'The maintenance of a desired level of quality in a service or product, especially by means of attention to every stage of the process of delivery or production.'
The problem with definitions is that they require further definitions; if we are quality assuring T&L what is the 'desired level of quality in (the) product', how do we evaluate teaching? What constitutes great practice? What are the features of a good lesson? Are there variables subject to subject and if so what are they? Are there core common features and if so what are they?
With the leak of possible changes to the OFSTED framework, how does this change? Do we need to quality assure teaching given the myriad of issues involved in the process?
In an era where there might be no grade for T&L, how does the axis of our school T&L policy begin to change? There is an undeniable link between the accountability measures and how schools choose to quality assure their teachers' work. At the time of writing this, the term "a rich education" was stimulating debate... does the emphasis now shift towards curriculum and away from T&L?
Will T&L leads now shift to curriculum leads or add this to their portfolio or is it something else entirely sitting with options and timetabling? How does this change our sense of our school's work, its mission?
The quality assurance measures of a school will reflect the context and culture of the school. Yet there are clear pieces of research work which move the debate forward in terms of generic practices across the key stages, subjects, departments and disciplines, what Tom Sherrington calls 'collective action' ('10 Essential Discussions to have in any teacher team') where there is a clear sense of what great teaching looks like. How do we work together as a team on agreed 'great teaching' practices that should be evident in everyone's classroom every lesson? Is this what quality assurance is?
Essentially, schools have to establish a standard to evaluate T&L against; to agree what great teaching and learning looks like in our context. This policy should be at the heart of all school's T&L QA procedures and over the course of time should shift and develop. My sense of this process is that it starts with middle managers and then becomes something that a smaller team take on and report back before publishing to ML and then whole school - perhaps using the Lead Practitioners?
John Tomsett and his teachers at Huntington school went through a process to do this as a school;
John Tomsett and his teachers at Huntington school went through a process to do this as a school;
It's easy to agree with the terms of 'great teaching' used here in (find it in this blog) which is really about Performance Related Pay and is a useful reminder of the impact of judging teachers on the community spirit of the school:
'It is potentially corrosive and pits teacher against teacher. Anyone who has worked in a thriving school knows that one of the reasons it thrives is because of its sense of community. I have been determined to prevent the new policy damaging our school’s culture and so far, so good.'
The corrosive nature of grading teacher observations as well as the lack of coherency in judgements has been well played out in the twittersphere, but beyond this, we need to recognise that T&L quality assurance processes have far reaching implications and therefore matter to teachers in a myriad of anxiety inducing ways. We can't build community without respect, kindness and honesty, it is imperative that a quality assurance policy is steeped in these qualities.
'It's the teacher standards, stupid' and 'minimise the variables' are also quotes from John Tomsett's blog are helpful in creating policy; the teacher standards define the:
'minimum level of practice expected of trainees and teachers from the point of being awarded QTS' and need to be 'applied as appropriate to the role and context within which a trainee or teacher is practising... Following the period of induction, the standards continue to define the level of practice at which all qualified teachers are expected to perform... headteachers (or appraisers) should assess teachers’ performance against the standards to a level that is consistent with what should reasonably be expected of a teacher in the relevant role and at the relevant stage of their career' as the 'professional judgement of headteachers and appraisers is... central to... these standards.'
The standards give us these 'minimum' subheadings for the appraisal/quality assurance of teaching and learning:
- Part One: Teaching
- High Expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils
- Promote good progress and outcomes by all pupils
- Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge
- Plan and teach well structured lessons
- Adapt teaching to respond to strengths and needs of all pupils
- Make accurate and productive use of assessment
- Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment
- Fulfil wider professional responsibilities
- Part Two: Personal and Professional Conduct
- Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by:
- treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position
- having regard for the need to safeguard pupils’ well-being, in accordance with statutory provisions
- showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others
- not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
- ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.
- Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality.
- Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities.
If you ever doubted the complexity of teaching and learning, this gives a true sense of how many plates we have to spin as a minimum. The use of the words 'professional judgement' is interesting: I well remember feeling overwhelmed by the expectations at the start of my career, but twenty years in can see that the standards are not enough to move teachers on to an expert level. The definition of 'professional judgement' is not immediately available on Google, but with some effort this definition suits our purpose for Quality Assurance:
'You may hear the terms ‘professional judgement’ and ‘practice wisdom’ used during your ITE course, particularly if you ask a teacher why they made a particular decision about how to teach. Sometimes, it is difficult for an experienced teacher to unpack what lies behind their decision-making processes (Hobson, 2002, Jones and Straker, 2006). What often lies behind professional judgements or practice wisdom is years of experimenting with different approaches, incorporating different ideas from research, theory and practice, and constant critical reflection.'
Each school, each context needs to add to the definition of what it is to teach well in their context. The professional judgements of those teachers in their classroom is key to this as is other quality assurance work such as departmental level results analysis, departmental SEFs and Line Managers overviews of strengths and weaknesses that need to be addressed across teachers and students work. Beyond this research into the wider workings of academic research and other schools in similar contexts would be interesting to look at.
Inclusion and the issue of minimising the 'gap' in attainment across the school's cohorts is a key measure for OFSTED. On this theme, Mary Meredith proposed at the start of the summer that we as a profession need to 'focus more on the art and (a) bit less on the mechanics' of teaching in a great tweeted thread where the nature of what it is to be an inclusive teacher was carefully addressed:
I like the division of teaching into subject teaching, rules/routines and inclusive practices; the level of specification of what it is to be inclusive is really important here. A colleague was talking through all of the support she had put in place for a specific student towards the end of last term and feeling like she had done 'a lot', which she had, but was told to be 'even kinder still' by another colleague in her department: because of the integrity and reputation of that colleague with hard to reach students, the advice was taken on board and more support was given to the student. I heard the story being told to a further colleague later that day; 'Being kinder still' is a great culture to build into teaching through colleague mentoring. These inclusive strategies are as useful for teachers as they are for students and make a useful addition to the ideas set out by Huntington in striving to acknowledge the action needed by the teacher to include all students.
Social and emotional support given to students has impact on outcomes, peer to peer coaching has impact on professionals, but any quality assurance policy for T&L needs to give teachers ways on extending their pedagogical and subject specific knowledge. Durrington Research School and the work of the twitter giants, Andy Tharby and Shaun Allison would be my next go to place with their book series, 'Making Every Lesson Count'.
The power of the work of this duo and their school T&L blog, https://classteaching.wordpress.com/, is the focus on the minutiae of teaching and the necessary cycles of behaviour for students to be supported into purposeful practice. If you haven't read the book, there are now a series of subject specific focused reads which really engage with the day to day practice of teachers in the classroom. It's full of strategies to use within your classroom as well as really specific guidance in what to do to hone your developing craft. I love that it is dedicated and experienced professionals sharing their hard won experience and know that engaging with this practice as a teaching team would develop any and all professionals.
Once a quality assurance framework is established - your "this is what great teaching looks like here" policy - there would be much merit in post observation reflective discussions focused on this work and the work of Doug Lemov and his website, http://teachlikeachampion.com/. Both of this site and book give the teacher a chance to extend and develop autonomously beyond the whole school CPD. There would be much merit in training up a small observing team, perhaps those lead practitioners again, in the work of these professionals(Tharby/Allison/Lemov) and all that it offers teachers in honing their craft. This would ensure that reflective conversations are not only policy, but resource based, giving every professional the best chance to continue to develop with teacher specific strategies and ideas to extend their individual practice.
My final go to piece would be the work of Rob Coe, Cesare Aloisi, Steve Higgins and Lee Elliot Major on 'What makes Great Teaching' for the Sutton Trust. As well as identifying the facets of great teaching:
- (Pedagogical) content knowledge(Strong evidence of impact on student outcomes)The most effective teachers have deep knowledge of the subjects they teach, and when teachers’ knowledge falls below a certain level it is a significant impediment to students’ learning. As well as a strong understanding of the material being taught, teachers must also understand the ways students think about the content, be able to evaluate the thinking behind students’ own methods, and identify students’ common misconceptions.
- Quality of instruction(Strong evidence of impact on student outcomes)Includes elements such as effective questioning and use of assessment by teachers. Specific practices, like reviewing previous learning, providing model responses for students, giving adequate time for practice to embed skills securely Executive Summary 3 and progressively introducing new learning (scaffolding) are also elements of high quality instruction.
- Classroom climate(Moderate evidence of impact on student outcomes)Covers quality of interactions between teachers and students, and teacher expectations: the need to create a classroom that is constantly demanding more, but still recognising students’ self-worth. It also involves attributing student success to effort rather than ability and valuing resilience to failure (grit).
- Classroom management(Moderate evidence of impact on student outcomes)A teacher’s abilities to make efficient use of lesson time, to coordinate classroom resources and space, and to manage students’ behaviour with clear rules that are consistently enforced, are all relevant to maximising the learning that can take place. These environmental factors are necessary for good learning rather than its direct components.
- Teacher beliefs(Some evidence of impact on student outcomes)Why teachers adopt particular practices, the purposes they aim to achieve, their theories about what learning is and how it happens and their conceptual models of the nature and role of teaching in the learning process all seem to be important.
- Professional behaviours(Some evidence of impact on student outcomes)Behaviours exhibited by teachers such as reflecting on and developing professional practice, participation in professional development, supporting colleagues, and liaising and communicating with parents.
This piece of research work gathers together evidence of how best to employ an observation framework for impact:
'Successful teacher observations are primarily used as a formative process –
framed as a development tool creating reflective and self-directed teacher
learners as opposed to a high stakes evaluation or appraisal. However, while
observation is effective when undertaken as a collaborative and collegial exercise
among peers, the literature also emphasises the need for challenge in the process
– involving, to some extent, principals or external experts.'
I have always believed that the classroom is a microcosm of the school, that what is right at a classroom level often gives us the best indication of what is right in leading professionals and this research confirmed this:
'A review by Timperley et al. details a teacher ‘knowledge-building cycle ' - a
feedback loop for teachers – that is associated with improved student outcomes.
Their synthesis ‘assumes that what goes on in the black box of teacher learning is
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fundamentally similar to student learning’. And their findings suggest that teacher
learning can have a sizeable impact on student outcomes.'
Teachers need to be challenged in a healthy way; too often school's challenge through mocksteds which increase threat as well as challenge. In my early days of teaching in Shropshire, I worked within the advisory team supporting the creative arts adviser. It was a fantastic opportunity to see some truly gifted subject specific advisers; one of my favourites was the maths adviser, who when calling a school to arrange a visit would always ask to teach a class with the HoD watching prior to starting any work with them. The 'buy in' and genuine good will that this brought to his days with maths teams around the county was worth any level of squirming discomfort with the set 3 year 8's they always seemed to give him. This is worth replicating on any level you can, through planning and delivering a team taught lesson where subject specialisms can be shared (e.g. a light unit for a physics class taught with theatre lights in school) or simply having the observee come and watch the observer before observing them.
There is evidence within the report about how to use pupil voice and what the validity of this may be in establishing ways of improving student outcomes. The issue with this is avoiding the 'popularity' game and ensuring that the students words are turned into action through briefings or helpful CPD. Any evidence gained in this way needs to be tested before it results in action and again being honest, helpful and kind with the information you glean is paramount.
Over the twenty years of managing departments, year groups, faculties and houses, I have been asked to record information from quality assurance processes of observations in a myriad of ways; most of them too punitive, time consuming and ineffective. The report from the Sutton Trust is clear that there are six principles of effective teacher feedback:
'Sustained professional learning is most likely to result when:
- the focus is kept clearly on improving student outcomes;
- feedback is related to clear, specific and challenging goals for the recipient;
- attention is on the learning rather than to the person or to comparisons with others;
- teachers are encouraged to be continual independent learners;
- feedback is mediated by a mentor in an environment of trust and support;
- an environment of professional learning and support is promoted by the school’s leadership.'
The quality assurance processes of a school are 'formative assessments', part of a wider picture of whole staff CPD, subject specific CPD, departmental agendas, line management agendas and appraisal documents. As Andy Tharby notes in his blog, 'always chose the simpler option' - time is our most precious resource. Quick formative records of reflective post-obs conversations, records of CPD shifts to meet needs and reporting back to line managers can be rough recordings of oral feedback. (No stamp required) Above all, continual reflection between your T&L team and the middle leaders/line managers will really help the school in addressing issues quickly.
There is an unpalatable truth is assessing the impact of T&L, which the Sutton Report sums up well:
'We define effective teaching as that which leads to improved student achievement
using outcomes that matter to their future success. Defining effective teaching is
not easy. The research keeps coming back to this critical point: student progress
is the yardstick by which teacher quality should be assessed. Ultimately, for a
judgement about whether teaching is effective, to be seen as trustworthy, it must
be checked against the progress being made by students.'
And whilst a million caveats need to be added about single sets of class data, single observations, triangulation of evidence, consistency in observation practice, at some point you and the teacher/departments/whole school need to reflect on how what you did had impact on outcomes and how action can be honed in the coming year for the next cohorts; openly, honestly, kindly and respectfully.
I have a strong feeling that coaching has a strong part to play in any T&L quality assurance as the process needs to be self directed by the teachers involved within it and just as they are with students, relationships will be key to this work. I would also strongly suggest that if you run an initiative like #oracy or growth mindset that your feedback forms direct the teaching practitioners involved to discuss this. Everyone needs to buy into a view of what great teaching is in your context, everyone needs to feel supported through T&L processes to self evaluate and improve, challenge is helpful but should come without fear, observations need to be consistent, reflective conversations need to give teachers places to go to extend their practice, recording processes need to be active and simple and finally, the in house CPD needs to be tailored to suit the needs in the findings. #simples
I wanted to end by returning to the two A'Level teachers I had who were polar opposites of each other, but who recognised this, told us about their differences at the start of the course and consistently used their differing views to build a fantastically strong and interesting course for us. I favoured them both equally for different reasons as a student and recognise now as a leader that there is a huge lesson for us here in quality assuring the work of our teachers in our school. #valueteachers #recruitmentcrisis
I wanted to end by returning to the two A'Level teachers I had who were polar opposites of each other, but who recognised this, told us about their differences at the start of the course and consistently used their differing views to build a fantastically strong and interesting course for us. I favoured them both equally for different reasons as a student and recognise now as a leader that there is a huge lesson for us here in quality assuring the work of our teachers in our school. #valueteachers #recruitmentcrisis
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