Twynham School is an outstanding 11–18 comprehensive school in Christchurch, Dorset, led by Dr Terry Fish. The school is at the heart of a range of local collaborations that aim to raise students' achievement, support wider 14–19 learning pathways and develop multi-agency learning support. The school is the lead training school in the Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset East school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT).
Leadership culture, opportunities and developmentStaff describe the internal leadership culture of Twynham as emanating from a very clear vision. A range of staff described the two pillars of the Twynham Way as, first, learning, with all planning and decision-making focused very clearly on the classroom; and second, relationships, in order to build a supportive community and encourage people to go the extra mile.
These two pillars clearly inform leadership activity and professional development. Senior leaders describe their modelling of leadership to other staff, including, for instance, how staff and students should interact.
Professional development comprises three development groups. One, the extended leadership team, chaired by the headteacher, is for assistant heads, heads of faculty, heads of year and advanced skills teachers (ASTs). It meets each half-term and focuses almost exclusively on developing senior leadership potential. The group analyses papers, ranging from, for example, papers from the National College on aspects of leadership and theory to one written by the headteacher on a current whole-school priority. The group discusses the pros, cons and rationale of particular responses. The headteacher also chairs a second group, the leadership development group, for heads of department and key stage co-ordinators. This group uses a new programme on leading learning, prepared by an assistant headteacher responsible for continuing professional development (CPD). It draws on her experiences of the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), as a coach on Leading from the Middle, and from her work in other schools. The headteacher describes his approach as reflecting the “tight-loose paradox”: that is, tight on management and systems; loose on people and leadership.
The school encourages staff, at appropriate points, to attend two main external leadership development programmes. Until recently, Leading from the Middle was seen by staff to be very good and three or four staff were usually enrolled; three staff are currently enrolled on the Leadership Pathways programme, with the headteacher as their coach.
Example of leadership progressionA teacher who joined the staff as a newly qualified teacher (NQT) 20 years ago found that whenever she was ready to move on, new opportunities opened up in the school. Early involvement in adventure trips and co-ordination of the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme helped to hone her organisational skills. She became vocational co-ordinator, then head of faculty across departments before the opportunity arose to become acting assistant headteacher.
She is now a deputy head and is currently supporting a partner school.
Notable featuresThis case study is taken from our research publication – Prepared to lead: How schools, federations and chains grow education leaders.