Building Schools For the Future

Dr Jon Spence

Building Schools for the Future

Developing Partnerships for change

Dr Jon Spence

Aim of the session

•  To Identify how interested parties can influence change

•  To provide an example where partnership has resulted in effective change

•  To suggest how partnerships can be developed between Schools, Universities, Businesses and Local Authorities.

The role of the University in School!

Working Together

•  In order to bring about change we must work together to form a ‘community of practice’

•  The aim of a community of practice is to create, expand and exchange knowledge and develop individual capabilities.

•  Within the community we must have passion and commitment

•  The community will last as long as the topic remains interesting and learning continues.

To Consider

• Who Do you work with? – Is it a community of practice?

• Who do you want to work with? • Why don’t you?

Managing Change

•  In order to bring about change we must: –  Identify what needs changing – Bring together interested parties – Plan for change – Work together to ensure success – Remain focused on the reason for change

Careful planning will lead to success

Case Study

Primary School Physical Education Provision

The Roehampton Community: The Issue

•  Inappropriate/insufficient Initial Teacher Training •  Poorly prepared teachers •  Inappropriate curriculum •  Poor facilities •  Teachers lacking confidence and competence to

deliver a high quality PE experience for all •  School Sport Partnerships keen to have an impact

and LA’s with specific targets

A Solution!

•  Creation of a community of practice involving 13 SSP’s, 8 Local Authorities (and latterly a business)

•  All involved believed passionately that they could make a difference to the teaching and learning in Physical Education – The University had the knowledge and expertise – The SSP’s had the infrastructure and expertise – The LA had the ‘power’ and contacts.

Stage 1

•  Improving teachers confidence and competence to teach PE – Teachers had expertise in children’s learning – SSP had expertise in the subject – University had the ability to influence

•  Working together the SSP’s and the University developed a programme of support for teachers to give them greater confidence and competence to provide a high quality learning experience

Teacher Support

•  Local needs identified and catered for: – Courses (evolving and progressive) – Modelling – Discussion – Materials

•  All involved were committed to bringing about a change in philosophy and to developing a greater understanding of Physical Education

Stage 2

•  As Teachers grew in confidence and competence, the community needed to develop to meet additional demands

•  Facilities/the learning environment became a barrier to further change

•  A business with a similar philosophy and appropriate ethos joined the community

•  Equipment, facilities and training were developed to aid the developmental approach to the teaching of the subject

Facility/equipment development

•  The community, in particular the University, have contributed to the development of equipment and training provided by the company

•  Teachers will be trained at the university utilising specifically designed and developed facilities/equipment

•  Staff from all partners will be trained by the company to enable them to train others in the community

The problems of business involvement

•  Working with a business brings different challenges – Careful selection of partners is essential

• The need for profit does not always meet the educational philosophy and targets of the community

• Ensuring the company have similar goals to the community is essential

•  All partners will need to feel the benefits if the community is to continue to operate successfully

Conclusions

•  Passion, commitment and drive are the keys to success

•  Working together is better than working alone •  Pupils benefit from the range of partners involved •  All member of the community will benefit from the

strengths of the others •  Cliché Time!

– "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts"

•  Find like minded partners who want what you want and are determined to get there

• One person can be the catalyst for change but working together will see the greatest results.

Dr Jon Spence Roehampton University Physical Education Subject Leader/enterprise manager J.spence@roehampton.ac.uk