Archived decisions

LEADERSHIP IN HAMPSHIRE SCHOOLS

1. Effective leadership is the key component in school improvement and effectiveness - all research and OfSTED data demonstrates this - and maintaining high quality leadership is critical to achieving the best outcomes for children and young people in Hampshire. The demographics of the workforce are changing and, in response, a coherent strategy for the growth and retention of high quality leaders in schools and educational settings has been developed.

2. The number of advertisements nationally for heads during 2006 was above the average for the past ten years at 2,682. For the primary sector the number of advertisements was a new record. The demographics of the public workforce are changing but are particularly difficult for the future of school leadership. Over the next 10 years the profession will lose more experienced headteachers and deputies than in previous years. In Hampshire 50% of headteachers are over fifty, and 20% will be sixty in the next three years. The average age of retirement for a Hampshire head is 58. The peak in retirement rate for headteachers in Hampshire is in 2009.

3. In response to the above, Hampshire has been proactive and is one of ten local authorities selected to be part of the current national pilot for leadership succession called `Local Solutions'. The National College for School Leadership (NCSL) will use the pilot projects to advise the Secretary of State about ways forward for leadership succession. Hampshire is currently working with the NCSL on four pilot projects and these will be evaluated in due course. Leadership succession planning requires a range of different methods and approaches. Schools and the Local Authority must nurture leadership talent at all levels and raise the aspirations of emerging leaders. School governing bodies need to play their part. Each school has a responsibility to offer opportunities to grow leadership potential, and to create a culture for shared leadership within an overall county-wide strategy.

4. The strategy which Hampshire has devised sets out a number of leadership succession developments. These include use of the expertise of experienced headteachers to build capacity and disseminate good practice; establishing models of leadership development; offering high quality leadership events; developing talent management systems; increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of procedures for selecting future leaders; supporting school networks and partnerships to innovate and disseminate approaches to leadership growth; building the capacity of governing bodies with regard to recruitment, retention and succession planning etc. The Executive Lead Member has considered and fully supports the proposed strategy to develop leaders and leadership for the continuing success of Hampshire's schools and the education system. The strategy will now be taken to appropriate groups for consultation and to the Schools Forum in November 2007. Copies of the Executive Lead Member report about the Leadership in Hampshire Schools - Strategy for 2008 to 2011 are available in the Members' Rooms.

5. The decision is intended to establish effective leadership, recognising that this is a key component to school improvement and is critical to achieving the best outcomes for children and young people in Hampshire. This supports the Council's Corporate Priorities.

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