The most successful schools ignore government advice and set their own standards for effective teaching, according to a thinktank report published by Reform (the think tank committed to public service modernisation) last week. It says the best schools have an “open culture” and pro-active heads who regularly pop into classrooms and are actively involved in managing the school’s finances and staff.
This is certainly true of our approach at Thames Christian College. The school is fortunate to be run by a ‘hands on’ Head, Stephen Holsgrove, who has 9 years teaching experience and another 15 years business experience in industry, training people and coordinating teams. Stephen inspires staff and has instilled a culture of perpetual improvement to teaching methods, to ensure the best outcomes for students.
Reform’s report, titled, “Every Teacher Matters”, argues: “Schools that make a success of teachers’ continuous professional development (CPD) take the training of staff as seriously as organisations in any sector. They have created their own systems of performance management rather than relying on the government’s.”
It states that the research suggests schools should focus on creating a ‘better workforce not a bigger one’. Therefore the thinktank report proposes reducing the number of teaching assistants (TAs) because they have negligible effects on educational outcomes. It argues they add little value in classrooms and have not decreased the administrative burden for teachers. In part this is seen to be due to the poor standard of education achieved by most TAs in the state sector.
At Thames this is not the case as our TAs are graduates, and post-graduates, who are articulate, intelligent and well qualified. They are more than capable of being used appropriately and effectively in lessons. Our TAs also work longer hours than the average Teacher Assistant to provide administrative support, and run and homework clubs - offering advice, where needed and ensuring a settled atmosphere in which students can achieve.
The report suggests that teacher quality, not reduced class size, is the single biggest influence on pupils’ educational progress. It argues that reducing class sizes from 23 to 15 pupils makes little difference to the average student’s performance. This may be the case in classes of this size if students are well behaved and motivated, but the reality is that many schools in England have class sizes of between 30 and 35 pupils containing some disruptive pupils unwilling to learn.
The thinktank also argues that in other countries larger class sizes do not lead to lower performance, citing Korea and Japan as countries who have bigger class sizes but do better in Maths than England. However, cultural differences in attitudes to education and learning styles are the most likely reason. John Hattie, Professor of Education and Director of the Visible Learning Labs, who suggested reduced class sizes has little effect on student learning observes: “For classes of 80 or more students, it is probably necessary to assume that individual students are already self-regulated to learn …. When classes move to the 30-80 size, the concept of excellent teaching is the close following of scripts and chalk or whiteboard lessons, no toleration of deviant behavior in the class...copying and high amounts of rote learning…all walking through lessons at the same pace.”
Hattie argues the more important question is “Why are the effects on learning from reducing class size so small?” and suggests one reason for the small effect relates to teachers of smaller classes adopting the same teaching methods as they were using in larger classes and thus not optimising the opportunities presented by having fewer students.
At Thames, class sizes are kept relatively small between 15 and 24 for good reason. In this size class teachers are able to get to know pupils individually. This allows more differentiation between pupils so that they can go at their own pace and select subjects more tailored to their individual interests and strengths. For example, Thames is able to enter students for a wide variety of examination types: IGCSEs in some subjects, GCSEs in others, LAMDA awards, Trinity Music Exams, ECDL and Functional Skills. We also use a full variety of teaching methods suited to individual students learning styles. This is only possible because of our well behaved, smaller sized groups of students, and it allows our students to achieve highly. In addition as Thames is a school selective on behaviour and attitudes to learning, ensuring that we are able to spend more time teaching than disciplining.
The thinktank Reform explains that in English schools “good practice occurs despite the system, not because of it. Teachers are subject to an array of regulations, pressures and restrictions that impact on their freedom to teach.”
Free from the bureaucracy and legalities in the state system, staff at Thames are regularly observed by the leadership team and head teacher. As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring excellent practise in the classroom, the school has invested in a highly qualified Director of Teaching and Learning, Clare Constant, (best-selling author of Key Stage 3 and 4 English curriculum materials published by Pearson Education, Heinemann and Longman, and exam materials for Edexcel and NEAB (AQA).) Clare is particularly enthusiastic about empowering pupils to develop learning and thinking skills, which enable them to achieve their full potential both academically and in their personal life.
Thames also takes full advantage of the CPD programmes offered by external providers. This ensures teachers know how to take advantage of smaller class sizes and differentiate, so that every class taught improves learning in each student.
In fact the school’s latest Ofsted report described the schools CPD as outstanding. It says: “There is careful monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning which is supported by an outstanding programme of in-house and externally-run professional development so that teachers are fully aware of the latest GCSE specifications and of current best practice.”
The thinktank report also argues that the best schools foster an expectation and culture of perpetual improvement. This is very much the ethos of Thames Christian College, driven by Stephen Holsgrove who inspires his staff to be the best and improve outcomes for students.
The report says that school management in English schools is weak with poor financial management and accountability for spending. It also argues the most successful leaders take personal responsibility for leading and managing schools creatively.
At Thames the Head’s prior industry experience means he can effectively lead the school and knows from a business model perspective that the school can’t stand still, it must continue to grow and improve. The Head of Thames is not just an experienced teacher, he knows how to strategically plan finances for the future, based on years of contextual training in managing a business. All spending at Thames is carefully monitored to ensure it delivers real benefits to pupils. This accounts for why Thames is one of the few independent schools that has continued to grow and thrive during a recession.
Thames is proof that schools that ‘go it alone do best’.
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