CONTRIBUTORS Data fuels the engine of
good middle leadership This month, regular Education Today contributor GRAHAM COOPER, head of product strategy at Capita SIMS, looks at the importance of the middle leader to a school.
It could be argued that a good middle leader needs to be all things to all people. They are at the centre of the chain of command – they not only need to
support the SLT, they must also inspire their colleagues and lead their teams. Middle leaders see the big picture for their school, while ensuring they get the tiniest details right. To achieve all this, a middle leader needs a thorough understanding of
how data can support the key aspects of their job. So how can data help middle leaders in their role?
1. Supporting senior leadership Middle leaders keep a finger on the pulse of their school and provide vital support to the SLT, head and board of governors who are held to account for the school’s performance. Most schools collect and store a wealth of data, and middle leaders can
use this to track the success of their school’s objectives and KPIs. For instance, if one of the school’s priorities is to improve outcomes for
disadvantaged children, a middle leader can put interventions in place for these pupils, monitor how well these are working and report back to the SLT on this specific objective.
2. Leading and managing a team Good middle leaders bring out the best in their teams by maximising teachers’ skills sets, and data is a middle leader’s friend when it comes to staff performance management. By looking at the performance data for pupil groups, and identifying
teachers whose pupils are performing above target, a middle leader can build a picture of where their team’s strengths lie. If Mrs Green is getting good results in lower set maths classes, or Mr
Brown is good at managing Year 9 behaviour, these teachers should be encouraged to share their top tips with their colleagues.
3. Achieving consistency Consistency is key in implementing school policy, so middle leaders need to make sure everyone is on the same page. Regular standardisation meetings can set guidelines for everyone in the
team to mark homework, provide feedback and record performance in the same way so that pupils understand what they need to do to improve, and the SLT has better quality data on pupil performance. Consistency can make or break a behaviour policy. When one teacher
awards several merits in each lesson, and another only gives out two a term, it sends a confusing message to pupils, parents and the SLT. A school-wide approach to behaviour management works best when
sanctions and rewards are recorded on the management information system (MIS).
4. Boosting achievement Middle leaders need to work closely with other teachers to identify any gaps in performance between pupil groups, and decide on interventions to address them. Data can help by shining the spotlight on specific areas of concern across a
subject or department, such as a drop in performance of Year 10 pupil premium students in a particular curriculum strand. If one pupil group is underperforming in English but doing well in
geography, a middle leader could adapt some of the approaches used in the geography department to help these pupils improve. Understanding a school’s data helps a middle leader to see the direction
of travel for their school, and to identify what needs doing at every step of the journey.
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Easy inexpensive chemistry anywhere!
This month, following on from her inexpensive physics tips last month, regular Education Today contributor KIRSTY BERTENSHAWoffers some practical help on keeping the cost of chemistry in the classroom down – and making it fun, too!
Chemistry often requires a lot of equipment and chemicals, putting up the cost of practical chemistry in the classroom. The scientific names of chemicals and the unfamiliar or breakable glassware can be off-putting too. But it doesn’t have to be. While working with primary schools and groups of home educated children, I have discovered tricks that make chemistry easy anywhere! In my quest for beakers, I use plastic tumblers from the party isle of
a local supermarket or discount store. These bounce when dropped, they are washable, and stack more neatly for storage in small spaces. Alternatively, you can use small plastic bottle like the type for flavoured water for children’s lunch boxes. These can be requested from parents and teachers in school for free and it’s reusing a material, so it is a green alternative to buying beakers. Mixing chemicals usually means glass stirring rods, which in turn
leads to breakage and sharp glass shards. Once again, I sought inspiration from the party isle of the supermarket, and it came in the form of plastic spoons. Approximately 25 spoons cost £1, and these are sturdy enough to wash and reuse indefinitely. Some practicals involve heat, such as making slime from milk to
show a chemical reaction. Primary schools usually do not have a lab with a gas supply, and some schools lack lab space, but this can be done using a makeshift water bath instead. I find square washing up bowls filled with freshly boiled water sufficient to heat milk protein or activate yeast for “elephant’s toothpaste” demonstrations. If specialist lab equipment is needed, the usual school suppliers are
not always the best priced options. Budget selections are available from many retailers online, which will invoice a school as usual. There is a surprising amount of scientific equipment available from companies such as Amazon too. Scientific chemicals don’t have to be dangerous or scary. Simple
chemical reactions often use sodium hydrogen carbonate otherwise known as baking powder. This can be purchased by the kilogram from online suppliers but a trusted site should be used or a third- party regulator such as Amazon. Other simple chemical reactions use citric acid. I also use it to show endothermic reactions. Food grade citric acid can be purchased cheaply in ethnic stores or some world food isles in supermarkets. Even KS4 science can be taught practically with a little ingenuity.
When teaching about polymers, simple slime recipes can be used to demonstrate the long chains of repeating molecules. I prefer a powdered laundry starch and PVA glue to make simple slime, the most expensive part being the powdered laundry starch. In this case I recommend buying this in shops rather than online as it cheaper in shops. Paper bowls or plastic cups from the party isle or discount stores make for an easier clean up. Another way to display long chains of polymers is by using low cost nail polish, carefully dripped onto shallow bowls of water. The polymer chains spread out across the surface of the water and can be extracted by dipping card or toothpicks into the water, much like marble nail art. For more ideas of how to teach chemistry in an inexpensive way
using chemicals found in the house or supermarket, try searching for kitchen chemistry ideas, or science at home experiments online, as there are many bloggers already finding easy ways to teach chemistry anywhere!
April 2017
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