Case study:A model for Improving Schools – the Triad Collaboration
Dame Dorothy Primary School
Springwell Village Primary School
St John Boste RC Primary School
INTRODUCTION
Project aims
The three project schools agreed to investigate: ‘Could a collaborative model provide a
strategic solution to the need to support school improvement in each of their schools?’
Dimensions of the study
Three schools in the north-east of England developed a Triad Model. The model was
implemented over a three year period 2013-2016. The project involved a retrospective
examination during which the three school head teachers reflected on how their three schools
developed a successful model to facilitate school improvement and innovation.
Summary of key factors for success
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The help of an outside facilitator was pivotal to establish the Triad, to help the schools
to determine their strengths and areas for improvement, and to identify what support
they could offer to each other
A common set of values and beliefs in the school leaders was vital. They agreed to be
professional, honest and respectful; to ensure confidentiality; to be challenging and yet
supportive
The schools need to be at a similar point in their journey to improvement. The three
school shared the same ‘Good’ Ofsted inspection grading and were not in competition
with each other
The school leaders made a commitment to each other that this project was valuable
and dates for meetings and planned events were protected, despite conflicting
demands on their time.
CONTEXT
The schools and their backgrounds
In 2012 the local authority support for school improvement in Sunderland was coming to an
end. Schools faced the challenge to ensure that new ideas and thinking were supported, and
that the critical professional friendship that helped leaders to evaluate their schools’
performance, identify priorities for improvement and plan effective change could continue.
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This challenge led the three project schools to investigate: ‘Could a collaborative model
provide a strategic solution to this problem?’
Personnel involved in the project
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Iain Williamson, Head teacher at Dame Dorothy Primary
Louse Wiegand, Head teacher at Springwell Village Primary
Denise Cushlow, Head teacher at St John Boste Primary
Senior leadership teams, staff and governors at all three schools.
RESEARCH QUESTION and PROCESS
Research question
Could a collaborative leadership model utilise the leadership strengths across the partnership
to contribute to the improvement of all three primary schools?
Research process
The process involved putting in place a strategic plan for distributed leadership in each of the
schools. This began with self-assessment. In the model, senior leadership teams took a lead role
in self-assessing their own school and critically evaluating each other. One of the schools
played the role of the inspection team to assess the performance of the partner school. The
third school chaired a meeting between the school and its ‘inspection team’.
The ability to deliver meaningful and thought provoking feedback in a professional and sensitive
way is a crucial skill for leaders in the triad mode
In a retrospective examination of the triad process, interviews were held with leaders,
teaching staff, governors and administrative staff to hear their perceptions of the process.
Evidence was also drawn from OFSTED inspection reports.
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
Findings
Evidence drawn from Ofsted inspection reports, data on pupil performance and awards
received by each of the schools indicates significant improvements in all three schools.
An Ofsted inspection report for St John Boste School (March 2016) noted that the ‘dedicated
and committed leadership is effective and has led to improvements in the school. Accurate
evaluation of strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ performance and the quality of teaching,
learning and assessment and action taken promptly to address concerns has led to improved pupil
outcomes’. The Ofsted report also noted benefits to governors of the triad model:
Leaders work collaboratively with those from two other schools to share practice. This ‘triad’
enables governors to attend training and share expertise with other governing bodies.
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Data from interviews held with leaders, teaching staff, governors and administrative staff
indicates their positive perceptions of the process:
Iain Williamson, head teacher of Dame Dorothy School, noted the development of his senior
leadership team through their involvement in the triad:
I believe my SLT were the most established of the schools at the formation of the triad but they
lacked confidence. Working alongside colleagues who shared similar fears but hadn’t been
allowed the opportunities they had gone through gave them a sense of value in the roles they
performed. It was at this point that they started to see themselves as I did – as leaders.
Denise Cushlow, head teacher of St John Boste School, is very positive about the model. She
reflects:
As we met towards the end of the first year to evaluate the triad and the impact it had had, it was
clear that it was something that would continue to grow and develop. Realising the positive impact
it had had on us as leaders and on our leadership teams inspired us to consider ways in which
other members of our teams could benefit and grow.
CONCLUSIONS
Following one full academic year of the Triad it was obvious to the three head teachers that
the potential to their collaboration was limitless. The development of school leadership teams
had been the initial focus for support, but the Triad established a life force and energy of its
own that cascaded into many aspects of school life. Subject leaders, classroom teachers,
governors, office and premises staff had all become part of the network of support. The
challenge is now to sustain this energy and allow it to grow further.
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