In February 2023, we received the devastating news that Croydon College and Coulsdon Sixth Form College had been graded ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted. Nineteen months later, we had turned it around to a ‘good’ rating in what we believe was record time for a college.
But it took a huge effort from everyone to make such significant changes at speed, and we learned a lot along the way.
It was my job to lead staff and students through adversity, but I couldn’t do it alone. We asked staff to lead on various parts of the improvement plan.
We set up task groups to work on strategies improving areas such as attendance, tutorials and work experience. We had the talent, expertise and knowledge to develop the solutions and our passionate, committed staff really wanted to be involved.
Management consistency
Many issues stemmed from lack of consistency in how staff were being managed and how staff in turn were managing students. Systems to monitor student progress were not used properly and there was irregular management oversight of staff performance. Expectations were not consistently high.
We had to ensure high expectations were set throughout the college and action was taken when these expectations were not met. We provided coaching and training to managers to help them improve standards and get them excited about their jobs again.
The rapid and transformational impact of good management on previously underperforming areas was incredible, raising the morale and motivation of both staff and students. We could see the impact on student engagement almost immediately.
Your people are your superpower
We knew that in some areas, staff didn’t feel supported or valued which meant they had lost some of the love for the job. We worked hard to create an environment where teachers wanted to be better and understood how they could develop and make sure all learners were getting the best experience.
We ensured our policies and expectations were clear, and increased staff development with a focus on consistently high standards of teaching and learning.
We also ensured there was support and/or management action where standards were not being met. It’s all about how you engage and harness that combined wealth of experience and passion to make improvements.
Personal resilience
There were many lessons I learned about myself personally and as a leader.
From the minute we received the ‘inadequate’ grading until the outcome of the next inspection, my competence and capability were questioned so often that I questioned it daily myself. The scrutiny and pressure had a massive impact on my life.
Everyone will have their own ways to cope but whatever they are, you have to take care of your own wellbeing as a leader. You need to be you on your best day, even when you don’t feel like it, constantly encouraging people and demonstrating that you believe in them.
You need the belief and resilience to keep going. Seek support wherever you can get it and find something that can relieve your stress.
Accept that it isn’t going to be easy, no matter how optimistic you feel at the time. Anyone leading through such moments needs to find out where their support is and who they can talk to. Dealing with the initial poor inspection outcome was only the first in a series of significant leadership challenges during the period of intervention.
It’s important to remember you can turn it around and to stay focused on that, or you simply can’t keep going. Hold tight to your vision of success in the darkest hours. Your staff are the solution.
A clear vision and plan to get there
The final lesson was about having a clear plan on how to achieve that vision of success. When I had doubts, I went back to the plan and kept reviewing our impact.
If something was not working or moving too slowly, I would find new solutions. Look for every little bit of evidence of impact and improvement and celebrate and note achievements along your path. This fuels your resilience.
Believe in your plan and your team’s ability to deliver it. You will get there.
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