We always welcome a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch. This one from a reader who has chosen to remain anonymous. Ed
Dear OnTheWight,
I refer to your analysis of GCSE’s statistics published last week.
You say:
“Focusing on the results over the last two years, the graph makes clear that Medina and Sandown Bay have had a strong improvement 2012-13 and Carisbrooke is also showing an improvement.”
This is correct – when focusing solely on those two years – but consider this:
Take one school as an example
To take Medina as an example:
In a wider statistical context Medina had been making progress since 2006 from year to year – albeit inconsistent – but their 2012 results of 36.6% were a sharp decrease on the previous year’s score of 52.40% when they had been the top performing state school on the Island. A fall of some 16% is a deep cause for concern at any school.
Starting from such a low baseline in 2012, 2013 was likely to show “strong improvement” was it not?
This drop: Not reorganisation
Nor can this fall in performance be ascribed to the reorganization, since this student cohort were already part of the GCSE process at Medina when the reorganization took place. In addition Medina were forecasting approximately 60% before the results for 2012, building on the previous successful year’s score.
However, this was the summer when English GCSE results were arguably marked down by Ofqual and some schools protested that this was the cause of the fall in their results.
If we then choose to ignore as an anomaly the 2012 results because of the English results and compare 2013 with 2011 we see three of our five schools still fell back, including Medina.
Two of these schools had changes in leadership in this time period, one did not.
Island close to crisis over Head teachers
This brings me to my second point. You also say:
“Let’s hope that the improvements that are being made multiply, so we can start to close the gap with the Mainland, moving to a position where Island schools are better than those on the Big Island.”
What the Island lacks is experienced, determined, strategic and consistent school leadership at senior level. There are some excellent and experienced Head Teachers in our secondary schools, but not enough of them. The Island is close to crisis where these appointments are concerned.
One school: Five leaders since 2010
Consider that in one school, following the long-standing Head Teacher’s departure at Easter 2010, there have been five different people in charge on an interim or permanent basis. Of these, only one had experience as a full Head Teacher, but she was an interim appointment.
Given such uncertainty in leadership a school cannot develop a consistent strategy for raising attainment.
What commercial support would there be for a company that had had five chief executives in under four years?
Elsewhere Head Teachers – often this being their first appointment in the role – have failed to remain or shown the necessary experience. This is not the way forward.
It will eventually call into question the ability of our school’s governance to appoint and retain senior staff of the right quality.
The Island shouldn’t be a proving ground
As things stand, the Island should not be a proving ground for untested young hopefuls in their first appointment as a Head Teacher.
There is too much at stake here for the children and the problems are arguably too large. Being a potentially highly competent leader is not proved by being impressive in interview with your grasp of recent educational theory and jargon.
Nor is academisation the magic wand, as we are now finding out. An academy is still a school.
What’s needed
It is experienced, competent, strategic and determined leaders with a proven track record in raising school attainment that will change the Island’s performance. These people understand the value of working as a team, both with their staff, their students and amongst themselves as a group. They have already met the problems, know how to overcome them and they achieve success.
The Island should actively seek such people from now on to augment the few we already have. Industry does this, why not education?
There is a huge reservoir of talent available to solve the Island’s educational issues in Great Britain, why is it not actively being tapped by those who appoint educational leaders to our schools?
