I have been at AET since 2012 and have seen the transformation of the trust from one that was rapidly growing, to one that needed a financial turnaround, to the current iteration with a clear focus on outcomes for all pupils - rallied around a collective vision of AET490.
In all that time, AET’s mantra of a united OneAET has been something that has taken me time to understand and embrace. However, after the difficulties we have faced in the past few years - the pandemic, the subsequent national focus on educational recovery, and the current financial challenges affecting both schools and families - I have genuinely come to realise the transformative potential that comes with being part of a unified network.
As a headteacher of one school in 2016, my sole focus was on ensuring my community had the best possible education with outstanding outcomes for all.
When I became an Executive Principal in 2018, I quickly realised that it does not work to simply transfer a single model of school improvement from one school to another. Breaking free from a culture of complacency and fostering a mindset of aspiration was undoubtedly the hardest part of that role. Entering into a new school which was ‘Good’ but where the staff really believed they were ‘Outstanding’ was, indeed, tough.
When AET asked me to take on a third school in September 2021, my initial response was one of reluctance. Accepting the responsibility meant having to support a school that was struggling in a coastal area of Essex where aspiration was in short supply.
There was also a lack of diversity within the student population which meant that understanding and tolerance of different cultures was limited. This was an issue I had not experienced as a headteacher in London within such multicultural settings.
However, thanks to a year-long commitment to working hand in hand with school leaders, instigating cultural shifts within the local community, and fostering a positive climate for both pupils and staff, the school achieved a significant milestone by securing a 'Good' judgement just last year.
Now, I am about to transition from the role of Executive Principal to the position of Regional Education Director at AET in a newly formed London and South region, therefore embarking on an exciting new chapter in my career. The role excites me greatly - it allows me to work with more schools across AET, with the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of more young people.
One of the key advantages of the role is the ability to implement impactful change and improvement at scale. If I have learnt anything from my time in leadership so far it's that context matters.
I am, therefore, eager to delve into the unique dynamics of each community within the London and South region of AET. By immersing myself in the local contexts, I really want to grasp the specific needs, opportunities and challenges of these communities - it is so essential to the success of AET’s regional model.
In terms of academic outcomes, my region largely mirrors the diverse contexts of other regions. As our KS2 result this year showed, our two London primary schools were in the top two highest-performing primary schools in the trust; however, the two schools in my region, in Milton Keynes and Kent, ranked 13th and 15th out of 31.
It is always important to acknowledge the context in which children live without compromising AET's vision of excellence. Our pupils, no matter where they are born, or where they live are entitled to an excellent education every day.
Outside of London, there is still so much potential to raise aspiration by creating bespoke and effective curricula and through an unrelenting focus on quality first teaching. But it is also important for all children to develop their cultural capital. This ranges from embedding various cultural experiences across the curriculum to ensuring children have opportunities within the local community.
By contrast, for the two schools in the capital, in-year pupil mobility is high, with the cost of living crisis pushing many families further afield. Although results are high now, they are facing emerging challenges as the new pupils coming into both schools throughout the year are not necessarily used to the standards and expectations of high-performing schools.
As schools are hardly blessed with resources, I hope that in my new role, I can draw from my previous experience and work across contexts by creating the conditions for our schools to support and challenge each other through whatever challenges they face.
In our region, London and the South, there is vast expertise to confront almost any issue. My job is to harness all the intellectual resources at our disposal so that support and challenge are placed in the right areas.
But when considering the most impactful factor for driving systemic change in London and the South, personalised professional development for all staff undoubtedly emerges as the most critical area- with the potential to bring about transformative outcomes.
Schools often provide excellent support for teachers; however, support staff can be an overlooked resource. If they are expected to cover classes, provide PPA cover and support vulnerable pupils, then their professional development must be a priority. It is an area I am keen to get into this year.
AET490, as a guiding mission, is understood by all the schools within the region, with all leaders full of belief that this can be achieved. Still, as our results from this year show, some schools in the region are likely to get there more quickly than others.
By fostering regional collaboration, we can enhance the exchange of best practice, transparently tackle challenges, and provide targeted support to schools. This concerted effort will help create a culture that builds continuous growth of standards year after year.
This is part of a series that takes an honest look at the priorities of each of the five regions at AET.
To find out more about the London & South region, read Mike Feely's blog on the significance of 'collective teacher efficacy' and its potential impact on student achievement.
As an introduction for this series, Rebecca Boomer-Clark, AET CEO, explains why we have revised our operating model and established five distinct regions.
Comments