SUCCESSION PLANNING AND TALENT MANAGEMENT. November 2014

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1 TEACHING SCHOOL ALLIANCE SUCCESSION PLANNING AND TALENT MANAGEMENT November 2014 Kyra Teaching School Alliance, Mount Street, Lincoln, LN1 3JG kyrateachingschool.com

2 Acknowledgements Kyra would like to thank all those colleagues working in schools across Lincolnshire who participated in this research and provided us the evidence and constructive feedback which, we are sure, will further enhance leadership development in more schools. Executive summary Given the growing importance both of school leadership and the number of small rural primary schools in England, the issue of succession planning and talent management in such schools is clearly of great importance. As we demonstrate in this report, collaboration and partnership are at the core of ensuring relevant and practical leadership development opportunities for staff in these schools. Kyra s succession planning and talent management (SPTM) matrix, although in its relative infancy and having been piloted by only a small number of schools, has demonstrated its value in providing a framework for the discussion of an individual s leadership journey and the tasks they should undertake along the way. The matrix has also encouraged those headteachers using it to collaborate with their partner schools in order to provide more varied leadership development activities for their teaching staff; although we also note that this has only really been successful where the partnership was already established. This is probably because we already know that successful partnership and collaboration require the twin elements of trust and reciprocity; and that these take time to become established. The link to a teaching school and the wider professional development opportunities this entails has also played a role in providing impetus and further development opportunities for leaders and potential leaders although geographical challenges remain. Discussions with the Kyra headteachers have highlighted the need for them to be able to play a key role in adapting, where necessary, the leadership tasks set out in the SPTM matrix to ensure they reflect context; and to have the skill to underpin these tasks with discussion on the pedagogy and leadership skills and behaviours needed to accomplish them. In future, new or less experienced headteachers within the Kyra teaching school alliance could access support from the matrix mentors that we recommend in this report. We recommend, that in addition to the matrix mentors, Kyra runs a CPD event for its alliance schools early in the spring term (2015), both to introduce the wider alliance to the SPTM matrix (as a helpful but non-mandatory tool) and to provide some training for headteachers and teaching staff in its use. Our findings, including the fact that several of the headteachers have chosen to keep using the matrix beyond the pilot phase, suggest that having a more structured approach to leadership development has the potential to be a valuable tool in the succession planning activity of small rural primary schools.

3 Key findings On the whole, headteachers interviewed are positive about the matrix developed by Kyra and recognise that it is a valuable focal point for performance management conversations importantly as one head put it, it helps people to recognise that We are all leaders, just at different levels. The SPTM matrix is just one element of a headteacher s wider commitment to spotting, encouraging and developing leadership talent. Its successful application also depends on headteachers in rural schools taking the initiative and grasping the opportunities offered by the self-improving system. This includes developing partnerships where appropriate and collaborating with others (including local schools and teaching schools) to provide the necessary development opportunities. The existence of established collaborative partnerships, or even layers of partnerships, are seen as being central to the whole process with some headteachers suggesting that the SPTM process and the matrix would not work for small schools working in isolation. Achieving a culture of trust and reciprocity between schools is essential. It is clear that some of the schools taking part in this project have a history of effective talent management and succession planning. In fact some of the other schools taking part in the project are now led by people who have benefited from the foresight and supportive leadership of these schools. This innovative streak in some of the schools no doubt influenced the decision to take part in this project and is something to be aware of when considering the evidence gathered. The SPTM matrix is a significant enabler in supporting teachers to take control of their own professional development, and has successfully been used as a means to focus career paths not just for those who are seeking leadership. This raises the issue as to whether the matrix is just about leadership capabilities or whether it could be expanded to develop other capabilities. Leadership development and talent management have significant cost implications in any organisation they are perhaps heightened in small rural schools the costs are not just about cover costs but potentially there are also costs in terms of children s learning outcomes. Headteachers need certainty that development activities which take staff away from the classroom will bring real benefits to the school as well as individuals. There is optimism that the matrix will help ensure that development activities are focused and will lead to real improvements. However, the issue of return on investment is a significant one in schools with limited budgets and it is important that talent management and succession planning activities can be evaluated for their impact on school and pupil performance. The Kyra teaching school alliance has recently undertaken an impact and needs survey which could be adopted by associated rural school partnerships in order to monitor impact of development activities and anticipate future needs and trends. Staff survey returns were very low. Those received generated useful data, however

4 an alternative approach to gathering staff views on the SPTM matrix/process would be required if analysing impact and need in future. In the meantime, at the end of this specific project, telephone interviews were conducted with a small number of the teachers who had used the SPTM matrix during their performance management and professional development discussions. If further information or evaluation is required in future, it may be that focus groups of staff based around the schools collaborative partnerships, and held after school - would be the most effective approach. In terms of the future development of the matrix, there is demand from heads for further guidance: for agenda setting in performance management/ professional development conversations; on how to adapt and refine the matrix for individual schools and partnerships. This could be achieved both by sharing the key findings of this research and by Kyra establishing matrix mentors - headteachers who have successfully applied the matrix within their own settings; on how to prevent the matrix becoming something that gets put in a file and popped on a shelf keeping it a living document. This may be achieved by Kyra schools adopting the matrix and ensuring Kyra s leadership development provision is more explicitly linked to the matrix levels; on what level of capability determines whether a task has been completed successfully or not. This may be a key feature of further development of the matrix resources led by schools and facilitated by Kyra; and on potentially linking the matrix more explicitly to teacher standards.

5 1: Introduction Changes in our school system introduced by the coalition government, especially those related to performance related pay and increased autonomy for schools, mean that headteachers, governors, academy chain sponsors, local authorities and individual academies are increasingly interested in how they can systematically plan and monitor the development of leadership capabilities within their own organisations. Changes to the inspection regime in England have also placed an even greater emphasis on leadership and the role it plays in improving outcomes in schools. The fragmentation of the school system in England has also led to re-evaluations of theories and models of school improvement, with increasing interest being placed on the self-improving school, including the work of teaching school alliances and other collaborative approaches to professional development. Increasingly leadership is viewed as a key element of success in all walks of life and an enormous amount is written about definitions of what leadership is and how to develop it. Much is also written about who leaders are and how leaders can be anyone within an organisation. In schools, we have head teachers, executive headteachers, deputy headteachers and assistant headteachers, subject leaders, year leaders and inclusion leaders. Class teachers are also leaders in their own environment and we also talk of developing leadership skills in children through group learning and other extra-curricular activities. Indeed, the need for leaders at all levels is at the top of the 12 critical issues identified in Deloitte s Global Human Capital Trends 2014 survey1. Less is written, however, on what this actually means in practice or about the tools that can actually help organisations plan and monitor the development of leadership skills as part of a coordinated approach to performance management and professional development. Leadership in small rural primary schools is a pressing issue in many regions across England, not just schools in Lincolnshire. Indeed, the challenges of recruiting headteachers to such schools is widely recognised across the system, in particular because school leaders often have their own families to consider and may be reluctant to uproot them in order to take on this type of leadership position. As such, growing their own leaders may become the core approach for small rural primary schools. Given the scale of the issue, it is imperative that we focus attention on the leadership of small schools, not least because of the number of children it impacts upon. A significant proportion of children are educated in small schools around the globe in many of these the school leader (headteacher or principal) often has a teaching commitment. In Lincolnshire around a third of primary schools have 100 pupils or less and these schools deliver education to around 6000 pupils 2. We have a duty to ensure that the schools in which these children learn (about 10% of primary age children in Lincolnshire) are as well led as other schools. If we are to ensure a pipeline of well prepared and experienced headteachers and school leaders for the future, we cannot afford to limit the career progression of staff within these schools. Indeed, if these schools are to provide a high quality learning experience and be part of the selfimproving school movement they must learn how to develop leadership capabilities in their staff. As leaders in small schools are thought to have more direct influence on the quality of teaching 3 than their colleagues in larger schools it is essential we develop effective tools to support the identification and development of leaders for small rural schools. The establishment and growth of a national network of teaching schools and their associated alliances has been one of the core elements of the government s aim to drive school improvement from within the school system itself. Teaching schools are responsible for leading what has been 1 Deloitte. (2014) Global Human Capital Trends [Online] Available from: pages/human-capital/articles/human-capital-trends-2014.html. [Accessed: 3 December 2013] 2 Lincolnshire Research Observatory. (2014) Based on NOR by school January [Online] Available from: [Accessed: January 2014] 3 Ofsted. (2000) Small schools: how well are they doing? Office for Standards in Education

6 termed the Big 6 of activities which, taken as a whole, are expected to lead to system-wide improvement: school-led initial teacher training continuing professional development supporting other schools identifying and developing leadership potential specialist leaders of education research and development Note that identifying and developing leadership potential is one of these core activities. However, as Hill et al 4 note in their recent report, teaching schools will not by themselves be able to address the improvement needs of all small schools, in particular those in rural areas. But what teaching schools can do is to support existing collaborations and partnerships of small rural schools in their regions and local areas and support these arrangements to grow and develop in a sustainable way. Indeed, this approach is at the very heart of the Kyra teaching school alliance (see: kyrateachingschool.com/collaboration/). Recognising that there is clearly a need to support small rural schools with the identification and development of potential leaders, and that opportunities for structured professional development can be challenging within such schools, the Kyra Succession Planning and Talent Management (SPTM) project was established to respond to this need within the context of rural Lincolnshire. The project worked with eight small rural primary schools, working in two clusters, to explore how the use of a leadership development matrix that had been designed and piloted in larger urban schools, could impact on their own approach to succession planning and talent management. The matrix systematises and focuses performance management conversations on aspects of leadership, with the aim of more clearly identifying where people are currently, their potential for leadership, how they wish to develop professionally, and which leadership tasks and behaviours will enable them to achieve their aims. 2: The SPTM matrix The Kyra teaching school alliance is a group of over thirty schools and educational organisations working together to improve children s lives by building the capacity of schools and leaders for improvement, including through high quality professional development and school-to-school support. The alliance is based in Lincolnshire, with the lead school Mount Street Academy being based in central Lincoln itself. In 2013, Kyra successfully applied for funding to undertake this research into succession planning in rural schools. A number of rural schools are aligned with the Kyra alliance and for reasons already cited earlier in the report - have historically faced key challenges in recruiting and developing high quality school leaders. 4 Hill, R. with Kettlewell, K. and Salt, J. (2014) Partnership working in small rural primary schools: the best of both worlds. CfBT Education Trust [Online] Available from: r-partnership-working [Accessed: 8 October 2014]

7 The intention of the research has been to support already established partnerships of schools in rural Lincolnshire in adopting and applying a successful leadership development tool a leadership development matrix originally developed and implemented by Mount Street Academy (see appendix). The SPTM matrix was designed to be applied within the ever emerging self-improving system in England, defined by Hargreaves 5 as a system in which school improvement and professional development are conjoined in the life and work of a school in relation to its chosen partners. This is because it provides a clear link between an individual s particular stage of development as a leader and the key practical and day to day opportunities available within and across schools which enable them to develop further. The intention from the outset was that this practical, on the job learning approach would be sustainable for the schools involved, both by nature of their already established partnerships (widening opportunities for staff development beyond more than one school) and their access to the CPD and research opportunities provided by the Kyra teaching school alliance itself. The emphasis has been on providing access to practical learning often with the support of more experienced colleagues over a period of time based on the theory of joint-practice development. Joint practice development moves the professional development culture in schools away from simply attending courses and conferences, and towards more school-based, peer-to-peer activities, in which development is fused with routine practice. Professional development becomes a continuous, pervasive process that builds craft knowledge 6. Hargreaves describes Joint Practice Development (JPD) as a central aspect of a self-improving system; where professional development is interactive, focuses on teachers professional practice and where practice is developed and not simply transferred in a passive way. Whilst JPD is not the focus of this project, without such activity, it would be unlikely that small rural primary schools could offer the breadth of experience necessary to develop new leadership talent. The matrix has the potential to support the six steps to successful succession planning described in the National College for School Leadership s (now National College for Teaching and Leadership) Growing Tomorrow s School Leaders, especially if it is combined with a broadening of experiential opportunities arising from collaborative partnerships of small schools.7 3: The research Gutherson Research Ltd were commissioned to explore how using the Kyra SPTM matrix to drive talent management and succession planning impacted on: individuals (staff and headteachers) schools the Kyra network Eight small rural primary schools took part in the programme. They were already working as two separate collaborative clusters although this was a recent development. As well as the two collaborative clusters of schools taking part in the project we set out to collect data from a comparison group of schools that were not part of the project and that operated a different model to succession planning and talent management. Evidence was collected via: 5 Hargreaves, D. (2012) A self-improving school system: towards maturity. National College for School Leadership 6 Ibid 7 See annex 1

8 surveys (pre intervention) face to face and telephone interviews Participants were encouraged to keep reflective diaries. Interviews and survey instruments were designed to take into account personal impact and job impact. The data collection instruments enabled the research to look at: knowledge and skill improvement (in relation to leadership) attitudinal change behaviour change aspirational change impact on others Analysis also took into account participant characteristics, including but not limited to early, mid or end career, stated ambitions, current role and position on pay scale. This report presents findings arising from analysis of initial headteacher interviews, mid-year interviews, staff surveys, and final stage interviews with a sample of headteachers and staff engaged in the project. A rapid evidence review was also conducted to support the evaluation of the project. The key findings from the various data strands have been drawn together and are presented in the following sections of this report. 4: What s already known? A rapid evidence review of key thematic strands was carried out as part of the project. This review was not systematic and is not intended to capture all information. It is intended to provide the reader with an overview of current issues relating to the themes. The key areas explored through the review are: leadership development leadership in small rural schools talent management and succession planning effective CPD 4.1: Leadership development We need to abandon the reliance on external, off-site leadership development programmes and instead see leadership development as a permanent, on the job activity. 8 Models of leadership learning are changing, with strong recognition of the importance of experiential learning opportunities. One model of leadership development, the 3E model provided by the Corporate Leadership Council, suggests that effective leadership programmes are based on a combination of 50% on-the-job experience, 25% relationships with others and 25% education programmes. The table below sets out the kind of tasks that fall into these categories and it also highlights which ones rural schools are readily able to provide. It can be seen that experiential tasks are on the whole well catered for in small rural schools whereas the other two areas are less easily dealt with (note that whilst the opportunities for development through education are potentially available to all, including small rural schools, the reality of budgets and workloads may make attendance at instructor led training or even self-study more problematic). The final column 8 Hay Group. (2007) Rush to the top: Accelerating the development of leaders in schools. p17 [Online} Available from: [Accessed: 3 December 2013]

9 in the table shows where collaborative partnerships across small rural schools may enhance leadership development opportunities. Fig 1: Opportunities for leadership development in small rural schools 3Es model Learning from... 50% on the job experience Opportunities exist in small rural schools Opportunities exist through collaborative partnerships On the job tasks Stretch projects/ opportunities to develop skills Placements/ job rotation 25% through relationships with others Feedback Mentoring & coaching Role models Visibility opportunities/ Networking 25% through education Instructor led courses E-learning Self-study According to research by the Hay Group, 9 common characteristics of organisations that had highly rated succession planning strategies include: attaching a strong, public and symbolic importance to effective leadership having clarity about what effective leadership looks like, and which roles are most critical to organisational success having clarity about which people have the most potential to advance as leaders and ruthlessly prioritising their resources towards the roles and people who will make the most difference having a portfolio of different techniques for leadership development, including extensive onthe-job support, rather than relying on external programmes measuring the impact of development and holding people accountable for developing other leaders and making use of the training they receive 9 Ibid, p6

10 having a commitment to the long term Whilst some of these characteristics are institutional or reflect an organisation s culture, there are some for which the development of a set of tools that clearly establish what leadership is, how it can be developed and how its impact can be measured will undoubtedly be beneficial. The same Hay Group research suggests that the retiring generation of leaders is dramatically stronger in certain characteristics than the generations which will succeed them. 10 The characteristics listed: vision; political awareness; indirect influencing and alliance building; and long term thinking and planning; are all ones which the researchers say come with experience and possibly maturity. A key challenge for schools and rural schools in particular will be finding ways to support or even accelerate the development of maturity. The Hay Group research suggests that there may be certain short cuts to developing this maturity in relatively inexperienced leaders, in order to accelerate their leadership development. It is suggested that the following are the elements of leadership development that aid in this acceleration: Job shadowing opportunities to observe and work closely with more senior leaders. Job rotation opportunities, where people work in unfamiliar functions or contexts. Participation and consultation on cross-school initiatives. Mentoring and coaching to support the interpretation of experience. If we compare these elements to the table in figure 1, there are clearly reasons to be hopeful about the role which small rural schools can play in developing their leaders from within, in particular when those small schools form collaborative partnerships. Indeed, as we shall see in the next section, this research on Kyra s SPTM matrix has demonstrated how partnership and collaboration between small rural primary schools in Lincolnshire can provide valuable leadership development opportunities. 4.2: Leadership in small rural schools If the 3Es model of effective leadership learning expressed above is indeed the most effective then there are clear implications for small rural schools and a definite need to have a more explicit focus on enabling the development of meaningful collaborative activity, staff exchanges and also softer mentoring and networking opportunities. As well as the more managerial aspects of school leadership, and often a teaching commitment, leaders of small schools are also being asked to do things which, as little as 10 or 15 years ago, they may not have been. For example there is considerably more emphasis today on working collaboratively (not least because of budget constraints) and to influence, manage or be involved with a wide range of agencies and external organisations in an educational environment which is increasingly operating in a market-based way. There are also other demands on small schools; and expectations of leaders (and staff) differ from those placed on leaders of larger schools. Recent research on leading new types of school, published by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) 11 talks of the leadership characteristics which contribute to success in small schools. Whilst the research referenced in NCTL s publication refers mainly to small secondary schools, some of the points are relevant to the leadership of small rural primary schools, especially: Know and be known - take advantage of the school s size to foster personal relationships. 10 Ibid, p4 11 NCTL. (2013) Establishing and leading new types of school: challenges and opportunities for leaders and leadership. National College for Teaching and Leadership

11 Nurture professional learning communities so that teachers plan together and critique and improve each other s practice. Distribute leadership intelligently to help meet the demands of the increased workload associated with having a smaller staff. Focus on a tight and clear learning agenda with a small number of measurable outcomes. Be committed to social equity and push all students to achieve. Provide personalised academic and social support by developing strong relationships between students and teachers. Foster deeper and more robust connections between families and the school. Peter Lacey-Hastings, a part time head of a small school in Norfolk provides an excellent summary of how small schools provide excellent leadership experience We can offer them opportunities that deputies at much larger schools would be fortunate to access. For example, experience of running the school, attending budget meetings with the head s notes as a guide, working closely with the head on the SEF and school improvement and development plan, becoming an active governor, leading key areas of school development, learning and experience of site management, shadowing the head in vital tasks and roles. Some of these things a deputy may do, but not all and certainly not to the same depth. 12 However, he also recognises that in many rural schools heads are often younger than your typical headteacher and may still be establishing their own capabilities which raises the question as to whether they are best placed to take on full responsibility for supporting the leadership development of others? Small schools are such that there is often no space for formal senior leadership teams but there are many opportunities for people to develop leadership skills and take responsibility for significant aspects of school life. As discussed later, a number of headteachers initially expressed concern that the Kyra matrix may not fit the reality of life in small schools and also may not fully reflect the complexity of leadership. Rural schools provide considerable opportunities to experience and develop leadership outside of the school. Rural schools may be the focal point for community activity and school leaders may find that they become leaders in the wider community through necessity, possibly as a means to develop an aspirational culture in a community or as a venue for services that help the local community address rural disadvantage. Whilst this adds considerably to the workload of a leader of a small rural school, it does provide development opportunities that may not occur in more urban environments where school may not be the focal point of a community. Preparation of leaders for rural schools is not just an issue for the UK. It is a considerable concern in the US where 10 million children are served by rural schools. Harmon and Schafft 13 note that professional development programmes typically have an unspoken priority of meeting the needs of urban schools and have not been appropriate for rural schools. Their article is concerned with how schools support community development, something which is important but not central to this piece of work, however their work does highlight a key leadership strategy and skill for success cooperation and collaboration without which they believe rural schools and rural communities cannot grow. 12 Benford, M. (2013) Growing Leaders in Small Schools. NASS [Online] Available from: uk/current-campaigns/growing-leaders-in-small-schools. [Accessed: 3 December 2013] 13 Harmon, H. and Schafft, K. (2009) Rural school leadership for collaborative community development. The Rural Educator Vol 30(3), p4-9

12 The concept of leadership is complex and the matrix being tested in this SPTM project is an attempt to bring together a number of different strands of thinking in order to enable existing leaders to have meaningful performance management conversations that are strongly linked to professional development. The SPTM matrix is structured around one axis reflecting the headteacher standards which are tied to contexts in which leadership occurs, and another ability axis that goes from emerging through to enhancing. It might also be possible to label or structure the matrix differently in order to accommodate different career ambitions as well as differing prior, non-school, leadership experiences. One model that might move the tool away from being explicitly linked to the headteacher standards could place experiences on a matrix structured around different types of leadership activities, rather than contexts of leadership, or it might replace the ability axis. The ability of rural leaders to work with the wider community and to collaborate with other schools and organisations is also important and opportunities for staff to practice leadership outside the school are essential if rural communities are to thrive. The moral purpose of school leaders and indeed the coalition government s current policy direction on the self-improving school system are very much predicated on the null hypothesis that every child has an entitlement to receive the best educational experience for them. There is much made of the issue of schools in disadvantaged areas, some of which may include small rural schools, but clearly no child should be disadvantaged as a result of where they live and which school they therefore find themselves attending. Earlier in this report we looked at the issue of ensuring that small rural primary schools are able to access high quality leadership, and this is something that organisations such as the NCTL and Department for Education must continue to consider when developing and supporting new policy initiatives. But we suggest that it is also up to schools in rural communities to take the initiative and grasp the opportunities offered by the self-improving system to form partnerships where appropriate and to collaborate on issues such as talent management and leadership succession, so that all the pupils in their schools can benefit. 4.3: Talent management and succession planning Why is talent management important? Talent management and succession planning has always been important in successful schools but it has recently taken on greater significance for a number of reasons. There is of course the demographic issue, a bulge of headteachers due to retire and concerns surround the willingness and capability of existing teachers to replace them. In the case of small rural schools, there is the added issue of recruiting leaders whose existing family commitments may restrict their capacity to move to a different area. It also tends to be the case that aspirant leaders see their career development in terms of moving to ever larger schools, rather than making a conscious decision to move to a much smaller school, albeit one where their leadership tasks may be more varied and complex. In addition, the shift away from guaranteed annual pay increments for teachers to performance related pay whereby teachers are rewarded for excellence has been argued for, at least in part, because improving expected and actual total take-home pay for talented teachers attracts more and higher calibre applicants into teaching 14 and thus improves teaching and learning in schools and also improves the talent pool of potential future leaders. The Kyra SPTM matrix examined in this project was developed to be used in the context of performance management conversations. Performance related pay has focused attention on how to measure teacher performance (e.g. is it right to measure teacher performance based on pupil attainment?) and some argue that the development of rigorous performance evaluation tools is 14 Robb, M. (2013) Reversing the Widget Effect The introduction of performance-related pay for all teachers in English schools. Policy Exchange

13 the most significant aspect of the teachers pay reforms 15. Robb (2013) suggests that performance related pay should be linked to mechanisms that can help teachers improve. This is significant for the Kyra matrix which seeks to link performance management to longer term career progression, not just short term development needs. Unsurprisingly, Sir Michael Barber, in his analysis of the PISA 2012 results, suggests that systems that are showing improved learning outcomes are investing in teachers, and that recruiting great people into teaching and ensuring they get continuously better throughout their careers is vital. 16 In 2007 the Hay Group 17 found that high performing schools were five times more likely than low performing schools to have a formal process for identifying leadership potential. It is therefore imperative that we take seriously the identification and development of new leaders, not only because the research suggests it has an impact on the learning outcomes of our children but also because there is an impending shortage of school leaders. It is also important to recognise that accelerating people s progression to leadership, where they want it, may be beneficial in a number of ways. If, as the Hay Group suggest, it takes on average 20 years to move from NQT to headteacher there is considerable risk of attrition and drop out. Quicker routes may result in a larger pool of leadership talent as well as a younger group of leaders. Identifying talent and potential was not a systematic process for the headteachers taking part in this project (see 5.1 below) but this was not necessarily seen as an issue. Among headteachers, the traits commonly identified as early warning signs of leadership 18 include: Confidence and credibility. The ability to see the big picture, to make connections and think of the whole school. Mastering the basics of their role quickly and looking for more. Getting involved (doesn t look the other way or walk past incidents). Initiative and self-motivation (the sort of people you can t stop from leading). Intellectual curiosity and capacity (sees the common threads). Resilience and empathy (to survive the pace of acceleration and learn from others). In schools, a great deal of emphasis is often placed on leaders being first and foremost an outstanding classroom practitioner. Whilst there are clearly strong reasons to support this assertion in small schools where the headteacher may have significant teaching commitments, it is interesting to note that neither being the top performer in one s current job, nor expressing great personal ambition and drive are particularly good predictors of long term potential. 19 Developing the capabilities of all Changing personal circumstances, experience and maturity may all deflect someone from their original aspirations and we may feel that this is no bad thing. At most, it warns 15 Ibid 16 Barber, M. (2013) Michael Barber s key lessons from today s Pisa results. [Online] Available from: co.uk/opinion_blog/b/weblog/archive/2013/12/03/michael-barber-39-s-key-lessons-from-today-39-s-pisa-resultsnumber-one-quot-talent-is-a-myth-quot.aspx [Accessed: 3 December 2013] 17 Hay Group. (2007) Rush to the top: Accelerating the development of leaders in schools. p3 [Online} Available from: [Accessed: 3 December 2013] 18 Ibid, p7 19 Ibid, p7

14 us against putting too much weight on one or two protégés or assuming that, once potential is identified, the progress of someone s career is largely fixed. 20 Hay Group warn that not all those who demonstrate potential will go on to realise that potential. There are many reasons for this but there is one which no amount of planning can counter and it is that individuals circumstances and ambitions can change. For this reason it is important to develop talent management systems that support the development of all staff not just those identified as being destined for great things. The Kyra SPTM matrix aims to ensure that a school s performance management processes seek to take this longer view and are designed to provide a focused development conversation for all staff as the schools locate leadership development opportunities in the day-to-day activities of teachers. However, conversations with the headteachers who have participated in this research suggest that they have tended to focus their use of the SPTM matrix on their performance management conversations with teachers who have either expressed an interest in career progression or those whom the headteacher has identified as having leadership potential. This may be because they perceive these individuals as requiring leadership development support as a priority and therefore chose to involve them in their initial use of the matrix. 4.4: Effective CPD There is a growing body of evidence to suggest traditional approaches to CPD are not effective in transferring knowledge and thus do not lead to changes in practice. Going on a course and attempting to implement some of what has been learnt, or cascading what you have learnt to colleagues is unlikely to lead to improved practice. That does not mean that identifying and sharing effective practice is not important, just that we need to find better ways of transferring knowledge. This recognition has led to a model of professional development that is increasingly becoming known as joint practice development, which we discussed earlier. It is characterised by a shift away from one-off training courses and INSET days run in isolation towards an approach that is linked with whole-school improvement, is continuous not occasional, and where everyone is an active participant, fusing learning and development with practice. 21 This is an active approach to learning and sharing based on coproduction of knowledge, rather than passive knowledge transfer, and poses particular challenges for small rural primary schools. According to Farrar (2013), to work, this model requires leaders and teachers to work together to raise standards, to test approaches that lead to improvement through their day-to-day work, and to get constant reference and feedback from others with greater experience and expertise something that is relatively easy in larger schools or even in small schools that are in close proximity in urban areas. For small rural primary schools this is more of a challenge and requires schools to cluster together. In forming clusters they may create wider opportunities such as secondments or job swaps - for staff development but such an approach requires effective leadership in the first place. School leaders need to be open to challenge, willing to share their knowledge and resources beyond their own schools and also be clear about where they need to strengthen practice in their own schools. Also, to be truly collaborative, all schools in the cluster need to feel that they can both learn from the experience and also contribute to the learning of others. There is also evidence to suggest that professional development activity that is driven, at least in part, by the individual not the organisation is more effective. It engenders a greater level of commitment from the participant and new knowledge is utilised more. This builds on the idea 20 Ibid, p11 21 Farrar, M. (2013) Replacing CPD with JPD. SecEd [Online] Available from: replacing-cpd-with-jpd. [Accessed: 3 December 2013]

15 that readiness for development may be as important as somebody displaying the potential for development. leadership development should be specified and directed by those with a stake in the future rather than the past. We should be asking high potentials to at least partly develop their own curriculum. 22 This suggests that whilst some form of scaffolding for leadership development discussions (such as the Kyra SPTM matrix) during the performance management process is likely to be beneficial, its main strength will not necessarily be in the prescription of identified tasks but in encouraging dialogue between leader and teacher (or indeed teacher and teaching assistant) about their potential and the leadership tasks and behaviours that might support their development. 5: Perceptions of the STPM process: analysis of staff surveys and headteacher interviews Data from interviews conducted with headteachers early in the project, at mid-year, and at yearend, were analysed alongside data from teachers who responded to a survey (and follow up interviews with some teachers after year-end). This resulted in the identification of some key themes discussed in the sections that follow. 5.1: Talent identification and progression routes When asked how they previously identified leadership potential, headteachers talked of how they had no systematic approach, often basing their actions on their own people skills or just knowing that people had the potential to move to school leadership. Where specific traits or attitudes were mentioned they strongly reflect those reported by the Hay Group e.g. getting involved, willingness to go beyond, confidence. These are very important skills and show high levels of interpersonal skill and emotional intelligence from the headteachers involved in this project. It does, however, indicate a need to provide tools that enable leaders to articulate and evidence why someone has the potential for leadership. Such tools do not replace observation and conversation, nor do they remove the need for leaders to understand the motivations of those they lead. Instead, the headteachers involved in this project recognise that the SPTM matrix has the potential to provide structure and coherence to their thought process, providing a means of recording and evidencing where people are currently in terms of their development and can therefore provide confirmation that gut feelings may be accurate. Whilst most headteachers look for outstanding classroom practice in those they identify are potential future school leaders indeed the term head teacher implies this requirement one of the headteachers involved in this research stated that they were probably not consistently outstanding when they were a classroom teacher. This begs the question as to whether being an outstanding classroom practitioner should be a prerequisite for school leadership. In reflecting the wider requirements of the headteacher standards (in addition to leading learning and teaching ) the Kyra SPTM matrix aims to support staff to consider their leadership behaviours in a wide range of contexts and therefore to identify those with the key skills the headteachers noted above as being important. It is important to briefly consider teacher perceptions of the potential progression routes that are open to them. The number of survey returns at the start of the project was disappointing. From 22 Hay Group. (2007) Rush to the top: Accelerating the development of leaders in schools. p10 [Online} Available from: [Accessed: 3 December 2013]

16 the limited information received it was apparent that staff have very different aspirations for their future some have very definite plans that see them progressing from class teacher to executive headship over 10 years whereas others are seeking to become more effective class teachers with additional responsibilities such as subject leadership or SENCo. These are all valid routes for career development and progression and the matrix used and developed through the SPTM project must be flexible enough to accommodate differing career trajectories and aspirations. The matrix, therefore, must not diminish (e.g. through language used or indirect implication) the validity of individual career choices and they must avoid suggesting that all teachers should be aiming to progress to formal senior leadership roles. Some headteachers noted how the tools usefully clarified how teachers are leaders in their own classroom. 5.2: Performance management School leaders state that the Kyra matrix developed in this project is impacting on their approach to performance management. For existing school leaders the way in which the matrix provides structure and clarity to performance management conversations was greatly appreciated. Potential benefits identified include: Linking to performance related pay - transparent, evidence-centric approach that will provide robust records of pay decisions. Systematisation of the process - enabling sharing of responsibility (for executive heads) and also making the process more transparent and less in the head of the leader. Evidence - shared understanding of what evidence was required not only at this point in a teacher s career but also to move forward. The potential to identify under performers and have guided constructive conversations around addressing underperformance. External sources (for example an article by Teaching Leaders 23 ) report potential issues with performance management and performance related pay. Chief amongst these issues are: Leaders developing the skills to have the difficult conversations when targets are not met or when performance is not as it should be. Having consistent and transparent measures of performance that accurately relate to the work staff do. Using the Kyra SPTM matrix was reported by the schools in the project to be helpful in aiding transparency as well as clarifying expectations of staff. It was also noted by more than one headteacher that the SPTM matrix may make it easier to share with governors the decisions taken about pay and that they will also provide an evidence trail that governors can inspect for themselves. Other heads also spoke of how the tasks included in the matrix were useful in clarifying for governors what teachers in small schools do on a regular basis that is beyond teaching. One head noted how the matrix had helped to identify underperformance and supported the difficult conversation. Another head spoke of how the matrix had highlighted the issue of teachers low down on the pay scale operating in upper pay scale activities whilst other staff were only just 23 Teaching Leaders. (2013) Are your middle leaders ready to handle performance-related pay? SecEd [Online] Available from: [Accessed: 3 December 2013]

17 creeping in to activities that sit within their pay scale and that this can be difficult to manage. More than one head spoke of how the matrix helped staff to take greater ownership of their own professional development aiding reflection and enabling staff to think more clearly about their future careers and also to plan for structured development. The shift towards a performance management process that is done with not done to teachers is important. Laying out in black and white for teachers the journey towards leadership, if they wish to take it, is enabling and motivating. It helps teachers take control and responsibility for their own futures, though it still requires a skilled leader to ask the right questions and guide the conversation well. For one teacher it has clarified their belief that they did not wish to pursue a traditional leadership path and it has strengthened their desire to become a SENCo. This has not only been positive for the staff member but has also led to two small schools jointly funding a SENCo post across the schools. Some concerns were also raised about whether the SPTM matrix accurately reflects the reality of a teacher s life in a small rural primary school. For example, some leaders of schools were concerned about the impact on the morale of staff. How will staff react to recognition that they are performing many of the tasks/ functions of someone in a middle leadership role when there is no possibility (due to budget issues in small schools) that this will be financially rewarded? Will it make them feel exploited? Will it push them to move on to a bigger school and therefore have a negative impact on keeping good teachers, and potential future leaders, in small rural schools? However, these concerns which were raised at the outset of the project were less prominent in mid-year interviews and were completely absent from year-end interviews. Some headteachers still spoke of the matrix not reflecting small school experience but they now recognised that it was up to them to adapt the tools to fit their needs, though they would appreciate guidance on how to do this. The task oriented matrix is immediately accessible to teachers and relevant to their day-to-day experience it also enables them to see concrete tasks that they must be able to achieve. It may also make the step up seem less difficult than it really is, however, as there is a lot of underpinning pedagogy that supports each of the tasks on the matrix. Without this understanding of what underpins the tasks, as well as what constitutes evidence of capability in a task, there may be a danger of the matrix becoming a tick box exercise. One head spoke of the process looking at the whole and noted that during their performance management conversation her coffee table was awash with documents because using the matrix brought together discussion about teaching standards, job descriptions, leadership standards and lesson observation forms helping teacher and leader consider the interrelationship of them all. However, this holistic approach may in part be due to the headteacher s experience and skill in performance management. Two other, less experienced, heads spoke of how they felt the matrix may be too far removed from the teacher standards for staff to make the connections and that greater guidance supporting the use of the matrix was required. Amongst teachers there is strong recognition of how effective leadership impacts on outcomes for children and young people. Teachers interviewed at the end of the project noted that using the SPTM matrix had either prompted them to think about leadership as a potential career path (when previously they had not considered this an option) or had given them clear milestones regarding their leadership development journey. Using the matrix in performance management discussions has also enabled a dialogue between the headteachers and their teaching staff that has increased the leadership knowledge, skills and understanding of the teachers concerned. One of the headteachers said that using the matrix demystifies what leadership is and gives the teachers a language of leadership. Teachers also feel more confident to discuss their aspirations because they have the matrix to support and structure these conversations; in the words of one of the teachers the matrix pushes you to think in that way. More guidance around the performance management conversation and how to integrate the SPTM matrix into wider performance management conversations was thought to be needed by a few heads. It was also noted by one head that if teaching staff do not wish to pursue a career

18 path that moves them towards leadership then will a different or parallel tool be needed? If not, then guidance on how this matrix is still relevant and important for such staff would be useful. 5.3: Collaboration The potential benefits of collaborative professional development activity were noted by all interviewees. Whilst the SPTM matrix is not designed to improve collaboration this project is set in the context of collaborative partnerships of small rural schools. It is therefore sensible to consider the relationship between professional development, talent management and collaborative activity. Indeed, Susan Robinson suggests that effective CPD should provide the opportunity to work in collaboration with other colleagues through formal training sessions, informal networking, placements in other schools or by acting up in your own school. 24 Early in the project, some of the headteachers were concerned that their local collaborative partnerships were not yet at the point where more formal leadership development placements or job swaps might be possible. However, later discussions at year-end suggest this sort of activity is starting to develop in support of activities identified through the SPTM matrix; although this is still more likely where the collaborative or partnership arrangements have a longer history. There is considerable challenge involved in creating a culture that is open and trusting, and significant effort is needed to create the conditions in which collaborative activity, or joint practice development, can take place. The benefits of this kind of activity are appreciated by schools involved in the Kyra project. One head noted how the provision of informal opportunities to share and learn from each other across the collaborative partnership helps teachers to build their confidence. It is likely that it also encourages idea generation and innovation improving lesson content as well as delivery which in turn has a positive impact on learning outcomes for the children. It was mooted that if joint professional development opportunities become too formalised then this raises issues of accountability and puts pressure on staff and schools to achieve named outcomes. The interviewee that raised this wondered whether this may reduce passion for this approach and lead to a we have to do it attitude and thus may negate the enabling aspects of the Kyra matrix. Despite this concern a number of schools spoke of how there is a growth in joint working and how some schools are formally collaborating more and more. Interviewees mentioned joint staff meetings, joint INSET, joint scrutiny, monitoring and evaluation activities, paired lesson observations, moderation and feedback and sharing of staff. It was noted that joint activity appeared to be most effective where the relationship between schools already existed and could only operate in a climate of trust and openness and where there was enthusiasm to work together. 5.4: Rural school and small school issues Headteachers raised a number of issues that they perceive to be specific to small schools or rural schools. Whilst they are perhaps more apparent in small rural schools many of these issues may be equally pertinent to other schools when using the SPTM matrix. Financial concerns - budgets and freeing up staff time to engage in collaborative activities can be problematic. However, the career path conversations that arise from using the Kyra matrix may in fact lead to better use of resources across a cluster of schools. One head reported that as a consequence of the process they now have a shared business manager with another school in their cluster and had also invested in a shared SENCo. Linking professional development to school development - need to ensure that any individual 24 Robinson, S. (2010) Ldr magazine. National College for School Leadership

19 development activities also have benefits for learning outcomes or the wider school. An example given was a lesson study project based on teaching a unit of learning on weather this was led by science and geography subject leads and involves skype, , research and feedback to teachers. The subject leads benefit from leading across more schools, it gives rise to new ideas for content and delivery, so improves teaching and therefore leads to improved learner outcomes. Subject leadership - for small rural schools subject leadership can be problematic. There are 15 subject areas shared across at times as few as three teaching staff in the schools involved in this project. Working collaboratively may be a way forward and may enable staff to develop leadership across partnership schools as well as helping staff to be subject experts, rather than diluting their expertise across a wide range of subjects. Difficulties in providing shadowing and in-school mentoring. The literature on rural schools, especially that which describes US experience, is littered with references to place and the idea of leadership of place. Whilst this was not explicitly discussed by headteachers it was apparent from the informal conversations and pride with which they showed researchers around their schools that all who took part in this project view their schools as key elements of their communities and recognised that their leadership responsibilities extend beyond the school. This is not unique to rural schools but it may be that the importance of place is heightened in areas of rural disadvantage. A critical leadership of place is leadership that specifically aims to improve the quality of life in particular communities. Leaders with a critical leadership of place support community as a context for learning, understand that schools and their local communities are inextricably linked, and that the ability of each to thrive is dependent upon the other. 25 In the initial interviews and surveys a few headteachers talked of leading beyond the school and the wider community, although the teachers surveyed felt their knowledge and skills in this area were predominantly rated as emerging or no experience. In their analysis of leadership in rural schools in Australia, Clarke and Stevens highlight the importance of community leadership and that it needs to be part of any professional development programme for school leadership. The desirability of principals acquiring a rural lens as a strategy for enhancing sustainable leadership has important implications for their initial preparation and also for their ongoing professional learning. In particular, it implies that leadership development programs would benefit from giving greater attention to enhancing knowledge of the school in a community, how communities work and how principals can interact effectively with community partners, : Other issues A number of other issues were raised by individuals, which are worth noting; not least because they have an impact on planning and supporting leadership development activities, especially in small schools where the demands placed on staff can be greater than in larger schools where the 25 Budge, K. (2006, December 18). Rural leaders, rural places: Problem, privilege, and possibility. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 21(13). [Online] Available from: [Accessed: 3 December 2013] 26 Clarke, S. and Stevens, E. (2009) Sustainable leadership in small rural schools: selected Australian vignettes. Journal of Educational Change Vol 10, Issue 4, p

20 leadership load may be spread across a greater number of staff. Teachers state that they are willing to spend 1-2 hours/week on development. At 2 hours per week this would equate to the 100 hours of professional development activity that teachers in Singapore are entitled to so that they can keep pace with change and be able to constantly improve their practice. 27 Whilst there are many variables to take into account Singapore was ranked 2 nd in the PISA 2012 survey. If staff are willing to commit this time how can we make the most of it? Is JPD the way forward or are there other approaches to consider? Teaching staff recognise that CPD opportunities available through using the matrix will potentially benefit themselves, their schools and the children they teach. Whilst early interviews with the headteachers suggested they didn t feel using the matrix would lead to an increase in engagement with formal CPD programmes by their staff, interviews at the end of the project have shown that some of the teachers are indeed already accessing these opportunities, which they hadn t previously considered, having been prompted by using the matrix. According to Susan Robinson in an article for the (then) NCSL 28 this is one of the five signs of effective CPD. Figure 2 below provides a summary of the main opportunities and challenges with using Kyra s SPTM matrix, as described in sections 5.1 to 5.5. Figure 2: Opportunities and challenges with using the SPTM matrix Opportunities Provides a means for leaders to articulate and evidence leadership potential Provides structure and clarity to performance management and development conversations Enables transparency between performance management processes and the award of performance related pay Encourages collaboration between leaders (particularly of small schools) to enable leadership development opportunities for staff Has led to joint activity between some smaller schools (not necessarily related to leadership development but beneficial to the staff involved) Challenges Needs to be adapted to reflect local circumstances in different schools Very focused on leadership (articulating tasks against the headteacher standards), but must also allow consideration of differing leadership career routes, i.e. specialist staff Requires skilled leadership to ensure leadership development tasks are underpinned with discussion on pedagogy and leadership skills and behaviours Doesn t explain the hierarchy of leadership skills being developed through the tasks requires skilled support or further guidance Doesn t account for the fact that in smaller schools, staff are often undertaking leadership tasks very early on, so the ability axis doesn t necessarily make sense in these schools 27 Pearson Foundation. (2011) Building a strong and effective teaching force. [Online] Available from: pearsonfoundation.org/oecd/singapore.html. [Accessed 3 December 2013] 28 Robinson, S. (2010) Ldr magazine. National College for School Leadership