections set out to develop key ideas underpinning the four leadership QIs in particular, and to alert readers to possible future lines of enquiry within their particular context.

Each section of this report sets out a different aspect of leadership

Section 2, Leaders Matter, provides an overview of some of the key ideas related to leadership and to the thinking behind the QIs. Sections 3 through to 6 then develop each of the QIs and related themes in greater detail are designed to allow the reader to focus in more depth on:

• n vision, values and aims (Section 3)
• n leadership & direction (Section 4)
• n People and partnership (Section 5)
• n change and improvement (Section 6)

Section 7 highlights the importance of developing pathways for leaders and sets out some of the key priorities for each sector to further consider.

Readers may find it most useful to read Section 2 then choose one of the other sections to look in more detail at a particular aspect of leadership using it for discussion and debate.

Below is a summary of the key messages in the report to help readers locate the areas of the report they wish to focus on.

Summary of Key Messages

Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference (Section 2)

• Effective leaders help everyone make an impact on the quality of learning, teaching and achievement.
• There is no one leadership style and no one way to be successful.
• Leaders are not just at the top of an organisation. The most effective organisations have strong leaders at every level.
• A culture of student leadership is focused on releasing the talents and energies of the leaders of the future.
• Accountability is ultimately tied to the person who leads the organisation but every member of staff is accountable for the quality of their day-to-day work and allocated responsibilities.

Vision, values and aims: sharing a common purpose (Section 3)

• Leaders have a clear vision of where they want to go, and give people the self-confidence that they can make a difference and will be recognised for this.
• To be effective visions, values and aims are best developed through the active participation of stakeholders.
• Leaders show through day-to-day activities what is really important in the life of the establishment.
• An establishment’s culture can either work for or against improvement and reform.

Leadership and direction: focusing on what’s important (Section 4)

• Strategic planning sets out the future direction of the establishment or service.
• Leadership for learning means putting learning and learners at the centre of the agenda.
• Effective leaders have a firm grasp of budgetary planning and target resources, including staff resources, to identified priorities.
• Effective leaders and effective establishments promote and support innovation and change, whilst evaluating and managing risks.

Developing people and partnerships: building leadership capacity (Section 5)

• The most important resource in any establishment or service is its people.
• Leaders create an empowering culture in which staff feel able to argue, propose, question and challenge.
• Leaders recognise the benefits of teamworking and the development of teamworking skills. They sometimes need to be in the chorus rather than out front.
• The most effective establishments/services initiate networks and partnerships that bring significant benefits to learners.

Leadership of change and improvement: achieving results (Section 6)

• Change is complex but often small, cumulative technical changes can have a profound effect on the culture of an establishment.
• Challenge and support need to be finely balanced in promoting change.
• Change is best evaluated against impact and outcomes.
• Learners need to be fully involved in self-evaluation and continuous improvement.

Pathways for leaders (Section 7)

• Leadership cannot be left to chance - leaders need to learn how to lead.
• Professional development can be specifically geared to developing the leadership and management capacity of staff.

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