THE DANGER WHEN OFSTED RULES!

The danger, for schools in a simplistic and graded world where OFSTED rules, is that the model doesn't even come close to capturing the dynamic, organic and complex reality of any school and that there simply aren't the people talking about school improvement and developing and sharing a coherent vision for learning!

The 'well-connected' schools are finding support mechanisms through a range of providers; Whole Education, Learning Futures, FutureLab, National College, SSAT etc but the danger is that these programmes lack the local contextual flavor, the understanding of local challenges and fail to build capacity or work closely and connect with local teams. The danger is also that many of these providers are offering brilliant one day/one off events but real change is about long term sustained programmes of professional development that changes cultures and attitudes to learning. 

Teaching Schools clearly could provide some of the required infrastructure but schools are still deeply suspicious of any school that sets itself up as a centre of excellence. Clusters of schools must work together using the pockets of expertise and magic that exist in every school to share, network and learn together. In York we developed the Gatsby funded 'Schools Learning Together' initiative and we need to develop a Learning Schools Network with a research, knowledge and ideas portal that connects with and shares what works! These arrangements should be set within local structures providing every school with local learning leadership, beautiful monitoring/information systems, intelligent accountability and access to local support, challenge and celebration.