This week we speak to Professor Becky Allen, Co-Founder of Teacher Tapp, Ben White, Assistant Headteacher of a secondary school in Kent and Matthew Evans, Headteacher of a secondary school in Gloucestershire, about a book they wrote together entitled, ‘The Next Big Thing in School Improvement’.  We discuss the main themes of the book, namely: the complexity of the school system, the limits of our knowledge and the problems that arise when an approach to school improvement (that might well be effective in some contexts) becomes a generalised “fad” and actually has limited impact.    We talk about:  How the three authors met and why they decided to write a book together on this topic  What it means when we say schools are “complex” systems and why they are difficult to improve Some of the important things about learning and education that we just don’t know yet and may never know Advice for headteachers contemplating school improvement  The limits of the education system as it has currently been designed and what some of the potential options could be for overcoming them The group’s thoughts on the current focus on curriculum  How each of our guests thinks education research, time and funding could be spent to tackle some of the challenges they have identified around school improvement  Activities they have each participated in as part of past school improvement fads that they now regret    You can order Becky, Ben and Matthew’s book here 

Key Voices

Key Voices #131 - ‘The Next Big Thing in School Improvement’ with Professor Becky Allen, Matthew Evans and Ben White

This week we talk to Katy Pinchess, Headteacher at Bentley Church of England Primary School about her school’s approach to reading. Katy shares how they have used a digital tool (Lexplore) that uses artificial intelligence and eye-tracking technology to dig further into exactly what children find challenging about reading. We also talk about other ways in which Katy has built a strong reading culture at her school, discuss briefly her recent experience of an Ofsted inspection and hear her observations of how pupils are adjusting to being back in school.    We talk about:  Reading as a focus across the school  What using the digital tool adds to the school’s approach to teaching reading  How administering reading assessments works and how the results are used to support pupils progress  The school’s context and the importance of reading across the curriculum  How using the digital tool has supported parental engagement with reading The impact of Covid-19 on pupil’s academic resilience How the team at Bentley have applied a ’back to basics’ approach this term to support pupils back into the classroom.    You can learn more about Bentley Church of England Primary School here  More information about Lexplore is available here 

Key Voices #130 - The role of technology in teaching reading with Bentley Church of England Primary School

This week we talk to Anna Trethewey, Head of Strategy and Andrew Cook, HMI and  Regional Director North West, both from Ofsted about Ofsted’s rapid evidence review into peer-on-peer sexual abuse. We talk about how the review was conducted, the findings that emerged and how schools can start to take steps to respond to this issue. We also discuss the nature of the challenge in more detail and the importance of taking a deep and considered approach to building a safe and inclusive culture. We also touch on the role that governors can play in supporting schools with this work.    We talk about:  How Ofsted worked to produce a high impact report that conveyed the scale of the problem at speed The pivotal importance of pupil experience and testimony to this review and how organising single-sex discussion groups proved to be a valuable way to capture views during the school visits  How problematic sexual behaviour seems to have become almost normalised and the need to be more clear about thresholds and really defining what behaviour is acceptable and unacceptable for young people  Why inclusive language and strong role modelling can play such a key part in establishing a positive school culture  The link between RSHE and PSHE provision and pupils’ experiences  Some of the changes already resulting from the review’s publication  How hard it can be for schools to navigate behaviour that happens online or out of school premises How governors can support school leadership teams with this work    You can read the full review from Ofsted here. 

Key Voices #129 - Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges with Ofsted

This week we talk to Dr Helen Edwards, Co-Founder of Tapestry about changes happening in the Early Years (the new Early Years Framework and updated Development Matters). Helen shares some really useful tips for governors visiting the EYFS. We also reflect on the impact of the pandemic and the opportunity it presented for those working in the early years to embrace technology, particularly as a way to maintain the connection between their setting and home, and consider what the future might look like.    We talk about: The changes to the EYFS Framework, Development Matters and Early Learning Goals and what these mean in practice How to be a curious governor when visiting the EYFS and some good questions to ask Some of the ways in which settings and Edtech providers had to adapt during the pandemic The importance of achieving a balance around use of technology in the Early Years and balancing the workload associated with recording and reporting  The role EdTech can play in CPD, especially in a nursery setting where there will be limited time and budget What is special about working in the Early Years    You can learn more about Tapestry here

Key Voices #128 - A spotlight on the Early years with Dr Helen Edwards from Tapestry

“Heck! The reason this job is so hard is not just because we believe it to be so, but because a lot of the expectations of what headteachers have to do day-to-day... are implicitly demanding of a very high stage of adult ego development.”   This week we speak to Dr Neil Gilbride, Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Gloucestershire. We discuss his research into School Principals at Different Stages of Adult Ego Development: Their Sense-Making Capabilities and How Others Experience Them. Neil tells us about why and how he conducted the research, what it tells us about leadership in a school setting and the particular challenges school leaders face.    We talk about: Neil’s career and background  Why he chose to undertake the research and the possible implications the findings might have What the ‘ego’ is, what it does and how it develops according to Loevinger’s model of the 8 stages of adult ego development  More details about the 3 stages of ego development the study focuses on  What the research shows us about how difficult it is to be a leader in a school setting  What constitutes a ‘wicked’ problem as opposed to a ‘tame’ problem Why it is important to understand education leadership and its challenges first, before working out what we can learn from other sectors How he designed the study and carried it out  What kind of scaffolding leaders might need to help them sense-make more effectively and the impact stress can have on someone’s sense-making abilities  Role of experience and experiences in leadership development  Neil’s plans for further research    You can read Neil’s paper here it includes full details of Loevinger’s model of adult ego development   You can learn more about his international project Getting Heads Together here   “Some people described the headteacher who was “individualist” as magical. They could just seem to put their finger on the problem and they think it is some kind of divine intervention, and it isn’t. Actually the way they make sense of the problem incorporated so many different perspectives and views that by the time they got there everyone felt they’d been heard and everyone could see where the headteacher was coming from.”

Key Voices #127 - School leadership and adult ego development with Dr Neil Gilbride

This week we talk to Kat Howard, Head of Professional Learning at David Ross Education Trust Teaching School Hub,  Author and Founder of Litdrive. We talk about some of the key themes of Kat’s books: Stop Talking About Wellbeing and Symbiosis. We also talk about some of the lessons that can be learned from remote learning for both teaching and flexibility in schools, and how to have meaningful conversations about curriculum development.    We talk about:  Why we should stop talking about wellbeing Some of Kat’s observations coming from another sector outside education  The opportunities the pandemic has presented to do things differently such as; Engaging in more CPD Collaborating more easily Working more flexibly Using remote learning as a chance to watch other teachers and really honing in on certain aspects of teaching Kat’s approach to blogging and writing books  How Kat chose to use time while on maternity leave to participate in and deliver CPD The vital role curriculum can play in engaging pupils and staff How to have successful curriculum conversations  Adapting your curriculum to support catch up    Here is the blog Kat mentioned about how she writes books and blogs   You can learn more about Litdrive, the organisation Kat founded, here   You can learn more about the Maternity Paternity Teacher Project here or listen to the Key Voices episode with its founder here  

Key Voices #126 - Wellbeing, curriculum and flexibility with Kat Howard

This week we talk to Diana Osagie, ex-headteacher, coach and leadership specialist . We talk about Diana’s experiences of headship and the work she is doing to support female leaders thrive.  Finally, Diana shares some super practical advice for new headteachers and the governing bodies supporting them.  We talk about: The fact that no-one teaches school leaders to be leaders Some of the lessons Diana learned from her time in headship Diana’s thoughts about why and how women lead differently  The power of coaching  Covid-19 and how to manage and empower your team in a crisis  Very practical advice for new heads  How governors can support new headteachers  You can register for the free 3 day Transformational Leadership Challenge we discuss (starting on Monday 13th September) here  You can learn more about Diana and her work here 

Key Voices #125 - Lessons in leadership with Diana Osagie

This week we talk to Sir Jon Coles, CEO of United Learning. Jon shares his thoughts on this year’s exam arrangements and what could happen next year. As well as, why it is so hard to make good policy and how he feels the pandemic has really emphasised the benefits of being part of a large trust.    We talk about :  This year’s exam results and what they could mean for future cohorts The various options for next year’s exams and the considerations that would need to be made depending on which way forward is chosen How to close the gap between those who make policy and those who implement it  Jon’s time in the civil service and his thoughts on exactly why it is so hard to make successful policy  How additional capacity made Jon’s trust more resilient during the pandemic  Establishing remote teaching during the pandemic  The most powerful ways technology can make a difference in education    You can learn more about United Learning here

Key Voices #124 - Exams, policy-making and trusts with Sir Jon Coles

This week we talk to Steve and Paula Kenning, Managing Directors of  Aspirations Academy Trust, and Ian Livingstone CBE, a games industry veteran, who is working with the trust to found a new academy in Bournemouth - the Livingstone Academy. We talk about the principles underpinning the work of the Aspirations Academy Trust and hear about how Steve and Paula have worked with Ian to found a different and exciting new school.    We talk about:  Steve and Paula’s experiences building a trust and developing their educational philosophy  Ian’s background, the work he has done on improving the quality of digital education and why he wants young people to move from being in the passenger seat as users of technology, into the driving seat where they are creating it The central focus the trust has on making education exciting, engaging, practical and interdisciplinary  How the plan for the school came about and some of the innovative ways they plan to work in terms of curriculum, leadership and use of digital tools  What a successful launch and first year would look like  The future world of work  What Steve and Paula have learned from working closely with employers about how to make young people world ready and work ready    You can learn more about the work of Aspire Academies Trust here

Key Voices #123 - Work ready and world ready with Aspirations Academy Trust and Ian Livingstone CBE

This week we talk to Iona Jackson, Head of Research at Edurio and Amy Ferguson, Deputy Headteacher of an Independent Special School. We discuss Edurio’s recent research report on Equality, diversity and inclusion among school staff. Iona tells us about the report’s main findings and Amy shares her reflections, and suggestions as to what schools can do practically to become more inclusive.     We talk about:  What the terms equality, diversity and inclusion actually mean  The main findings of the report: notably how less than half  of respondents felt their school was diverse and that white staff, men and staff without a disability reported feeling more confident that staff are treated equally than their peers The impact that bias, either conscious or unconscious, can have in schools  How to close the perception gap between a leadership team who feels they are adequately addressing equality, diversity and inclusion, and a staff that feel differently  The importance of involving staff and getting honest feedback from staff in relation to equality and diversity  The evolving nature of equality, diversity and inclusion at work  How to address some of the issues around hidden difference   You can download Edurio’s report here  Amy mentions the work of the following organisations who provide further support Diverse Educators, BAMEed and LGBTed

Key Voices #122 - ‘Equality, diversity and inclusion among school staff’ with Edurio

This week we talk to Kaley Foran, Lead Content Editor and Nicola West-Jones, Head of Market Research at The Key. We talk about the continuing challenges thrown up by COVID-19 and how schools have been tackling them, as well as thinking about what issues are on the horizon. We also consider how different governance has been during another extraordinary period for schools.    We talk about:  Learnings from lockdown  School leaders’ impressive ability to make the right decisions for their pupils and their communities  The changing role of the DfE against a potentially more confident and empowered generation of school leaders Focus topics for September: preparing for Ofsted, addressing sexism and sexual abuse in schools, wellbeing, curriculum and CPD The experience for governors in this period of largely remote meetings  The future of school funding Some of the findings from our recent survey on schools’ plans for catch-up activity 

Key Voices #121 - Review of the year with The Key

“It’s the best thing you can do for the relationship between staff and students. Do it with the students, don’t assume for them… try asking the students what they want and finding a compromise that works from both perspectives.”    This week Key Voices has been taken over by students at Townley Grammar School. They share their thoughts about their school changing its hair policy and talk passionately about the difference it has made to them and their peers. They also interview Desmond Deehan, CEO of Odyssey Trust for Education, which Townley Grammar is part of, about the decision-making process the trust took to change their hair policy. They also ask about why he wanted to start a dialogue with other schools, and what further plans there are to examine bias and inequality across their uniform policy.    We talk about:  What changing the hair policy at school has meant to the girls and their peers  The negative impact having restrictive hair rules has, particularly on students from diverse backgrounds and on relationships between students and teachers  The connection between hair, confidence and self-expression  The importance of engaging students in changes like this What other aspects of school uniform policy might need changing  What inspired Desmond to decide to change the policy  Communicating policy change and why Townley decided to try and use publicity to try and get other schools to think about hair rules differently  How they feel they have shattered the illusion that education and standards in schools are linked to clothing  The connection between awareness raising, protest and how real change happens    This is the book Desmond mentions  Don’t touch my hair! By Emma Dabiri   “The recognition that just challenging someone [about their hair] is a sanction. If you are picked out in your class and something public is said to you about your hair, that is a sanction. You don’t have a detention for that, and it doesn’t get recorded as such but you walk away from it as the student thinking, I feel bad now and I didn’t feel that before, and the teacher might not even feel they have told you off, but that is how it lands.”

Key Voices #120 - Ditching discriminatory hair policies: A Key Voices Takeover

This week we talk to Sidonie Bertrand-Shelton, Head of Education & Youth, (she/her) and Katherine Fowler, Content Editor at The Key (she/her) about being in an LGBTQ+ inclusive school. We talk about the importance of high-quality age-appropriate Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) as well as making sure that you embed gender and LGBTQ+ inclusivity throughout your curriculum.    We talk about:  The changes to RSHE and how schools can respond in an age-appropriate way and deal with any opposition from the local community  Why it is important for all young people, but particularly those who identify as LGBTQ+ or think they might,  to experience a curriculum that represents them and the relationships they seek  The responsibilities of governing boards and how they can support school leaders on this agenda  The importance of training for teachers to feel confident when talking to students about gender, sexuality and identity, and tackling biphobic, transphobic, homophobic and sexist language  Practical considerations about which of a school’s policies relate to inclusion such as anti-bullying, child protection and behaviour policies How to audit your curriculum to be more inclusive  Returning to your school’s core values and thinking about how you can use them to become more inclusive and make sure all pupils feel safe to be who they are in your school  The Ofsted review of peer-on-peer sexual abuse and some specifics relating to LGBTQ+ inclusion    You can find best practice, toolkits and resources from Stonewall here   You can find more information on Stonewall’s  e-learning here or their School and College Champions Programme here   Members of the Key for School Leaders can access our curriculum audit here

Key Voices #119 - LGBTQ+ Inclusion with Stonewall and The Key

This week we talk to Major Pat Burgess, MBE, The Armour Centre Bovington and Sara White, Principal at Bovington Academy (part of The Aspirations Academy Trust). Major Pat has been delivering mindfulness sessions to pupils at Bovington Academy to help them deal with anxiety and prepare for their transition to secondary school. We hear about how the army and the school work in partnership and the benefits of applying mindfulness techniques in a school setting.    We talk about:  Bovington Academy’s context and high mobility (circa 70%) Their experience of the pandemic, with many children attending the school during partial closures  How transferable Major Pat found the mindfulness training he does with his colleagues to a school setting  The high levels of anxiety experienced by pupils and the need to help them cope with difficult situations they might encounter Why transition to secondary school is challenging for pupils, particularly this year  Other ways in which the army supports the school  The importance of mindfulness in schools    You can learn more about the Mindfulness in Schools project Major Pat references here. 

Key Voices #118 Applying mindfulness techniques during transition with Bovington Academy

This week we speak to Sarah Baker, CEO, Alison Bingham, Director of Development and Rachel Watson, Associate Principal and Director of Education and Achievement from TEAM Education Trust, in the final instalment of our series of podcasts covering their first year as a trust. We talk about what they feel they have learned and achieved,  their plans for further development and Sarah shares her top tips for first time CEO’s.    We talk about:  The resilience and adaptability of their staff during the pandemic How proud they are of what has been achieved this year  What their first year as a trust might have looked like without challenges raised by COVID-19  The importance of building strong relationships across a trust  What Sarah has learned in her first year as a CEO, including delegation and trying to let go of her inner perfectionist  The importance of work-life balance for all staff, especially for the central team as role models for the other staff  How to work towards becoming an employer of choice  TEAM Education trusts CPLD programme 

Key Voices #117 Launching an academy trust during a pandemic, part 3 with TEAM Education Trust

Welcome to Key Voices - a podcast by The Key. We will be bringing you a summary of the latest education news and interviews, alongside timely and important developments in education.

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Key Voices

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