p5. Core Principles

Focus systematically on the priority for improvement that is likely to have the greatest impact on teaching and learning

Schools are often under pressure to take action on several fronts at the same time. But to have a substantial impact on teaching and learning keep plans simple and concentrate sustained effort on a core objective for development which staff, governors, parents and learners support - and use it to promote change more generally. Improving teaching and learning may involve tackling weaknesses in management or leadership, subject knowledge, curriculum design, behaviour, pupil self esteem, special needs, equal opportunities, the wider institutional culture, or in other areas such as parental or community involvement.

Base all improvement activity on evidence - particularly data about relative performance against benchmarks

Use evidence on pupil progress, motivation, needs and satisfaction - both educational and personal - throughout the school to inform decisions about improving teaching and learning. Select particular priorities for improvement, and set goals for practitioners and learners, through a rigorous process of audit, monitoring, evaluation and targeting, drill down into the data to understand the reasons for particular strengths and weaknesses, and establish milestones to measure progress.

Build collective ownership through leadership development

The senior leadership team needs to take responsibility for deciding the processes and structures for improvement, and where necessary, develop their skills in managing change, since the quality of their leadership is critical to success. Develop leadership at all levels to create momentum, make it easier to share good practice from within the school, and build support for school improvement.

Create time for staff to learn together, to make performance more consistent and effective across the school

There is greater variation in performance on teaching and learning within schools than between them. Tackle this by creating a professional learning community, with time and opportunities for input on subject specialism and pedagogy, and for practitioners and other staff in and beyond the school to work together across the curriculum to share good practice, hone their knowledge and skills, and develop their confidence in different ways of teaching. Link this to the performance management process, and activities such as collective enquiry and peer observation and coaching, since these are likely to have the maximum impact on practitioners' classroom practice.

Embed the development work throughout the school's systems and practices

Reinforce successful development work by spreading its impact and making the improvement process self-sustaining. This can include changes to overall policies, integration of the results of the work into staff objectives through the performance management system, aligning resource and development planning arrangements, adopting a more flexible approach to the use of time, money, space or staffing.

Collaborate with other organisations

Collaborate with other schools, and other professional services such as health and social services to widen the vision; increase the available resources; give access to new ideas, good practice and better solutions to problems; tackle barriers to learning and achievement; build common goals; and create opportunities for classroom-focused development for staff.