« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
COLUMBA 1400: HEAD TEACHER LEADERSHIP
ACADEMY: DEVELOPING ENTERPRISE CULTURE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. This summary provides the main findings from an
evaluation of Columba 1400's pilot programme, the Head
Teacher Leadership Academy (HTLA) for head teachers (HTs)
and deputy head teachers (DHTs) from primary and secondary
schools in Scotland. A combination of research methods
including postal questionnaire surveys, observation by
participation and by direct methods and qualitative
face-to-face interviews have been employed to provided a
wealth of rich data for the purposes of the evaluation.
However, the authors also provide information on attitudes,
beliefs and practices of a sample of Scotland's HTs and
DHTs on enterprise in education.
2. The Columba 1400 Head Teacher Leadership Academy
(HTLA) pilot programme has involved six cohorts of up to 15
HTs and DHTs in each cohort. The research has been
undertaken with five HTLAs involving 71 HTs and DHTs. The
study has drawn upon 69 survey responses, pre Columba, a
response rate of 97%, 30 first and 28 second stage,
face-to-face, in-depth interviews, representing over 40% of
participating HTs and DHTs. Further research methods,
undertaken by the research team, have included observation
by participation and, in addition, interviews and
consultation have also been undertaken by the research team
with the Columba 1400 trainers.
Main Findings
3. From these different research methods, the combined
findings indicated that:
- There were positive views by HTs/DHTs on the value
of objectives of the Enterprise in Education programme,
but a high degree of uncertainty on the nature of the
Columba 1400 programme and how this related to the
objectives of E in E. After the Columba programme there
was a greater resolution to achieve the stated
objectives of E in E and greater awareness of the place
of the Columba 1400 programme within the broad E in E
strategy.
- There were increased levels of confidence by HTs
and DHTs in their own abilities as a leader and to
create and manage change.
- HT/DHT attitudes pre Columba were affected by
perceived values of external influencers, such as
colleagues, education authorities and the wider
society. Post Columba, there was a greater resolution
in their own abilities to achieve objectives
irrespective of external factors.
- There was less change in attitudes towards using or
developing external links with the local community and
with local businesses. This result may have been
affected by the bias in favour of primary HTs/DHTs,
compared to secondary HTs/DHTs on the programme.
- There was evidence of increased personal resolution
that important constraints on objectives, such as
dealing with staff and pupils, could be resolved and
overcome through the utilisation of techniques and
competencies developed on the Columba programme.
4. HTs and DHTs showed a willingness to apply the
non-directive coaching techniques in the school environment
with staff and pupils, to spend more time listening to
staff and pupils before taking action and to introduce some
the coaching techniques with development sessions with
their own staff. They increased the extent of delegation of
responsibility to staff, pupils and parents and they were
more willing to examine the development of links with local
businesses and the local community.
5. HTs and DHTs had a greater propensity to develop
more specific plans for the inclusion of enterprise
activities in school development plans.
Conclusions
6. The study's main conclusions were that:
- There were variable but powerful impacts on each
participant. Learning outcomes varied for each HT/DHT
and will also depend on the dynamic of each HTLA - with
the learning that takes place from the sharing of
experience within each separate cohort of 15 HTs and
DHTs that undertake an individual HTLA. Despite this
recognised variety, the study's findings suggest that
there are identifiable, if subjective, impacts on
changes in HT/DHT attitudes, in behaviour, in practices
and in learning outcomes.
- There were limited impacts on objectives that could
be associated with E in E. Practice and attitudes to E
in E varied, although there was a high degree of
awareness of different and varied practice in
enterprise in education pre Columba 1400. There was
little direct connection made by all the HTLAs with the
Columba programme and DtS pre Columba. However, post
Columba, greater association was made between the
nature of the HTLA and the aims of E in E.
- Different elements of the programme also varied in
terms of their impacts. The most valuable, and those
having the deepest and most profound impacts, were the
intensive coaching sessions and the inter-active group
seminar sessions. In particular, the large degree of
time spent on the programme on the development of
individual coaching skills appeared to be worthwhile,
since there was evidence of changes in practice and
determination on the part of HT/DHTs to develop these
individual coaching skills further in their
schools.
- Most elements of the programme were highly valued
but the role of the individual psychometric profiling
was more questionable as it did not seem to be
integrated within the programme, although a minority of
HTs/DHTs did find it useful.
- An important element that contributed to the
impacts of the programme was the dynamic interaction
that took place within each HTLA, due to the
composition and the breadth of experience brought by
participating members within each HTLA. The authors
suggest that the variation brought to each HTLA should
be carefully considered. It may be worth consideration
of greater diversity of experience.
- A strong finding of the study was that the
programme was very different from any other CPD
undertaken by the participants, a unique and very
valuable experience, but the Scottish Executive needs
to consider how it best complements the existing CPD
framework for teachers if the programme is to
continue.
Recommendations
7. The study's recommendations for the Scottish
Executive and the Hunter Foundation included:
- The time required for the programme and the
location on Skye is important to ensure that maximum
value is obtained from the programme. A large
investment is required in personal time by each
participating HT or DHT. The full cost of the programme
was not made available to the research team, but the
opportunity costs involved alone suggest that maximum
benefit should be sought by careful consideration of
the selection and invitation to participants for each
HTLA in any subsequent programme.
- Careful consideration should be given to the nature
of the programme in relation to the framework for
teacher CPD that has been established. It may be
appropriate to either select or encourage teachers to
participate by the nature of their previous CPD
experience rather than specifically HT or DHT.
Consideration could be given for improving the
diversity of experience that is brought to each HTLA.
For example, there may be value in having a mixture of
experience and more opportunity could be given to allow
this sharing of experience to be developed.
- The link between the programme and that of E in E
should be made more explicit. This may just reflect the
early stage of the ambitious E in E strategy and there
will be less need for this, perhaps, as teachers become
more fully aware of the breadth of DtS.
- Further research should be undertaken on the
impacts of the programme. The research team understands
that the full E in E programme will eventually be
evaluated and further research can be incorporated into
that evaluation. Of course, this study has examined
initial impacts only, the full impacts can only be
studied through more longitudinal research that will
track the effects of changes in attitudes, behaviour
and practices over time within selected schools.
8. Recommendations for Columba 1400 included:
- The findings indicated that the value of the
psychometric profiling session is limited. If this
element is retained, it is recommended that it is more
fully integrated into the programme, perhaps through
more follow-up sessions.
- We have suggested that the aims of the HTLA could
be clearly identified to participants before the
residential on Skye. Although we understand that there
may be a desire to retain a deliberate vagueness on the
aims of the programme, since it is centred on the
development of the individual, some reassurance to
participants of what the programme is concerned with,
coupled with a more explicit relationship to DtS, would
be beneficial.
- There is a heavy emphasis on individual coaching in
the residential on Skye, to the exclusion of team
coaching. This was introduced in the two-day
preparation and some focus on this in the six-day
residential on Skye could be introduced without losing
the balance of the programme.
« Previous | Contents | Next »