LEADERSHIP
Working together
The tragic death of the
head at a nearby school
led to Dr Peter Kent and
Dr Annabel Kay from
Lawrence Sheriff School
volunteering to work with
the school’s leadership
team until a new head
could be appointed. They
discuss how this unusual
set-up was made to work
eadTeaCHerS are not what
H
they used to be. The traditional
model of the heroic leader whose
career spans two or three schools is
breaking down.
with the queue of people
volunteering to take on the top
job shrinking all the time, a whole set of new ideas are
emerging on how schools should be led.
our experience of these new leadership models
came with unexpected suddenness following the tragic
death of the headteacher of Blue Coat Church of
england School in Coventry.
Having worked with the local diocese on a variety
of projects, they asked if we would be willing to work
with the existing leadership team at the school during three associate headteachers, who would work together The circumstances behind our appointment meant Quite understandably, many were anxious about
the interim period before a new headteacher was able to bring strategic direction to the school during the 12 that there was a lack of time for discussion. our first what an unconventional structure would mean for them
to take up post. The first challenge that we faced was months before a new leader took up post. meeting with the school’s deputies took place only an in both the short and longer term. while staff could
how to construct a model which allowed us to work Both schools were strong with robust examination hour after they had heard what was to happen, creating a understand the use of an experienced headteacher, their
as a team with the two existing deputy headteachers at results, so there was no suggestion of a strong and a set of rather anxious questions on both sides. Similarly, initial reaction was confusion as to why the deputy
the school. weak partner. Instead each would support the other the first time we met with the staff was a less than easy headteacher from another school was also involved.
The solution we came up with was that of a four- through a range of staff working together across the experience because there had been no opportunity to Some assumed that there was a plan for one of us to
person headship team of an executive headteacher and two institutions. explain to them the new arrangement. permanently take over as headteacher and it took some
time and reassurance to convince them that this was
not the case.
Taking the lead: HTI
Having got past initial concerns, our new way
of working has produced several clear benefits. one
obvious example is the way in which the headship team
Creating a climate of collaboration
has worked together.
The four-person team has been able to concentrate
upon the strategic because the pre-existing leadership
group within the school had done such a good job
Anne Evans discusses the challenges of
personally humble, deliberately helpful, cautious of overseeing the operational, day-to-day issues that
about exerting their influence, ambivalent about can sometimes make it difficult to look at the bigger
job descriptions, and pragmatic in steering a course picture. The whole experience has made us realise
establishing a culture of collaboration, which is
towards a destination. how much time senior leaders spend trying to deal
above all, the effective collaborative leader was with the day-to-day. In this sense, putting ourselves
so essential to the success of schools today
intolerant of boundaries, divisions and territories. The in a situation where we have not had the time to
power motive may be there, but it is about socialised become involved in micro-management has been a
power focused on the good of the community rather very useful exercise.
Teamwork and collaboration are the mantras Collaboration is far more than simply teamwork, yet than personalised power driven by selfish vested The benefits have been two way. The wider
for 21st century education. They are at the heart establishing these connections between disparate teams interests. leadership team at Lawrence Sheriff has also become
of so many government initiatives, from every and stakeholders, whose fortunes are interdependent but all of this has important implications for how we involved in projects with Blue Coat.
Child matters and extended schools, to multi-agency interests may be divergent, is notoriously problematic. prepare young people for the workforce. effective For example, strategies for ICT development have
working and the diplomas. Schools also play a critical role in preparing the collaboration depends on skills and knowledge, which been discussed, along with finance and ideas at both
But teamwork is different from collaboration, and future workforce for a world of collaboration. But are underpinned by habits, attitudes and behaviours schools for engaging the local community through
effective collaboration is hard work. This is why we collaboration is not a subject. It is fostered by the way driven by fundamental values with a particular kind specialism. This process has offered a much richer set
have collaborated with the Hay Group to explore in in which things are done, not only in the classroom, but of generosity at their core. of experiences to senior staff on both sites than would
depth the whole issue of what collaboration means also around the periphery of the curriculum. It is also So what can we do to create a climate of otherwise have been available. while working at Blue
for schools. dependent on a culture that values collaboration and collaboration for students? one thing we can do is to Coat, we have found that we have needed to be even
First we must distinguish between teamwork and that is down to leadership. increase opportunities for collaborative experiences. more robust about school improvement initiatives at
collaboration. Teamwork is about a group of people The rise of partnership working across divisions, Teamwork is not enough. Students need to learn how Lawrence Sheriff. For this reason, both schools have
all pulling together with shared goals, beliefs and organisations, boundaries and territories has seen a to deal with conflicting goals in a way that is good for moved at a much faster pace than might normally have
attitudes. It is part of collaboration, but by no means corresponding decline in authoritarian leadership and the group as a whole. been the case.
the whole story. Collaboration involves working with hierarchical management structures. So rather than working with others, they should try Having experienced this new way of working, we
people we don’t necessarily understand, and where authoritarian leaders not only tend to go working with unfamiliar others; rather than working would recommend the structure as a way of operating
conflicts need to be reconciled to achieve outcomes unchallenged, but are often cut off from decisions being to clear-cut goals, the goals should be ambiguous; across two schools. The leadership model is less
that are of benefit to all. made further down the organisation and the (potentially rather than working in self-contained teams, the team stressful and isolated, because it provides an opportunity
It is about choice, not coercion: people collaborate grim) reality of a situation. The current financial crisis should engage with others around it. activities within to work together and support one another. The effective
because they want to be involved and have the desire bears testimony to the devastating effects of this style and outside lessons can be structured and adapted to relationships within existing teams can still be used,
to align activities and interests for the greater good. of leadership. allow these skills – vital to so many other “soft skills” making it much easier to hit the ground running rather
It depends on people who can bring new ideas to the There is no place for instruction, constraint, rigid that matter to business and public life – to flourish. than having to spend time building an entirely new set
table; who are focused on outcomes. control, or one-way communication in collaborative and this leads me to my final point. Collaboration of relationships. within this arrangement, new teams
Collaboration is important and necessary because leadership. It is all about collegiacy, dialogue, trust between businesses and schools, which have not are created around the strengths of existing ones across
successful outcomes for projects, businesses and and flexibility. That doesn’t mean that collaborative always seen eye-to-eye, is vital to ensuring that these both schools. Looking back, we feel that we have
schools are increasingly dependent on multiple leadership is all warmth and fluffiness. Far from it. It collaborative skills are not only fit for purpose, but probably achieved more and worked at a faster pace in
organisations working together. we can certainly requires determination and courage, but it also depends also recognised, rewarded, and valued by their future both institutions as a result of this new structure.
recognise this trend for interdependency in our own on a generosity that seeks to accommodate other employers. To quote the old adage, our experience is that four
sector, not only in multi-agency working, but also parties’ interests as well as your own. heads can work just as effectively as one. SecEd
in the education outcomes we deliver for children, a study of the interactions between 1,000 school • Anne Evans OBE is chief executive of HTI, an
which are not only a product of teaching, but also leaders and their colleagues found that the “leader of independent social enterprise working to develop • Dr Peter Kent is headteacher, and Dr Annabel Kay
socio-economic conditions and parenting skills. choice” was enthusiastic, passionate, a good listener, exceptional school leaders. Email a.evans@hti.org.uk is deputy headteacher, of Lawrence Sheriff School in
Rugby.
SecEd • March 26 2009 13
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