New South Wales Department of Education and Communities 2011 2012 Northern Sydney Region Leadership Fellowship Report Succession planning and preparation for leadership Carrie Robertson Principal, Warrawee Public School New South Wales, Australia
2011 2012 Northern Sydney Region Leadership Fellowship Report Succession planning and preparation for leadership Contents Page Executive summary 3 1. Overview of the research study 4 2. Background information 4 3. Key research questions 5 4. Research methodology 5 5. Findings 6 6. Implications for leadership 10 7. Recommendations 11 References 13 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 2
Executive summary High quality and effective school leadership has long been regarded as one of the most significant factors in producing a successful school. With this in mind it is essential that school systems are identifying those with leadership potential and then building capacity in these developing leaders to successfully inspire and lead others. In recent years the British school system has faced the problem of an aging demographic and the reluctance of others to step up into leadership positions. This has led to institutions such as the National College for School Leadership conducting extensive research into effective succession planning. New South Wales is currently experiencing similar challenges and the strategies examined may be equally relevant within the Department of Education and Communities as we seek to encourage teachers to step into leadership roles, identify those with leadership potential and move them into roles with leadership responsibility earlier than was done in the past. The retirement of around a quarter of the school principals in Britain in the next five years means that the profession will be deprived of the experience and wisdom that those leaders have gained over several decades. Another issue facing both high schools and primary schools in Britain is that many teachers do not want to take on school leadership roles. Many school principal positions have needed to be readvertised due to the lack of applicants applying. The National College for School Leadership has led a major initiative to address the issue of succession planning and the question of why teachers today are reluctant to move into the role of principal. The researchers interviewed emphasised the need for a systematic approach to leadership development in order to achieve succession planning that will be sustainable and will address the needs of school communities. It was evident that building strong leadership teams in schools was a significant factor in determining the school s ability to successfully pass the leadership role from one leader to the next. In Britain the pressure for schools to meet national standards has increased enormously during the last decade, due to the changes to school funding, organisation and management. This changing nature of headship (principalship) is causing potential leaders to question whether or not it is worth taking on the additional responsibilities and workload associated with the job. Many argue that the role of the principal has increased to such a level that the requirements exceed what is reasonable. Similar issues appear to be impacting on the quantity and quality of school leaders applying for principal positions in many countries, including Australia. This study examined strategies to identify future leaders and how to ensure that they are adequately prepared to lead teaching and learning, while also managing a complex organisation. Some British schools are now led by an administrator, with no educational experience but a background in finance and marketing. This research clearly pointed to the fact that we must learn to identify our future leaders early, and work with them to build on their talents, as they will be developing the next generation of teachers and school principals. 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 3
1. Overview of the research study This research project was undertaken by Carrie Robertson, Principal of Warrawee Public School and the recipient of the 2011 1012 Northern Sydney Region Leadership Fellowship awarded by Deputy Director-General, Schools, New South Wales Department of Education and Communities. The study examined the strategies being used in Britain in the areas of succession planning and leadership development. In Britain, the number of applicants applying for principal positions is decreasing and as a result the accelerated leadership of younger personnel is becoming more common. This study identified the strategies being implemented to prepare future leaders to take up the role of headship (principalship) earlier in their careers. In this study the researcher examined the issues from a schools perspective, as well as from a tertiary and teacher training perspective, in order to gain a balanced view of accelerated leadership programs and programs designed to build leadership capacity in current leaders. The study sought to identify the most significant factors contributing to successful succession planning. 2. Background information The development of leadership capacity in school personnel had always been of interest to the researcher. The position of school principal encompasses an ever broadening range of accountabilities and responsibilities and because of this more teachers are electing not to progress to positions of leadership in our schools. Building leadership potential in our New South Wales schools is a challenge and one that cannot be ignored if leadership succession is to be effective. Through extensive reading on the subject it became evident that the same situation existed in many other countries in the world. The leadership crisis was particularly evident in Britain where 10 12 per cent of their 23,000 schools advertise for a principal each year. Out of these schools approximately 25 per cent of secondary schools and 33 per cent of primary schools failed to make an appointment and had to readvertise because no acceptable candidates applied. With recent changes to the education system in Britain fewer teachers are aspiring to principal positions because of the additional workload and responsibilities involved. Attracting quality candidates into the teaching profession and retaining them, from beginning teacher through to principal level, is a challenge in both Australia and in Britain. The establishment of the National College for School Leadership in Britain meant that leadership programs could be offered to teachers and leaders at all stages of their careers. The programs offered at the college and the research being conducted in many of the Universities in Britain offered the researcher many valuable opportunities for study. 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 4
3. Key research questions 1. What does a successful school leadership development program look like today and how are the key issues of targeting and accelerating potential leaders currently being addressed? 2. What formal and informal professional learning and support programs are in place to ensure the success of the succession plan? 3. How does a changing school system attract and support leaders through periods of change and create a system which is dynamic and sustainable? 4. Research methodology In order to better understand the succession leadership crisis, it was important to gain an international perspective and to examine the procedures implemented to support staff through a period of substantial change. I conducted my research in Britain where I met with educational leaders from the National College of School Leadership, University of London, University of Oxford, University of Manchester, University of Nottingham and the University of Cambridge. These educational leaders shared their latest research findings and papers with me and recommended additional papers which would further enlighten my research. They discussed all aspects of the British Education System including the perceived successes and shortcomings evident in recent years. As well as meeting with lecturers and researchers in the field, I also spent time in several schools where I met with school leaders. These leaders spoke about the challenges and successes of their individual schools and the system as a whole. The schools selected included some that were governed by the local authority, some academies, some schools situated in disadvantaged areas as well as some in higher socio-economic areas. Interviewing principals, teachers and students and observing practices within schools increased my understanding of how leadership selection, leadership development and distributive leadership are incorporated into the school system. Overall, I gained a greater insight into the changing school system, current leadership issues and the cultural issues impacting British schools today. 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 5
5. Findings When examining my research findings it became clear that there were several factors that contributed significantly to successful school leadership. While it is evident that the career paths of school principals are complex and varied it is clear that both formal and informal means have influenced their leadership styles. Future leadership development programs must equip principals to manage a 21 st century school environment. Such programs would promote: 5.1 Effective management and teaching skills Professor Peter Early, Professor of Educational Leadership and Management at the University of London, explained that in order for a school to perform in an exemplary manner it would require the leadership of a skilful leader. Research shows that student learning outcomes are significantly increased in schools where the leadership is of a high quality. It is therefore important that the qualities evident in successful leaders are developed and encouraged in future leaders. Peter Earley and Jeff Jones reported on a paper from the National Audit Office England (2006) which focused on improving poorly performing schools and stated that without an effective headteacher, a school is unlikely to have a culture of high expectations, or strive for continuous improvement. They go on to say that data from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF, 2008) showed that for every 100 schools in Britain that have good leadership and management, 93 will have good standards of achievement, but for every 100 that do not have good leadership, only one school will have good standards of achievement. Not a single example was found of a school turning round its performance in the absence of good leadership. 5.2 An understanding of 21st century leadership: All of the personnel interviewed in Britain expressed a degree of urgency about the selection and preparation of potential leadership candidates as many principals are retiring and fewer teachers are seeking positions of leadership than ever before. Many school principals indicated that the increasing levels of responsibility and workload associated with headship and limited financial reward are significant factors causing people to shy away from applying for leadership positions in schools. Davis et al. (2005) believes that the demands of the job of principal have changed so much that traditional methods of preparing administrators are no longer adequate to meet the leadership challenges posed by schools. Several of those interviewed also commented on the fact that when this baby boomer generation retires many of the long held understandings and concepts of leadership will be retiring as well. This concern is discussed at length by Dean Fink in his book The Succession Challenge, where he compares and contrasts the 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 6
attitudes of the baby boomers and those of Generation X. Discussing the first computer generation, Fink claims that Generation X people thrive on change and are very good at coming together to work on projects and then disbanding. They are not, however, good soldiers and do not respond well to hierarchies and organisational teams. With this in mind, the changes of leadership personnel and styles, now and into future, will be highly significant as increasingly highly educated and highly skilled Generation X professionals will be working within traditional bureaucratic contexts. Gone are the days when people choose a career for life. Today it is expected that people will make several career changes throughout their lives and teachers will be no different. Outstanding teachers, and in particular those displaying potential for leadership, must be identified early, nurtured and encouraged to remain in the profession to motivate, lead and inspire others. 5.3 An understanding of business management: The principals and educational leaders I interviewed indicated that increasing pressure was being placed on school leaders by the Office for Standards in Education, Children s Services and Skills (Ofsted), due to their strict inspection regime and the publication of school inspection reports on the internet. School leaders are expected to complete Self Evaluation Forms on a regular basis to identify areas of strength and areas for improvement. This evaluation form then serves as the basis for their school inspection. Following the inspection the report is placed on the schools website. If a school is judged to be inadequate in one or more measures and the inspectors feel that it cannot improve without additional help, it may be placed into special measures. These schools then receive additional funding, intensive support from the local authority and increased reassessment by authorities until it is deemed to be performing adequately. During this process principals and teaching staff can be dismissed and replaced. One of the principals I visited was leading her own school, as well as a neighbouring school, where the principal had been dismissed as a result of this process. During my interview with the former principal, it was clear that she was determined to make a difference in the lives of her students and to work hard to improve the practices in the new school. Regardless of the type of school or institution, the majority of educators interviewed agreed that the review process was placing increasing amounts of pressure on principals. Several of the educational leaders I interviewed also expressed concern about the increasing level of privatisation of schools in Britain. There is a fear that as a result of this process, school principals will gradually be replaced by business managers who will be employed to lead the school. Experience in education would not be a prerequisite for school leadership but rather skills in budgeting, marketing and 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 7
management. It is clear that newly appointed principals will need to be highly skilled business managers, as well as highly skilled educators, in order to achieve success in positions of future school leadership. 5.4 The ability to create an environment which mentors, supports and encourages collegial learning Many of the educational leaders in Britain are studying the latest trends in educational change, leadership and improvement in United Kingdom schools, in order to support and increase the leadership capacity of current school leaders. One of the interviewees outlined one such project that has focused on low performing schools and those in socio economically disadvantaged communities. Working with nine schools across Manchester, the program encourages the principals to work together as a network, in order to decrease the sense of isolation sometimes experienced by principals, and encourage collegial learning. As younger people are moving into leadership positions, this support and mentoring from more experienced colleagues is being viewed as extremely important in building confidence and capacity in those new to the leadership role. This program with its inclusive approach to school leadership is enabling principals to participate in important collegial professional learning together, with assistance and support from the staff at the University of Manchester. This program has been specifically designed to assist principals develop inquiry based programs and to effectively share and evaluate their current practices. By sharing their insights and strategies with colleagues they are building their individual leadership capability and knowledge. This knowledge then can be effectively passed on to others. Teaching schools are now increasing in numbers across Britain and the opportunity to partner and support other schools is being welcomed. This program has been designed by the National College and is based on the teaching hospital principle. It is hoped that five hundred schools in Britain will eventually be a part of this program. The aim is for schools to work together within a teaching school alliance, which will be made up of a group of schools and partners and be supported by the leadership of a teaching school. The teaching schools are selected through a strict application process and must be outstanding schools, demonstrating best practice. These practical professional learning opportunities for school leaders are proving to be very popular and effective. 5.5 The desire for leaders to continue with their personal learning journey: The National College for School Leadership is renowned for its impressive leadership development programs. In April 2004 it became mandatory for all principals newly appointed to government funded schools, to hold the National Professional Qualification for Headship. This course was fully or partly funded by the 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 8
National College for School Leadership and applicants were required to have at least three to four years teaching experience before being accepted. It was a practical, work based course which required participants to manage and lead whole school projects as well as complete online and face to face professional learning. In April 2012 the program was declared no longer mandatory as the government felt that principals should have more freedom in determining their own view of headship rather than accept the previously commonly held view. The National College for School Leadership is currently preparing a new modular curriculum which is designed to support individual leaders at every stage of their career. The curriculum will be structured around five levels designed to reflect the different needs and challenges that leaders face as they take on new roles and responsibilities. Each level offers a choice of modules that may be combined to pursue a qualification or studied on their own as a stand-alone course. As part of the college s succession planning strategy it is strongly recommending that schools take a more active role in identifying and developing talented leaders. New local programs are emerging. Future Leaders and Leaders of Tomorrow are two such programs which involve talent identification and accelerated development. Retired leaders are also being brought back into schools to mentor and lead those who are less experienced. Principals must also ensure that all teachers receive professional development and training, not only those with years of teaching experience or those in executive positions. The key is to identify those with talent and aspirations. Assigning mentors to identified teachers, providing them networking opportunities, allowing teachers to take on additional responsibilities within the school are some of the strategies being implemented to help build experience and leadership capacity faster. Promoting an environment where people are supported, but also encouraged to be independent, try new things and learn from their efforts is very important in developing individual potential. These are some of the new challenges for school principals today. 5.6 An awareness of strategies that may accelerate the leadership journey: In 2001, the Fast Track Program was established by the Department of Education and Skills in order to move the high potential teachers speedily into leadership positions. It focused on developing interpersonal skills and intrapersonal capacity within a leadership framework. Many of those interviewed believed that this was the program s area of strength, as the training was targeted to individual needs. The budgetary costs of the Fast Track Program became prohibitive and the program ceased in 2009. Many of the lessons learned from that initiative are still continuing today through other programs such as Future Leaders and also in schools where individuals are identified as having significant potential. Individual learning plans are being implemented in many schools to accelerate high performers into positions of influence. 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 9
The Future Leaders Scheme was introduced to meet a specific need which existed in urban high schools. It aims to develop both practicing teachers and other high performing individuals who are not currently in the school system who would like to become principals, deputy principals or assistant principals in urban secondary schools. Several of the educational leaders interviewed expressed hope that the acceleration of talented teachers may attract individuals to the profession that might otherwise be lost to private enterprise or into other careers. They also believed that the inclusion of targeted professional learning and additional support from a mentor or a coach would better prepare school leaders for the position of principal. 5.7 Conclusion: It appears that just as teaching and learning practices need to change to meet the needs of 21st century learners, so to do current educational leadership development practices. It is agreed that individuals at all stages of their careers and at all levels of proficiency need to be given new and exciting opportunities to grow and develop professionally otherwise may leave the profession. It is important that principals encourage and support their staff to look for new opportunities to extend their knowledge and experience. Schools need to be promoting learning for everyone at the school, not just the students. Individual learning plans for all staff members, that are challenging and specific, regular feedback and personal reflection are essential elements in all successful staff development programs. 6. Implications for leadership While conducting interviews with educational leaders in Britain about the changing nature of school leadership preparation, the complexities of this process became evident. As all individuals are unique, so too are all leaders and as a result they have different leadership styles as well as different strengths and weaknesses. Successful leaders do, however, have several key qualities and abilities in common. They have learned to operate strategically in order to establish effective systems which will then build towards long term sustainability. They are democratic in their style and distribute the leadership across the school and they also manage their own area of responsibility and allow others to allow others to manage issues within their area of understanding and knowledge. One of the key issues which continued to emerge during this research was the need for leadership to be sustainable in order that leaders can move on and that the successful systems in place continue to function. Without this sustainability the work of the successful leader will be quickly lost. Ralph Nader, an American political activist, author, lecturer and attorney sums up his view of leadership with these words. I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 10
leaders, not more followers. My research indicated that unless we adopt this attitude, effective and sustainable succession planning will be difficult to achieve. Many school leaders will already have developed a similar understanding of leadership; however for others it may require a huge paradigm shift. Principals play an enormous part in developing new leaders, as local solutions to the succession leadership challenge appear to the most effective and most likely to bring about successful change. Those aspiring to positions of leadership will require mentoring and access to quality professional development in order to be adequately prepared for their part in the process of enhancing school and student performance. Strong support systems, leadership that is distributed and appropriate incentives, may entice more people to aspire to school leadership positions. There must also be a significant change in the way candidates for leadership opportunities are selected. Ability must be recognised and rewarded before age and years served. It is important that school leaders work collaboratively with their own members of staff, however, it is also important that school leaders form networks and relationships with leaders in other schools as well. These school communities should encourage sharing of ideas and resources and should also band together to provide support for all those in leadership roles. Future leaders may also have additional opportunities to meet to plan, design and implement programs together. The networking among staff in the learning community would be extremely practical and beneficial. 7. Recommendations Ensure that at state and school levels, plans are developed and communicated to all, to ensure that the specific processes and procedures necessary to achieve sustainable leadership are understood and form the foundations for future planning and professional learning. Ensure that a systematic approach to ongoing professional learning is developed for future school leaders, in order to ensure that all potential leaders have access to adequate training and development before moving into the principal role. Increase mentor support at a school level and beyond for newly appointed leaders. The continuation of the Assistant Principal Network and the introduction of the Beginning Teachers Network have been a welcome support for staff. The development of guidelines for mentors would also be beneficial, particularly for those mentoring for the first time. 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 11
Encourage distributive leadership at a school level to provide individuals or groups of individuals with authentic leadership experience and opportunities in order to build capacity and leaders with more experience. Provide opportunities at a school level, for potential leaders to shadow principals as they fulfil their duties at school. Communities of schools could provide opportunities for potential leaders to spend time in each school where they would be exposed to a range of different leadership styles, experiences and community groups. Introduce more team leadership programs at a school level. Projects undertaken by schools, as part of a Communities of Schools initiative, may provide valuable leadership learning opportunities for staff. These projects encourage extensive professional dialogue with colleagues while also providing organisational and planning opportunities for staff. Discussion of the Leadership Capability Framework at a school level, focusing on the different domains, would provide further direction for areas of personal development. 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 12
References Earley, P and Jones, J, (2010) Accelerated Leadership Development: Fast tracking school leaders. Institute of Education, University of London. Earley, P, (2006) Headship and Beyond: The motivation and development of school leaders. Institute of Education, University of London. Crawford, M. (2008), Getting to the Heart of Leadership: Emotion and the Work of Educational Leaders, Sage, London. Cowie, M and Crawford, M (2006) Being a new principal in Scotland The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0957-8234.htm Cowie, M and Crawford, M (2011) Bridging Theory and Practice in Headship Preparation: Interpreting Experience and Challenging Assumptions. May be accessed at http://ema.sagepub.com/content/40/2/175 Sammons, P, Gu, Q, Day, C and Ko, J (2011) Exploring the Impact of School Leadership on Pupil Outcomes. International Journal of Educational Management Vol 25 No 1. Day, C, Sammons, P, Hopkins, D, Harris, A, Leithwood, K, Penlington, C, Mehta, P, and Kington, A, (2007): The Impact of School Leadership on Pupil Outcomes, DfES Interim Report (year1). London: Department for Children, Schools and Families. Day, C, Strobart, G, Sammons, P, Hadfield, M, & Kington, A (2004): Profiling variations in teachers work, lives and effectiveness: The VITAE project. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the British Educational Research Association, Manchester, UK. Fink, D. (2010): The Succession Challenge. Sage, London. Gunter, H and Forrester, G (2009) Institutionalised Governance: The case of the National College for School Leadership, International Journal of Public Administration, 32(5):350. Harris, A., Muijs, (2004). Improving Schools through Teacher Leadership. London: Oxford University Press. Marsh, L (2010) The effectiveness of leadership preparation programs in solving the problem of leadership succession in England. New South Wales, Department of Education and Communities. 2011 2012 Leadership Fellowship Report: Carrie Robertson Page 13