Chapter+12


 * CHAPTER 12: SUSTAINING THE VISION**
 * St Thomas the** **Apostle** **College****,** **London**
 * A ‘satisfactory’ OFSTED report triggered a quality improvement drive in this school which saw exam results improve quickly: all stakeholders shared a vision and positive culture which resulted in a painless and energising drive to improve. The assumption here is that everyone in this genuine learning community is a learner and CPD is at the heart of strategic planning.**


 * Culture of organisation prior to change:**
 * Naïve optimism and blind faith – new structure, both curricular and pastoral, in response to dwindling pupil number; 50% new, enthusiastic staff
 * ‘south London street wisdom, outrageous nerve, shared pride in ourselves, joy in one another’s success and enormous pastoral care rooted firmly in our Catholic ethos’
 * Culture identified by HT as what enabled them to survive – plus hardwork, fun and loyal parents. All stakeholders and potential stakeholders saw improved results as the aim – transformational leadership needed to meet it
 * HT recognised the energy and resources of colleagues that already existed – all that was needed was the ‘merest touch on the tiller’ – working in an enlightened environment


 * Triggers for change:**
 * Survival in changing profile of society – demands of quality education from well informed parents in client orientated market
 * ‘satisfactory’ OFSTED inspection which led to increased determination to do better, and highlighted the need for systematic use of data to monitor and evaluate performance and planning
 * Focus on external events – grant maintained status which gave the school independence, and league tables gave tangible measure by which to judge improvement


 * Strategies to get parents/staff/pupils to participate**:
 * Gave time for staff to learn and reflect on practice and how to improve it
 * Took on board tenets of TQM and emphasised quality improvement as aim
 * Staff training day which produced ambitious and rigorous quality improvement plans from all departments
 * Effective, non threatening system of classroom observations established


 * Impact on pupil learning and achievement**:
 * GCSE results improved from 29% five A-C passes to 41% in first year, then to53% at time of writing
 * Basic language skills improvement accepted as part of the culture


 * How was effectiveness measured:**
 * Positive classroom observation culture developed to maintain quality improvement
 * Exam results
 * School opened Centre for Research, Development and Teacher Training