System redesign case study: Recognising and exploiting talent

by Nikki Gibb, Hirst High School Technology College, England

Hirst High School Technology College serves a low socioeconomic community in Ashington, Northumberland. The school has 650 students on roll aged from 13 to 19 years. The results trend in the last 3 years has been the best in the school’s history, peaking at 44% 5A*-Cs.

Exploiting talent regardless of age, position or experience to ensure that deep and personalised learning takes place for all students is a key belief driving system redesign at Hirst High School Technology College.

Enhancing teaching and learning

Inset CPD sessions are led by colleagues, external representatives or students to enhance teaching and learning at Hirst. Taking place every Monday, these seminars include presentations, workshops and celebrations of good practice. Recent examples include students leading activities on student voice and taking ownership of their own learning. As a result of this, the school has now employed a student advocate.

Open senior leadership

Team meetings

The transparency of the senior leadership team (SLT) is made very apparent by an open invite to attend weekly meetings to discuss key whole school issues from student progress to literacy across the curriculum.

Student leaders

The school is making great advances with student voice, including:

• Student representation in the open SLT meetings as well as in development groups, which focus on initiatives in certain areas such as raising achievement and literacy
• Student representation on interview panels for the recent recruitment of a new deputy head
• Monthly student council meetings to discuss any concerns they may have in school. Changes to the school uniform have been one outcome from the school council and the change has had a huge impact on attendance as well as appearance

As a result of such a strong student council, one of our year 11 pupils has just been appointed the ‘Student Voice for Northumberland’ and has already visited the Houses of Parliament.

Recognising and exploiting talent

Leadership is embraced by staff and students at Hirst High School, examples include:

• Employing two young assistant headteachers 
• A student advocate and a key stage 3 coordinator who was previously a pastoral mentor 
• There are several non-teaching members of staff who have substantial leadership roles. The business manager, senior pastoral mentor and publicity officer are all established as senior leaders. Like all teaching leaders in the school, they complete duties, deal with any behaviour problems and support teaching and learning. The kitchen staff are encouraged to lead learning through tutor time activities, thus promoting the ‘be healthy’ aspect of the ECM agenda

Feedback from staff and students

Staff and students have responded positively to the changes, as the examples below illustrate.

‘Being part of the Open SLT meetings means that student voice can be heard by the most senior members of staff,’ James, Student Advocate

‘Our student council and the encouragement of the staff helped me to become the ‘Student Voice for Northumberland,’ Braden, year 11

‘It’s great to be in a school that recognises and acts upon individual strengths regardless of age or gender. As a newly appointed assistant headteacher, I am now receiving the support to fulfil my potential at a senior level.’ Helen Wardman

This article first appeared in Snapshots, March 2008. Hirst High School Technology College will be presenting a showcase at the conference.