Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Leading A Curriculum
Area:
Some Approaches To
Creating A Peak Performing
Team
Leading A Curriculum Area
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
The Aims of This Session Are:
• To further understand the core
purpose of subject leadership;
• To reflect on where you are currently
at in terms of this core purpose;
• To consider the concept of a Peak
Performer in relation to your
professional development & the
development of your department
To Get You Started……
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Good teamwork is essential in a high
performing department.
The film shows a high performing
basketball team.
Your challenge is To Count The
Number Of Passes Made By The
Team In White. You will have to really
concentrate hard……
Watch the film from the link below.
Insert hyperlink to the awareness test avi file/ insert movie
What Is The Purpose Of
Subject Leadership?
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
A Reflection On Middle
Leadership: Thinkpiece, Dr Tony Bush
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
• Read the article;
• With your partner, you will be given
one of the questions posed in the
article;
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• Discuss the question which you are
given & be prepared to share your
ideas with the rest of the group
What Is The Purpose Of
Subject Leadership?
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• Reflect on the ‘wordle’ representation of Subject
leadership. What are the 3-5 key purposes of
subject leadership as represented here?
(Securing improvement:
the role of subject leaders Ref: DfES 0102/2002)
What Is The Purpose Of
Subject Leadership?
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Extract from “The Heart of the
Matter” (NCSL, Leading Edge Series)
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• Teaching – make sure that the teaching
delivered by those you line manage is of the
highest quality.
• Learning – make sure that pupils achieve
at least to their potential as established by
baseline testing, and preferably beyond.
• Becoming involved in, or initiating, a
whole-school activity related to school
improvement – help to drive the school
forward.
In conclusion……
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
The Middle Leader, therefore, must:
• Focus on learning and teaching
• Generate positive relationships
• Provide a clear vision and high expectations
• Improve the environment
• Provide time and opportunities for
collaboration
• Distribute leadership: build teams
• Engage the community
• Evaluate and innovate
Some Leadership Scenarios
For You To Consider
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Work in a group of 3…..
To begin with:
•1 person should choose the scenario &
observe;
•1 person should suggest a response;
•1 person should suggest the skills needed to
effectively deal with the scenario.
Then, as a group:
Summarize your response & the skills
needed onto sugar paper
Superteam Leader Required
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
We are looking for somebody to build
and lead a great team. They will be
able:





To
To
To
To
To
build on the team’s strengths;
focus on the team’s specific goals;
implement the strategy;
ensure people do superb work;
guide the team to success
Contact us if you believe you
have the qualities required to
tackle this challenge.
Who are Peak Performers?
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
A Peak Performer delivers great work in their
chosen area of expertise – they create
something special.
Who do you think of as a Peak
Performer?
Who do you think of as a
Peak Performer?
David Beckham –
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
World Cup qualifier
against Greece:
Insert a picture of
David Beckam here
Attitude,
inspiration, doing
the right thing in
the right way – led
the team to a
great victory
Who do you think of as a
Peak Performer?
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Bob Geldof –
Music; values;
persuasion
Insert a picture of Bob
Geldof here
= Make
Poverty
History
Who do you think of as a
Peak Performer?
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Insert a picture of Anita Roddick
here
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Anita Roddick – Ecological awareness;
values; business know-how
= The Body Shop & the
beginning of public awareness of
ethic consumers
A Peak Performer
Checklist….
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
A Peak Performer delivers great work in their
chosen area of expertise – they create
something special – how?
Passion:
They follow their passion based on
clear values; They have positive energy.
Purpose:
They know what mountain they are
climbing - they translate their passion into a
clear purpose.
Professional: They do the right things in the right
way every day.
Problem Solving: They find creative, positive
solutions
Peak Performance: they constantly deliver great
performances.
Peak Performers: A Way of
Thinking….
Challenges
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Conclusions
Choices
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Creative
Solutions
Consequences
Our Key Strengths
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
Activity:
• Individually: write down the three
key strengths of your department
• Share each strength with your partner
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• Now discuss how you know that
each one is a strength – be able to
share this evidence with the group
Peak Performer Thinking
Activity: Steering The Team to Success
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Look at the Sheet Called “ Steering My team
To Success”
• Individually: complete the “things that
are in the Green…. Amber …. Red
zones”
• With your partner discuss the “steps
which can be taken” section of each
zone
Peak Performers Stay
Alert…
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Peak Performers do not wait for a
crisis, they remain alert even when
all is going well
The Green Zone: When things are going
well
The Amber Zone: When things are Okay,
but there may be warning signs.
The Red Zone: When things are not going
well, or we experience real pressure
Peak Performers make the right decisions in
different zones
“What Should Middle
Leaders Do?”
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• Groups of 4 to produce a presentation
– no longer than 3 minutes
If the prime purpose of the role is to
improve the quality of teaching and
learning in classrooms, then what is
it that middle leaders should be
doing?
To help you….
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
•
•
•
•
•
Focus on learning and teaching
Generate positive relationships
Provide a clear vision and high expectations
Improve the environment
Provide time and opportunities for
collaboration
• Distribute leadership: build teams
• Engage the community
• Evaluate and innovate
Focus on learning and
teaching
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• Produce a guide to what good lessons
should look like;
• Peer observation system – collaborative,
ground rules;
• Classroom door posters: “What have you
learnt this lesson?” – talk to pupils;
• Have a learning and teaching item on each
team meeting agenda – workshops;
• Use meeting time creatively.
Generate positive
relationships
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
•
•
•
•
Lead by example;
Vocabulary – “my team” to “our team”;
Take time to talk to your team individually;
Use the Head and other senior leaders to
recognise commitment and achievement;
• Do something outside school.
Provide a clear vision and high
expectations
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
•
•
•
•
Share the vision and revisit it regularly;
Articulate what the expectations are;
Use data with staff to raise expectations;
Move staff and responsibilities around.
Improve the environment
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• What impression does this area of school
give?
• Open up a dialogue about how rooms are
organised;
• Have high quality displays;
• Resources must be accessible to staff –
involve them in decision-making.
Distribute leadership: build
teams
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• Know what each person’s ‘A’ talents are –
build on them;
• As a team, agree and regularly audit the
development plan;
• Paired lesson observations;
• Create responsibilities that are flexible.
Provide time and opportunities
for collaboration
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• Evaluate team meetings
• Consider the pattern of meetings
• Involve each team member in leading
part/all of a meeting;
• Share a piece of good practice
• Ensure everyone has a chance to observe
others teaching
Engage the community
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• Involve governors in your work
• Information evenings for parents
• Use “experts” from the community in
lessons
• Use questionnaires to sample parents’
views of your subject
• Produce a newsletter/contribute to the
school newsletter
Evaluate and innovate
• “How will we know if this has made a
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
•
•
•
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
•
•
difference to the students here?”
Undertake a regular pupil progress check
Look at samples of pupils’ work as a team
Recognise the importance of focused
observation
Assign trialling and reporting back of new
initiatives to interested individuals;
Use the Ofsted SEF form as a basis for self
evaluation.
Our Plenary:
Leadership Versus
Management
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Characteristics of
Management
Leadership
Adds
Find your partner!!
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Our Plenary:
Leadership Versus
Management….. Example
Characteristics of
Management
Uses
reason
Leadership
Adds
Emotion
Leadership versus
Management
Management
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
Accepts the way things are
Short-term view
Delegates
Implements the school’s goals
Acts according to plan
Focuses on systems
Relies on control
Uses reason
Maintains momentum
Has professional conviction
Makes it happen
Does things right
Leadership adds
Challenges the way things are
Long-range perspective
Inspires and empowers
Has complementary goals
Vision
Focuses on people
Trust
Emotion
Impetus
Enthusiasm
Makes decisions
Does the right thing
What were we aiming to do?
Leading A Curriculum Area
Leading A
Curriculum
Area
Adrian Taylor
The Aims of This Session were:
• To further understand the core
purpose of subject leadership;
• To reflect on where you are currently
at in terms of this core purpose;
St. Mary’s High School
Chesterfield
• To consider the concept of a Peak
Performer in relation to your
professional development & the
development of your department