The role of teaching schools and the Teaching Schools Council in a self-improving, school-led system Dr Gary Holden Chair of the Teaching Schools Council and Executive Principal Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School

Why teaching schools? What do they do? How well do they do it?

The history of teaching Schools ‘The primary responsibility for improvement rests with schools, and the wider system should be designed so that our best schools and leaders can take on greater responsibility, leading improvement work across the system’ The Importance of Education, DfE, 2010

Educational Excellence Everywhere Schools are accountable for their own improvement Government supports the growth of a self-sustaining, self-improving, school-led system Collaboration between schools is the most effective way to bring this about Teaching school alliances and multi academy Trusts are the preferred vehicles for collaboration For most schools, school improvement expertise comes from within their own school or from within a partnership of schools which they belong to, like a multi academy trust or teaching school alliance. *           School partnerships and school to school support are a vital way of building capacity in the system and enabling schools to take ownership of school improvement alongside teaching and leadership supply and long-term financial security. *           Schools and academy trusts will be accountable for their own improvement, with the new National Funding Formula (NFF) directing more of the available funding to schools with challenging circumstances. *           A reformed NCTL will build a robust, effective network of system leaders across the country so that all schools can access the support that these schools with a proven track record can provide. They will also provide match funding for Teaching School alliances for schools and academies that need extra support. *           We will work to develop sponsor capacity right across the country for schools that need them, and deploy schemes such as the National Teaching Service and the high performing ITT programme in areas that need them most. back to top

“Where great schools, great leaders and great teachers exist, we will let them do what they do best – helping every child to achieve their full potential. Where they do not, we will step in to build capacity, raise standards and provide confidence for parents and children”

The government’s education strategy (with thanks to Robert Hill) Schools are responsible for the quality of teaching and learning We must raise standards to match the rest of the world 1. 2. System leadership + school-to-school support & will help make improvement self-sustaining The market (choice and diversity) help drive improvement 3. 4.

A more focussed role for teaching schools? Co-ordinate and deliver school-based teacher training Provide or broker school-to-school support Provide professional development for teachers and leaders Broker access to system leaders Education Excellence Everywhere, DfE, 2016   With such a key role in the new system led improvement, it is vital that we are able to QA and evidence the impact of TSA and NLE/SLEs Is this the end of the stand alone TSA or Academy?

TSC – CURRENT NATIONAL PICTURE Teaching Schools The Current Picture 736 Teaching Schools 9 TSC regions, increasingly made up of a number of sub-regional groups – leading on: ITT; CPD; S2SS Diverse and representative membership: nursery; primary; secondary; special; academies; independent; sixth form colleges 7,500 Specialist Leaders of Education 1,200 National Leaders of Education 510 National Leaders of Governance The correct and current position of teaching schools (as of January 2016) is that of the 152 LAs in England, there are technically four areas that do not currently have a TS:   Isle of Wight  - although note they did have one which has since be de-designated Brighton & Hove – as above, they did have one which has since been de-designated City of London  - never has had a TS but as per earlier SLE response it only has one school within it. Isles of Scilly (only 3 schools)  - never has had a TS but it only has three schools within it! 

The Teaching Schools Council So …. What is the TSC? Before I get to that …. Perhaps the first question is who are the TSC? Following the designation of Cohort 1, the TSC was formed in September 2011. Since then its structure and composition has evolved to suit the growing network that it represents. Current membership elected from C1-C4 TSAs last Summer. Composition reflects the diverse membership and ensures representation at both regional and national level. Supporting, strengthening and developing both the TS programme and the ‘irrevocable shift’ to the self-improving school led system. Members are elected to serve as either Regional or National reps (@1-2 days per week) … on an operational level, your main point of contact will be the Regional TSC rep that has been elected to serve your area. Several of the Regional reps are here today and you’ll have an opportunity to meet with them once again at your forthcoming Regional Launch, to which you should have all been invited. So … now to the what? What is our role? How can we support you and the system? How are we addressing some of the challenges I outlined previously? www.tscouncil.org.uk @TeachSchCouncil

The Teaching Schools Council: Our Values Every child attends a great school Every school and every teacher receive the support they need to make this happen Every school works in partnership as part of a mature, school-led system

The Role of the Teaching Schools Council   Engage with DfE in the development and implementation of policy Represent the voice of Teaching Schools Facilitate regional partnerships Support the development of regional action plans Broker school to school support

in a mature, school-led system No school an island in a mature, school-led system Support existing teaching schools to work in regional partnerships Build the capacity of aspiring teaching schools (succession planning); Ensure more new teaching schools are in our most disadvantaged areas; Develop regional action plans to address shared priorities

London Region as a Case Study Chairs of five sub regions meet regional TSC lead on a regular basis Chairs of sub-regions appointed and resourced to undertake their new coordinating role (role descriptors being drawn up) Reviewing boundaries of sub regions All funding to come through sub regional meetings to enable the system to organise the interventions and activities that the system itself needs Sub regions to be able to identify future leadership potential TSC leads and 5 Chairs to meet RSC regularly to share knowledge and help broker support Examples of sub regions brokering: NLE/SLE/NLG or even Maths Champions work

The East Midlands Infrastructure East Midlands Teaching School Alliances (EMTSA) Network All 54 designated Teaching Schools East Midlands Teaching Schools Strategic Group (EMTSSG) EMTSA rep Representatives x 2 Derby City Local Infrastructure Representatives x 2 Derbyshire Representatives x 2 Leicester City Representatives x 2 Leicestershire Representatives x 2 Lincolnshire Representatives x 2 Northamptonshire Representatives x 2 Nottingham City Representatives x 2 Nottinghamshire Representatives x 2 Rutland TSC lead Teaching Schools Council EMTSA has recently reviewed its infrastructure to ensure it is best placed to lead the delivery of the school led system. This review has resulted in a new two-piece infrastructure consisting of the continuing EMTSA network, available for all TSAs in the region to attend, and the newly formed East Midlands Teaching Schools Strategic Group (EMTSSG) to  lead on the planning and delivery of region wide TSA activities including the regional conference and a new regional online portal. The EMTSSG comprises two TSA representatives from each of the region’s mini-region/local authority areas; Chair of EMTSA network and the TSC EM Representative. The EMTSSG, supported by the EMTSA network, will provide a regionally representative decision making infrastructure, to utilise existing and secure additional resources for collaborative delivery. It will build on a shared moral purpose and capitalise on collaboration, benefitting from economies of scale. The group will help to provide clarity and sustainability to enable us to make a meaningful and sustainable impact on outcomes for learners. The EMTSSG will provide an enduring infrastructure for future delivery and will enable new ways of working in the region’s school led system as more responsibility is transferred.

Working through structured collaboration Stage 1 Isolation Stage 2 Initiation Stage 3 Engagement Stage 4 Integration Effective emerging innovation Effective emerging innovation Effective emerging innovation Effective emerging innovation Best practice Best practice Research Research Best practice Research Best practice Performance Research Schools Schools School Time Source: George Berwick and Challenge Partners

Why work in partnership? Learning from each other Shared staffing, systems and processes Aligning priorities Making best use of scarce resources Professional development opportunities for staff Strengthening community No school unsupported 18

Half way there? There is compelling evidence of the strides that teaching schools and their alliances have made in developing the necessary relationships, social and intellectual capital and collaborative activities to improve the professional practice of teachers and schools leaders within and beyond TSA partnerships. As yet, the quantitative evidence of the success of TSAs in driving improvement in terms of raising pupils’ academic outcomes in individual schools across the alliance partnership is limited. University of Nottingham, 2016

“One aspect of our fragmentation is the gaps between sectors of our cities and neighborhoods; businesses, schools, social service organizations, churches, government operate mostly in their own worlds. Each piece is working hard on its own purpose, but parallel effort added together does not make a community. Our communities are separated into silos; they are a collection of institutions and programs operating near one another but not overlapping or touching. This is important to understand because it is this dividedness that makes it so difficult to create a more positive or alternative future—especially in a culture that is much more interested in individuality and independence than in interdependence. The work is to overcome this fragmentation.” ― Peter Block, Community: The Structure of Belonging

It’s a gift that will last a lifetime and transform their lives. Children grow to fill the space we create for them, and if it’s big, they grow tall. The best present we can give our children is the chance to do something great. It’s a gift that will last a lifetime and transform their lives. Jonathan Sacks, 2008