Driving improvement through professional development
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Information about the school
Pontarddulais Comprehensive is an 11-16 comprehensive school in Swansea. There are 780 pupils on roll and the school is close to capacity. The school is situated in the village of Pontarddulais. It has five partner primary schools within the catchment area. Around 7% of pupils live in the 20% most deprived areas of Wales. Thirteen per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
Pontarddulais is currently a Curriculum Pioneer school and a Creative Pioneer school. This means that the school is working with the Welsh Government and others to develop and pilot a new curriculum for Wales.
Context and background to sector-leading practice
The school recognises that high quality middle leadership is an important factor in school improvement and raising standards. Over the last three years the school has been successful in building a professional learning culture amongst colleagues.
The headteacher set up a professional development programme, called the `Aspiring Leaders Programme`, to empower teachers and middle leaders to effect whole school change while simultaneously developing professionally. The aim of the programme was to develop the skills of all teachers and staff within the school whilst building a sustainable school improvement system.
The professional development programme has become a highly successful vehicle in creating a learning culture amongst colleagues, which gives key staff the opportunity to lead on whole school development priorities. As a result, many staff at all levels make a significant contribution towards the leadership of the school. It has resulted in a feeling of cohesion and collaboration that is central to improving outcomes for pupils.
Succession planning is highly developed and is a successful part of the work of the school. The practical support and the opportunities provided mean that highly skilled colleagues are confident to take on more challenging responsibilities.
Description of nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice
The Aspiring Leaders Programme provides a structure for teachers to focus on improving aspects of the work of the school, with the ultimate aim of improving pupil performance.
There are three main areas of professional development for staff:
Staff have the opportunity to take a leading role on whole school development.
Middle leaders and aspiring middle leaders are given the opportunity to lead on a clearly identified aspect of whole school improvement. Training is provided by a member of the senior leadership team in how to build a whole School Development Plan. They formulate and agree on specific strategies to address the key priorities for the year. This coherent and collegiate approach ensures that the School Development Plan is fully embraced by middle leaders, who then drive improvement at all levels within the school. As a result, teachers gain a better understanding of the school’s strategic aims and how their department and their role contributes to outcomes.
Staff are given the responsibility for running a working party for their colleagues, which supports and launches a whole school development.
Each working party is led by two middle or aspiring leaders, who use this experience as part of the Aspiring Leaders Programme. The middle leaders research the background information for their working party. They work collaboratively with their middle leader partner in deciding on the direction to be taken by their working party. They then lead their working party through a series of five developmental sessions. This culminates in a launch by the working party to the whole school, as well as in a presentation to the Governing body. The school is then expected to adopt the recommendations of the working party into their teaching and learning practice. Examples include the development of the now highly consistent lesson evaluation process, improving teaching and learning through developing high level questioning, and leading strategies to improve the teaching of literacy and numeracy across the school.
Middle leaders are involved in a structured programme of school-to-school self- evaluation.
Through their involvement in collaborative self-evaluation, colleagues have shared professional knowledge and expertise with middle leaders from two other schools. The skills developed through these interschool departmental reviews have given colleagues motivation and self-confidence as leaders of learning within Pontarddulais Comprehensive.
What impact has this work had on provision and pupils’ standards?
There is an exceptional learning culture in the school. Middle leaders are very innovative in their work and support the development of whole school processes and developments in teaching and learning very well. This means that teaching and learning are a clear strength of the school.
Due to developments initiated by middle leaders, nearly all staff have an in depth understanding of the self-evaluation processes which support excellent teaching and learning. All lessons observed are good and excellent. This makes a significant contribution to outstanding outcomes for pupils.
Excellent working relationships, high levels of trust and highly effective communication between middle leaders and their link member of the headship team have been significant factors in ensuring consistency and in raising standards.
How have you shared your good practice?
Schools from across Wales have visited Pontarddulais to share the work of the school. In addition, colleagues have presented in iNet events as well as events organised by the ERW region. Colleagues who teach in `Challenge Cymru` schools have been supported closely by staff from Pontarddulais in many aspects of their work.