12-13

Aspice Retro 11-12

My first year as an AHT and the examination achievements of the departments I lead was recognised in my progression up the leadership payscale. I took on my new strategic role for parental engagement with enthusiasm and began a thorough investigation of the mechanics PE.

What I did not see coming was the reorganisation of the leadership team and all that it entailed; the pressures of ‘losing’ one’s job, the demands of applying for new jobs and the impact of the experience on colleagues. I learnt a great deal about my own values, in fact I streamlined my own values, and focused on the job in hand.

ICT continued to flourish under the leadership of a very dedicated Head of Department. The ICT team posted the most remarkable exam results exceeding their aspirational target. 90% of students passed, 96% at or above FFTD. 3 students completed 4 GCSEs equivalents, 13 students completing 3 GCSEs, and in the lower sets 50% achieved a pass. Within this cohort many students achieving double digit residuals – the hard work of three years carefully planned support.

Line managing PE presented new challenges to which I assigned most of my time. Visits to partner schools, external moderations, detailed monitoring procedures were lead by the most passionate middle leader I have encountered. GCSE results were below target, we worked hard with this class – and we will get it right. Dance 92% (86% at or above FTTD), Public Services 91% (91% at or above FTTD), Sport 90 (90% at or above FFTD).

A year long intern project has seen our parent and carers meeting completely over hauled and our Digital Leader continue to create great digital content and make headlines. I taught Yr 9 and Yr 11 PSRE for the first time, experiencing some sincere failures with occasional successes. I continue to write and promote interactive fiction with Quest, successfully securing a grant from Shine. The college teaching lasted just a few weeks with the gap filed with Support of Request or additional English or PE buddy teaching. Key Stage 5 remains a distant memory.

Aspice Porro 12-13

I am excited about this year as I have a new job title and new role (Assistant Principal – Progression and Achievement) and I hope to work more closely with one or two of my PLN colleagues fulfilling similar, new roles. 2012-13 will be be a very challenging year. In fact, given the English GCSE AQA fiasco, it’s already been a challenging opening.

Here is just a flavour of the (nearly 5 page bullet pointed) job description. Should you be interested in collaborating, drop me a tweet or emails.

Purpose of Post:

  • Raise achievement of all students at all phases of the College ensuring students make progress at least in line with expectations.
  • Develop the use of data management systems to collect, monitor and analyse student progress for strategic use throughout Key Stage 3 and 4 and for transition to key stage 5.
  • Develop robust and user friendly recording and reporting systems that have significant impact on progress and attainment.
  • To ensure that data support drives up the challenge and achievement in the classroom.
  • To contribute to the strategic development of the College to ensure that it continually aspires to the highest standards.
  • To communicate effectively and relate positively to all stakeholders to inspire and engage staff and students in the vision for the College.

Key Areas:

  • Raise achievement of all students at all phases of the College ensuring students make progress at least in line with expectations.
  • Develop the use of data management systems to collect, monitor and analyse student progress for strategic use throughout Key Stage 3 and 4 and for transition to Key stage 5.
  • Develop robust and user friendly recording and reporting systems that have significant impact on progress and attainment.
  • To ensure that data support drives up the challenge and achievement in the classroom.

My focus so far has been on the constructing a system to collect, monitor and analyse student progress; securing this system firmly within the school calendar. It is not as simple as just building the system, it is building the system ‘with’ the teachers and middle leaders in mind and managing / facilitating their adoption of it. Next, managing / facilitating middle leader with their teams adoption and supporting teachers using this information to raise achievement in the classroom, and where necessary question staff practice.

Next in the crosshair are the recording and reporting systems, however preliminary work has been undertaken this year.

Next bring students into the process, so that they themselves can challenge their own achievement goals.

So, no personal goals as such, but tasks to fulfil and achievement to bolster to the best of my ability. Raise online, FFTLIVE, SISRA and almost every education spreadsheet and database known to man should beware. The personal goal, if there is one, is to be the one of the most adapt school leaders working with data in the county at AVP/AHT level, to be more ready for promotion than the other candidate come the end of the year. A second goal is for every teacher to have used class achievement and progression data to improve their teaching and raise student achievement.

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