Learning to Lead Effective Schools
The Office for Government School Education’s Learning to Lead Effective Schools Strategy aims to support the development of the leadership capacity of teachers and school leaders. The Strategy is based on the belief that, if we invest in developing the knowledge and skills of teachers and school leaders, student outcomes will improve.
The Learning to Lead Effective Schools Strategy reflects, and is underpinned by, the Department’s models of Effective Schools, Effective Leadership and Effective Professional Learning. The Effective Schools Model (http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/directions/blueprint1/es/default.htm) provides the conceptual framework and context for the Strategy, whilst the Developmental Learning Framework for School Leaders informs the knowledge base, skills and capabilities required of leaders to effectively lead Victorian government schools. The Principles of Highly Effective Professional Learning (PDF - 503Kb) have guided the structure and models of learning that underpin the design and delivery of the professional learning component of the Strategy.
There are two main assumptions that underpin the Strategy. The first is that leadership is learnable. Leadership is a knowledge-based discipline with a set of capabilities and dispositions that can be developed.
The second assumption is that leadership needs to be a quality of all staff, and should not be confined to Principal Class positions. Leadership should be distributed throughout a school and staff should be provided with opportunities to develop and practice their leadership capabilities. The Learning to Lead Effective Schools Strategy comprises:
- The Developmental Learning Framework for School Leaders
- Professional Learning for Aspirant and Current School Leaders
- Principal Class Performance and Development
- Principal Selection
What & New
OECD Report
This report represents one of three in-depth studies undertaken by the OECD to complement the international scan of 23 countries to provide advice to systems on improving the performance of their schools. The overall purpose of the activity is to provide policymakers with information and analysis to assist them in formulating and implementing school leadership policies leading to improved teaching and learning. This report prepared after the OECD team spent four days in Victoria in August 2007 examining our approach to leadership and our broader reform strategy. The paper is titled Building Leadership Capacity in Victoria, Australia: A case study report for the OECD activity: Improving school leadership (PDF - 752Kb) (December 2007).
Richard Elmore paper
Richard Elmore, was invited to describe his impressions of the Victorian government system in the final days of his third visit in August 2007. His paper Educational Improvement in Victoria (PDF - 178Kb) (August 2007) reflects on his many visits to our schools, interaction with a large number of teachers and school leaders as well as our Ministers and regional and central office staff. His extensive international experience allows him to make comparisons and to offer insights into the success or otherwise of our school improvement strategy. Despite the challenges that still remain we must use this feedback as a significant motivator to pursue greater improvement.
Poster
A quick reference guide to The Developmental Learning Framework for School Leaders Profiles and Learning to Lead Effective Schools Professional Learning for Current and Aspirant Leaders program is now available as an easy to read A3 poster. Click on this link to download a copy of the poster (PDF - 287Kb)