Capital Ideas

Deprivation and demographics are not destiny says David Woods. The London Challenge offers a recipe for success that can be adapted for schools across the country...

It is a great tribute to the heads, teachers and staff of London schools who, working with the London Challenge, local authorities, academy groups and a range of other partners, have improved the outcomes for pupils in the capital’s primary and secondary schools at a faster rate than nationally. This work has transformed London from the lowest-performing region in the country in 2002, to the highest performing region now – an astounding school improvement journey. What the London Challenge has shown us is that there’s a recipe for success. And it’s a recipe that should be shared among schools, no matter their location.

It’s for this reason that The London Leadership Strategy (LLS) – a not-for-profit organisation run by experienced headteachers – is taking forward the legacy of London Challenge through its extensive school improvement network across the capital, and through specific projects and partnerships across England, dubbed ‘regional challenges’. We are actively working to take the lessons learnt from London to primary and secondary schools in Norfolk, Poole, Portsmouth, Somerset and South Gloucestershire, among others. Ongoing London Challenge programmes that run throughout England, as well as research into what has worked historically, enables us to do this through peer-to-peer support and evidence-based practice.

As the roll out takes shape and local schools adapt to new processes, it’s becoming clear that what works in the capital can be transferred elsewhere. Deprivation and demographics are not destiny and outcomes can be transformed. Regional challenges are fast becoming proof that we can change the narrative of school improvement locally from doubt and blame, to optimism and a ‘can do’ mindset.

The key factors of success regionally include:

• Developing a new sense of regional identity, which crosses jurisdictions and unlocks the potential of the wider community. This includes shared values and a common goal.
• Changing the narrative, developing the culture – and high aspirations, across all disciplines phases.
• Greater knowledge and dissemination of best practice.
• Effective school-to-school support with the capacity to confront problems and deliver solutions.
• A small, central resource that ensures rich knowledge is mobilised effectively. All school-to-school support is effectively brokered, leveraging in other agencies such as universities, businesses and other partnerships – to gain additional support in schools.

This process allows builds a clear picture of both regional challenges and support. It enables us to harness Teaching Schools and their alliances; NLEs; National Support Schools; Local Level SLEs; specialist level SLEs; and excellent practitioners, on a wider scale and at all levels.

We have recognised that it is possible to drive collaboration between schools in different localities, cutting across traditional local authority boundaries and exposing educational leaders and school support staff to great practice that is beyond their normal frame of reference, which in turn opens up a wider pool of knowledge.

Regional challenges can learn a lot from London whilst applying their own bespoke solutions. This includes the importance of vision, moral purpose, school goals, and a common language of school improvement.

In addition, regional challenges can encompass a relentless focus on teaching and learning,  with great opportunities for professional development. They provide a way to foster leaders who work outside of their individual settings as a part of a school-led system of improvement – developing, for example, required data sets and families of schools so that performance can be benchmarked and schools in the regions can learn from each other.

Regional Challenges are now developing rapidly, the DfE has Regional Commissioners of education, and Ofsted also has a regional structure. The architecture of London Challenge provides an appropriate framework for success, and can help to build a powerful momentum for change going forward.

About the author

David Woods was the Chief Education Adviser for London Schools and the London Challenge until April 2011. He is currently the Chair of the London Leadership Strategy and several Local Authority Education Challenge Boards.