The Strategy for Leadership, Teaching and Learning
The Vision for all Kent Schools
Our vision is that every child and young person is provided with equality of opportunity
where their learning is able to flourish in schools where outstanding leadership creates an
outstanding curriculum delivered by inspirational teachers with high aspirations for all.
The Leadership and Teaching and Learning Team will empower leaders and teachers to
continue to develop a self-improving, school system led by highly trained leaders working in
partnership with the Local Authority, teaching schools, academies, good and outstanding
schools and early years providers, Kent Association of Headteachers, Kent, Local and
National Leaders of Education.
This vision will make a significant contribution to Kent County Council’s overall vision for a
highly educated community in which equal opportunity will ensure children and young
people thrive and achieve no matter what their background or family circumstances. We will
ensure that practitioners with the most experience of what works lead on the key activities
necessary to deliver continuous improvement to the provision of education in Kent.
Our Values:
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Building appreciation, trust and value for each other
Creating time to think and a thinking environment
Promoting equity, equality and diversity
Developing potential to be the best
Work openly alongside all partners
Encourage contribution & challenge from all stakeholders
Be accountable to our schools and community
Aim 1: Improving the quality of leadership, teaching and learning
We know that the quality of teaching and leadership is the most important factor in
improving educational standards for children. To ensure we have highly trained and
qualified leaders of learning in our schools we will:
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Work in partnership with schools and groups of schools to co-design and co-deliver
innovative leadership and teaching and learning opportunities
Create leadership, teaching and curriculum development experiences and
programmes that impact directly on the quality of school leadership, quality of
teaching and pupil outcomes
Work in partnership with stakeholders to grow the next generation of school and
system leaders with the skills to lead the schools of the future
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To work strategically with all stakeholders to create coherence throughout the
school system
Design and develop adaptable leadership programmes for staff identified by LA
colleagues
Design and develop adaptable teacher programmes to ensure high quality learning
opportunities
Work with Kent Association of Headteachers to identify gaps in provision locally for
supporting leadership development and work co-operatively to design and deliver
training/ facilitate opportunities
Work with Kent Governor Association to design and develop appropriate Governor
training courses
Ensure recruitment of the best leaders at all levels in our schools (following NQT year
early leaders, middle leaders, senior leaders, experienced leaders)
Increase recruitment of NLG’s as a matter of priority
Develop a leadership programme to support leaders to focus appropriately on the
leadership and impact of good teaching in the Early Years
Aim 2: Helping Schools to help each other to improve
We must continue to develop and embed the relationships growing between schools to
strengthen their networks of high quality school to school support. We will encourage
schools to find local solutions to particular challenges, doing what we can to support and
remove any barriers to a school led system. To support the development of leadership and
governance we will:
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Support schools in identifying good practice and brokering/facilitating sharing of that
good practice where needed
Provide systematic support for leaders undertaking an Executive Headship role
Investigate ‘What we do well’ and share outcomes more widely. Compile case
studies of the skills outstanding leaders have which enable them to turn schools
around quickly.
Facilitate visits to outstanding schools both within Kent and other Local Authorities
Facilitate mentor-coach training to enable leaders to facilitate training for others
locally
Provide support for KAH to co-ordinate the deployment of KLE’s NLE’s LLE’s, SLE’s,
NLG’s
Success Criteria
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Open and effective relationships with all partners to ensure good and outstanding
leadership in all Kent Schools (Benchmarks – percentage of schools being judged at
least good in 2014 - 74%, 2015 - 78%, 2016 – 82%, 2017 85%)
By 2017 95% of teaching will be good or better in primary schools. 93% will be good
or better in secondary schools. (2014 figures are 75% in primary 73% in secondary)
Kent will be a County of choice for applicants to leadership roles at all levels and
current recruitment issues will have been addressed
Through effective collaborative work, and schools taking responsibility for all
students in a community, all schools are challenged and supported to develop their
practice to enable at least a good judgement at Ofsted (Peer to peer reviews etc.)
Kent leaders will have the vision, aspiration and drive to provide a world class
education in all schools
Leadership by the Governing Bodies in all schools will contribute to a world class
education offer
All schools will focus relentlessly on raising standards and through collaboration and
incisive diagnostic work by outstanding leaders. Lower performing schools will be
supported to rapidly improve outcomes.
Attached to this overarching strategy will be separate strategies for Leadership, Teaching,
Learning and Curriculum and Assessement