Change Takes Time

If you were asked to improve performance in school by 40%, what would you say?

Ridiculous – exam results are already at 85%.
Impossible – it will mean lots demands and no work life balance

BUT if every member of the staff improved their own performance by 1% what would be achieved? Even in a small school of just 7 teachers, that could be 7% a day.

Must ensure that change: is effective, incremental, builds on previous success; enhances learning, improves progress and raises attainment

There are some compelling reasons for sticking to a 1% marginal gains approach. Small but significant changes are more likely to be sustainable in the longer term and become part of everyday practice

Wary of big changes – could feel like leadership is trying to achieve too much too soon
No need for dramatic change – can it be done with teams/key individuals first so that others can see success
Not many capable of making dramatic improvements – can place individuals under stress and possibly weaken the organisation. Need consistent staffing and all buying into the new direction so that progress can be maintained and momentum built.

This can be challenging for a leader who is trying to turn things around:

I’m not making enough of a difference – we need to move faster
If we don’t make big changes it won’t get any better

But real change takes time – click here to read article

When I started in headship I wanted to change the world in a day… but it wasn’t possible or realistic. The achievements did happen, but it took time. I started my first role in Sept 2011, but it wasn’t until

January 2012 that we really got underway with first phonics groups – that year we only managed to get 25% of the pupils to the expected standard
April 2012 that we moved on first member of staff who was not going to have capacity to deliver quality of teaching we required
September 2012 to appoint first key team in EYFS with all new leadership and teaching staff
April 2013 to finally open Nursery building that got pupils out of classes with no heating and leaking roofs
March 2014 to come out of ‘satisfactory’
April 2014 to begin developing play ground spaces
September 2014 to finally establish proper Senior Leadership Team

It is all too easy for leaders to burn themselves out, or rush off into the distance and fail to take anyone with them. Change takes time. Be clear on what you are aiming to achieve. Break it down into small incremental steps. Celebrate the wins. Move on quickly from any set backs. Don’t take it personally.