Courageous Middle Leadership TLCWorcs Saturday 3 rd February

Courageous Middle Leadership #TLCWorcs Saturday 3 rd February 2018 Jill Berry J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

30 year teaching career 6 schools – four maintained, two independent All boys’, all girls’ and co-ed schools Selective and comprehensive schools 4 -18, 7 -18 and 11 -18 schools Head of Department, Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Head and Head President of the Girls Schools’ Association 2009 J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Since 2010: Part-time Professional Doctorate in Education, University of Nottingham. Researched the transition between deputy headship and headship Part-time work at the National College for Teaching and Leadership, Nottingham, latterly as an Operational Associate within the College’s International Business Unit Consultancy work in education, including staff training, heads’ appointments, heads’ and senior leaders’ appraisals and coaching Activity on Twitter and blogging (jillberry 102. blog) for educational professional development ‘Making the Leap – Moving from Deputy Head to Head’ (Crown House, 2016) https: //www. crownhouse. co. uk/publications/making-the-leap J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Why is Middle Leadership important? Research (eg Leithwood et al, 2006; Barber et al 2010) suggests that the quality of teaching has the greatest impact on pupil performance, with the quality of leadership coming second. Consider Middle Leaders’ influence on the quality of teaching. J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Why is Middle Leadership important? And consider Middle Leaders’ impact on ‘Discretionary effort’ J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

The paradox: In some ways, being a deputy is the best possible preparation for headship However, deputy headship and headship are quite different roles Managing the change in your professional identity, while still being true to yourself, can be challenging. Internal promotions to headship can be particularly tricky, as others see you, and you see yourself, in a particular way within that school J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

How well do you know the team you lead, and do they get what they need from you in order to be their best professional selves? J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

LEADERSHIP CREATURES aware Fox Owl closed open Donkey Lamb unaware J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Tom Sherrington, (@teacherhead) Challengers and Champions: Are we ready to listen? https: //teacherhead. com/2014/09/14/c hallengers-and-champions-are-we-ready -to-listen/ J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

1. ‘Inheriting’ the role versus ‘inhabiting’ the role J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

2. Making the most of the lead-in period between being appointed, and formally taking up the role J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

3. The dynamic between the outgoing head and the incoming head is key J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

TES January 2015 ‘Give staff a lift by asking for more’ https: //www. tes. co. uk/article. aspx? story. Cod e=6455204 J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Eat the frog…. Don’t avoid the difficult conversation. Aim for a win/win outcome J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Challenging conversations: Prepare well/have facts straight Don’t say too much and listen VERY well Build on the positives Focus on working together for everyone’s benefit – how you can support Practise beforehand? Work hard to ensure you BOTH feel better by the end J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Geoff Barton (2014), TES: Keep your cool during difficult conversations https: //www. tes. co. uk/article. aspx? storycode=6439835 Mark Anderson (@ICTEvangelist) (2015): Dealing with difficult conversations http: //educationevangelist. com/leadership/dealing-withdifficult-conversations/ #SLTchat (2012) – scroll down to the second half of the conversation: Advice for handling difficult conversations https: //storify. com/SLTchat/sltchat-sunday-7 th-october J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Advice for Middle Leaders: Get used to the buffer role – absorb shock in both directions but make sure you build your resilience and don’t let it drain you completely Ensure you know your team very well – what each individual needs from you to be their best. Make use of their complementary skills Support AND challenge - be a filter, rather than an umbrella or a funnel Don’t avoid eating the frog – but prepare well, stay calm and aim for a win/win J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Possible further reading: @cazzypot: Middle Leaders as the ‘engine room’ of schools https: //cazzypotsblog. wordpress. com/2014/12/21/the-engine-room-of-schools/ Jill Berry for @Innovate. My. Schl: Tips for Middle Leaders http: //www. innovatemyschool. com/industry-expert-articles/item/1231 -whymiddle-leadership? . html and Stepping up: What makes a great Head of Department, for Guardian Teacher Network: http: //www. theguardian. com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/feb/26/headof-department-schools-career-advice Jane Basnett (@basnettj): Ho. Ds as the ‘squeezed middle’ (for @Innovate. My. Schl) http: //www. innovatemyschool. com/industry-expert-articles/item/1323 -thesqueezed-middle-10 -tips-for-heads-of-department. html Andy Lewis (@i. Teach. RE): Reflecting on pastoral leadership http: //tdreboss. blogspot. co. uk/2015/01/a-term-of-pastoral-leadership. html J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Photo credits: DC Comics City-connect. org John P Berry J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

jillberry 102@hotmail. co. uk @jillberry 102 J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD