Learning Together Achieving Together the collaborative process of

Learning Together, Achieving Together: the collaborative process of CPD Presentation given at the conference: Quality of Education - Teachers’ Professional Training and Development: the EU and the SE European countries. Athens 2 -3 June 2003 Tim Brosnan t. brosnan@hampsteadschool. org. uk HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Outline This presentation has three main aims, to: • Argue that CPD is a reflective process, not a series of events • Stress that this process needs to be collaborative at all stages • Explicate some innovative school-based CPD partnerships involving teachers at Hampstead school working with pupils; each other; and colleagues from universities HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Background: Hampstead School • A Technology College with strong traditions in the cross-curricular use of ICT and the creative arts • ‘More Cricklewood than Hampstead’ • >30% of pupils qualify for free school meals • >40% have English as a second (or third) language • >30% are on the school’s Special Needs register • ~130 (10% of the school population) are refugees • Results well above the average of schools with similar social intakes – in many cases above the 95 th percentile (PANDA) – and equal to or above national averages HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Background: people and funds • • ~1300 pupils aged 11 -18 years 88 full-time and 34 part-time teachers ‘Investors in People’ status (recently re-designated) € 50, 000 annual CPD budget – Only about € 500 per FTE teacher • € 20, 000 for CPD from Technology College money – An additional € 700 per FTE teacher in TC departments • Additional substantial contribution from staffing budget (~ € 100, 000) to fund ‘in-house’ ICT CPD HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Hampstead’s approach to CPD • A core, whole-school commitment to being a ‘learning institution’, reflected in Investors In People accreditation (See Staff Development Policy extract 1) • ‘Learning together achieving together’ based on – Reflection – Review – Target Setting – Continuing Challenge and Support – Feedback and Dissemination (See Staff Development Policy extract 2) HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Reflection • Continuous personal review of practice • Open discussion of all aspects of the institution at all team meetings, e. g. of – Staff – Heads of Year – Heads of Department – Senior Management Team • Requires confidence (in self, team and institution) to be open and explicit about personal, team and institutional failings HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Review Reflection formalised in Annual Reviews of: • Individual teachers (including SMT): against previously agreed personal targets • Departments/Year Teams: against previously agreed school, LEA, and (where appropriate) Technology College targets • School: against School Development Plan and National, LEA and Technology College targets (Staff development policy extract 1) HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Target setting • The Annual Review leads to target setting for each individual in three areas: – Personal – Department/Team – School • Each individual has a role to play in all three areas. • Departmental targets are not (just) the responsibility of Heads of Department • School targets are not (just) the responsibility of the Senior Management Team HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Support and challenge • Aim is to agree challenging and achievable targets • Their point is to raise the achievement of pupils, teachers, and teams - not to mark out individual teachers, departments or teams as ‘poor’ • Requires and reinforces a school and departmental ethos where colleagues continuously challenge and support each other to raise pupil attainment • Support involves a wide variety of activities (see Staff Development Policy extract 1), including the development of a variety of collaborative learning experiences HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Collaborative learning with pupils • Cisco networking course taught by the Community Learning Manager as part of the Technology College programme • Taught ‘off timetable’ at lunchtimes and Friday nights • 16 students, 8 school pupils and 8 teachers • Pupils and teachers also learn together in informal ‘skill sessions’ run in the Independent Learning Centre • Social and ‘school ethos’ impact of this process is far wider than the participating group HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Collaborative learning with colleagues • ICT staff have no timetabled classes (other than +16) • They work with colleagues in other departments jointly to plan and teach programmes of study • Costly (~ € 100, 000 per annum from staff budget) but • High impact on school practice c. f. low impact of large -scale (> € 300, 000) national INSET in ICT – the ‘NOF’ programme • Training in ICT pedagogy and skills is classroombased, achieved collaboratively with supportive colleagues, and addresses the specific learning/ teaching concerns of each teacher/department HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Collaborative learning with universities: School-based MA (1) • MA in School Effectiveness devised for staff at the school in conjunction with leading colleagues at the Institute of Education, London • Need identified in the School Development Plan – and the complaint of teachers that they were ‘too tired’ to go to the university at the end of a school day • Modules and sessions started from the shared school experience of the participants • School-individual collaboration – fees and time • Additional funding from ‘Business-Education partnership’ HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Collaborative learning with universities: School-based MA (2) • 25 teachers started the course • Year 1 had three modules and was taught at the school after the school day • Year 2 allowed an optional module and a dissertation – taught at the Institute of Education • Participants given time for reading ‘away days’ • School paid 50% of the course fees • Significant dropout after year 1 – but all participants valued the experience HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Collaborative learning with universities: School-based diploma (1) • Post-graduate course in Emotional Literacy devised for staff at the school in conjunction with the University of Bristol – leading to a certificate or diploma • Need identified in review meetings of pastoral staff and in the School Development Plan • Course devised by steering group of 4 teachers, the school counsellor and an expert in emotional literacy from Bristol University • School-individual collaboration – fees and time HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Collaborative learning with universities: School-based diploma (2) • 12 teachers on the course • Taught on Fridays/Saturdays with participants given time off teaching on the Fridays • School paid 50% of the course fees • ‘Action research’ coursework on specific aspects of EL, with feedback to all school colleagues of the progress and results on INSET days • Hampstead colleagues now leading courses in EL for other schools HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Collaborative working with universities: summary • Starting point is the self-identification of school needs • Draw in specific expertise from recognised university experts, jointly to plan courses and modules • Significant amount of teaching at the school, in school time and developing from the shared experience of the participants • Joint commitment by the participants, school and university which helps build productive schooluniversity partnerships. No longer “They stone us and say we walk with our heads in the clouds” (O. Elytis) HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Summary • CPD is a continuous process, not a series of events • Makes real (and therefore helps maintain and develop) a school ethos that learning is life-long • Based on reflection, review, target setting, and continuing challenge and support for all staff and covering all aspects of school life • Is collaborative at all stages – and may require the development of innovative forms of collaboration • Above all requires the trust and confidence in self; colleagues and institution to allow one to be reflective and openly self-critical HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together

Final thought Effective CPD becomes so ingrained in a school’s way of working that it ‘disappears’ and appears automatic However, many ‘automatic’ things take continuing effort Για να γυρίσει ο ήλιος θέλει δουλειά πολλή (Θέλει νεκροί χιλιάδες νά 'ναι στους Τροχούς) Θέλει κι οι ζωντανοί να δίνουν το αίμα τους. But “Worthy it is” HAMPSTEAD SCHOOL Learning Together Achieving Together