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COLUMBA 1400: HEAD TEACHER LEADERSHIP
ACADEMY: DEVELOPING ENTERPRISE CULTURE
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 This report provides the findings from research
conducted for the evaluation of the Columba 1400's Head
Teacher Leadership Academy (HTLA). The HTLA is a pilot
programme made available to Head Teachers (HTs) and Deputy
Head Teachers (DHTs) in Scotland. It represents one element
of the Scottish Executive's 'Determined to Succeed'
strategy for Enterprise in Education , currently being
rolled out, with a number of innovative pilots such as HTLA
being co-funded in partnership with the Hunter Foundation.
In the light of this strategy, the research undertaken by
the research team, however, is more extensive than a simple
evaluation since it sought to provide information about HT
and DHT attitudes, practices and beliefs relating to
enterprise in education. The research methods are explained
in
section 3, but a combination of
quantitative, qualitative and observation methods have been
used. Attitudes, beliefs and practices of HTs and DHTs have
been tracked before and after engagement with the Columba
HTLA. Ideally these attitudes, beliefs and practices should
be tracked for a longer period of time, through engagement
with the schools involved in a longitudinal study, however,
the report provides extensive findings drawn from the
different research techniques that have been employed.
1.2 The research objectives were to:
- Provide an initial evaluation of the Columba 1400
HTLA utilising ex ante and ex post evaluation
methods.
- Provide research data on current practices,
attitudes, practices and beliefs by HTs, in enterprise
in education, before and after engagement with the
leadership academy.
- Provide an initial assessment of the value of the
HTLA in the light of other professional, management or
CPD training that may be engaged in by HTs and
DHTs.
- Examine the value of different elements of the
Columba 1400 HTLA in terms of the programme's operation
so that refinements may be recommended for any further
development of the programme.
- Recommend any policy changes in the light of the
current developments in the Enterprise in Education
programme.
1.3 Before describing the nature of the HTLA, and in the
light of these research objectives, it is necessary to give
a brief background to the current developments in
Enterprise in Education in Scotland's schools.
ENTERPRISE IN EDUCATION
1.4 A review of Education for Work and Enterprise was
set up by the Scottish Executive
under a Review Group in 2001 (Scottish Executive, 2001).
The Group reported at the end of 2002 by publishing
Determined to Succeed (Scottish Executive, 2002). This was
a comprehensive review of enterprise in education,
containing 20 wide-ranging recommendations. The
recommendations covered not only the school curriculum, but
also links with business, with the local community and
vocational learning through work experience. The Scottish
Executive accepted all of the recommendations in the report
and this has led to the ambitious 'Determined to Succeed'
(DtS) strategy for Enterprise in Education.
1.5
The extensive funding devoted to the
programme as result of the partnership between the Scottish
Executive and the Hunter Foundation means that there is a
significant investment of resources, training and
development to underpin the programme. DtS seeks to be
holistic in approach, compared to previous more
ad hoc initiatives in education that may have had
only limited take-up and participation.
1.6
Within DtS the Columba 1400 HTLA
represents one of many training and development programmes,
which seek to develop effective leadership in education at
all levels.
1.7
In context, DtS can be seen as part of a
drive towards a more modern enterprising and
entrepreneurial society in Scotland. This drive can be
viewed against an environment in Scotland that has a
relatively low business birth rate and entrepreneurial
activity for a modern economy. For example, the Global
Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) reports, continue to
classify Scotland as having a low rate of entrepreneurial
activity (GEM Scotland, 2003). The Review of Scottish
Enterprise's Business Birth Rate Strategy in 2001 concluded
that after 7 years of the Strategy, little difference had
been made to the 'gap' in the level of business start-ups
between Scotland and other areas of the UK (Scottish
Enterprise, 2001). The Review did indicate that although
the infrastructure had improved, that changing culture in
Scotland would require long-term policies focusing on
education. The Review Group on Enterprise in Education took
up this theme, by making the following statement as its
first recommendation:
"Every pupil from P1 through to S6 must have an
entitlement to enterprise activities on an annual basis
and, in addition, pupils in S5 and S6 should have an
entitlement to case studies based on local or Scottish
businesses".
(Scottish Executive, Determined to Succeed, 2002, p.
12)
1.8 This recommendation was accepted by the Scottish
Executive and its response stated that an expanded
programme would be at the heart of Enterprise in
Education:
"This programme will be at the heart of our
approach to delivering the step change in
Enterprise in Education"
(Scottish Executive, Determined to Succeed, Scottish
Executive Response, 2003, p. 9).
THE COLUMBA 1400 HEAD TEACHER LEARNING
ACADEMY
1.9 The Columba 1400 HTLA is a specialised development
of the Columba's Leadership Academy. Columba 1400 works
predominantly with young people from, what it refers to as
'tough realities', but this programme was developed
specifically for Head Teachers. The programme has been
widened to incorporate Deputy Head Teachers. The Leadership
Academy has the broad aims of facilitating personal
development and releasing individual leadership potential
and capacity. The HTLA was designed and delivered by
Columba 1400 in conjunction with a core team of associates
led by Robert Henderson and Colin Bell. The HTLA has the
residential experience in Staffin on the Isle of Skye at
its core but the full HTLA has a number of distinct
elements as a leadership programme:
1.10 The full programme consists of a number of distinct
elements:
- An initial computer-generated personal psychometric
individual profile, completed by individual
questionnaire and interview. This was initially
completed with interview at Edinburgh, but following
feedback has been modified by the Columba team so that
it can be completed on-line and the interview completed
over the phone.
- A pre-residential group programme held at a centre
in Edinburgh (two days).
- A one week residential programme at Columba 1400's
Learning Centre at Staffin on Skye (six days)
- A follow-up visit to the programme member's school,
for approximately one half-day.
Relationship to Enterprise in
Education
1.11 It became apparent at an early stage of the study
and through the first stage interviews that there is no
explicit link between the Academy's programme and DtS,
developed as a response to the Determined to Succeed Report
(2002) as currently being rolled out to schools by the
Scottish Executive. However, it is evident from the
evidence report, which supports the original 20
recommendations in the Determined to Succeed Report that
effective leadership is pivotal to excellent Enterprise in
Education..
1.12 Otherwise the Columba 1400 programme is a unique
leadership programme. It is based upon personal development
of participant members through the main part of the
programme, the six day residential. The pre-residential
elements could be seen as essential preparation for the
intensive residential programme, which is based upon
guiding principles from Columba 1400, and intensive
coaching in small groups. The Edinburgh short residential
is particularly aimed at preparing course members for the
full residential.
The Staffin Centre
1.13 The Columba 1400 Community and International
Leadership Centre at Staffin is a unique residential
centre. The remoteness and dramatic backdrop adds to the
experience, this was testified by a number of programme
members as being an important part of the programme. For
example, it was physically impossible for most of the
programme members to return to their schools, the isolation
and facilities at the Centre were considered to be an
important part of the experience. The Centre is well
equipped with a main conference room, breakout discussion
rooms, library, computer suite and residential facilities.
The six guiding principles of Columba 1400 are prominently
displayed in the Centre:
1.14 The Columban Code of Responsible Leadership
(sub-text omitted)
- Awareness
- Focus
- Creativity
- Integrity
- Perseverance
- Service
1.15 These core, guiding principles do have some
connection to the literature on and research on the known
qualities of social and community entrepreneurial leaders.
The Developing Enterprise Culture programme, as designed by
Columba 1400, sought to have a number of impacts:
- on enterprise attitudes of participating Head
Teachers and Deputy Heads
- on the enterprise ethos and culture of the
school
- on the development of the school curriculum
- on staff development and leadership
- on subsequent educational performance and attitudes
of its pupils
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.16 The study focuses on the effect of the programme on
the attitudes of the participants to enterprise and
cultural changes. Specifically, the study was designed to
address the following research questions:
R1. How do attitudes of Heads and Deputy Head Teachers
change towards an enterprise culture and management of
change in schools as a result of participation in the
programme?
R2. How are changes in attitudes reflected in the
management and culture of staff and students subsequently
at the school?
R3. What can be learned by policy makers and educational
officers from the impact of the programme in terms of
disseminating best practice?
1.17 We will revisit these research questions, when
reviewing and interpreting the study's findings.
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