CRELM Launch Event 2
Presented by Peter Kent, Headteacher, Lawrence Sheriff School and Sue Robinson, Development Director, The Elliot Foundation Multi Academy Trust and part-time Research Fellow at the University of Warwick
Headteacher recruitment, preparation and retention
Dr Peter Kent , Immediate Past President, Association of School and College Leaders Headteacher, Lawrence Sheriff School, Rugby
The presentation will focus upon the challenge of recruiting high quality headteachers, particularly into the most challenging schools. Drawing upon his experience as President of ASCL (the professional association for most secondary school leaders), Dr Kent will focus upon the need for a clear leadership pipeline which enables newly qualified teachers to chart a route which leads over time from the classroom into middle and senior leadership positions. Dr Kent will also argue that recruitment and retention strategies need to focus more sharply upon the real motivations of school leaders. In this context he will argue that ASCL’s blueprint for a school led, self-improving system offers foundations that government now needs to build upon. Finally, he will explore some of structural barriers that work against the retention of headteachers.
Dr Peter Kent - biography
Having gained experience teaching English at schools in the North West of England, Peter became first deputy and then headteacher of Lawrence Sheriff School in Rugby. During his early years of headship he pursued a long-standing interest in school culture and was awarded his EdD by the University of Leicester in 2005.
During his 17 years as a headteacher Peter has also worked part-time for the National College for School Leadership, assisting with publications on in-school variation, personalisation and closing the gap. He became a National Leader of Education in 2008 and Lawrence Sheriff became a Teaching School in 2012.
Peter became President of the Association of School and College Leaders in September 2014, returning to full time headship in September 2015.
Making effective use of the Pupil Premium
Dr Sue Robinson, The Elliot Foundation and the University of Warwick
The session will include a presentation by Sue Robinson who participated as part of a small research team with Ian Abbott and David Middlewood from the Centre for Education Studies, University of Warwick into the effective use of Pupil Premium in a large urban local authority. The report was commissioned by The Service Director for Education and Commissioning as a result of an awareness of the dangers of variability in practice and a desire to spread knowledge of existing good practice within the local authority. The identification of ‘what works’ using the expertise and strategies of the headteachers of ‘outstanding schools’ in the use of Pupil Premium in different contexts would, it was hoped, enable schools to learn from each other as part of a self- improving school system.
In addition Sue will be highlighting the use of system leadership within the Elliot Foundation Multi Academy Trust which has contributed to the rapid rise in outcomes for pupils across the Trust.
Dr Sue Robinson - biography
Dr Sue Robinson is a part time research fellow with the University of Warwick, the Development Director for The Elliot Foundation and advisor to several school alliances.
Sue is a former Head Teacher and National Leader of Education and has worked as an Associate for the National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL)
Research interests include school-to-school support and system leadership; the changing landscape of school leadership and continuing professional development. Sue has written her thesis, undertaken several research evaluations for the University of Warwick, Centre for Educational Studies in these areas as well as having written a book on the theme of School and System Leadership published by Continuum Press in 2012.