I recently visited the UK to catch up with my family. My sister works in the Careers Department of Priory Community School (a secondary school of 1280 students aged 11–16 years). Ten years ago, based on results and reputation in the community, this school would have been widely viewed as one of the poorest secondary schools in the region. Under its current Principal, Neville Coles, the school has turned around and is now rated by Ofsted as Outstanding. During his leadership the school – like many in the UK – has become an Academy Trust and as of June 1st will become a Multi-Academy Trust. I took the opportunity to talk to Neville about his leadership and in particular the changes brought about by the move to trust status and his plans for collaboration with primary schools and other secondary schools through becoming a Multi-Academy Trust. Priory students’ results have improved greatly under Neville’s leadership. In 2002 only 28 per cent of Priory students achieved grades A*–C with English and Maths at GCSE. By 2015 this had risen to 70 per cent. I asked him what deliberate strategies he had employed that he believes have made the difference. He spoke first about a focus on teacher practice, effective teaching and feedback to students. All lessons are expected to follow a 5 part pattern with the acronym LEARN which is broken down in great detail for teaching staff in the school’s goal document entitled ‘Progress for All’: Link: Establish: Achieve:
Learning must be set in context Learning activities must be set up effectively Students must be given opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge through varied learning activities
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Students must have opportunities to emonstrate new learning and assess progress Next steps: Students must be asked to think about what they have achieved in relation to the big picture and where they are going next with their learning.
Secondly, he spoke about building a ‘no excuses’ school culture of total support and challenge for each pupil. He talked particularly about changing the focus of teacher duties to the expectation that teachers view this time as an opportunity to build their relationships with students. The school has a You Tube channel and students video Neville giving termly updates for parents https:// www.youtube.com/user/PrioryCSA. In 2011 Priory became an Academy Trust. Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, the UK equivalent of ERO) describes academies as publicly funded independent schools. Academies do not have to follow the national curriculum and can set their own term times. They still have to follow the same rules on admissions, special educational needs and exclusions as other state schools. Academies get money direct from the government, not the local authority. They’re run by an academy trust which employs the staff. Some academies have sponsors such as businesses, universities, other schools, faith groups or voluntary groups. Sponsors are responsible for improving the performance of their schools. When asked what benefits this had brought about he talked mostly about changes to the financial freedom of the school and the ability to bid for central government funding rather than making budget requests through local government. The school has recently gained funding for 2 big capital projects; the Paula
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Radcliffe Gym and fitness centre – based at the school and open to adopt an academy model. I commented that it appeared to me to the public and the recently announced £1.4M Sir Richard that Priory’s success under this model was dependant on skilled Branson Learning Support Centre. The school website quotes Sir financial and business management and that schools whose Richard’s response to the announcement that the centre will be leaders did not have these skills would not flourish under this named after him this week: ‘Very proud that Priory Community model. He agreed. School have named their support-to-learn centre after me. In recent years, Neville’s success at Priory has led to him being Education is very important, and having the right environment called upon to share his model of success more widely. The Trust to learn is vital’. I asked whether bids for funding are based on has school improvement contracts with other less successful successful outcomes – he smiled s cho ols and hosts S cho ol and said, ‘Not officially.’ Improvement Days on Fridays I explained the NZ Investing Academy status – like Charter when other schools are invited to status in NZ – gives schools in Educational Success see the school in action and talk the right to move away from to school leadership about the national pay and conditions for strategy and the creation strategies they have employed. In teachers. Priory School has not of Communities of Learning addition since 2007 the school has taken this route although he a role as a teaching school. In 2015 did describe moving teachers to encourage schools to 67 teacher trainees were working up the pay scale more rapidly in the school which has 70 full based on high performance and collaborate together on student time teaching staff. Currently one witholding pay steps for teachers achievement . . . third of all teachers employed at who were being asked to address the school were trained within the their performance. school – a factor which must play a large part in ensuring the The UK Government have recently published an education continuation of a strong culture of improvement. white paper – a government policy initiative and proposal for Neville spoke to me from his temporary office space in the legislation – that would see all schools becoming Academy Trusts boardroom – he has handed over the office he previously by 2022. http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/apr/27/ occupied along with the day-to-day leadership of the school to academies-plan-10000-trusts-nicky-morgan-schools-teachers his newly promoted Head of School. He is currently working on I was interested to find that Neville is not in favour of this – he the establishment of Priory Learning Trust – the latest of around feels that schools who are already successful should not be forced 973 Multi Academy Trusts currently registered in the UK – most of which have less then 10 schools in them. I explained the NZ Investing in Educational Success strategy and the creation of Communities of Learning to encourage schools to collaborate together on student achievement and asked Neville how his Multi Academy Trust will operate in practice. He explained that Priory Learning Trust has currently reached agreement with one of it’s contributing primary schools and is in discussion with a neighbouring secondary school to contribute 5 per cent of total funding and join the trust. Neville will then Total Teaching PD Opportunities become Principal of all the schools within the trust and will work in July/August 2016 with a board of 7 members, some of whom may be education specialists and some of whom will represent member schools, Neil MacKay, acclaimed international presenter and educator, to further develop his vision of Progress for All. returns to New Zealand in 2016 to offer whole school/cluster When we finished talking Neville took me on a whistle stop based professional development around his concept of Total tour of the school – he picked up a litter picker as we left the room Teaching. and used it several times to put litter in the bin as we walked This PD equips teachers with just enough RTLB/RTLit skills to around. As we talked he scanned every room and stopped staff “notice and adjust” for students without labels but with clear learning needs in areas like Dyslexia, ADHD and High Functioning and students to remind them politely but firmly of the standards Autism. expected in terms of behaviour and presentation. Whilst he Comments from his 2015 Workshop Tour spoke to a staff member about the need for his department A Principal writes, “Already I have had several of my staff comment to ensure students left rooms neat and litter free, I noticed a how positive, refreshing and inspiring the day was and that they poster reminding students to ‘Respect the Community not just have already implemented teaching strategies in their lessons the classroom – when you’re wearing the uniform you are an this week related to what Neil shared.” ambassador for the Academy.’ I later saw these on the noticeboard An RTLB writes, “The teachers were buzzing afterwards and back at the local shopping centre – urging shopkeepers to call the at school and I hear lots of talk of change and follow up which is what we want – a paradigm shift and change at the chalk face.” school if they observed students causing a disruption. During this final 10 minutes of my visit it became clear to Individual schools and clusters are invited to make contact me that if I were to summarise the key to Neville Coles’ success Neil at info@actiondyslexia.co.uk to discuss bookings in improving student achievement at Priory School it is his for 2016. Final date for bookings will be end of November relentless drive for improvement. 2016. Neil is also happy to discuss events for parents and conferences. More details at www.actiondyslexia.co.uk
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