1. 1 Webinar Implementing a strong vision - a practical guide for middle leaders Edward Gildea ----------------------------------------------

2. What is the point of having a‘Vision’? o To focus thought before action or decision-making o To provide challenge, aspiration and inspiration o To provide a context which unifies varied activities o To test decisions, options and priorities o To provide something for people to follow…

3. Clear vision is: o experienced in action o valid through future challenges o appreciated and sensed by all members of the team or school community o open to new ideas and developments o celebrated when it is successfully manifested o visible to outsiders. Principles of Management University of Derby / egsolutions

4. Relate your vision to the whole school vision o What are the key words and phrases of your whole school vision? eg: holistic, inspire, curiosity, enjoy, citizens, fulfill their potential, experiential, learning… o How do each of these words relate to your subject area? o Do any of the words pose particular challenges? o Are there any words or phrases you want to add or subtract? If so, why?

5. What are the implications for the key words of your vision in terms of: a)The teaching culture of your department and b)The style of leadership and team working you have adopted? c)Their suitability to the allocation of SMART targets? Vision check

6. Implications for Teachers of the word ‘Learning’ o Leaders focused on learning o Modelling curiosity o Monitoring and analysing o Talking about learning o Encouraging experimentation and action research o Challenging and supporting o Mentoring and coaching o Open Classrooms

7. Getting ‘buy in’ to your vision o Openly debate and discuss each of the key words and concepts o Use a facilitating style to engage and involve all members of the department in teasing out the concepts o Discuss areas of difficulty and disagreement o Use sticky dot voting to prioritise and obtain consensus

8. Facilitation Framework Effective facilitators balance focus along three dimensions Outcomes/Goals Process/HowDynamics/People

9. How to embed the vision o Embed the key words in the criteria for lesson observations and learning walks o Experiment with ways of monitoring how well you are delivering the vision eg: pupils feedback and self evaluation systems o Ensure the key words feature in Performance Management and Self Assessment pro formas o Built it into your expectations.

10. Motivation of Staff o Ownership is generated by Creativity o Give scope for colleagues to be creative in formulating, exploring and experimenting o Recognise, praise and affirm when the vision is realised o Question, challenge and hold accountable where it is not o Be self actualised through the vision

11. Questions & Answers --------------------------------------------------

12. Relevant conferences for middle leaders 20 th November, London Effective Middle Leaders: Lead your team to Outstanding (secondary) www.oeconferences.com/middlelea ders 25 th November, London Primary Middle Leadership: Lead, Raise and Monitor the Quality of Teaching across your Subject Area www.oeconferences.com/primML