NPQLBC Cycle 3: Building Culture
and Ethos
Formative Assessment Task Options
Option one: Modelling and articulating your school’s expectations
Programme framework statements covered
School culture
Learn that…
2.2. Teacher expectations can affect pupil outcomes; setting goals that challenge and stretch pupils is essential.
2.3. Setting clear expectations can help communicate shared values that improve classroom and school culture.
Learn how to…
Contribute to the creation of a culture of high expectations across the school by:
2.a. Articulating, modelling and rehearsing practices that contribute to the intended school culture and the responsibilities every member of the school community has in its creation.
2.b. Developing colleagues’ ability, through articulating, modelling and rehearsing, to contribute to the intended school culture within lessons and at other times during the school day (e.g., extracurricular activities and lunchtime).
Introduction
“It is the role of the leader to steer the course, to model, ensure implementation, keep it consistent. I need to be very visible; I need to take responsibility for checking and monitoring behaviour and the school approach to it ”
Primary headteacher, cited in Skipp & Hopwood, 2017, Case studies of behaviour management practices in schools rated Outstanding, ASK Research Report (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Research into why some school leaders are more effective than others at developing a whole-school culture that supports the school’s behaviour policy consistently identifies these two features as important ingredients:
▪ high expectations
▪ modelling
High expectations
It is rare for leaders not to say that they have high expectations of pupils, staff, themselves, etc., but, as Bennett observes, it is not always the case that leaders are sufficiently explicit as to what these expectations look like in practice
Expectations
Expectations must be exemplified in as much detail as possible Many problems with creating a strong culture are rooted in the misapprehension that a vision has been demonstrated clearly when it has not, or that an expectation has been made clear but in fact remains only vaguely comprehensible to its recipients.
Example
Don’t only say ‘Assemblies should encourage good behaviour’. Say, ‘For example, in every assembly I want to see merits given out to the best students for [behaviour x]’. This should be at the end of the assembly, and the pupils should be asked to go on stage to collect their certificates’.
Bennett, T. (2017). Creating a culture: How school leaders can optimise behaviour, p. 32.
Reflect for a moment on your school’s expectations of staff. Are they always expressed with the clarity shown in Bennett’s example?
Modelling desired behaviours
In their study of schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted, Skipp and Hopwood illustrate their findings by reference to appropriate case studies.
Case
study 10
Monitoring and ensuring consistency
Senior leaders spoke of how they ‘lead by example’. They display and model the behaviours they want to see. This includes not only polite, respectful behaviour to fellow staff, but also to pupils and the wider community.
It is also important that they model how they expect poor behaviour to be dealt with. Senior leaders achieved this by:
▪ being the person allocated to deal with more severe incidents of negative behaviour.
▪ correcting behaviour around the school.
▪ modelling how to deal with behaviour if the opportunity arose (e.g., in lesson observations / learning walks).
Skipp, A., & Hopwood, B. (2017). Case studies of behaviour management practices in schools rated Outstanding, p. 77.
There are two aspects to modelling:
a) Modelling by behaving in accordance with school policies, expectations, etc., for example by always being courteous to other staff and pupils. This might be described as leading by example.
b) Modelling with the intention of demonstrating to others desired behaviours/strategies, etc., with the intention to support their development.
Reflect on your own behaviours for a moment How often do you engage in the two types of modelling? How frequently do you take opportunities to intentionally model for staff your school’s expectations, policies, etc.?
Resources
Before you begin the task, you should access some of the key research listed below. You will not need to read the whole of the documents; you should concentrate on the advice given on promoting high expectations and modelling.
▪ Bennett, T. (2017). Creating a culture: How school leaders can optimise behaviour. Department for Education (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Wide range of advice on creating effective cultures. Good range of examples of effective practice.
▪ Skipp, A., & Hopwood, B (2017) Case studies of behaviour management practices in schools rated Outstanding. ASK Research Report (publishing.service.gov.uk)
A large number of case studies which provide examples of effective practice across all phases.
Task: Modelling and articulating your school’s expectations
Step one: Self-review
Download and complete the proforma ‘Modelling self-review’, available below.
Step two: Meet with in-school performance coach
Reflect on the outcomes of your review with a performance coach. You might wish to discuss if their perceptions of your modelling behaviours are similar to your own.
Step three: Personal action plan
Draw up an action plan for the development of your modelling practice. The format of the action plan is for you to determine, but it should include at least the following: specific areas of modelling to develop; specific targets, development activities; support you may need; how you will evaluate impact (i.e., of any modelling you undertake).
Step four: Review of key documents
Review the main sources of guidance for staff with regard to the school’s expectations of their management of pupils; e.g., Staff handbook, behaviour policy, vision statement. Critically evaluate these documents. What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses? What might be altered?
When you have completed these activities, reflect on your findings and use these to produce a report titled ‘Modelling: Self-review and action plan’ (maximum 600 words).
A possible structure is:
▪ Findings from the review: Personal strengths and weaknesses identified
▪ Personal action plan: Challenges
▪ Findings from the review: Guidance to staff on expected practice with regard to the management of pupil behaviours – strengths and areas for development
Include your action plan as an appendix to your report.
When you have completed your report, upload it in Canvas to your leadership mentor within the timeframe identified
Modelling self-review
Use the prompts column to stimulate your thinking about where, when and how you model your school’s stated expectations to staff.
For each prompt indicate:
a) The expectation you are modelling, e.g., how to address a pupil, and where this policy has been communicated to staff, for example, in the school’s behaviour policy or staff handbook. You might comment also as to how explicit the school’s expectations are. Are they very specific, or implied as part of a general approach, or insufficiently clearly communicated?
b) If you behave intentionally, i.e., as well as dealing with the situation (e.g., managing a pupil’s behaviour) do you also intentionally model behaviours in order to reinforce expectations and also to develop staff who are present? Consider if this is something that you tend to do very frequently or if it is something that you might develop.
c) Reflect on your personal performance.
▪ If you frequently model the school’s expectations to staff, has this modelling had an impact? How do you know?
▪ If this is something you need to develop, why is this? Whom might you learn from (e.g., other leaders who are good at modelling)?
Prompts Responses
Walking down a corridor
Talking to parents
Delivering an assembly or talking to a group of children
School expectation modelled:
Intentionality:
Reflection:
School expectation modelled:
Intentionality:
Frequency:
School expectation modelled:
Intentionality:
Frequency:
At the school gate
School expectation modelled:
Intentionality:
Frequency:
In the dining room
Supporting a teacher to deal with low-level disruption in their classroom
School expectation modelled:
Intentionality:
Frequency:
School expectation modelled:
Intentionality:
Frequency:
Supporting a teaching assistant and/or a lunchtime supervisor
School expectation modelled:
Intentionality:
Frequency:
Giving negative feedback to a colleague
School expectation modelled:
Intentionality:
Frequency:
Praising a pupil
School expectation modelled:
Intentionality:
Frequency:
Option two: Using intentional language to promote the well-being, motivation and behaviour of pupils
Programme framework statements covered
School culture
Learn that…
2.2. Teacher expectations can affect pupil outcomes; setting goals that challenge and stretch pupils is essential.
2.3. Setting clear expectations can help communicate shared values that improve classroom and school culture.
Learn how to…
Contribute to the creation of a culture of high expectations across the school by:
2.a. Articulating, modelling and rehearsing practices that contribute to the intended school culture and the responsibilities every member of the school community has in its creation.
2.c. Using intentional and consistent language that promotes challenge and aspiration for all pupils and colleagues.
2.d. Creating an environment for all pupils and colleagues where everyone feels welcome and safe and learning from mistakes is part of the daily routine.
Introduction
There is a significant body of research into the importance of expectations in shaping the culture of a school and its community and, most critically as the diagram below illustrates, ensuring children achieve their maximum potential.
Staff have high expectations of pupils
Leaders have high expectations of staff
High
Performing Pupils
Pupils have high expectations of themselves
Developing high expectations with regard to pupil behaviour management has long been identified as a necessary condition for improvement, with the role that leaders, such as yourself, play in establishing those conditions regarded as critical:
“Standards of behaviour remain a significant challenge for many schools. There are many things that schools can do to improve, and leadership is key to this. Teachers alone, no matter how skilled, cannot intervene with the same impact as a school leader can. The key task for a school leader is to create a culture - usefully defined as ‘the way we do things around here’ - that is understood and subscribed to by the whole school community. ” (Bennett, 2017, p. 6)
The task below asks you to consider how the implementation of one strategy, Establish-MaintainRestore (EMR), might assist in the creation of an environment whereby all pupils and colleagues feel welcome and safe, in which learning from mistakes is part of the daily routine, and how the use of intentional and consistent language can promote challenge and aspiration for all pupils and colleagues (Highlighted text indicates an extract from ‘learn that’ or ‘learn how to’ statements )
The EMR method aims to provide a structured model that staff can use to establish positive relationships with pupils. The method lays great emphasis on the use of intentional language* by teachers and argues that teachers must go through the following three phases, sequentially, if they are to successfully develop and maintain positive relationships with their pupils:
Establish intentional practices to cultivate a positive relationship with each pupil (i.e., build trust, connection & understanding).
Maintain proactive efforts to prevent relationship quality from diminishing over time (i.e., ongoing positive interactions).
Restore, intentionally repairing harm to the relationship after a negative interaction (i.e., reconnecting with pupil).
Resources
▪ Bennett, T. (2017). Creating a culture: How school leaders can optimise behaviour. London, DfE. Creating a culture: A review of behaviour management in schools - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Two brief overviews of the EMR method may be found at:
▪ Education Endowment Fund (2019). Improving behaviour in schools: Guidance report. Improving Behaviour in Schools | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk).
You will find it valuable to read the section ‘Know and understand your pupils’ (pages 8–15), which expands upon the application of the EMR method and how it can support strategies for ensuring that staff know and understand their pupils.
▪ The Classroom Architect (n.d.). Establish, maintain, restore. Establish, Maintain, and Restore - the Classroom Architect (google.com)
A brief article which provides further examples of specific practices teachers might adopt when using the EMR method.
▪ *The Education Hub (n.d.). Intentional teaching. Intentional teaching - THE EDUCATION HUB.
Brief article on the application of intentional language
Task: Using intentional language to promote the well-being, motivation and behaviour of pupils
The focus of this task is on how you might lead other teachers to develop and refine their use of intentional language.
Step one: Research
It is essential that you have a good understanding of (a) the concept of intentional language, and (b) the Establish-Maintain-Restore model. You can check your understanding of both by revisiting the research links provided above, and then arranging a meeting with your performance coach to test your understanding.
Step two: Planning
Choose one pupil you teach who is a cause for concern and use the EMR method to try and foster changes in the pupil’s behaviour.
To do this, you will need to produce a rough plan of how you intend to approach each of the phases. You can do this by downloading and completing the ‘EMR – individual pupil planning’ proforma below. Discuss your plan with your in-school performance coach and make amends as appropriate.
An alternative approach is to ask a trusted colleague to trial the strategies. If this is the case, you should discuss with them the selection of an appropriate pupil and the completion of the ‘EMR –individual pupil planning’ proforma
Step three: Trialling
Before you, or your trusted colleague, start to implement your plan, give some thought to the best time for doing this; e.g., you might wish to avoid starting the week before a half term break.
Implement the plan, making brief evaluation notes at the end of each phase; you should use the ‘EMR – individual pupil planning’ proforma for this.
Step four: Sharing outcomes with a group of colleagues
a) Prepare a short presentation for a relevant group of colleagues. This might be subject leaders, pastoral leaders or an informal group. If you are in a small school, this might take the form of a conversation with a trusted colleague. The presentation should:
▪ explain the EMR method
▪ describe your, or your trusted colleague’s, experience of applying the method, highlighting any positive gains as well as any limitations of the approach
(If a trusted colleague has implemented the EMR method, you should meet with them before compiling your presentation.)
The format of the presentation is for you to decide; i.e., a PowerPoint, a written document, an oral presentation.
b) Following the presentation, explain to the group that you are considering including EMR within the school’s behaviour policy, and invite them to comment on the positive benefits they believe will accrue, and the challenges that might arise.
Make a record of their comments/feedback.
Write a policy document titled ‘Guidance to staff on the effective use of Establish-MaintainRestore’ (maximum 600 words). You may wish to use some or all of the following subheadings in your report:
▪ EMR – an overview
▪ Rationale for introducing EMR (i.e., what problem(s) might it address, what benefits might it bring?)
▪ External evidence of positive impact of EMR
▪ Internal evidence of positive impact of EMR
▪ Challenges to implementing EMR and strategies for overcoming them
When you have completed your policy document, upload it in Canvas to your leadership mentor within the timeframe identified
Note: This activity does not commit you to introducing EMR. You should nevertheless produce the policy document to demonstrate your skills in presenting proposed changes to your team members, and your understanding of the challenges that may arise.
EMR – Individual pupil planning
▪ Before each phase, you should provide examples of the intentional language you intend to use.
▪ After each phase, you should evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies, highlighting strengths and areas for development.
Pupil behaviours to be addressed:
ESTABLISH Examples
Evaluation
MAINTAIN Examples
Evaluation
RESTORE Examples
Evaluation
Option three: Expert-led conversations
Programme framework statements covered
Professional development
Learn that…
5.11. Teacher developers should choose activities that suit the aims and context of their professional development programme. Successful models have included regular, expert-led conversations about classroom practice, teacher development groups, and structured interventions. However, these activities do not work in all circumstances and the model should fit the educational aims, content and context of the programme.
Learn how to…
Plan, conduct, and support colleagues to conduct, regular, expert-led conversations (which could be referred to as mentoring or coaching) about teaching by:
5.h. Building a relationship of trust and mutual respect between the individuals involved.
5.i. Tailoring the conversation to the expertise and needs of the individual (e.g., adapting conversations to be more or less facilitative, dialogic or directive).
5.j. Using approaches including observation of teaching or a related artefact (e.g., videos, assessment materials, research, lesson plans), listening, facilitating reflection and discussion through the asking of clear and intentional questions, and receiving actionable feedback with opportunities to test ideas and practise implementation of new approaches.
Introduction
As a behaviour lead, one of your primary tasks will be to develop the skills of individual teachers in better responding to and managing pupil behaviour. In practice, this will often mean holding conversations with staff about their classroom management strategies through the use of expert-led conversations.
Expert-led conversations
In general, an expert-led conversation involves an experienced, effective practitioner leading a finegrained discussion with another practitioner, using a combination of some or all of the following strategies:
▪ observation of
o a lesson, or part of a lesson
o a video of an extract from a lesson
o assessment materials
o lesson plans
o other observable practices
▪ listening to the less experienced practitioner
▪ facilitating the less experienced practitioner to reflect upon their practice
What distinguishes an expert-led conversation from other conversations/discussions is that:
▪ the experienced practitioner asks clear and intentional questions throughout
▪ the less experienced practitioner receives actionable feedback
▪ the less experienced practitioner will have opportunities to implement new approaches
Intentional Questions
Intentional questions are, as their label describes, intentional. They are well thought-out, guided questions. They will often have been prepared for the specific purpose of the conversation.
In the context of expert-led conversations, intentional questions are frequently used as a tool for getting the teacher to reflect upon their thinking when they behaved in a particular way or took a particular action. For example, the expert teacher might ask, ‘Why did you adopt this strategy when X refused to follow your instruction?’ and then use this question as a springboard to get the teacher to explore the thinking behind their decision, and to engage in self-reflection about their strategy and its successes, etc.
“Intentionality is about educators being able to explain what they are doing and why they are doing it. ”
One Child (n.d.) 15 questions to help find your intentionality. 15 questions to help find your intentionality | One Child (one-child.com)
Instructional coaching
Expert-led conversations will often be a critical element within an instructional coaching process.
“Put simply – instructional coaching involves a trained expert working – be it an external coach, leader teacher or peer – with teachers individually, to help them learn and adopt new teaching practices, and to provide feedback on performance This is done with the intent to both support accurate and continued implementation of new teaching approaches and reduce the sense of isolation teachers can feel when implementing new ideas and practices.” (TDT, 2018, What is instructional coaching?)
Before progressing, it is important that you learn more about the three types of instructional coaching:
▪ facilitative coaching
▪ directive coaching
▪ dialogical coaching
You can do this by accessing the three resources below. As you watch the video and read the articles, you are advised to take particular note of:
▪ the different contexts in which each type of coaching might be most valuable
▪ the extent to which each coaching model is reliant on expert-led conversation
Resources
▪ Instructional coaching: An introduction (Jim Knight, The Instructional Coaching Institute). This 6-minute video outlines the differences between facilitative, directive and dialogical coaching. Instructional Coaching - Bing video
▪ What is instructional coaching? (Gary Jones, 2018, TDT). Brief blog post discussing the validity of claims made for the effectiveness of instructional coaching. What is instructional coaching? - Teacher Development Trust (tdtrust.org).
Task: Expert-led conversations
Step one: Instructional coaching research
Confirm your understanding of the three types of instructional coaching by watching the Jim Knight video again (see above). If you wish to broaden your knowledge by researching the topic further, you might visit Highspeed Training’s website at Instructional Coaching | Teaching Benefits & Strategies (highspeedtraining.co.uk)
Step two: Evaluation of coaching models
Evaluate each of the three types of instructional coaching identified by Knight using the ‘Evaluating models of instructional coaching’ proforma below.
Step three: Intentional questions research
To develop your understanding of the purpose of intentional questions, and examples of their use, access this short article on the One Child (Australia) website: 15 questions to help find your intentionality | One Child (one-child.com)
Step four: Intentional questions in practice
Download and complete the ‘Ten intentional questions’ proforma below and use it to develop an appropriate set of intentional questions for your context and role.
Reflect on the outcomes from your completion of the instructional coaching and intentional questions proformas, and use your reflections to produce a summary report titled ‘Using expertled conversations to develop behaviour management skills: Opportunities and limitations’ (maximum 600 words). In producing your report, you may wish to address the following questions:
▪ Which model(s) of instructional coaching are best suited to the development of your school at this moment in time? What is your rationale for your choice?
▪ Which model(s) of instructional coaching are not appropriate for the development of your school at this moment in time? What is your rationale for your decision?
▪ Do you have the necessary skills within your school to implement your preferred model(s)? If not, what professional development is needed? (In responding to this question, consider both yourself and the rest of the school; also consider how many staff you feel may have the potential to lead an expert-led conversation.)
▪ Do you have the right culture, at this moment in time, for the implementation of an expert-led approach? Consider factors such as staff openness to change, levels of morale, stage of career development of staff and so on.
When you have completed your summary report, submit it, together with your list of intentional questions, by uploading it in Canvas to your leadership mentor within the timeframe identified
Proforma: Evaluating models of instructional coaching
For each model indicate: (a) the benefits of this approach, (b) limitations to its use, e.g., contexts in which it might not be appropriate, (c) contexts/scenarios when you would encourage its use and (d) team members, including yourself, who possess the skills needed for this model (do not identify them by name) –briefly explain why you think they have the necessary skills.
Model Strengths/benefits
Limitations
When to use
Team members with necessary skills
Facilitative
Directive
Dialogical
Proforma: Ten intentional questions
1. For this task, choose a scenario in which you might wish to hold an expert-led conversation with a pastoral leader, teacher or teaching assistant about their management of a pupil(s) behaviour, following your observation of them in a classroom situation or pastoral context. Possible examples are:
▪ an ECT experiencing significant low-level disruptive behaviour during their first term
▪ an experienced teacher who regularly removes a child from their lessons, and refers them to the school’s SLT
▪ a pastoral leader meeting with a pupil to discuss the pupil’s skills in self-management
If you can, choose an example that is live in your context. To provide a sharper focus, you should also identify the group of children involved (e.g., ECT having problems with Y8 lower-ability English set).
Scenario: (insert details here).
2. List ten intentional questions in the first column; in the second column, outline the purpose of the question, relating this to the specific context you have identified. (Reminder: an intentional question is a focused question which requires the responder to explain the rationale for actions they took in the classroom; i.e., to explain their intentions when they said or did something.)