Michael Wilshaw’s talk at the London Festival of Education – Notes

Background:

teacher 40 years
Would never have believed teachers in London could have achieved what they have.

2 messages from that:

Annual report:

Good things, good people

London done well because of good teachers, good teaching, led by good people.
Good teaching linked to good leadership.
Example from own experience: failing school where most teacher deeply committed to children but culture wrong because leadership didn’t
- identify good staff,
- support them
- promote them
Can’t divorce teaching from the culture of the school
Culture determined by leadership.

Best leaders

understand that improving teaching => strong vision (what you want to see in the classroom) + pragmatic approach to school organisation.
- i.e. pedagogy useless unless conditions for it supporte
  - orderly environments,
  - respect for all,
  - staff feel nurtured,
  - enough consistency that everyone knows how school works
  - communication to all (kitchen inc.) good and all feel valued etc.
are passionate about the quality of teaching because know it’s only way to raise standards. Show this
- in their own classroom practice if teach.
- In the power of their assemblies (so to staff as well as children)
- in commitment to CPD – throughout the teaching week and the year, not just a few INSETs
foster an open door culture, where
- teachers are comfortable to be observed and to observe others.
- good practice is discussed and disseminated
- performance management is seen as a positive rather than as a negative.
recognise and reward good teaching.
- celebrate it at every turn,
- promote those who model good practice,
- experts trump experience
don’t shy away from challenging underperformance in the classroom.
- Difference between good teacher and bad one equivalent to a whole year’s learning.

New Inspection Framework

recognises the importance of leadership in teaching
inspectors comment in every report on
- whether the leaders know what’s going on in classrooms, and
- whether they’re taking CPD/Performance management seriously.
Inspectors going for less paperwork/more time in lessons.
No one “good lesson” template.
- No preferred style of teaching,
- judge teaching on whether children are engaged, focused, learning, and making progress
  - if outdtanding, inspired too.
- avoid lessons w. too many activities designed simply to impress the inspector…. “Fairly boring Friday pm lesson on quadratic equations but the children are learning is fine.”

“qualities that help/make excellent teachers never change.”