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Posted By Rob Lightfoot,
14 January 2022
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NACE CEO Rob Lightfoot shares an update on current NACE initiatives and opportunities in the year ahead.
I hope you all had an enjoyable winter break. I expect it already feels a long time ago, as many of us are continuing to face daily challenges due to the ongoing issues with Covid. We can only hope that the situation will improve quickly, and that we are within sight of an end to the pandemic. As we progress towards the spring, and hopefully a period of less disruption in our schools, I hope that we can begin to refocus all our efforts on improving learning and outcomes for all our students.
Challenge Award successes: celebrating challenge for all
At NACE, we continue to witness outstanding provision for all learners within our growing network of Challenge Award-accredited schools. As stated in the core principles which underlie NACE’s work, we strongly believe that addressing the needs of more able learners will raise achievement for a much wider group of learners in a school. This is one reason we are so pleased to see schools attaining and maintaining the Challenge Award, as a mark of commitment to high-quality provision for the most able, within a whole-school context of challenge for all.
In 2021, despite the pandemic, 17 schools and colleges were accredited with the NACE Challenge Award for the first time, while 20 achieved accreditation for the second, third or fourth time. At these successful schools, there is a consistent ethos of high expectations and aspirations, and the education of more able learners is a whole-school endeavour which is embraced by school leaders at all levels.
Understanding and sharing what works: opportunities to get involved
The contributions of Challenge Award schools have been central to the first phase of our Making Space for Able Learners research initiative, and will remain so as we develop the second phase of this project. We are focusing on two areas over the coming year: the role of language in learning for high achievement, and the effective use of assessment. Within the assessment strand, we are studying new and effective practices which enable teachers to understand how their learners are progressing on a lesson-by-lesson basis and communicate this to the learners, enabling them to develop their learning more rapidly in the future.
If you are interested in learning more about or contributing to any aspect of our research work this year, please contact communications@nace.co.uk.
We are also pleased to be reintroducing our face-to-face meetups, free for our members, which will focus on our research themes. There will be the usual opportunities to share effective approaches with colleagues through the “speed-sharing” segment: an agenda item that is always valued highly by our members. Our first meetup of the year, on the theme “rethinking assessment”, will take place on 23 March at New College, Oxford. Limited places are available; if you would like to attend, please register here. Creating cognitively challenging classrooms: new modular courses
Returning to our core principles, we know that teachers are central to providing a challenging and enriching education for their learners, and their professional development is paramount. Following on from our conference in November ( recordings available now if you missed the live event), we are developing a new set of on-demand courses exploring key aspects in creating cognitively challenging classrooms. You can learn more and register your interest here.
Some of our operations team are currently working from home, so please contact us via email if you need an urgent response. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if we can be of help in any way, and we look forward to supporting you and your school during the coming year.
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Posted By Rob Lightfoot,
09 December 2021
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NACE CEO Rob Lightfoot shares key takeaways from this year’s conference, which took place online on 25 November 2021.
It was fantastic to welcome so many school leaders and practitioners to our 2021 conference – including representatives from across England, Wales and much further afield. The conference theme “Creating cognitively challenging schools” was designed to build on NACE’s research into cognitive challenge over the past few years – exploring what this looks like both in classroom practice and at the level of whole-school leadership and improvement.
The day’s keynote sessions explored the key principles of cognitive challenge and why we believe this should be a key focus for schools, as well as focusing on the importance of creating a language-rich learning environment – exploring the transformational impact this can have for all learners.
Alongside these plenary sessions, delegates participated in workshops focusing on how to put these principles into practice at the leadership and classroom levels, with strands for primary and secondary colleagues respectively.
There were many inspiring moments and invaluable exchanges during the day, with some key themes, common challenges and shared aspirations emerging. Here are 10 key takeaways to reflect on:
At the leadership level…
1. Responsibility for more able provision and cognitive challenge should be shared by all. The idea that it’s all up to the more able lead needs to change. The importance of developing cognitive challenge for the more able – and for all learners – should be shared, owned and understood by all as a non-negotiable.
2. Challenge should not be seen as an add-on, but integrated fully into all lessons. Placing the needs of more able learners at the centre of curriculum design and pedagogy will deepen the learning for all. Middle leaders are crucial to this process and, for larger schools, there should be an advocate for more able learners within every department. There is scope for Heads of Department to be more involved in the organisation of learning to support cognitive challenge.
3. Articulating and sharing the vision is key. The “why” of more able provision and cognitive challenge needs to be understood and owned by everyone in the school – and this will support the points made above and below.
4. High-quality ongoing professional development is crucial to supporting these goals, whether this is for existing staff to improve their teaching in line with the vision of the school or the training of new staff. Staff should not, however, be a slave to the chosen instructional model for a particular school. They should be encouraged to take risks too.
5. Enrichment has a role to play – but should not be the sole focus. Enrichment opportunities are important so learners can develop their skills in a variety of different ways, but having challenge at the heart of every lesson should avoid the need for academic interventions at a later date. Utilising every second of every lesson is key.
And in the classroom…
1. Finding the right balance between direct instruction, facilitating learning and activating learning is important but not easy. Delegates in the practitioner strands felt that the balance was not always right. Understanding the role of each approach within the context of cognitive challenge could help here, as could the use of flexible approaches such as “cutaway”.
2. At primary level, it was generally felt there was a tendency towards a greater level of direct instruction in the core subjects. There were more opportunities, within foundation subjects, to explore the other types of learning. This is due to the large amount of coverage in the core, but a balance needs to be achieved. “How can I show my learning in a variety of ways?”
3. At secondary level, the same applied to KS4 for more direct instruction and KS3 for a more varied style of learning. Again, the pressure over content appeared to be the reason for this – but our more able students need to be reflective and evaluative learners if they are to reach their full potential. “When do we stop direct instruction and let go?”
4. The “why” needs to be explained to other stakeholders too – particularly parents and carers. We can then all work to a shared vision.
5. Again, the need for high-quality CPD was raised as being crucial for ensuring cognitive challenge is at the heart of every lesson. The strategy for more able provision needs to be embedded at a whole-school level.
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Conference recordings now available to purchase for your school
If you missed the conference, or participated and would like to revisit some of the sessions or share them with colleagues, we’re offering the opportunity to purchase recordings of the conference keynotes and workshops, including:
- Keynote 1: Creating a culture of cognitive challenge
- Keynote 2: Creating a language-rich climate for learning
- Workshops Strand A: Primary leadership - led by NACE Challenge and Curriculum Development Director Christabel Shepherd
- Workshops Strand B: Secondary leadership - led by NACE CEO Rob Lightfoot
- Workshops Strand C: Primary practice - led by NACE Curriculum Development Director Dr Keith Watson
- Workshops Strand D: Secondary practice - led by NACE Associate and Challenge Award Assessor Rob Buck
- Closing comments: summary from each workshop strand
Cost for the full package: £199 (NACE members) / £249 (non-members)
Please note: recordings are of the main presentations only; breakout conversations and group discussions are not included. Handouts of the slides from each session are also provided.
Purchase the conference recordings for your school
To learn more about any of the themes mentioned above, or for information about how NACE could support your school, please contact communications@nace.co.uk
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Posted By Keith Watson FCCT,
01 July 2021
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Dr Keith Watson, NACE Curriculum Development Director
The start of a career in teaching brings such excitement but also possibly some anxiety. The new Early Career Framework (ECF) is designed to support new teachers and is a welcome and long overdue development in teaching. It promises much, but thoughtful preparation is needed to ensure it does not become a ‘paint by numbers’ approach which underestimates the human element.
The framework focuses on the two strands ‘Learn that…’ and ‘Learn how to…’, with a helpful outline of the eight Teachers’ Standards. The importance of knowledge and memory is emphasized, which has implications for teaching methods. Putting together a programme of support to develop an early career teacher (ECT) against these standards requires thorough planning and skillful delivery with the individual needs of the teacher at the forefront of the process.
Having delivered similar programmes in various forms for the past two decades to nearly a thousand teachers and hundreds of mentors, I have reflected on what needs to be in place for the successful completion of an ECT programme, whether designing your own or using one of the approved offers.
1. Recognise the importance of mentoring
The role of the mentor is vital. In Greek mythology, Mentor was the wise counsel to the inexperienced learner, and it is this knowledge and wisdom of what it means to be a professional that is important to a new teacher alongside the ways in which they can develop their teaching. The mentor has a critical role to play in supporting wellbeing, nurturing, encouraging and helping the ECT to develop the resilience needed as a teacher. Training for the role of mentor and time to invest in the process is of high priority and needs recognition within the school of the importance of the mentoring role.
2. Consider the use of coaching (done well!)
Some ECT programmes are emphasising the use of instructional coaching to improve teaching. This style of coaching has much to offer – however, it is worth remembering this is only one element of coaching and an even smaller subset of the wider mentoring required for an ECT. Coaching is based upon relationships with trust a fundamental aspect. It is a conversation-based approach to moving someone from where they are to where they want to be. It takes knowledge and skill and takes time to learn. It needs training, not in a one-hour session nor even a one-day course but instead over time to embed skills that will help others flourish. It has enormous potential for teacher development when done well.
3. Support for early career teachers’ wellbeing
It is important to remember the ECF is not an assessment tool. There is a danger that the standards become a tick-list to be ‘covered’ rather than understood. A worst-case scenario sees an early career teacher reviewing learning materials late into the night and being in danger of burnout. A skilled mentor will help manage that and ensure the wellbeing of the ECT is looked after.
4. A professional development programme with a varied diet
This can include observations of outstanding teachers – but be careful here. It is crucial that the observations are guided by a skilled coach or mentor. When teachers wanted to visit my former school, they had to have a coach with them – “no tourists here” was our phrase. The nuances of teaching often need pointing out. The diet should also contain research reading and discussion, projects, tasks that widen experiences (hear a child from every year group read this morning, for example) and the chance to discuss and debate. Learning from knowledgeable professional colleagues, not solely the assigned mentor, is also vital. Using external organisations can enhance programmes by bringing in particular knowledge and expertise to ensure the teachers have access to up-to-date specialist research-informed information.
5. Provide opportunities for early career teachers to network
One of the Teaching School programmes I delivered had 120 attendees for the year. The buzz in the room on professional development days was great and the sharing of experiences and the moral support provided was an essential part of the programme. I hope this is not lost with more remote and recorded delivery.
6. Develop a rounded knowledge of pedagogy and curriculum
There is much to know and learn. It will take time both for subject knowledge and pedagogical understanding to become embedded, building on training at the ITT stage. For instance, the ECF states that: “Pupils are likely to learn at different rates and to require different levels and types of support from teachers to succeed.”
This should include considering the importance of effective provision for more able learners, which could be missed. While ability is not fixed and we know that neuroplasticity means our brains are not hard-wired, it is also evident that some pupils achieve significantly above their age-related expectation or may display talents across the curriculum. It is important as teachers that we reflect on this and consider how we develop the kind of cognitively challenging classrooms that learners can thrive in. How do we extend thinking and ensure our pupils are challenged daily? Any ECT programme needs to include how we challenge all learners and is important the new teacher receives expert training in this, along with the other elements listed.
All six of these areas are important, but I return to the key point made. The mentor remains central to the whole process. If you want to know why then look at what this former NQT had to say on the subject of her mentor:
“She is all-knowing. She gives practical advice on everything. She is always positive and encouraging and offers emotional support. She takes an interest in ‘me the person’ not just me the teacher. Her compliments mean the most because she really knows me well. There is constant two-way communication. She gives me confidence and is there to help – not to judge. In a world where NQTs are being judged that means a lot.”
Of course, that mentor was very well trained over time. If the Early Career Framework is delivered well, that is how it should be for all new teachers.
NACE’s support for early career teachers and the staff who support them
At NACE we have created a range of resources to help early career teachers and their mentors. We have expertise which will not be present in most ECT progammes so our offer can be used to complement existing programmes. This includes:
- A new series of online bite-sized training sessions and resources that cover topics such as identification, planning, ensuring challenge and practical teaching ideas. This covers both the ‘What’ and the ‘How’ to develop the knowledge of ECTs in relation to more able learners.
- Coaching and mentoring support – bespoke to you and your school; can be used to support teachers and leaders at all career stages.
- Early Career Teachers Network Group – meeting termly online – where questions are asked, ideas shared and experiences reflected upon in a supportive, friendly, motivational setting. The next meeting is scheduled for 4.00-5.15pm on 16 November 2021 – book your place now, or check our events calendar for upcoming sessions.
- A NACE Essentials guide on ‘Getting started with more able learners’ (available in full for NACE members, or join our mailing list to access the free sample version).
Read more about NACE’s ITT and ECT support
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Posted By Holybrook Primary School,
27 April 2021
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Paul Wallis, Acting Assistant Headteacher, Holybrook Primary School
Evidence-based practice is huge – monumental – for education, as we all know. However, what is the actual impact on learners’ brains? This was the question that drove me to engage with the BrainCanDo initiative: bringing neuroscience and teaching together (at last?). I am currently participating in a Neuroscience for Teachers course being run by BrainCanDo, which brings together over 30 delegates from a diverse mix of 23 schools (spanning a range of phases, sectors and contexts). As we have progressed past the half-way stage of the programme, I find myself constantly pleasantly surprised at just what our brains are capable of.
The course started us off with work on the functions of different parts of the brain. This knowledge and understanding has underpinned all of the work we have consequently done.
With these foundations set, we are approaching different areas of learning and doing something we do not do enough of in schools: exploring! So far, we have worked on motivation/engagement, learning and technology as well as memory. The course has a real ‘start-up’ energy; we learn about the neuroscience behind some of the strategies we already use – such as retrieval practice – and the ones we really should be doing more of. Throughout the course so far, we have been given access to a wide range of strategies and tools we can use to elicit desired responses in our pupils’ brains. We have then had the freedom to go out and test what works, reporting back in between workshops. There is a real focus on bringing our expertise as teachers and leaders, marrying this with the neuroscience and having creative collaboration with colleagues.
Here are some key ideas I’ve found useful so far.
Reference values: the theory…
In our brains, too much focus on external motivators (the ought) creates a reaction that can be summarised as a being satisfied at the lack of a negative outcome. It is that feeling of, “I’m just glad I didn’t mess it up…” Instead of this, we want learners to work towards their own developed set of values and standards.
In one episode of the sitcom The Office: An American Workplace, the character Jim Halpert is tasked by his boss with creating a ‘rundown’ of his clients. Jim desperately seeks some guidance on what a rundown is, what it looks like and how to do one. He spends the day focused on second-guessing what it should look like in order to please his boss. In later seasons of the show, he starts his own business and gains the professional success he did not have in the prior role. Jim no longer has to seek the approval of the authority figure, he knows what he wants and has developed his own high standards for working. His focus is on the ‘self’ rather than the ‘ought’.
This example shows “reference values” at work: the conflict we all have between the ought and self – what we believe we should do, versus what we want to do. We see this all the time in the classroom: “Is this okay?” or “Have I finished now?”
Reference values in the classroom…
The aim of this strategy is to re-tune pupils’ focus from what they think we want them to do to what they themselves feel they want to achieve in the lesson. My school uses success steps to help structure learning, but I explored what would happen if I took these away strategically and asked my pupils what they felt success would look like in the lesson. I still gave them the learning intention focus but wanted to see what would happen if I handed them the compass and map for what success would look like.
Initially pupils responded with general comments such as: “Work hard” but once they knew I was not playing a cruel trick on them and that I didn’t have the “real” success steps hidden behind a curtain, the pupils began thinking for themselves and considering what they wanted to achieve. A great example I observed was in a lesson about algebra. One pupil explained that they knew algebra involved different operations so one area they wanted to focus on was recalling their written methods of calculation. If I did have a secret success step list somewhere, that would have been on it!
What next? Gamification and beyond…
Part of what many of our pupils find rewarding about playing video games are the rewards they gain from them. This could be an achievement unlocked on their Xbox or getting to the end of the level on Super Mario. Dopamine release is part of our brain’s reward system and is something video games are great at doing.
With the recent focus on remote learning and the rapid intertwining of education and technology, more and more work is being put into exploring the benefits of utilising these strategies. More and more schools are using online quiz tools such as Learning by Questions, Google or Microsoft Forms to present activities electronically, giving pupils instant feedback – just as a video game would. I also looked into the culture of games and how reward is presented. This involved creating short trailers to motivate pupils for online lessons, presenting challenges as ‘levels’. It will be interesting going forwards to consider how we can encourage a balance of dopamine-promoting rewards through these strategies.
The course concludes in June, with remaining sessions focusing on the neuroscience of decision making, mental health and wellbeing, and working with others/emotional responses. Watch this space for more updates from course participants.
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Posted By Jonathan Beale,
27 April 2021
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Jonathan Beale, Researcher-in-Residence, Eton College @drjonathanbeale
The recently published ‘BrainCanDo’ Handbook of Teaching and Learning: Practical Strategies to Bring Psychology and Neuroscience into the Classroom outlines some of the research undertaken at BrainCanDo, an educational neuroscience research centre at Queen Anne’s School, and offers practical strategies for its application in secondary schools. The centre takes an evidence-informed approach to improving teaching and learning by conducting research on educational neuroscience in collaboration with university experts and applying it in the classroom.
This book’s eleven chapters are divided into five sections. This blog post provides an overview, with each sub-heading covering a section.
1: Controversies and applications
In Chapter 1, Jonathan Beale discusses the greatest problem facing educational neuroscience: how to move from neuroscientific evidence to its application in education. Beale argues that making this move without due attention to certain methodological hazards leaves educational neuroscience open to the accusation of ‘scientism’: excessive belief in the power or value of science. Beale offers suggestions on how to avoid scientism in educational neuroscience.
In Chapter 2, Gill Little shares ways that Queen Anne’s has attempted to bridge the gap between educational neuroscience and educational practice. Little offers school leaders strategies to support the introduction of an evidence-informed teaching and learning culture in their own educational contexts.
2: Becoming a successful learner
In Chapter 3, Iro Konstantinou and Jonnie Noakes argue that for schools to equip pupils with the skills to become engaged citizens who can thrive in a diverse society, character education needs to be embedded within a school’s curriculum, co-curriculum and wider culture. They outline evidence-informed practices that can foster some of the most important character skills for a changing world.
In Chapter 4, Amy Fancourt and Joni Holmes consider the extent to which working memory underpins many aspects of learning. They review research on the development of working memory and ways to use this research to support all learners, through recognising individual differences in working memory capacity.
3: Motivation
This section approaches motivation through three psychological concepts: motivational contagion, mindset and executive functioning. In Chapter 5, Laura Burgess, Patricia Riddell and Kou Murayama offer practical strategies for harnessing the advantages of motivational contagion in the classroom. They explore the mechanisms underlying the transfer of attitude and motivation within classroom contexts, and offer recommendations on how teachers can use this knowledge to foster academic motivation.
In Chapter 6, Catherine Lutz investigates the relationship between mindsets and motivation. Research shows that an individual’s mindset and personal motivations are important variables that influence attainment and enjoyment. Lutz investigates how these may influence academic achievement and professional satisfaction in the classroom. Lutz offers practical applications to support the development of growth mindset and motivation.
In Chapter 7, Laurie Faith, Bettina Hohnen, Victoria Bagnall and Imogen Moore-Shelley offer an account of how an approach towards teaching and learning centred around executive functioning skills can develop self-regulation, metacognition and motivation. The chapter provides an overview of the development of executive functioning skills in primary and secondary school-aged children and outlines an approach for building executive functioning skills which is currently being used in primary and secondary schools.
4: Wellbeing
In Chapter 8, Frances Le Cornu Knight explains the vital role of sleep in creating optimal conditions for learning and healthy development throughout adolescence. Through discussion of current research on sleep, Knight outlines the reasons for sleep deprivation in the adolescent population today. The chapter offers recommendations for schools to promote the vital role of sleep to learning and well-being and strategies that can improve sleep hygiene. Knight recommends that we seriously consider the potential value of introducing a later school start time.
Gratitude has been shown to be important for improving well-being, and recent neuroscientific research suggests that feelings of gratitude are linked with the activation of brain areas associated with thinking about others, judging subjective value, emotion, motivation and reward. Chapter 9 explores the impact that gratitude can have on adolescents’ subjective social well-being and social cohesion. Sarah Buckingham and Joseph Buckingham draw upon current research on gratitude to show the connection between expressions of gratitude and pro-social behaviour. They argue that a great deal of life satisfaction is connected to the amount of gratitude experienced. The chapter offers practical suggestions for schools to develop pupils’ gratitude.
5: Subject-specific research
The final section covers studies that apply educational neuroscience to mathematics, science and music. In Chapter 10, Annie Brookman-Byrne and Iroise Dumontheil provide an overview of the neural changes during adolescence and consider how knowledge of these can be used to enhance teaching and learning. They consider the role of inhibitory control in the acquisition of counterintuitive concepts that are typically found in science and mathematics. The chapter outlines ways to encourage adolescents to employ more widespread use of inhibitory control mechanisms to strengthen this executive function.
In Chapter 11, Daniel Müllensiefen and Peter Harrison explore how music can influence adolescents’ cognitive and socio-emotional development and how music, as a model of brain plasticity, could form an effective teaching intervention. The authors report results from a new study that tracks the development of musical abilities together with cognitive and socio-emotional skills across adolescence. They argue that our current knowledge of brain plasticity and the changes that occur in the brain as a result of musical learning can be used to support mindset teaching interventions. The authors offer a framework for developing such an intervention.
The BrainCanDo Handbook of Teaching and Learning is available to buy now from Routledge. For a 20% discount on this and purchases across the Routledge range, log in to view all current NACE member offers.
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Posted By Haili Hughes,
23 February 2021
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Teacher, journalist and experienced mentor Haili Hughes explains why mentoring is important at all career stages – with benefits for the mentee, mentor, and students.
Mentoring matters. It can be instrumental in winning the battle with teacher retention that we have been fighting in this country for the last decade, as the support that a mentor can offer to an early career teacher is invaluable. With the nationwide roll out of the Department for Education’s ‘Early Career Framework’ in September 2021, it seems that the government have finally realised this, as for the first time in my 15-year teaching career, the importance of mentoring is being recognised and celebrated. Millions of pounds have been earmarked for mentor training and their skills and expertise will be rewarded with many national qualifications that are being launched up and down the UK.
However, mentoring is not just a great support to teachers who are at the start of their career; it also benefits those who have been in the profession for a while longer – I know because I was one of them. Six years ago, I was not far off a decade into my career and after reaching a leadership position in a school, I realised that I wasn’t happy. I felt adrift. There was no support from anyone above me in the capacity I needed; of course, they helped me to fulfil school and department priorities but I missed the nurturing and guiding voice from an expert colleague that I so desperately craved to choose my next steps.
Not just for early career teachers
No matter what stage of your career you are at, being mentored can have fantastic results and can re-vitalise and re-energise your focus. Research from Hargreaves (2005) asserted that mid-career teachers who have been in the classroom for between 8 and 15 years can be more comfortable in their jobs, yet “still enthusiastic and flexible enough to respond to change in a broadly positive way” (Hargreaves, 2005: 979). However, there are some teachers at this stage of their careers who feel “disillusioned, overworked and unappreciated” (Hargreaves, 2005: 979). Experienced teachers are worth their weight in gold in a school and having a mentor to talk things through with, who offers advice but supports them with finding their own way forward, could be so important in the fight to keep these teachers in the classroom.
The relationship between a mentor and their mentee is a dynamic collegiate process, which fosters a sharing of professional and personal experiences and expertise between practitioners. It can accelerate the learning and development process, while not depriving the mentee of their own independence, autonomy or responsibility. But not only is mentoring beneficial for those who are being mentored, it can be extremely rewarding for mentors too.
What is in it for me?
In the decade I have been mentoring, I have had so many positive experiences, learning opportunities and development from my role as a mentor. These include:
- Improving my communication and interpersonal skills;
- Demonstrating and developing my leadership capacity;
- Being challenged by new experiences;
- Getting the chance to reflect on my own pedagogy and experience;
- Learning new approaches and perspectives which may impact on my own approach.
Perhaps the greatest reward is the personal satisfaction that can be gained from developing another colleague and witnessing their personal growth. You can really make a difference!
How does mentoring improve provision for students?
Research indicates that the biggest impact on student attainment is access to quality-first teaching in the classroom (EEF, 2017). Part of this is based on students being given high levels of challenge on a daily basis so that they are engaged and motivated in a secure learning environment with high expectations. To be able to do this, teachers need a deep understanding of their subject and the science behind the way students learn. If this is an area they lack confidence in, a mentor to help them develop this is invaluable. In addition, an extensive literature review on teacher job satisfaction has shown teachers who are satisfied with their jobs perform better (Nojani et al., 2012), so supporting colleagues through mentoring relationships and support systems will have a positive impact on student outcomes. The dialogue between mentor and mentee will also have a positive impact, as teachers become more confident to use a wider pedagogic range of techniques, so mentoring will impact on planning, monitoring and improving teaching quality (Lofthouse et al., 2010).
How can I create a mentoring culture in my school?
Having a mentoring programme in schools, which is available to all teachers – regardless of the stage of their career – clearly demonstrates a school’s commitment to developing their staff and shows they have strong values on continuous learning. Not only this, but it also emphasises the importance they place on having a supportive and collegiate community.
To create a mentoring culture in your school, it is imperative that effective mentoring practices are part of your organisation’s culture. Part of this is seeing mentoring as the vital job it is and mentors receiving the support and profiles they deserve in school, where excellent mentors are celebrated. It is also important to periodically review teachers’ mentoring needs and mentors’ expertise, so that colleagues can be matched in their area of expertise. If there is a gap in expertise present, then mentor training is crucial in the success of any mentoring program. Finally, it is key that mentors are provided with the time, support and encouragement that they need to be able to do their job well. Many mentors are expertise-rich and time-poor, so giving them some extra support and free time to develop themselves fully as an excellent mentor will really be worth it.
References
- EEF (2018) ‘Attainment Gap Report.’ Available online at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Annual_Reports/EEF_Attainment_Gap_Report_2018.pdf
- Hargreaves, A. (2005) 'Educational change takes ages: Life, career and generational factors in teachers' emotional responses to educational change', Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(8), pp. 967-983.
- Lofthouse, R., Leat, D. and Towler, C. (2010) Coaching tor Teaching and Learning: A Practical Guide for Schools. Reading: CfBT Education Trust. Available from: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/media/wwwnclacuk/cflat/files/coaching-for-teaching.pdf
- Nojani, M. I., Arjmandnia, A. A., Afrooz, G. A., Rajabi, M. (2012) ‘The study on relationship between organizational justice and job satisfaction in teachers working in general, special and gifted education systems.’ Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, pp. 2900 – 2905.
Haili Hughes is an English teacher, journalist and speaker who has mentored teachers and ITT students for over ten years. She has written three education books. Her latest for Crown House is called Mentoring in Schools and is available to purchase now.
For a 20% discount on purchases from Crown House and other offers from education publishers and providers, view our current member offers (member login required).
NACE coaching and mentoring services
NACE offers coaching and mentoring services to support school leaders and practitioners at all career stages, helping to develop a wider culture of coaching and mentoring across the school. These services can be provided remotely or on-site, and are tailored to the meet the needs of each individual and organisational context. Find out more.
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Posted By Rachel Lofthouse,
13 January 2021
Updated: 11 January 2021
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Professor Rachel Lofthouse, Professor of Teacher Education and Director of CollectivED The Centre for Mentoring, Coaching and Professional Learning at Leeds Beckett University, explores the importance of mentoring in schools and poses some questions to help educators develop effective practices for sustained personalised professional learning.
Reflect back: what mentoring have you received or given?
When were you last mentored over a sustained period? Who gave you their time and attention? How was your professional practice shaped through focusing on details and contexts particular to you? Which aspects of being mentored do you remember with appreciation? Were there any causes of frustration?
Many teachers have only been formally mentored as a student or trainee teacher and as an NQT. It was essential then because mentoring enabled workplace learning. At this career stage, schools are workplaces that are strangely familiar from the trainee’s time as a pupil, but that soon throw up unfamiliar challenges as they became teachers.
Stephen Billett (2011) draws our attention to the three key goals of workplace learning: knowing that the worker wants to be in that role, acquiring the initial skills needed in that role and developing relevant competencies for future workplace learning. In the case of student teachers, this would suggest that we need to firstly ensure that teaching is the student teacher’s desired goal; assuming that it is, we then need to help them to identify prospective specific career interests. We should also offer the support that student teachers need to help them to gain key occupational capacities; in other words, learning the skills needed to do the job as they enter the profession. Finally, workplace learning for student teachers should allow them as a new entrant into the profession to develop occupational competencies that they will need for future professional learning, ensuring that they have the skills needed to keep developing to meet future challenges.
Be in the present: how does or could mentoring help you now?
What are you currently grappling with that you feel is just outside of your skillset? What gaps are you aware of in your knowledge base and how do you plan to remedy this? Who are you currently talking to and working with closely? Does this relationship have qualities of mentoring? Do you tend to take either a mentee or mentor stance?
The training and induction period for teachers is relatively short and even with the new Early Career Framework (ECF), mentoring is still prioritised at the start of a teacher’s career. But if we recognise mentoring as a scaffolding practice for workplace learning, and if we remember that every year teachers face new challenges and take up new opportunities, then it is worth reflecting on the positive difference that mentoring in schools might make to teachers throughout their career.
Through my research I have developed a model of professional learning (Lofthouse, 2018) which positions mentoring as one form of professional development practice. The model proposes that mentoring in schools can have most impact when the mentoring participants work with a sense of solidarity towards shared goals, take full account of the authentic realities of the school context, and are encouraged to be creative in developing approaches to practice.
Think ahead: how could mentoring be developed in your school?
Would there be value in developing mentoring approaches that extend beyond current provision in your school? How might mentoring be enhanced to allow for sustained personalised professional learning? What capacity for growth might be generated through greater mentoring engagement?
While all teachers and school leaders are rightly keen to address issues of workload, there are some important questions to ask about how we make the very best use of the resources available to us. Staffing is by far the greatest budgetary cost in a school and managing timetables and deployment time is a challenge. Adding additional engagement with sustained mentoring to those workloads and costs may seem unreasonable. But just flip that for a minute. Staffing is also the biggest resource that schools have; potential resides in each individual, as does expertise.
My model is now known as the CoG Model of Professional Learning (Lofthouse, 2020). If we put mentoring at the heart of the model, we must ask ourselves, “Is mentoring helping us to learn and develop or has it just created more busy work?” CoG stands for Cycles of Growth; mentoring should enable learning to be cumulative, and new and effective practices to be generated.
If we think ahead to developing more mentoring, we do so in the belief that it will trigger professional learning and thus change professional practices and behaviours. My research suggests extending mentoring could help to create schools where teachers and leaders are able to articulate their ideas and share their achievements through multiple internal and external networks. It can also reassure professionals that as they are always learning, it is OK to ask for both support and critique. This helps to open up access to new ideas and ensures that ideas and evidence are reviewed with an informed perspective.
If mentoring is effective, professionals at all career stages learn to accept critique which is given in a generous spirit, and know that they can offer the same to others. Building this into the fabric of the workplace allows teachers and leaders to meet the challenges of their work by allowing their professional repertoires and expertise to expand, so that their schools become more effective in creating successful education for all.
The take-away…
Being a mentor can share characteristics with Cinderella. It offers little glamour in professional lives and often happens behind the scenes, but it is essential. I lead a research and practice centre at Leeds Beckett University called CollectivED and we believe that both being mentored and offering mentoring can make a difference throughout professional lifespans (hence our use of the hashtag #MentorsMatter). The schools’ workforce is diverse and its challenges are significant, but the opportunities to make a real difference through education are real. As teachers and school leaders, it is important to know what can make that difference, and while we acknowledge that no single strategy fits all, there is a lot to be said for developing approaches which sustain personalised professional learning. Mentoring can support this.
References
- Billett, S. (2011) Workplace curriculum: practice and propositions, in Dorchy, F. and Gijbels, D. (Eds), Theories of Learning for the Workplace, Routledge, London, pp. 17-36.
- Lofthouse, R. (2018) Re-imagining mentoring as a dynamic hub in the transformation of initial teacher education: The role of mentors and teacher educators, International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-042017-0033. Available as open access document at http://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/5262/1/ReImaginingMentoringasaDynamicHubAMLOFTHOUSE.pdf
- Lofthouse, R. (2020) Creating and Engine Room for Learning, Carnegie School of Education Blog, https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/blogs/carnegie-education/2020/11/creating-an-engine-room-for-learning/
A former secondary school teacher, Rachel Lofthouse is now Professor of Teacher Education and Director of CollectivED The Centre for Mentoring, Coaching and Professional Learning at Leeds Beckett University. You can contact Rachel via email and follow her on Twitter @DrRLofthouse / @CollectivED1. Free working papers are available via the CollectiveED website.
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Posted By Keith Watson FCCT,
02 December 2020
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Dr Keith Watson, NACE Associate
I wonder how cognitively challenged you are feeling right now. I am, in a good way. Creating a new professional development course is always exciting but also challenging, particularly one that is full of relevant content. Using NACE’s newly published research on cognitive challenge to develop the programme for the Creating Cognitively Challenging Classrooms (4Cs) course, my first thought was how I, alongside my brilliant colleague Laura March, could do justice to the integrity of the findings? There is much to share, so how do we capture the learning in three meaningful twilight sessions? I feel like Eddie Jones, the England rugby coach, picking his back row for the next match. He has so many brilliant players to choose from, so who does he leave out?
The starting point is going back to key messages from the research. What do we learn about cognitive challenge from the NACE Challenge Award schools acknowledged in the publication, and how can we share practical examples from these schools to inspire and inform practice elsewhere?
The first point is to define cognitive challenge. NACE uses this term in reference to “approaches to curriculum and pedagogy which optimise the engagement, learning and achievement of very able young people” so that they can “understand and form complex and abstract ideas and solve problems”.
So how is this made visible in the classroom? The NACE report identifies three key strands:
- Curriculum organisation and design,
- Design and management of cognitively challenging learning opportunities, and,
- Rich and extended talk and cognitive discourse.
These three key pillars underpin the 4Cs course, but in order to make it useful for teachers, we need to translate the theory into meaningful classroom experiences that teachers can recognise and implement. Taking these in turn…
1. Curriculum organisation and design
It is vital that curriculum organisation is underpinned by the vision, values and ethos of the school. Schemes of work need to reflect this vision but also provide detail on what this means in practice for groups of pupils, including more able learners. Is the pitch designed to create challenge? If using a knowledge-based curriculum, how is this mapped out for more able learners who may be achieving beyond their year group peers?
2. Design and management of cognitively challenging learning opportunities
Cognitively challenging learning opportunities need to be planned for in terms of task design and also the management of the class. This includes tasks designed to develop ‘grapple’, where learners have to work hard to find solutions. But it is also important for teachers to consider how pupils are grouped for learning, when mixed-ability teaching is effective, and when other systems may be more effective for more able learners. Whole-class teaching that teaches to the top can be effective, but how is this whole-class teaching modified for the exceptionally able pupil?
3. Rich and extended talk and cognitive discourse
Rich and extended talk is a third pillar of the 4Cs programme, and can be developed through the quality of questioning. Teachers need to avoid an over-reliance on initiation-response-feedback that can limit deeper responses that generate new learning, not merely repetition of known facts (Alexander, 2000). Cognitive discourse prioritises explanatory, exploratory and cumulative talk and can, for example, be encouraged through the use of visualisers as a hook to support meaningful talk.
Plus…
In considering these three pillars of cognitive challenge in the classroom, attention needs to be paid to other current educational research in relation to more able learners. For instance, we need to ask questions about which elements of Rosenshine’s principles particularly apply to more able learners, and what role does direct instruction have for them? Just as we encourage our students to develop their own schema, we need to build our own schema as educators to make sense of new knowledge and perspectives. (For more on this, take a look at NACE’s new Lunch & Learn webinar series – exploring key areas of current educational theory and research, and their application for more able learners.)
While the principles of cognitive challenge in the classroom apply across all phases, the practical examples are often better understood through a more phase-specific focus, supporting teachers to develop their theoretical understanding of cognitively challenging classrooms and also extend their repertoire of teaching techniques in order to achieve this. For this reason, we have developed the 4Cs course with dedicated primary and secondary strands.
So much to consider and so much to explore. We are calling this the 4Cs course and of course, we foresee it being great!
Join the 4Cs programme…
Running in the spring term 2021, the Creating Cognitively Challenging Classrooms course is a series of three online twilight sessions, with dedicated strands for primary and secondary practitioners. The course will explore key themes from NACE’s research on cognitive challenge, with a practical focus and gap tasks between sessions to support delegates in applying the course content in their own school context. For those unable to join the live sessions, the recordings can be purchased instead. Full course details and booking. References and further reading
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Posted By Keith Watson FCCT,
29 September 2020
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Dr Keith Watson, NACE Associate
Having trained and mentored NQTs for two decades, I am reflecting on the specific challenges they face this year. As I was writing the NACE Essentials Guide for early career teachers (available to preview here or read in full when logged in as a NACE member), I considered how NQTs in particular will be dealing with less preparation than usual as they start their careers. Even in normal times, training on the teaching of more able learners can be marginalised on some teacher training programmes, and as the Early Career Framework does not specifically refer to the more able, this group is at risk of being overlooked.
In discussing this with experienced colleagues, there is a feeling generally of teaching being focused on ensuring pupils meet the expected standard, with priority given to pupils close to the expected line. 97s must become 100s. There is less focus on the needs of those already at 114. This is the context for all teachers, but what does this mean for NQTs?
Identifying gaps in training and experience
Going into this year NQTs will, to an extent, have had a training and experience deficit – although I do not believe it is insurmountable. An appropriate body assessor I spoke to reported that some headteachers are saying this autumn term is like the NQTs are doing their third training term. The summer term would usually have seen many trainees having taught the full curriculum, including more foundation subjects. Chances are that this time round they didn't. An NQT trainer commented to me that when her cohort rated themselves against the teaching standards the gaps were in assessment and foundation subject knowledge. A lack of subject knowledge is problematic when it comes to extending pupils, particularly for more able pupils where a knowledge of the next stage in the curriculum is vital.
With this in mind, I am designing a three-session twilight course for NQTs and reflecting on what this group needs in order to effectively support more able pupils. Understanding what it means to be more able may not be clear to NQTs. This could be an issue if there is a lack of specialist expertise in the school. Is there a designated lead for more able in the school, or is it buried in the job description of an inclusion leader? Reduced focus on more able at the training stage makes it even more important this year that NQTs are clear on the rationale for more able provision. Supporting NQTs within, across and beyond the school
It takes a whole school to raise an NQT, but a respected, fully trained mentor with time allocated to support the individual NQT is essential. This allows time to focus on specific areas such as more able learners. Training needs to cover all areas, including how to challenge the more able. NQTs may have less contact with other experienced colleagues because of COVID restrictions and there may be problems with observing colleagues and visiting other schools this year to see high-quality more able provision. Using video recordings and being able to talk with experienced teachers about more able is therefore vital, even if at times remotely.
It will be important that NQTs do not become stressed over the progress of their more able pupils. They are dealing with enough. Leaders and mentors need to understand mental wellbeing, including stress, and alleviate this by guiding NQTs on what greater depth looks like and the key teaching techniques needed to achieve it. Support is vital.
Given these thoughts, my upcoming course needs to ensure that NQTs understand why more able provision is important, guide them on identification, planning and provision, but also be creative in providing practical examples of the type of tasks that will challenge pupils. This needs to be delivered in a supportive and encouraging way with the emphasis on building ideas and techniques without overwhelming NQTs. Sessions will be spaced out across several months to allow for experimentation with ideas and ensure that where gaps existed, they are carefully filled. Challenging for all (not least me!), but achievable.
Join the course… Dr Keith Watson’s three-part online course provides CPD and support for new and early career teachers, with a focus on understanding how to identify and meet the needs of more able learners. Find out more and book your place.
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Posted By Chris Yapp,
10 June 2020
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Dr Chris Yapp, NACE Patron
First, may I say thank you and best wishes as the return to school starts. The process will be uneven and difficult. Over the last few weeks many of you have been experimenting with technology to try to maintain access to education for your students during the lockdown. I recently ran an online forum for a group of NACE members to discuss what they were doing. It was good to see good innovative practice in the schools involved, but also a willingness to share ideas and practice between individuals and schools.
I have been involved in technology in education for more than 30 years and reflecting on the NACE online forum discussion, I would like to offer some observations that I hope will help us all move forward to whatever the “new normal” may turn out to be.
The most important lesson for me is that the best way to develop teaching practice is through teacher-to-teacher communities of interest. Learning from peers about what works for them and adapting it to your own circumstances stimulates personal development and innovation. Tablets of stone from the great and good are at best blunt instruments.
Second, different teachers and different schools have for 30 years found themselves in quite different stages of development when it comes to using technology as a tool in teaching and learning. The crisis that we are living through gives us a chance to “level up” and enhance the profession to support our learners. It will not be quick, nor cheap.
A common mistake throughout the years is to believe that the children are so much more confident with the technology compared to the adults. Some teachers are reluctant to use technology for fear of looking foolish. Around five years ago I was in a presentation of a study on first-year undergraduates that came to an important conclusion: just because young people are very comfortable with technology, that does not mean that they are comfortable with learning through technology.
Learner confidence is best developed by thinking about “LEARNING technologies”, not “learning TECHNOLOGIES”. That is true for teachers too. My own experience is that three to five years’ experience is required for most teachers to develop full confidence in deploying technology as a learning tool, both in the classroom and increasingly beyond the school. That is why building teacher confidence lies at the heart of creating new practices that will be needed now and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Let me illustrate part of that challenge, which came up during the recent online discussion.
My first schools conference on technology in learning was over 25 years ago, in Hull. With a local telephone company, Kingston Communications, despite being a poor city, Hull had better connectivity than elsewhere in the UK at that time. After my talk, a young primary teacher came up to me and gave me an example of what I had talked about. She had a shy eight- or nine-year-old girl who was nervous in class and sometimes difficult to engage. She had been off ill while they had been doing a project on a topic (from memory I think this was the Egyptians). The girl returned on the final day of the work. Much to the teacher’s surprise the girl volunteered that she had done the work while she had been off sick. The teacher asked if she could see it. The girl said sorry, it was on her home page. The teacher said that is OK, bring it in tomorrow. The girl instead offered to take the teacher to the library, which had a few internet-connected terminals. The teacher discovered a multimedia project of rich detail, beyond what she thought the girl was capable of, sitting on the girl’s home page in her dad’s work room. So, she asked if her parents had helped. She got a firm no. Her dad was a computer engineer and they had a significant set-up at home that the girl could use, while her dad was away. Her mother was not interested in computers.
The teacher had become upset because she saw it as her failing that she had underestimated the capability of this pupil and wondered how many others she had “let down”.
Over the years I have heard many similar stories. We had examples during the NACE online discussion. Online learning and online teaching are quite different. Some children thrive on the autonomy and others need much support, as is true in the classroom setting. You may have had surprises yourself recently or will encounter them over the coming weeks and months.
That is why I argue for building teachers as confident learners with technology as a precursor to students becoming confident learners. When you encounter such surprises: IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT.
To build teaching into a confident technology-ENABLED, not technology-driven, profession my takeaway message is that we need to build communities of teachers on- and off-line to share peer-to-peer the development of new and innovative practice at scale.
I hope as a patron of NACE to be able to play a part in your journey. Best wishes. Stay safe and well.
This article was originally published in the summer 2020 special edition of NACE Insight, as part of our “lessons from lockdown” series. For access to all past issues, log in to our members’ resource library.
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