Events >> Combating disadvantage

The Welsh assembly Government has recently launched the School Effectiveness Framework to underpin its strategy for school improvement.  Key elements of improving outcomes in schools include improving the literacy and numeracy skills of the pupils and implementing strategies to close the gap by combating disadvantages that pupils might face in school and in their daily lives.

Effective leadership at all levels ids likely to be a key to combating disadvantage.

In recent years Professor John West Burnham has been a regular contributor to our leadership CPD programme. He has extensive experience and expertise in a number of areas that might help schools to combat disadvantage including transformation of learning, personalization of learning and concepts of equity and social justice as principles to underpin effective education.

On 2nd November 2011,  Professor West Burnham will be the key provider at a leadership conference at ESIS. The conference is called 'Combating Disadvantage' and will consider a range of issues related to 'closing the gap' and inclusion.

The conference will be used as a catalyst for cluster-based action research by teachers in RCT and in Merthyr Tydfil and individual schools and clusters in other LAs might also wish to take a similar approach, possibly developing professional learning communities to address issues that are relevant to pupils in their own areas.

More information about the work of John West Burnham is available at the following web sites:
His own website is located at www.johnwest-burnham.co.uk/index.php   The site allows you to download an informative article about the importance of social justice in education and about ways of ensuring equity as opposed to equality of opportunity.

The old NCSL website has a significant on-line training resource that explains Professor West-Burnham’s approach towards personalizing learning. This can be accessed at www.nationalcollege.org.uk/index/leadershiplibrary/leadingschools/personalisedlearning.htm.

RCT and Merthyr Tydfil LAs will work with clusters to identify middle and senior leaders who might benefit from working with Professor West Burnham and these people will be invited to attend the conference. Leaders in schools in other LAs might also wish to attend and they would be most welcome, whether they plan to become involved in an action research project or not.

For further details about the leadership conference please contact Mr. Mike Tibbott at mike.tibbott@esis.org.uk