Creating a more equitable
education system
School Improvement Partnerships for Equity
and Change: A case of balancing science and
artistry
Christopher Chapman
Director, Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change
Co-Director, ESRC/Scot Gov What Works Scotland Centre
Director of Research, School of Education
SIPP and system
change
• Context- understanding and learning from similarities
and difference Art of:
• Change and Improvement- diverse and rigorous
methods
• Collaboration- rethinking roles and responsibilities
• Capacity Building- leadership and expertise
• Cohesion- connecting across policy initiatives
How important
is context?
Change as ‘science’
Change as ‘artistry’
Emphasis on replication across contexts
Emphasis on understanding detail of
context
Confidence in quantitative data
Confidence in qualitative data
Highly structured and mechanistic
Process dominated and organic
School-level orientation
Classroom orientation
Large-scale and external led/ monitored
Small-scale and internally owned
Success defined in terms of scaling up and
impact on ’harder’ measures
Success defined in terms of improved
understandings and ‘softer’ outcomes
Eg. High Reliability Schools (HRS)
Eg. Improving Quality of Education for All
SIPP change and
improvement
You are moving SIPP beyond these two distinct traditions…
• More nuanced approach incorporating strengths from both
• matched to specific needs and contextual conditions
• Involves having a repertoire of approaches and methods at
your disposal, including:




Collaborative Enquiry
Improvement Science
Instructional Rounds
Lesson study
SIPP change and
improvement
Lesson Study Cycle:
Setting
goals
Sharing
Reflection
Planning
Observing
Repeat
O, RD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g48DAG4hJd4 (Process 5.28)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EjljMOrrKI (Middle 4.33)
Debrief and
review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV35Nr0DKFs (Primary 2.41)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tr0ZLxcHBc (Power 2.16)
SIPP change and
improvement
The impact of leadership activities on student outcomes
0.42
1. Establishing Goals and Expectations
0.31
2. Resourcing Strategically
0.42
3. Planning, Coordinating and Evaluating Teaching and the
Curriculum
0.84
4. Promoting and Participating in Teacher Learning and
Development
0.27
5. Ensuring an Orderly and Supportive Environment
Robinson, V., Hohepa, M. and Lloyd, C. (2009), School
Leadership and Student Outcomes: Identifying What Works and
Why: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration, Wellington: New
Zealand Ministry of Education.
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
Effect Size
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
SIPP and
collaboration
Schools
Beyond
Local
Authorities
Between
Within
HEIs
Other
stakeholders
Collaboration for withinschool improvement
Unrelenting
commitment
to personal
and
professional
development
Ensuring
high
expectations
and strong
cultural
norms
Learning
and
teaching
Combining
short-term
tactical
agendas with
longer-term
strategic
agendas
Withinschool
improvement
Focus on
spreading
leadership
and
leadership
development
Rigorous selfreview and
accountability
mechanisms
Use of
data to
inform
decisionmaking
Collaboration for betweenschool improvement
Improved
student
outcomes
Collaborative
professional
learning
Federated
leadership
Betweenschool
improvement
In-house
tailored
support for
schools
economies
of scale
Movement of
staff between
organisations
Collaboration for beyondschool improvement
Coordinated
public
service
provision
Pipeline of
support
Autonomous
localisedgovernance
and funding
Beyondschool
improvement
Communication
and speedy
access to
resources
Areabased
focus
SIPP and capacity
building
• Challenging assumptions and beliefs
• Changing behaviours and practice
• Developing expertise within the system
• Moving existing knowledge and generating new
knowledge- accessing existing reservoirs and creating
new ones!
• Making connections to un-tap this potential
SIPP and system
cohesion
Providing a context to create coherence with a range of
policy initiatives including:
• CfE
• GIRFEC
• Pathfinder and Raising Attainment
• Potentially with CPPs and new What Works Centre…
• Future public sector developments?
SIPP summary
• Context- understanding and learning from similarities
and difference Art of:
• Change and Improvement- diverse and rigorous
methods
• Collaboration- rethinking roles and responsibilities
• Capacity Building- leadership and expertise
• Cohesion- connecting across policy initiatives