CHALLENGING SCHOOLS
Meeting the challenge
The week
Following the formal seminar, participants will have
the opportunity to tour Burlington – a prime example
before a major
of how the combination of high quality resources,
facilities and teaching can make a real difference to
pupils’ confidence and their ability to achieve.
seminar looking
Behaviour issues: fact or fiction
at working in
When NQTs consider where to begin their careers, many
raise concerns about how to manage difficult behaviour
challenging schools, the
while simultaneously delivering high quality lessons.
however, the myth that behaviour is always
TDA’s Graham Holley
the main problem in challenging schools tends to
overshadow other important facets of the job. It is
not just about securing good discipline, but about
reflects on the current
motivating, inspiring and involving pupils in their own
education and success.
drive to recruit more high
Our second debate will explore pupil behaviour
and will discuss how schools are successfully tackling
quality teachers
the behaviour problems that do exist, with an address
from Paul harwood, City Challenge’s lead advisor for
behaviour and attendance.
having turned around two underperforming schools
e have all read about during his 16 years as a headteacher, Mr harwood will
W
difficult behaviour, apparent argue that the fundamental steps towards changing
lack of parental involvement, pupil behaviour depend on earning their respect at an
and difficulties in recruiting early stage. School leaders, according to Mr harwood,
and retaining high quality can transform learners from “tourists to citizens” of the
teaching staff that face some school, by creating a sense of community belonging
english secondary schools. among both students and staff.
These can all have an impact upon the public Working with urban schools in both London
perception of what it is like to teach in a secondary and Manchester, Mr harwood will discuss the City
school and negatively affect teacher recruitment. The Challenge’s Consistency Management and Cooperative
truth is that challenging schools can be among the most Discipline (CMCD), which aims to create a disciplined,
satisfying and rewarding places in which to work, and caring and respectful climate focused on active learning.
their achievements are often overlooked or at the very
least do not receive the recognition they deserve.
How do we attract high quality teachers?
This month, the Training and Development agency Research shows that currently only one in 10 teachers
for Schools (TDa) has invited 50 of the country’s and one in eight heads are very likely to apply to
leading education experts, teachers, and headteachers some of our more challenging schools in the next
to a seminar, entitled Challenging Schools: The five years. This underlines the job still to be done in
changing the attitudes and perceptions of our future
fact and fiction, to explore some of the myths and school leaders.
misconceptions that surround challenging schools and The final speaker, Brett Wigdortz, CeO of Teach
Finance awards
to highlight the opportunities these schools can offer First, will lead the debate on the opportunities that
teachers to help pupils thrive, despite challenging social policy-makers and education leaders have to widen the
and educational circumstances. pool of available talent.
Burlington Danes academy in London, which For example, we know that trainees who are given
was recognised last year as one of the country’s most the experience of visiting and working in challenging
he eCONOMIC climate of the improved academies, will host the seminar. Its principal, schools are much more likely to take up employment in
T
last two years makes it impossible Sally Coates, and pupils will share their views on the role them once they are qualified.
to ignore how vital high quality that teachers and headteachers play in turning around While working in a challenging school may not be
financial education is for young underperforming schools. for everyone, for those that relish a challenge and want
people. The seminar will feature real-life stories of turn- to use their drive and skills to make a big difference
So it is perhaps fitting that, from around schools and will include speakers from across where it is needed most, these schools can provide just
September 2010, ministers have the educational spectrum, who will share their insights the right opportunity.
made personal finance education (PFe) a compulsory and views around three important issues that are often The seminar’s final debate will discuss how the
part of the secondary curriculum. raised in the context of challenging schools and how sector can highlight the many positive outcomes staff
however, one award scheme has stolen a march on they have been able to improve. can expect when working in a turn around school.
government, and has been recognising the outstanding With so many assumptions and preconceptions
work done by schools and individual teachers in the
What makes a ‘good’ school
about what it is like to work within this environment,
area of PFe for the last three years. It is currently on Our first debate will explore how schools are often the TDa will go straight to the learners for this session
the look out for nominations for 2010. labelled, and the implications that these labels can have – asking Burlington Danes’ pupils to share their views
The Personal Finance education awards, which on student achievement and teacher recruitment. on what makes a good teacher, and asking their staff
are run by the Royal Bank of Scotland, are split into how a school is judged depends largely on who is what benefits they see for teachers working within
four categories: Best all-round approach to finance doing the measurement, what is being measured and the challenging schools.
education; Most innovative approach; Best teacher; On the money: Students and staff from starting point. arguably, it is the rate of progress made
and a new award for 2010, Best student. St John’s Wood Community School in by pupils that is the most important factor and the speed
Contributing to future success
Last year’s winner in the all-round category was Cheshire celebrate their win in 2009 of improvement can be a key feature of the school that The TDa’s seminar will serve as a launch pad for wider
St John’s Wood Community School in Cheshire – a turns itself around quickly and successfully. debate and the generation of ideas, and content from the
special school for 11 to 16-year-olds with emotional he also impressed the judges by leading the From our experience of speaking with teachers seminar and debates will be captured and made public
and behavioural difficulties. as part of the school’s development of a series of initiatives designed to who work hard to enable all pupils to achieve their via the TDa’s website following the event.
approach to PFe – which had to be suited to the provide continuity in PFe from year 7 through to year full potential, what excellent teaching and leadership We hope that the nature of the topic will encourage
specific learning needs of their students – the school 13. These included developing a form tutor-delivered can bring to a challenging school can sometimes go wider audience participation. along with a discussion
implemented a voucher scheme to reward good “PShe and economic Understanding” resource for unremarked. board on the seminar website for users to post comments
behaviour and encourage saving (vouchers could year 8, an off-timetable Finance Day for year 10s, and Measuring “turn around” must take account of pupil and share ideas both before and after the event, the
be spent at the school breakfast club), a budget- a year 13 Student Finance Day, designed to prepare progress over time, but the added value that excellent seminar will also see the use of Twitter as a channel of
themed charity fundraising project, and a school students for budgeting at university. teachers and other school staff bring is not always easy communication, with followers encouraged to comment
bank, operated by students, in which 80 per cent of The awards are supported by the Personal Finance instantly to quantify. on the general issues surrounding challenging schools
pupils now keep their savings. education Group (known as pfeg), an independent Sir William atkinson, headteacher of the Phoenix and delegates Tweeting live from the debate.
also recognised in 2009 was Corseford School in charity that provides free support, resources and high School in west London and the seminar’s first To reconcile long-term attainment gaps and make
Renfrewshire, which picked up an award for its cross- consultancy to help schools plan and teach financial keynote speaker, argues that pupil progress is the key to our society fairer, we need more of the very best
curricular approach to PFe. at Corseford, every class capability. measuring a schools’ success. teachers in the schools where they will have the
was required to run at least one enterprise project Wendy van den hende, chief executive of pfeg, after being branded england’s worst school 15 most impact. Teaching in a challenging school can be
annually, allowing students to make decisions about told us: “We believe that the Personal Finance years ago, Sir William’s visionary leadership turned demanding, but with the right training and support it
how to finance it, and what to do with profits. Post- education awards represent an ongoing commitment around Phoenix and saw it climb the rankings to be can be immensely rewarding. SecEd
16 students were given responsibility for running to building awareness of the importance of personal named the country’s most improved secondary school
the school shop, after having applied for and been finance education and sharing best practice across the in 2007. Despite a rise in the league tables, Sir William • Graham Holley is the chief executive of the Training
successfully interviewed for the role. The school was educational community.” insists that “pupil progress” – not raw pass rates – has and Development Agency for Schools.
also praised for its real-world connections, and the If you want to nominate your school, a teacher, been the critical measure of success at the school.
fact that there were clear targets for both teachers or a student, the deadline for entries is Friday, april Tracking individual student’s progress over the
Further information
and learners. 23. The judging will be carried out in May, with the long term, Sir William argues, is the best way to gain Challenging Schools: The fact and fiction, takes place
Last year’s award for best teacher was taken awards ceremony for winning schools taking place in an accurate view of their learning and achievement. next Thursday (March 25). It is open to selected delegates
home by Robert Johnson, a then NQT at Wilmslow London in June. There is an £10,000 prize fund up for he will discuss how league tables provide only a only but video and content will be made available on the
high School, also in Cheshire. Robert impressed his grabs for the winner and runners up, along with other “snapshot” of student achievement at a single moment TDa website. To find out more about the seminar and to
colleagues by taking ownership of the development prizes including laptop computers, iPods, trophies and in time, and risk leaving other major improvements in see the discussions that take place, visit www.tda.gov.
of financial awareness and capability in the school, certificates. challenging schools unrecognised. uk/challengingschools/seminar
working closely with the maths and PShe teams to Ms Coates will share Burlington’s turn around For more on working in schools in challenging
investigate the school’s current PFe provision, and
Further information
story, and will explain how she keeps track of pupil circumstances, visit www.tda.gov.uk/challengingschools
move it forward. www.pfe-awards.co.uk progress and school improvements to ensure continued and to follow the TDa on Twitter, go to www.twitter.
momentum from both teachers and students. com/TDaNews
SecEd • March 18 2010 15
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