The Focus on Pupil Learning

Whatever the complexities of the Leadership for Learning term, there is within it a core relationship between leadership and the learning of pupils.  While this might seem an obvious focus for leaders in schools and colleges, as Coleman[1] [2004, p.15] points out this has not always been the case with leaders facing tensions with competing commitments from other tasks and pressures. 

Moreover, this is very different from the 1990s educational leadership discourse that was ‘more focused on management tasks rather than providing professional direction…’ [Timperley and Robertson: 6]. Robinson [2006], refers to this as ‘generic leadership’, leadership that is ‘about the character and dispositions required to exercise the particular type of influence we call leadership (Fay, 1987).’ [Robinson, 2006:63].  This leadership is not exclusive to education and can be found in any institution.

However, for Robinson a focus on generic leadership ‘provides little or none of the knowledge base needed to answer questions about the direction or purpose of the influence attempt. In short, while generic leadership research can inform us about how to influence, and about the values that should inform the influence process (e.g. democratic, authoritative, emancipatory) it is silent about what the focus of the influence attempt should be’ [Robinson, 2006:63]. For Robinson this focus should be on key issues such as ‘curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and student learning…’ [Robinson: 63].

On a similar note, Southworth says ‘Learning’ is the primary focus of leadership, involving ‘keeping close to student outcomes, achievements and progress.’  [Robertson and Timperley 2011: 71].  Coleman says of the related concept, Instructional leadership, that ‘Instructional leaders will focus on the core activity of the school or college: the learning and teaching of students’ and that ‘In this type of leadership, the stress is on the centrality of learning’ Coleman, 2005:15].

Maintaining this focus on learning year in and year out is not necessarily easy for leaders as they try to meet the hungry demands on their time and attention from a myriad of sources. '   

Yet maintaining this focus has real benefits for pupil learning.  Claim number one in a study for the National College of  School Leadership by Leithwood et al [2006] states that ‘School leadership  is second only  to classroom teaching as an influence on pupil learning’ [ from the factors located within the school].

But what sort of learning?

While leadership focused on the learning of students and pupils seems a positive development there has been debate over what sort of learning is the desirable outcome.

The following recent British press releases highlight government and policy makers’ perspectives that this is about learning that will meet the needs of the economy and of business. 

 Concerns over English and Maths  

 Concerns at lack of skills needed by business

 For a number of writers  [Gunter, 2005 ; MacBeath, 2009; Fink, 2010; Taysum, 2010] ‘news stories’ such as these reflect a situation where there is an overwhelming emphasis in various countries for leadership focused on narrow instrumental purposes based on  exam based outcomes.     As Gunther [2005: 183] says:

‘The primacy of plans, targets, value added scores, benchmarking, data analysis, and evaluation means that the purposes of education are defined by efficiency, effectiveness, economy and excellence indicators, where units of analysis (e.g. 5 or more A*-C grades) are constructed as measures. Learning is defined as the acquisition of particular knowledge, skills and behaviours measured at prescribed times in the academic year and the life of the student. The student must demonstrate that they have had valued added to their scores, and the role incumbent (headteacher, teacher, teaching assistant) must prove a causal connection between their practice and the adding of that value’.

 Fink [2010:41] makes a similar point when he characterises the education system as defined by  '… narrow measures of human potential as measured by test scores, or by drive-by inspections, or by parental popularity contests that often have little to do with a school’s quality.'

The Global Monitoring Report of UNESCO develops a definition of learning focused on the learner:

‘Quality must be seen in light of how societies define the purpose of education. In most, two principal objectives are at stake: the first is to ensure the cognitive development of learners. The second emphasizes the role of education in nurturing the creative and emotional growth of learners and in helping them to acquire values and attitudes for responsible citizenship. Finally, quality must pass the test of equity: an education system characterized by discrimination against any particular group is not fulfilling its mission.’[2] 

Here we have issues of cognitive development, creative and emotional growth, values, citizenship and equity. It is worth asking what the effects on leadership practice are if these UNESCO goals of education became the focus of a leader’s work.  If a leader uses these goals as his or her central purpose then will their leadership practice have to be different than it would have been had the goals reflected exam-centred goals that are criticised by Fink and Gunter?  This issue will be addressed in the reflective activity that follows.

Lucas [2008: 5], in the context of the Further Education sector, argues that:

One of the most difficult things leaders have to do is to define their moral purpose. What is the point of what they are doing? Are they, for example, trying to pass on knowledge or to create confident lifelong learners?

 For Fink [2010:41],  '…moral purpose includes “convictions about, and unwavering commitments to enhancing deep and broad learning, not merely tested achievement, for all students” (Hargreaves & Fink, 2006, p. 28).'  Central to this is the issue of equity highlighted in the UNESCO report, that an education system must not in any shape or form discriminate ‘against any particular group’. For Lucas [2008:23], ‘Contemporary educational leadership inevitably involves tough moral decisions and one which cannot be ducked in a fast-changing world is the absolute commitment to growing confident lifelong learners’.  

 However this moral purpose may lead some middle leaders into uncomfortable territory, finding themselves caught in an uncomfortable position between what they think children should learn and that which is mandated by regional and national imperatives or demanded by whole school policies or expected by their team colleagues. This is challenging but as the following suggests it also throws up opportunities:

 ‘There are key challenges for school leaders today, including improving learning outcomes for all, addressing intra-school and inter-school variation, creating 21st century learning environments and embracing the potential of technology for learning, meeting the diverse needs of students and communities, and changing pedagogical and leadership practice to it is more suited for our knowledge society today. These challenges, however, create opportunities for leadership – the creativity and innovation so necessary for education today.’ [3]

That the various apparently competing challenges can be resolved is illustrated through an American 3rd grade teacher’s response to a question on what she thought were the priorities:

‘Okay, the priorities for learning. I believe that, well, first of all, in terms of subject, I believe reading, writing, and math are the utmost importance for the school. I believe that [the leadership team] speaks about differentiating our instruction to reach all kinds of learners, no matter what level they are at and no matter how they learn, what modality they learn by. We really want to collect data, make sure that everything is assessment-based so that we can see where they stand and what progress, if any, they are making. That is pretty much what I have been told by the school, which I think is exactly what we need to do.’ Portin and Knapp [2011:503]

Finally, the importance of the creativity required by leadership in terms of meeting pupils’ need is reinforced by Fink [2010: 57] who says:

 'In my travels I have met thousands of school leaders who, in spite of shifting and conflicting mandates, have found creative ways to comply with outside requirements and managerial functions, while still spending a large percentage of their time as leaders of learning.'

Reflective Activity

 Use this Reflective Activity as a stimulus for your writing in your Reflective Journal Blog.

 Use some of the sources below and any relevant readings from the Course Reading List to reflect on the relationship between:

1. our priorties for pupil learning   

2. and the leadership practices required to achieve them? 

Fink, D. [2010] Developing and Sustaining Leaders of Learning in Davies, B. & Brundrett, M. Developing successful leadership [electronic resource] / edited by Brent Davies, Mark Brundrett.  Available Dordrecht ; London : Springer, 2010.  This wide ranging article  highlights 5 ‘pillars’ of learning from the bottom of page 41 to the top of page 44.

Frost, D., MacBeath, J.,  Swaffield, S., Waterhouse,J. [2008] The Legacy of the Carpe Vitam Leadership for Learning project.  Inform,  February 2008,  Number 8.  At http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/centres/lfl/current/inform/InForm_8_Carpe_Vitam_Legacy.pdf[accessed 7 September 2012]  

Leithwood, K., Day, C., Sammons, P., Harris, A and Hopkins, D. (2006) Seven Strong Claims about  Successful School Leadership.School Leadership and Management, Volume 28, Issue 1 February 2008, pages 27 – 42.

Lucas, B. (2008) Leadership for learning; why educational leaders may need to be troublesome. Centre for Excellence in Leadership think piece, Centre for Excellence in Leadership. Available at  http://www.lsis.org.uk/Services/Policy/Policy-Seminars/Documents/LeadershipforLearningJune2008Report.pdf [accessed 9 September 2012]

MacBeath, J. [2009] What do we know about learning in  J. MacBeath and N. Dempster [eds] Connnecting Leadership and Learning: Principles for Practice. London: Routledge.           

Portin, B.S. and Knapp, M.S. [2011] Expanding Learning-Focused Leadership in US Urban Schools in  T. Townsend & J. MacBeath (Eds.), The International Handbook of Leadership for Learning. Netherlands: Springer

Swaffield, S. and MacBeath, J. [2009] Leadership for learning in J. MacBeath and N. Dempster (eds) Connecting Leadership and Learning: Principles for Practice, London: Routledge.