Bilateral (Hong Kong): Reshaping Educational Practice for Improvement in Hong Kong and England: How Schools Mediate Government Reforms
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Sch of Education
Abstract
Raising standards of teaching and learning in schools is an issue of global concern and a key focus of recent educational reforms. However, there are continuing debates within policy, academic and practice communities about how and to what extent schools implement such reforms in ways which ensure that their intentions are achieved. The purpose of this research is, therefore, to contribute new knowledge of the complex interface between policy intentions and educational practices and outcomes through a comparative analysis of the ways in which the intended outcomes of such reforms are mediated by school leaders and teachers in a diverse range of effective and improving secondary schools in England and Hong Kong.
The research will begin with a mapping exercise of perceived challenges of current government reforms in Hong Kong and England and a secondary analysis of two existing national surveys on senior and middle leaders' perceptions of their principals' contribution to change and improvement in their schools. These were part of two parallel three-year research projects, led by the research teams, which investigated the impact of school leadership on pupils' academic and social outcomes in the wider educational reform contexts in Hong Kong and England respectively (Gu et al., 2008; Day et al., 2009 & 2011; Walker, 2011). By merging the datasets of the two surveys and taking into account contextual differences, this secondary analysis will seek to develop a framework to analyse the influence of leadership at all levels on the implementation of mandated reform on the structures, processes and outcomes of school and classroom improvement.
These analyses will form the basis for detailed case studies of 8 successful secondary schools (4 from the parallel study in each country) across diversified school populations in different socio-economic contexts. The main methodological advantage of studying these schools is that we will be able to build rich, longitudinal accounts of their actions and practices and thus ensure an in-depth investigation of how systemic reform intentions are mediated in different ways and with different effects by schools in different contexts.
The case studies will focus upon the ways in which reforms are mediated by principals, senior and middle leaders and teachers in order to assess the extent to which their primary intentions have been translated into practice and whether their focus on improving the leadership of learning and teaching in schools and classrooms has been effectively realised and sustained. Interviews with principals, senior and middle leaders and full-time teachers will be the main method of data collection. Pupil surveys will also be conducted in order to explore their views on the changes (or no change) in educational practices in their schools and classrooms and their impact on their motivation to learn and achieve.
Thus, by exploring perceptions of change at different levels and from different perspectives, the research will help us better understand the continuities , discontinuities and relative impact on schools serving different communities of reform led changes which seek improvements in educational practices and in pupil outcomes. This comparative analysis between schools in England and Hong Kong will provide new insights on the nature of the leadership and management of change in educational practice in the context of similarities and differences in the social, cultural and societal values between the two countries and similarities in the reform objectives. Moreover, by using longitudinal, mixed methods to investigate the interface of reform at macro (country), meso (school) and micro (classroom) levels, the research will make a distinctive contribution to knowledge of how mandated reforms are mediated in their contexts of use by school leaders and classroom teachers.
The research will begin with a mapping exercise of perceived challenges of current government reforms in Hong Kong and England and a secondary analysis of two existing national surveys on senior and middle leaders' perceptions of their principals' contribution to change and improvement in their schools. These were part of two parallel three-year research projects, led by the research teams, which investigated the impact of school leadership on pupils' academic and social outcomes in the wider educational reform contexts in Hong Kong and England respectively (Gu et al., 2008; Day et al., 2009 & 2011; Walker, 2011). By merging the datasets of the two surveys and taking into account contextual differences, this secondary analysis will seek to develop a framework to analyse the influence of leadership at all levels on the implementation of mandated reform on the structures, processes and outcomes of school and classroom improvement.
These analyses will form the basis for detailed case studies of 8 successful secondary schools (4 from the parallel study in each country) across diversified school populations in different socio-economic contexts. The main methodological advantage of studying these schools is that we will be able to build rich, longitudinal accounts of their actions and practices and thus ensure an in-depth investigation of how systemic reform intentions are mediated in different ways and with different effects by schools in different contexts.
The case studies will focus upon the ways in which reforms are mediated by principals, senior and middle leaders and teachers in order to assess the extent to which their primary intentions have been translated into practice and whether their focus on improving the leadership of learning and teaching in schools and classrooms has been effectively realised and sustained. Interviews with principals, senior and middle leaders and full-time teachers will be the main method of data collection. Pupil surveys will also be conducted in order to explore their views on the changes (or no change) in educational practices in their schools and classrooms and their impact on their motivation to learn and achieve.
Thus, by exploring perceptions of change at different levels and from different perspectives, the research will help us better understand the continuities , discontinuities and relative impact on schools serving different communities of reform led changes which seek improvements in educational practices and in pupil outcomes. This comparative analysis between schools in England and Hong Kong will provide new insights on the nature of the leadership and management of change in educational practice in the context of similarities and differences in the social, cultural and societal values between the two countries and similarities in the reform objectives. Moreover, by using longitudinal, mixed methods to investigate the interface of reform at macro (country), meso (school) and micro (classroom) levels, the research will make a distinctive contribution to knowledge of how mandated reforms are mediated in their contexts of use by school leaders and classroom teachers.
Planned Impact
The research will generate new understandings about how schools mediate mandated models of systemic change, and through these, have potentially positive benefits for end users in policy and practice communities in the following ways:
i) For government officials and non-government public bodies, quangos and schools in England and Hong Kong in terms of evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of current models of and strategies for systemic change at school level;
ii) For school leaders in terms of increasing their knowledge of new strategies and skills through which they can mediate reforms and reform intentions in ways which result in context sensitive sustained successful change;
iii) For classroom teachers in terms of support for acquiring new skills in teaching and learning which will improve pupil achievement;
iv) Given both the distinctive focus of the research and the use of a mixed methods methodology that entails in-depth complementary qualitative and quantitative analyses, it will have the ability to have a direct impact on academic communities in education and other disciplines, particularly in adding a new dimension to current understandings of and ways of designing research into the ways schools mediate centrally driven reforms;
v) We anticipate, also, that the research findings will be of value to international NGOs such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which may use the outcomes of our research to inform their cross country evaluation work on the design and evaluation of the ways in which systemic reform intentions are realised in practice.
To ensure access and increase the likelihood of beneficial impacts we plan to disseminate the research widely to different educational stakeholders:
i) to the academic community via publications in internationally recognised and widely read journals (as detailed above in the section on Academic Beneficiaries);
ii) through a series of workshops specifically designed to attract interdisciplinary participants from within academia along with professionals from local and national government, non-government quangos, think-tanks, and where possible international institutions.
iii) by a web based 'School Forum'. This will not only permit ease of interaction with researchers based in different parts of the world, but also attract members of the policy community, interested members of the school community and public, and media to access and discuss the progress of our research. The forum will be available for open access through the websites of the respective universities. Each participant in the research will be invited to upload comments and contribute actively to the research process.
i) For government officials and non-government public bodies, quangos and schools in England and Hong Kong in terms of evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of current models of and strategies for systemic change at school level;
ii) For school leaders in terms of increasing their knowledge of new strategies and skills through which they can mediate reforms and reform intentions in ways which result in context sensitive sustained successful change;
iii) For classroom teachers in terms of support for acquiring new skills in teaching and learning which will improve pupil achievement;
iv) Given both the distinctive focus of the research and the use of a mixed methods methodology that entails in-depth complementary qualitative and quantitative analyses, it will have the ability to have a direct impact on academic communities in education and other disciplines, particularly in adding a new dimension to current understandings of and ways of designing research into the ways schools mediate centrally driven reforms;
v) We anticipate, also, that the research findings will be of value to international NGOs such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which may use the outcomes of our research to inform their cross country evaluation work on the design and evaluation of the ways in which systemic reform intentions are realised in practice.
To ensure access and increase the likelihood of beneficial impacts we plan to disseminate the research widely to different educational stakeholders:
i) to the academic community via publications in internationally recognised and widely read journals (as detailed above in the section on Academic Beneficiaries);
ii) through a series of workshops specifically designed to attract interdisciplinary participants from within academia along with professionals from local and national government, non-government quangos, think-tanks, and where possible international institutions.
iii) by a web based 'School Forum'. This will not only permit ease of interaction with researchers based in different parts of the world, but also attract members of the policy community, interested members of the school community and public, and media to access and discuss the progress of our research. The forum will be available for open access through the websites of the respective universities. Each participant in the research will be invited to upload comments and contribute actively to the research process.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Qing Gu (Principal Investigator) | |
Christopher Day (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Armstrong P
(2018)
Values-Driven Leadership Through Institutional Structures and Practices: How Successful Schools in England and Hong Kong "Absorb" Policy
in Leadership and Policy in Schools
Bryant D
(2018)
How Do School Principals in Hong Kong Shape Policy?
in Leadership and Policy in Schools
Cousin, S.
(2021)
School Leadership and Education System Reform
Day C
(2018)
How Successful Secondary School Principals in England Respond to Policy Reforms: The Influence of Biography
in Leadership and Policy in Schools
Day C
(2016)
The Impact of Leadership on Student Outcomes How Successful School Leaders Use Transformational and Instructional Strategies to Make a Difference
in Educational Administration Quarterly
Day, C.
(2018)
Enacting Values and Educational Purpose: How Leaders Mediate Policy for Improvement in Successful Secondary Schools in England
in Leadership and Policy in Schools
Gu Q
(2016)
Teaching Schools Evaluation: Final Report
Description | This project investigated how 'successful' secondary school principals in England and Hong Kong -leading schools in different socioeconomic contexts - enact government policies. In the research, "success" defined as those schools that had shown sustained improvement in student academic outcomes over time (measured by pupil progress and attainment outcomes between 2003 and 2012) and as measured by national inspection results. The research identified principles and practices of effective leadership and educational practice in these schools and classrooms in the context of externally generated reforms; and through these, extend knowledge of how some school leaders and teachers are able to successfully maintain the broad educational purposes of learning and teaching in their schools and classrooms in times of change and reform. We identified four key findings. Key Finding 1: Policy enactment is not the primary focus of successful principals' work. It is part of, not an addition to, their own purposes and processes of school improvement. In successful schools in our research, policies are conceptualised as 'opportunities' and resources that leaders weave into the processes of school improvement to ensure that the policies serve their longer term, broad educational values. This is in contrast to Ball et al.'s (2011) findings in so-called, 'normal' schools. Key Finding 2: Sustained school improvement is built through the synergistic effects of the combination and accumulation of a number of leadership strategies that are related to the principals' judgements about what works in their particular school context. Using structural equation modelling to analyse surveys of successful principals and their senior and middle leaders, complemented by case studies, the research provides new empirical evidence of how successful principals directly and indirectly promote improvement over time through tailoring their leadership strategies to their particular school contexts and to the improvement trajectories of their schools. The combinations and accumulations of these strategies are 'layered' within and across school development phases through which improvements in the school's work, culture and achievements are progressively embedded. Key Finding 3: Successful schools are driven by shared educational values and standards. Strategically mediating, integrating and embedding policies in ways that secure consistency and coherence with these values and standards is the key. The connections made by successful school leaders between their values and how they position themselves (and their organisation) in relation to external policy are in contrast to the observation in so-called 'normal' schools where "there is a dearth of values-talk in our data" (Ball et al., 2012: 10). Related to this is that we also found a high level of consistency in perceptions of what constitutes of and contributes to quality and improvement between principals and their senior and middle leaders. Key Finding 4: Successful principals express their educational values and monitor standards through values-aligned staffing structures. Successful principals in our research re-designed systems and staffing structures in correspondence with the values that direct their schools' improvement agenda. They create new roles and responsibilities, building high performance middle and senior leadership with high levels of responsibility and clear lines of accountability. |
Exploitation Route | We organised an end-of-project testing seminar in England and Hong Kong involving experts from the academic community alongside school leaders and teachers from the case study schools and government agencies. We have also presented key findings in forms of papers and symposiums at key national and international academic conferences. These dissemination events have enabled us to verify the authority of the research findings and also provided us with evidence to envisage how our research outcomes might be taken forward: 1) By academics: Our research has provided sound evidence to the academic community which suggests that more educational research needs to focus on successful schools and their leaders that do the right thing and do it right within the international contexts of 'high stakes' testing environments. 2) By teachers, school leaders and their professional associations: The research- informed examples and accounts of how government reforms (mandatory and non-mandatory) are received and mediated by principals, senior and middle leaders in improved and effective schools serving communities of contrasting socio-economic advantage will be of direct relevance to the daily work of many schools and their leaders and teachers. |
Sectors | Education |
URL | http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/education/research/crsc/researchprojects/reshaping-educational-practice/index.aspx |
Description | The research has impacted on both the user and academic community through a combination of actions: User community 1. An invitational national end-of-project seminar successfully brought together 30 experts from the academic community and school leaders, teachers and representatives from the government agencies and engaged them in a debate about issues related to policy, leadership and improvement in schools. 2. Following an initial discussion and agreement with the Hong Kong Education Bureau (EDB) in July 2014, the Hong Kong team will discuss the potential impact of the research knowledge on school leadership and improvement with middle-rank EDB officials in detail in July 2015. This provides a good example of how the team is using the research to influence policy makers. 3. Knowledge of how effective school leaders use national policies as opportunities for school improvement has become an integral part of the MA in Educational Leadership and Management programme at the University of Nottingham and two postgraduate leadership programmes at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Over the last two years, these programmes have influenced 100+ senior and middle leaders from schools in England, Hong Kong and internationally. 4. The research findings have been presented at regional and national school leadership conferences and workshops to influence the thinking and practice of school senior and middle leaders. A system leader conference in the East Midlands region of England alone involved more than 300 leaders. 5. The Hong Kong team took the advantage of their participation in the 17th TALIS Board of Participating Countries Meeting 27-28 Nov, 2014 to share the research findings with the OECD researchers. One particular focus was the role of school leaders in using mandated and non-mandated policies to promote teacher professionalism and professional learning. The research knowledge that emerged from the project was regarded as insightful and enhanced their understanding of the performance of Hong Kong in PISA. 6. Outcomes from the project have been made available on a web-based forum for members of the school community to access. We are in the process of encouraging wider participation in the School Forum by using it specifically as a resource of postgraduate students and senior school leaders. Over time, we will build up the resources to disseminate case summaries and other materials that can be used for educational purposes and policy discourse. http://hkukeducatoinalpractice.net; https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/education/research/crelm/projects/reshaping-educational-practice/index.aspx . 7. The pathway that has the most effective, direct impact on the practice and performance of schools has been through working closely with school leaders to enact and embed the knowledge that we have gained from the project, including using various professional networks and partnerships. For example, a. As governors of local schools and directors of federations and multi-academy trusts, members of the England team have played an important role in encouraging, guiding and supporting headteachers in capturing and participating in a number of national policy and funding opportunities (e.g. those associated with the teaching school initiative) and importantly, to use the additional resources to build leadership capacity for improvement. Since 2016 Professor Gu has been leading two research projects investigating and evaluating school-based innovation programmes and systemic change. Both projects provide formative feedback to the implementation of nation wide education policies. b. A local school in which we applied the research evidence and knowledge to challenge and develop their senior leadership team over the last year received a 'Good' Ofsted rating - an improvement from 'Requires Improvement'. c. The Association of School and College Leadership (ASCL) has invited us to contribute two research summaries on leadership and educational change from this project between October 2016 and Feb 2017. In sum, the knowledge gained from this research has been widely disseminated and enacted in the context of use to influence the work of various stakeholders in the education system in England and Hong Kong. Academic community 8. To date, the research team has communicated findings to the academic community through participation in a series of major national and international conferences, including symposia at the European Educational Research Association (EERA) annual conference in 2014 and 2016, the British Educational Research Conference (BERA) in 2014, and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual conferences in 2014 and 2015. 9. Research findings will be published in a special issue of Policy and Leadership in Schools in 2018 (vol. 17, issue 3) and in book form with Routledge in 2019. A journal article has been published in Education Administration Quarterly, a high impact international journal on school leadership. 10. My new post as Director of London Centre for Leadership in Learning has enabled me to apply the learning and research evidence on how successful school leadership enact government policies to LCLL's professional development programmes nationally and internationally. We have translated our academic publications into learning packages that encourage middle and senior leaders in schools to think more strategically about leadership, values and improvement. |
First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
Sector | Education |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | A Director of a multi-academy trust |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Impact | As a Director of a multi-academy trust, I am accountable to the performance of 9 primary schools in the Trust. Almost all schools are located in socioeconomically deprived communities. I am working closely with the Executive Headteacher of the Trust and the other directors to close the educational achievement gap. |
Description | Citation in the school-based CPD guidance for school leaders produced by the Department for Education of West Australia |
Geographic Reach | Australia |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Description | Member of Research Advisory Committee for the National Leadership Centre (UK Cabinet Office) |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Impact | The NLC is working with leaders, academics and practitioners to bring the best of the available evidence together in one place. It is building a deeper understanding of the complex links between leadership, productivity and outcomes in public services. The Centre's initial research suggests that the best way to support public sector leaders is to increase their ability to work as a system. |
Description | Member of the Education Strategy Board in Camden |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | The committee is central to reviewing and approving the education strategies in the London borough of Camden. We work closely with the local authority to review policies and strategies aimed at improving the quality of education provision across all phases and schools in the area. |
Description | Vice Chair of a local multi-academy Trust |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Impact | The multiacademy trust (MAT) started with six schools - four of which were underperforming schools. As one of the four Trust Directors, I worked closely with the CEO of the Trust and her team to develop leadership and improve the quality of teaching and learning. We transformed all four underperforming schools in two years. They were rated by Ofsted as Good schools. |
Description | Department for Education |
Amount | £63,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Why teachers leave and return to the profession |
Organisation | Government of the UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2014 |
End | 06/2015 |
Description | Department for Education funding |
Amount | £271,624 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Evaluation of teaching schools |
Organisation | Government of the UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2013 |
End | 04/2016 |
Description | Evaluation of the Research Schools Network in England |
Amount | £240,553 (GBP) |
Organisation | Education Endowment Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2016 |
End | 12/2019 |
Description | Evaluation of the Research Schools Programme in New Opportunity Areas |
Amount | £202,864 (GBP) |
Organisation | Education Endowment Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2017 |
End | 12/2020 |
Description | Evaluation of the Suffolk Challenge Fund |
Amount | £74,159 (GBP) |
Organisation | Education Endowment Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2016 |
End | 03/2018 |
Description | Leadership for Learning: Building Capacity for Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools Serving Disadvantaged Urban Communities |
Amount | £45,667 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ES/K007750/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2013 |
End | 12/2014 |
Description | School-University Partnerships |
Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2014 |
End | 12/2014 |
Description | Schools as Enabling Spaces to Improve Learning and Health-Related Quality of Life for Primary School Children in Rural Communities in South Africa |
Amount | £1,843,960 (GBP) |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2020 |
End | 01/2023 |
Description | Supporting early career teacher resilience: Journeys through the first year |
Amount | $30,000 (AUD) |
Organisation | Department of Education, Western Australia |
Sector | Public |
Country | Australia |
Start | 04/2017 |
End | 04/2018 |
Description | The Effectiveness of Leadership in Secondary Schools in Rio de Janeiro State |
Amount | £98,630 (GBP) |
Organisation | FIRJAN System |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Brazil |
Start | 01/2014 |
End | 12/2014 |
Description | Workload Challenge Research Project |
Amount | £26,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Department for Education |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 11/2017 |
Title | Case study interview data |
Description | We have collected in-depth interview data from eight case study schools (4 in England and 4 in Hong Kong). These data provided detailed accounts of how leaders in these schools use government policies for sustained improvement over time. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | These interview data provided rich evidence on and deepened our own understanding of issues related to policy, reform and school improvement. |
Title | National survey data of senior and middle leaders in most effective and improved secondary schools in England |
Description | This quantitative database is based upon surveys with over 1,000 senior and middle leaders in over 400 most effective and improved secondary schools in England. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | This large and comprehensive database enabled us to undertake complex statistical analysis and identified a number of structural equation models on key staff's perceptions of the impact of school leadership on change in pupils' academic outcomes. We identified a high level of consistency in perceptions of leadership impact between these senior and middle leaders and their headteachers. This observation has contributed further empirical evidence to the growing literature on successful school leadership. |
Title | Survey data of senior and middle leaders in over 50 secondary schools in Hong Kong |
Description | This database is based upon the survey data collected from 179 senior and middle leaders in over 50 secondary schools in Hong Kong. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | We explored a simple structural equation model (SEM) from this database which identified direct and indirect impact of a small number of leadership strategies on change in pupils' academic outcomes. This SEM is comparable to that identified with the English survey database. It adds to our understanding of the key features of school improvement processes in schools in different socioeconomic contexts and different national contexts. |
Description | AERA Conference symposium: Reshaping Educational Practice for Improvement: How Schools Mediate and Enact Government Reforms |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | This symposium, presented at the American Educational Research Association Conference, was about schools which can effectively enact government policies for the improvement of teaching and learning and pupil outcomes. Using rich illustrations from a diverse range of effective and improving secondary schools in Australia, Hong Kong, Sweden, the UK and the USA, this symposium discussed how school leaders, especially principals, play a key role in successfully steering their schools through changing social and policy landscapes; in providing optimal conditions, structures and cultures for learning and teaching; in enabling teachers to respond positively to the unavoidable uncertainties inherent in their everyday professional lives; and through this, sustain their commitment, wellbeing and effectiveness in making a difference to the learning, achievement and life chances of children and young people. The symposium sparked questions and discussion afterwards. After the symposium we organised a special issue on this topic, with the intention of furthering the discussion generated as a result of our presentations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Association of School and College Leaders Annual Conference 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | 20+ executive headteachers and headteachers of secondary teaching schools attended the workshop on the role of teaching schools in the policy landscape of self-improving system in England. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | BERA Conference symposium: How Successful Schools Enact Government Reforms in England and Hong Kong |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | We presented the symposium at the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference in London. Our symposium received very positive feedback. The audience felt that it was great to hear papers and research that are grounded in sound methodology and data. It was a 'refreshing' symposium for them. After our symposium, some audience contacted us to ask for more information and outputs from this project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Camden Learning Headteacher Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | More than 50 headteachers from Camden attended this annual conference. I gave an opening keynote presentation which sparked questions and discussions about leadership standards and impact. I was asked by the audience to provide publications and resources after the discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | European Educational Research Conference 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | This symposium reports the key findings of an ESRC-RGC (Hong Kong) funded bilateral research project on how successful secondary schools (as measured by pupil progress and attainment outcomes and national inspection judgement results) in England and Hong Kong use government policies as a means of furthering their own improvement agendas. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Institute for Professional Learning ED Talk: Resilience in Teachers' Career Long Commitment and Effectiveness |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The recording of my ED Talk was uploaded on their website by the Education Department of West Australia.It was intended to be used as teacher professional learning resources. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Institute for Professional Learning INSIGHT: Eight Strong Claims about Successful School Leadership |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | More than 40 secondary and primary school principals attended my twilight session and sparked debates afterwards about leadership issues. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Invited World Education Research Association (WERA) Symposium |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited World Education Research Association (WERA) Symposium: Inclusion and exclusion at the heart of global perspectives on teacher resilience. This symposium involved scholars from across four countries who presented their research on issues about teacher resilience and what schools can do to support the development of teachers at the European Educational Research Association Annual Conference 2019. 20-30 people from different professional organisations attended the symposium and reported that the evidence has helped to shape and inform their practice as well as research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Invited plenary panel |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | More than 200 people attended the keynote plenary debate on how to build resilience in schools. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Keynote, "How Successful School Leaders Make a Different to Student Learning and Achievement" at Nanjing Normal University International Education Summit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | More than 200 people attended my keynote address on how successful school leaders make a difference to student learning and achievement. There were interesting debates about the effectiveness of leadership afterwards with school leaders at the conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Keynote, "Sustaining Teacher Quality in Times of Change", Dartford Leadership Training Seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | I gave this workshop on a secondary school's INSET Day. Around 70 people attended the event which was followed up with small group discussions and planning. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Keynote, "What does research say about successful school leadership", Grammar School Deputy Heads Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | It was great to be engaged in a dialogue with more 50-70 grammar school deputy heads using the evidence on how successful schools make a difference to student achievement. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Keynote: Developing Teachers and School Leaders: Do School Partnerships Make a Difference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | More than 600 university academics, school leaders and teachers attended my keynote lecture which sparked questions and discussions afterwards. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Keynote: Eight Strong Claims about Successful School Leadership |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | More than 50 people attended this keynote as part of the School Leaders' Day in an annual event in Almedalen, Sweden. The keynote sparked discussions afterwards and I have been invited to attend a large bi-annual event in 2021 to speak to 2,000 policy makers in Sweden. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Member of Research Advisory Committee to the National Leadership Centre (Cabinet Office) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The NLC is working with leaders, academics and practitioners to bring the best of the available evidence together in one place. It is building a deeper understanding of the complex links between leadership, productivity and outcomes in public services. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
Description | Running workshops on a secondary school's INSET day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | All staff at the secondary school attended my workshop which sparked questions and discussion afterwards and the school reported increased CPD provision on building teacher and pupil resilience. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Special 50th Anniversary Series by the BELMAS LPD RIG: First interview of the series on leadership |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The BELMAS Leadership Preparation and Development Research Interest Group is recording a series of interviews with people who have made a significant contribution to the educational leadership landscape, specifically within leadership preparation and development. The series has been organised as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, with an aim of creating a collection of accessible viewpoints and references for those interested in educational leadership. So far in the series, BELMAS Vice-Chair and LPD RIG Convenor, Deb Outhwaite, has interviewed Qing Gu and Allan David Walker - both are investigators of this project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | To be transformed by research-informed practices, schools must have the right leaders |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | This blog is based on our evaluation research which explored an Education Endowment Foundation's scaling up effort to promote evidence-based practice in schools. This blog has sparked questions and I have been invited to write a Think Piece by the institution to spark further discussions on the importance of leadership in enacting change in schools. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/2021/02/11/to-be-transformed-by-research-informed-practices-schools-must... |
Description | symposium at the European Educational Research Association Annual Conference, Dublin, 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Around 100 people attended our symposium entitled 'Leadership and Policy in Schools: How School Leaders Enact Government Policies for Improvement'. There were debates at and after the symposium. We were then invited to give a keynote address at a leadership conference in Sweden in 2017 - the main audience of which will be school and district leaders. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |