1. Leading Partnerships within the UK Schools-led system: Principles and Practice
Sean Cavan
Sheffield Institute of Education
Chair, Universities Council
for the Education of Teachers
Copyright: Sean Cavan 2017

2. Objectives Provide an overview of the UK education system
Explore some of the leadership principles that underpin our partnership working
Share how a psychoanalytic perspective on group dynamics has informed our thinking
Illustrate partnership in action
Copyright: Sean Cavan 2017

3. A brief glossary
Department for Education (DfE) – central v distributed control for England
School-led Self Improving System – policy for last 7 years
Social Mobility – latest policy emphasis
Academies - self governing schools directly funded by DfE
Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs)- groups of academies , small to large
Lead Schools - run a new more school-based teacher training offer
Local Authorities (LAs) - similar to school districts
Regional School Commissioners - 8 in England
Teaching School Alliances - high performing schools taking on LA roles
University Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) – coordinates all UK University education departments
Partnerships for Attainment - a new collective approach to teacher supply
Copyright: Sean Cavan 2014

4. Partnership working Not just one homogeneous entity
Multiple stakeholders
Complex, constantly changing inter-relationships
Partnership Dynamics model to make sense of complexity
Copyright: Sean Cavan 2017

5. Complexity in the system
This diagram represents just one element of the SIoE partnership environment , that focusses on schools/MATs and TSAs .
We have 20+ major school groups partners , work with many more national bodies and many other organisations than Schools
RSCs

6. Understanding the complexity
Whole system view:
Dawkins (1986) proposed that
“the behaviour of a complicated thing should be explained in terms of the interactions between its component parts”
Copyright: Sean Cavan 2017

7. Working below the surface
Complex multiple inter-group dynamics
Can be manifested as competitive behaviour
Understanding the behaviours >> strategic responses
Lead School A
SIoE
Lead School B

8. The Partnership Dynamics Model
Lead School A
DfE
SIoE
Lead School B
Shared knowledge of these to influence and inform each others strategies, tactics and operational responses
Copyright: Sean Cavan 2017

9. Partnership in action Role of Leaders - Working on the boundaries
Building a Lead School Community with school-led agendas
Recognising and working with ambiguities:
different kinds of partners
different levels of engagement and resources
terminology, (mis)understanding and the challenge of gossip
different priorities & intentions
shared problems, challenges and solutions
Copyright: Sean Cavan 2017

10. Principles underpinning the strategy
Flexibility (difference)
Transparency and Equity ( competition)
Trust (errors)
Quality (student and inspectorate)
Contracts (structure)
Finance (consensus & priorities)
Simplicity (coping with change)
Copyright: Sean Cavan 2017

11. Partnership working Using the C.I.A. model Alimo-Metcalf (2004)
Lead School A
NCTL
SIoE
Lead School B
C.I.A. – Change what you can,
Influence what you can,
Accept what you must

12. Latest developments Partnerships for Attainment
recruiting more teachers
better training
getting more schools involved
retaining them
South Yorkshire Futures
0-5 getting ready for school
5-18 great school experience
18+ - into work, college or university
Copyright: Sean Cavan 2014

13. Some references
Alimo-Metcalf, B., (2004), Transformational Leadership seminar, Sheffield,
Bion, W.R. (1961), Experience in Groups, Tavistock Publications Ltd, London
Cavan,S. (2015), Submission to the Education Select Committee for the Supply of Teachers Inquiry,
education-committee/supply-of-teachers/written/24687.html
Cavan,S. and Goddard,T. (2015), Submission to the Education Select Committee for the Review of the Role of Regional School Commissioners
Dawkins, R. (1986) The Blind Watchmaker, Penguin, London
Menzies Lyth, I., (1960) The functioning of social systems as a defence against anxiety. A report on the study of the nursing service of a general hospital. Human Relations, 1960,
Miller. E. and Rice, A.K. (1990), “Task and Sentient Systems and Their Boundary Controls”, in Trist and Murray Eds, The Social Engagement of Social Sciences, Vol 1, Free Association Books, London
Roberts, V.Z. (1994), ‘Conflict and Collaboration’, in The Unconscious at Work, Eds Obholzer, A and Roberts, V.Z., Routledge, ,London, 1994
Steiner, J. (1985), ‘Turning a Blind Eye’ in International Review of Psychoanalysis, No. 12, 1985
Copyright: Sean Cavan 2017

14. Lewin's Force Field Analysis
Achieving the primary task
of your project

15. Lewin's Force Field Analysis
Achieving the primary task
of your SBP
Driving
forces

16. Lewin's Force Field Analysis
challenges
Achieving the primary task
of your SBP
Driving
forces

17. Activity –think about the issues for your primary task
get into pairs or threes
spend 15 mins each using the FFA to identify drivers and challenges for your primary task
think about which challenges are most relevant to you and how you might address them
an FFA can be a useful element in an appendix to help explain the issues you had to address and how you addressed them