New headteachers will be well aware of the statutory requirement to carry out performance management with their teaching staff.

But it's important to look beyond the legal box ticking and use performance management as way of focusing on school improvement and delivering the very best teaching and learning for children.

That was the message for delegates who attended a workshop on creating a culture of evaluation at the conference earlier this afternoon.

Peter Maunder, headteacher of Oldway Primary School in Paignton, Devon, and Joan McVittie, principal of Woodside High School in Wood Green, London, together outlined the legal requirements for performance management, but spoke of the value that a system can deliver for schools if genuine efforts are made to use it as a driver for improvement.

It's important not to adopt too many performance management targets if it is to be effective, said Joan. "We stick with three targets and recommend that every member of staff is given a target relating to improved student outcomes, another one on leadership and another on personal development."

She said that, done correctly, performance management should feel like an entitlement, provide an opportunity to celebrate achievements, be driven by the individual rather than their manager and meets the needs of the school as well as the individual.

But she stressed that headteachers themselves shouldn't neglect their own performance management.

Peter Maunder said that good performance management shouldn't be done simply for statutory reasons - and shouldn't make colleagues jump through hoops for no apparent reason.

"It needs to measure success in terms of improving pupil learning, lead to the improvement of teaching, develop schools as personal and professional learning communities and also strive for quality and inclusion," he said.

He pointed to US research which plotted the progress of pupils taught by high and low performing teachers, noting the yawning gap in attainment between the two sets of pupils and pointing out that no school or school system could exceed the quality of its teachers.

"Performance management needs to identify the key aspect that is going to make that teacher a better teacher," he said. "We need to use performance management in a constructive way to improve teaching." 

Nick Bannister

Peter Maunder is headteacher of Oldway Primary School, Paignton.
Joan McVittie is principal of Woodside High School, Wood Green, London.

Sarah Holland, head of Lovers' Lane Primary School in Newark, and Vicky Beer, head of Ashton-on-Mersey Secondary Modern in Sale, opened their workshop with what is a key question for all new heads: how can you keep your focus on the core purpose of teaching and learning now that you are a head? The purpose of their workshop was to explore strategies for the leadership of excellent teaching and learning throughout the organisation.

Vicky argued in her introduction that, for leaders, the most valuable resource is time for reflection, which is what the workshop was designed to provide through a series of activities and challenges.

In Sara's introduction, she suggested that the most important lesson she has learned as a head leading teaching and learning in her school is about the vital importance of developing a culture where everybody in the school shares a common language about what good teaching is.

Delegates were asked to identify what they felt the most important factors are for effective teaching and learning. A strong consensus across the room identified the following factors, regardless of their phase or sector.

• The importance of challenge and engagement
• The importance of learning-centredness and personalisation
• Really knowing your children and young people
• Assessment for learning and a clear focus on progression
• The contribution of a creative curriculum
• The importance of a safe and stimulating environment

Vicky and Sara then introduced what research has to tell us about the factors that make the most difference. They introduced the work of Professor Steve Higgins and his team at Durham University, who have performed analyses of the significant research evidence for the past decade.

At the level of the individual class and teacher, the research indicates that the following elements have most impact.

• Developing teaching strategies and pedagogy
• Building effective relationships with learners
• Improving professional expertise and undertaking effective development and training

But what is the difference at the level of the head? What can the head and senior leaders contribute to effective teaching and learning?

Vicky and Sara invited delegates to suggest what the head can do to contribute most to the improvement of teaching and learning. The most commonly suggested factors were:

• modelling good practice
• clarifying the non-negotiables as regards to teaching and learning
• creating opportunities for the personal development of all staff
• promoting a culture of continual dialogue about teaching and learning
• identifying who to delegate the leadership of teaching and learning to

Vicky and Sara introduced further research from Durham which suggests that the following factors at the level of leadership are amongst those that contribute to making the most difference.

• Effective leadership
• A clear agreed focus on improving learning
• Agreed structures and processes
• Knowing staff, their needs and development needs
• Making learning challenging
• Ensuring effective relationships for teaching and learning
• Building partnerships around the school

Vicky and Sara then moved on to consider what you do when you have all the basics secured? What do you focus on? Vicky introduced some research which suggests that the barriers to further improvement are often things that are embedded in school culture, such as:

• curriculum design
• the assessment culture
• the use of data
• level of engagement and challenge in the teaching and learning

Vicky argued that you cannot tackle every area at once to move your school on. You need to choose the area of focus that is right for your context.

Vicky then challenged delegates by suggesting that, actually, the biggest challenge is that of closing the gap. She suggested that most approaches work for the majority of leaders and, consequently, that they maintain the achievement gaps that exist. Addressing this challenge will be vital under the new Ofsted framework.

Vicky and Sara pointed colleagues to some of Steve Higgins' research on strategies that have proven to work at closing the gap, which are summarised in publications from The Sutton Trust.

Concluding the workshop, Sara and Vicky describe some of the strategies that have worked in their schools, such as:

• introducing coaching and supporting the development of coaching skills across the school
• participation in the Improving and Outstanding Teacher programmes
• mentoring of 'satisfactory' teachers involving paired observation by mentor and teacher of outstanding teachers
• developing a learning charter that was agreed by staff and students
• gaining external support from local leaders of education
• staff participating in the Specialist Leaders of Education programme

What these strategies have achieved is a much greater distribution of the leadership of teaching and learning across their schools.

Sara and Vicky finished by pointing delegates to the following resources:

• Toolkit of Strategies to Improve Learning - Summary for Schools. Spending the Pupil Premium
• Toolkit of Strategies to Improve Learning Summary for Schools. Spending the Pupil Premium - Technical Appendices
• The Perfect (Ofsted) Lesson by Jackie Beere
• National College online short courses

Stuart Sutherland

Sarah Holland is headteacher of Lovers' Lane Primary School, Newark.
Vicky Beer is headteacher of Ashton-on-the-Mersey School, Sale.

What aspects of work with your governing body are working well and which would you like to improve?

A packed room listened to Headteacher Dr Gary Holden and Michael Costello, his chair of governors, share their top tips for an effective relationship between school and governors.

Key features of an outstanding headteacher and chair of governors relationship are: 

• close and regular communication – almost daily, but light touch and not onerous
• transparency, which enables the headteacher to coach the governing body in the ways of the school
• a shared vision for all the children in and beyond the school

Governors can become outstanding by:

• keeping the children at the heart of all difficult decisions
• using external measures, such as the governor mark, or visits to other schools to assess their relationship but always looking externally at other schools' governing bodies
• understanding the data about pupil assessment and achievement by taking a theme - providing challenge 
• taking time to listen to parents and pupils through governor listening days - accepting challenge 
• keeping their passion alive by looking at what they can do and pushing the boundaries
• being ambitious for the school and understanding wider leadership in the community, other agencies and other schools

Delegates were pointed to two publications:

• Leading governors: the role of the chair of governors in schools and academies
• School governance: learning from the best

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Dr Gary Holden is a national leader of education and headteacher of Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, Rochester.
Michael Costello is chair of governors of Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, Rochester.

Ann Willacy

Opening the main day of this year’s New Heads event, National College Chief Executive Steve Munby talked about the value of self-knowledge in a leader.

As leaders, we must believe in ourselves and take responsibility for the mantle of leadership, but be careful not to fall into the mindset of thinking we always know best. Listening to those around us and accepting our own weaknesses takes away the pressure to be perfect and, instead, allow us to create a perfect team.

Steve then introduced Maggie Farrar, Executive Director at the College.

Maggie Farrar – leadership with ambition

If there is one thing that binds us together it is that we’re passionate about helping all children to succeed. We need to raise the bar not only at the top, but for all – reducing inequality creates a better society for everyone.

• Ambitious for self: believe in what your leadership can achieve
• Ambitious for children: pursuing excellence in teaching and learning
• Ambitious for each other: working together for improvement

1. Ambitious for self

As part of the NPQH redesign work, Maggie spoke to many outstanding headteachers and a common theme emerged: most of them wished they’d been more confident in their first headship. They had been too moderate, had constrained themselves and had played it safe by imitating others. Given the chance to do their first headship again, they’d be much bolder.

Of course, the fear of failure is only natural, but the fear of failing children runs far, far deeper – aim high, be ambitious, do what you believe to be the right thing and believe in yourself. As Steve Jobs said: “your time is limited so don’t waste time living someone else’s life”.

She reminded the audience that ambitious leadership isn’t about cultivating some sort of heroic, charismatic leadership, but is about being authentic and setting high expectations of those who lead in the classroom.

2. Ambitious for children

Maggie outlined research that shows that a focus on teacher development makes the biggest difference in outcomes. It’s important that leaders don’t simply focus on this important issue, but actively engage in it with visible participation in training and development. They need to:

• identify excellence
• increase others exposure to it – create opportunities for all staff to learn from best practice
• address underperformance – look for solutions, but never compromise on quality or ignore anything that’s second best

If every child was taught to the standard of the best teacher in school, we would have an astounding system – and it can happen, if we make the most of the talent that’s around us

3. Ambitious for each other

We need to spot and nurture leaders, challenging old assumptions and supporting the best people into leadership roles as our success depends on building and maintaining a great leadership team. Maggie recounted a piece of advice given to her by Pat Collarbone, then her headteacher: “Never be afraid of hiring people to work for you who are smarter, and cleverer, than you are”. As chief talent officers, empowering others is one of the core areas where you need to be ambitious – and this extends outside of your school into the community as a whole.

School leaders also need to work together. In a recent piece of research we conducted into new heads working in cities loneliness was shown to be one of their key concerns. Those that overcame loneliness had taken advantage of opportunities to engage in networks to learn from and provide support to others.

The College is also here to provide support through the Head Start professional partners programme, which new heads have access to as a matter of course.

Concluding her speech, Maggie reminded the audience that although these are times of great change they are not alone. They belong to a great profession that is rapidly taking a more self-supporting and self-improving role – tapping into its collective ambition for each and every child it serves – raising attainment and closing gaps. As a National College, we will work tirelessly with you to achieve that ambition – that is why we exist.

A whole generation of children are looking to you to give them the best possible education that will last them a lifetime. They are looking to you to believe in them and be ambitious on their behalf and see them not just as the young people they are now – but the adults they are destined to become.

Together, you can and will make the difference.

Together, you can achieve an education system that realises all of our ambitions.

Together, you can create a legacy that we can all be proud of.

Maggie’s full speech will shortly be available as a video and transcript at www.nationalcollege.org.uk/newheads.

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Steve Munby is the Chief Executive of the National College.
Maggie Farrar is Executive Director of Leadership Development at the National College.

Peter S Clarke

Delegates are arriving now at our New Heads 2011 event.

Tonight they'll be attending sponsor seminars and an evening reception, before a full day of speeches, seminars and workshops tomorrow.

We'll be covering the main speeches and workshops of the conference here on the blog. Videos, presentations, transcripts and news will be available on the College website at www.nationalcollege.org.uk/newheads.

You can follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/the_college and the event hashtag is #newheads.

The National New Heads event provides a unique opportunity for newly appointed headteachers to come together and be welcomed to their roles by senior educational policymakers and practitioners. The event enables you to discuss and debate the issues that are important to you, and to gain ideas, insights and inspiration to help you bring your own thinking and actions into your school.

You can follow the event online here on the blog, on Twitter and through videos and presentations on our website at www.nationalcollege.org.uk/newheads.