Successful heads: hidden secrets?

One person, wise in long years of valuable experience, commented that the major omission in my booklet "Essential pieces: a jigsaw of a successful school" was the importance of the head teacher. "Surely" she said "once you've got that right, all the rest will follow?" Of course, I acknowledged her point and in my defence, argued that it was so well known, that it scarcely seemed necessary to mention it explicitly in the booklet.

But the exchange set me thinking once again about an elusive issue that has always intrigued me: namely that if we could simply observe and write about what truly successful head teachers do - how they spend their time, how they do what they do, what amounts of time they spend on different tasks - we would have discovered yet more in our search for the secrets of school success. In fact, there has been no major research..and very little has been written on the subject.

So, how have the really successful heads spent their time? Are there common elements? If so, what are they?

Well, I believe the answer is 'yes'.

There are common elements, but of course they are performed in very different ways according to the personality of a head teacher, the context of the school which they are leading, and the length of time they've been there. These are important variables - and must act as a health warning on what follows.

Among the many stakeholder groups - parents, students, government, staff, community leaders - all the very successful heads I've known have confessed to giving absolute priority to staff. "After all," said one, "I have 200 members of staff, teachers, teaching assistants and other supporting staff. The time, and the quality of the time, each of them gives to the students is what makes a difference. I can do only so much, of course. I model behaviour I'd want them to copy. So I do believe passionately, that every student can succeed and the staff know that. And I make my assemblies and the teaching I do (which is inevitably precious little) as rivetingly good as I can make it. But in the end, it's the teachers, who in five lessons a day - the quality of 210 lessons a day and 1,300 lessons a week if you take my eight form entry with 280 in the sixth form - which makes the difference. Along, of course, with how students interact with all staff in the corridors, the office, the playground and on their way in and out of school. Students follow the model set by the staff."

Such heads model a range of qualities, including an indomitable will and a passion for success, that brooks no denial. They appear to focus on six activities, all relating to staff development, although, of course, the context in which they carry them out is student and learner-centred.

1. Energy

First, they create energy: by talking with, not about staff; by asking 'what if ' speculative questions; by being fussy about appointments and ensuring that they don't inadvertently appoint 'energy consumers'. They look for optimists - those who say, "How we could" rather than "Why we can't."

2. Capacity

Secondly, they build capacity; for example, by teaching a lesson when observed by other staff: by taking somebody's class to enable them to see another's practice; and by rotating the chair of meetings to grow the skill of colleagues.

3) Vision

Thirdly, they always extend the vision: by listening to others and adding their ideas to the vision; by asking "why not"; by circulating articles to read; and above all, by telling stories and speculating about possibilities.

4) Improvement

Fourthly, they seek and chart improvement: by encouraging benchmarking; by extending horizontal links; and by using critical review, systematically involving all the staff. They celebrate real success.

5) Environment

Then they secure the environment: by ensuring classroom teaching and learning materials are plentiful, up-to-date and well organised, by reviewing meeting schedules so that staff are not overwhelmed by transactional business and by getting the details right.

6) Accountability

Finally, they minimise risk for others: by taking the blame when something goes wrong; by reminding people of all the good things; by talking of the future, as well as the present; by ensuring that people feel appreciated whenever they do well; and by acting as a mediator and ambassador with the external world.

"But," I hear you say, "that's all very well. But are there identifiable daily habits they undertake, while they are creating energy etc?" Is it so much time in the staff room? A segment of time here for lesson observation? A segment of time there for attending school events? An hour or so a day for parents? A day, a month for external visits? Well... I think it's all of these and none of these. And, as you've probably guessed, I have a working hypothesis that I'll outline it in the next issue of INFORM...

Are you a successful head? Do you work with a really successful head? Do you agree that there are common elements in how really successful heads spend their time?

Input into Tim's working hypothesis by emailing your thoughts and feedback to Tim at inform@rm.com