The Vision for the future of Guernsey Education - A Response

The recent Vision for Guernsey Education document describes a Utopia, hints at radical reform across the board but fails to come down to specifics in many areas.

Sadly a vision is only useful if it has clarity.

Having said this, it is encouraging that the Department is willing to look afresh at so many things we take for granted and seemingly desires to establish a culture of change.

Organisational Culture

It takes time to change a culture and it often takes new people especially in a situation where the Department has for many years suffered from, to say the least, a less than open mindset.

If they wish to move to an open and change orientated organisation they cannot just drive change from the top; they need the buy in and active involvement of their staff. A change of CEO is not enough, although such a determined individual can ensure the establishment of a more open and encouraging culture through meaningful action (rather than just words).

Effective change

One of the most significant changes within the UK medical profession within the past decade has been the recognition of the need to identify measurable and proven efficacy of treatments rather than relying on a “but we've always done it that way and it works” attitude.

Yes, method X works to cure this ailment and yes, we've always done it that way, but actually, when you measure success rates, method Y works much more effectively.

John Hattie's book “Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement” takes these ideas into an educational setting and shows that almost any change in methodology will initially show improvements. However, the book argues that concentrated effort should focus on only implementing those changes which have a proven, measurable and significant high degree of improvement.

Change will be willingly undertaken if it can already be shown as producing measured high improvements. We are introducing X because it works in these countries and has been shown to produce a Y% improvement in Z as measured by these parameters and evidenced by this data. We undertake to measure the same parameters and will view this change as successful if we achieve similar results within W months.

We are too small an Island and our children too precious to our future to allow our education system to be used as a testbed.

Data driven measurement

Many of the commentators included in the Vision highlight the efficient use of technology in data gathering and interpretation.

Do they have the automated systems in place to effectively gather the data needed or the skills to develop such systems?

Do they know exactly what is it they want to measure and what levels of success they deem acceptable?

Will such a system allow schools themselves to interrogate the data for their own uses rather than just those deemed necessary by the centre?

They have identified what a good student in this Utopian system looks like but many areas will not reflect in mere exam results, which can only be a crude indicator of a student's (or indeed a teacher's performance).

They also need specific and measurable data to indicate each individual child's academic success in relation to their projected progress to show what value their school and their teacher is adding over and above what one might averagely expect.

A handful of children will always under perform during any given period for reasons outside of the classroom but if that figure goes above say 20%

it indicates that something is potentially wrong.

If they are to become more data driven they need to have efficient methodology for data collection. Teachers are already spending too much of their time acting as data clerks rather than educators and whilst this information is no doubt essential it is currently coming at too high a cost.

The Khan Academy has shown just how effectively data can be collected in quantitative subjects. Guernsey now needs to identify how the same thing can be done in respect of the qualitative subjects and with this knowledge in hand cost, establish, and build their systems.

In the meantime, either limit the information collected and collated manually by teachers or find some other way to do it.

Technology

For all of this to work they need technology which is easy to use and available 24/7.

New technology is expensive and quickly outdated. Witness how desktops have been replaced by laptops to be replaced by tablets with wearables already being prototyped. Embrace new technology by all means and wring every benefit out of it, but use only proven and measurable methods and kit.

As an aside, I suggest the best way to ensure good technology in schools is to issue every deputy with exactly the same kit as given to teachers and insist on its use for all States business. I'm certain that any deficiencies or problems would be quickly resolved!

Best of the Best

The Vision shows the benefits of using the best people to deliver the best material for superior results but how can this be done in Guernsey?

It is all too easy to fall into the trap of micro management and insist that all teachers use the same proven lesson plans for the same modules across all schools and in all subjects. After all, these plans are the best of the best so why deviate?

Such a way forward reduces the role of the teacher to that of an actor and wastes so much of their training and potential. By all means provide examples of best practise and make available e-lessons delivered by exceptional teachers but use these as resources rather than scripts.

Staff

It is acknowledged in the Vision that an excellent education system needs excellent teachers and excellent leadership. But are they aiming too high?

Not everyone can be excellent and not even those who achieve that level can be excellent all of the time. What they need are those who constantly perform at a high level.

The reality is that even in the best schools where there are excellent teachers there are also some below average performers. That in itself raises several interesting questions.

How do you objectively measure each teacher's performance?

How do you find out what goes on in each classroom on a day to day basis?

How to you identify and assist the failing teacher (or head)?

What do you do if such intervention fails?

In most large business organisations there are set written criteria for performance expectations, ongoing training and remedial programmes, and specific procedures for dealing with non-performance. Ongoing and persistent poor performance will sooner or later lead to dismissal.

If they are serious about improving education standards then all of this has got to be taken on board and built into the new system.

Identify exactly what a good teacher, senior manager, or head looks like and then build job descriptions with identifiable and measurable targets. They already do this with children (e.g. PIVOT scores), so it is not impossible.

With this in place all parties have clarity of purpose, measurable performance and identifiable remedial action.

Guernsey teachers already represent a considerable investment by the States and the maintenance and improvement of these assets must be a prime function of the organisation. However, if the failing individual is unable to respond to remedial intervention and cannot meet the new standards, then procedures must be in place to facilitate their removal.

Such action must extent throughout the Education department and not just be restricted to teachers. If you want an excellent service from top to bottom, then this is part of the price you pay.

Before leaving this topic, does Education really understand its staff?

If you really want to change your culture you need to assess where you are at the moment and not rely on where you think you are. You need to find out what the customer satisfaction level is within your organisation.

Instruct an independent third party and issue a detailed e-survey where all staff (from heads down to TAs) can appraise their own school, unit, or office and their management teams/ heads. If you also ask for ideas for improvement you might be surprised by the level of innovation which already exists within your organisation.

Acknowledge that suspicion and reticence may still be lingering and allow anonymity whilst retaining the ability to identify the school in question. Some might take advantage of this to avenge personal grievances but you are looking for trends rather than outliers.

Students

The vision identifies what the Utopian student looks like but fails to acknowledge the current reality that there is a growing problem of poor and disruptive behaviour in the classroom and school.

Most teachers encounter some form of negative disruption nearly every single week, if not day, of their working lives. Occasionally it is down to the ineffectiveness of delivery or just poor material, but usually it is to do with a child's problems outside of the classroom.

A disaffected child will always have a detrimental effect on their peers be it by disruption in the classroom or by feeding an anti-learning culture outside of it.

I acknowledge the many and various systems already in place to mitigate the effects of disaffection but if the problem continues to grow their effectiveness must be questioned.

For the greater benefit, the disruptive student must be removed from the classroom at the earliest opportunity so that they do not have the time to adversely affect their peers either in terms of actual learning or in ongoing negative attitudes to school and education.

Such disrupters need help; help which could be provided by an enhanced Link Centre where they could be moved to for more specialised care and intervention. If successful, such a unit would then be able to return the student back to their mainstream school or otherwise onwards to a more suitable environment.

Schools do not as a rule easily or lightly exclude students and I suggest that the Department should rely on the judgement of these professionals and assist quick and decisive exclusion into a different learning environment rather than making exclusions a black mark against the school.

Just imagine what progress might be made and the results achievable when classes aren't disrupted and teachers can concentrate on their primary function. Quite close to your Utopia perhaps?

Outside influences

There is little recognition in the vision that the major influence on education success other than the school is the home environment.

Sadly there are an increasing number of parents who are not doing a good job, as is witnessed by the quality of children coming into school and by the behaviour of many existing pupils.

Perhaps this is implicitly acknowledged by the desire to introduce the children into the school system at an earlier age. However, this is addressing the symptom and not the cause.

What is needed is better and more effective intervention at the parental level. This will need inter departmental co-operation and the remit more likely lies within Social Services even if it is Education who are having to pick up the pieces.

Ask any school and they can identify those families who are either unwilling or unable to effectively contribute towards their child’s education. That is where the problems are arising and a cure will not be effected until you can intervene at that level.

Curriculum and Qualification changes

The Vision ideals can only be achieved in the light of the requirements of the world into which our students will progress at the end of their formal education.

Whilst the majority of our successful students continue to seek enrolment with UK universities to progress their education, it is essential that those establishments recognise and accept the qualifications we equip Guernsey students to achieve.

Equally, and at any level, qualifications must be recognisable and acceptable to the employers of the world and not just Guernsey. Anything less and we fail our students.

Selective Education

It is worrying that with so many radical reforms being looked at in so many areas of education, the Vision chooses to propose yet another review of selective education; something which is bound to take prominance in the general public's mind.

Instead of forcing the issue, why not put Education in the position where you can measurably prove that the added value of the secondary schools equals if not exceeds that of the Grammar School and the colleges (if such data is obtainable from the private sector).

By then and with such data, the need for selection can be shown to be outdated. You will have proved that, with every school delivering exactly the same curriculum, the added value is uniform across the board.

As it stands at the moment, we do not know the added value which each school produces. We know that the selective schools get better results but that is always going to happen when the selection process is on proven academic ability. But if the majority of pupils at the Grammar school improves by only 5% against their projected outcome whereas those at (say) Beaucamp make a 8% improvement, which is the better school?

Accountability and Governance

Moving more power, decision making and accountability closer to the point of delivery hopefully means delegation rather than abrogation. The centre must continue to retain overall responsibility and be accountable for maintaining control of the system.

Asking schools to be more receptive to their local communities seems rather unusual given the small size of our Island. If anything, all of education needs to be less insular and more global in its outlook.

There also appears to be a desire to change the system for management and governance of schools but no indication is given as to what problems you are trying to cure or indeed what system you wish to put in place.

There is a need for reasoned arguments and measurable outcomes if Education is to effectively promote these changes.

Outside Involvement

The same applies to Third Sector involvement which should only take place where there is proven outside ability, a specific need, and appreciable and measurable outcomes.

Real Learning and The Studio School concepts are both interesting ideas and potentially highlight where the Third Sector could be of effective use.

We read plenty of local comments as to how school leavers are not fit for business purpose but this same business sector seemingly offers little to improve things. Why not seek a better understanding of what shortcomings are seen by the business sectors and build the corrections into the curriculum for senior students. Have professional business trainers assist the teaching of business specific skills with a view to those businesses then offering jobs to successful students.

Education already has a theatre facility on-campus at the St Peter Port site so why not turn this into a testbed for a studio school and allow the students, with suitable mentoring, to run all aspects of the enterprise?

We already have BTEC students studying theatre and stage management. Why not add design and technology students to run all aspects of media? Business students to administer the organisation from finance to arts administration? Leisure services students to provide customer services?

Let it become a student run stand alone enterprise showcasing their abilities and providing a service to the community.

The opportunities are there given the right mindset to make it happen and the right professionals to mentor the business. Real education producing real results.

A Change of Law

Overarching the Vision is the need for a new Education Law which is essential to enable change to take place.

Given the queue for new laws in many areas which, in some cases, has extended to many years, how is it proposed to get such a law drafted and passed within an urgent timespan?

Cost Cutting

I appreciate the need for economy given the Island's situation but financial savings have got to be a by-product rather than a driver of change when it comes to Education.

Change because it is measurably more efficient and produces better results not just because Education is mandated to save £7m.

There is constant talk of new building projects but little said about ongoing maintenance. It is an accepted fact that the secondary schools were allowed to fall into disrepair to the point where they were ceasing to be fit for purpose. Can we be assured that those mistakes won't be repeated?

Also, do we always have to build and equip to “state of the art” levels?

Stop using educators to oversee building projects and give the job to career building professionals with a remit to produce an economic solution. That alone has the potential to save a few million.

Conclusion

A lot of time and effort has gone into producing this Vision but it is such a frustrating document. Its authors clearly do have a vision of what they want for the future of Guernsey Education and I wish they had just come out and said what it is.

It might be new and radical and it might upset a few people but if backed by clear argument, fact, and evidenced by measurable proven existing success in other education areas then it should be easy to win the day or at least provoke constructive discussion.

The reader may wonder why this is all published here and not given directly to the Education Department by way of feedback. 

The reason is twofold and the first is to promote discussion and constructive thought. Sadly the second reason is that I suspect most critical feedback might never see the light of day.

Things will change in Guernsey education but the most important task is to change the perception of the Department in the eyes of those outside of the charmed circle; something that can only be achieved by action and not woolly vision statements.