Leadership Learning

Section 2: Facilitation of the network

We are already part way to creating a culture, which does encourage professional change and a willingness to try new ideas and in some cases to take risks. For example the introduction of Success for All (SFA) and the Accelerated Learning Project (ALP) into some of our schools. More work needs to be done to make this a sustainable culture within the NLC.

The schools are developing a shared value system that encompasses the idea of working with outside agencies and other schools in a collaborative way and the concept of differentiated need is also being developed. This is important for the project, as schools have different starting places and therefore need different levels of support and intervention. Some schools may be able to offer more to the partnership initially than others. It is important that schools are treated equally and see themselves as equal partners in the programme if there is to be a true collaboration within the community.

The mechanisms and programmed meetings designed to allow all partners an equal voice will facilitate the speedy dissemination and sharing of ideas both within individual schools and across all of the schools within the partnership. All teachers will have access to information and will be given, through their facilitators, a voice, in the way the programmes develop. This will also give rise to capacity building for leadership, other than through the traditional management routes.

It is important to have a speedy sharing of evidence regarding the success or otherwise, of the implementation of the programme. Once again the mechanisms are in place to allow all participants to know and understand what is happening and how it applies to their own classroom practice. Co-leaders and the EAZ facilitators will be able to ensure that data and observations collection by the schools in classrooms can be collated, analysed and fed back to classroom teachers as quickly as possible without placing an undue burden on the schools themselves. Similarly this data and evaluation can be made available to a wider audience within the LEA, EiC partnership and other interested parties.

The type of data collected will not cause schools any great inconvenience as data on pupil attainment is already well documented and other success criteria, attendance, behaviour, pupil engagement, interaction etc is either readily available or of a more qualitative nature and can be collected relatively easily.

EAZ facilitators and co-leaders are in a position to visit schools and make observations of the work done in classrooms on a regular basis. Discussions with children and observation of pupil engagement, interaction and changes in speaking and listening habits will all be a part of the analysis of the programme.

Links are already well established between the LEA, EiC, the EAZ, the University of Hull and a number of other strategic partners within the region. The co-leaders are in a good position to be able to co-ordinate policy decision within the area and where possible feed into the decision making process.

Facilitating the network - the practicalities

The facilitation of the Bransholme Networked Learning Community is focussed on three key objectives;

• The need to keep all partners informed and involved
• To facilitate the learning opportunities
• To ensure that the three initiatives that make up the Co-operative Learning Programme are implemented and that a common pedagogy is in place throughout the NLC. (These are the Accelerated Learning programme being introduced into both High schools, Success for All which is being introduced into 7 Primary schools and the Co-operative Learning programme which is being introduced into 6 Primary schools)

The roles of the key facilitators are as follows;

The Critical Friend Dr David Waugh of the University of Hull evaluates the progress of the network and encourages the two way process of outlining new learning opportunities and taking back requests to the University for learning support and development. This creates new capacity for learning at and for the University. ( A example of this has already occurred-The Co-operative Learning programme which was developed by the Bransholme NLC has been jointly taught by University Tutors and NLC teachers to 81 PGCE trainee teachers. Co-operative Learning is now part of the Teacher training programme)

The two Co-leaders Jack Harrison and Eric Tweedale are head teachers. They are both able extended professionals who have significant experience in developing within school and school to school learning. They act as a direct link between the National College and the Network re learning and development opportunities. They lead the NLC Steering group and regularly meet with partners to develop and evaluate initiatives.

Each school participating has appointed a teacher to act as a facilitator for them. Training has been provided for them and non-contact varying from 1 day a week to 2.5 days a week has been provided. The purpose of the in school facilitator is to encourage in school learning re sharing of good practice, modelling and enquiry and school to school learning by working as a member of a network facilitation group. Their work is currently focussed on the introduction and development of Co-operative learning but the model of working is transferable to other initiatives.

The head teacher of each school is a member of similar groups who again focus on in school and school to school learning.

The Education Action Zone provides two experienced facilitators to work with these groups. Pat Sidwell is an NPQH trainer and ex Head and LEA advisor. Chris Holland is an experienced trainer who has published and introduced into schools, programmes on Accelerated Learning and Co-operative Learning.

Pat works with the Primary groups and Chris primarily with the Secondary. This facilitation is critical to the success of our NLC

(The EAZ will be Transforming into a EiC Zone in January 2004. The NLC will then buy this service if it not available as part of the EAZ programme.)

The NLC Steering group who manage the Network and promote learning opportunities is made up of one of the EAZ facilitators, the two co-leaders, the critical friend, one secondary head teacher and a teacher facilitator.

The EAZ Director takes responsibility for encouraging the development of NLC’s within the Hull area and the development of network to network learning within the area and nationally.