Key Characteristics of Effective Schools

1
Key Characteristics of Effective Schools

• A Review of Effective School Research
• By
• Pam Sammons
• Josh Hillman
• Peter Mortimore

2
Background

• 1994 the Office for Standards in Education
  (OFSTED) commissioned the International School of
  Effectiveness and Improvement Centre (ISEIC)
• The aim was to provide an analysis of the key
  determinants of school effectiveness in secondary
  and primary schools

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5 areas of research relevant to school
effectiveness

• Research into equality of opportunity
  significance of the school
• Economic studies of education production
  functions
• Evaluation of compensatory programs
• Studies of effective schools and the evaluation
  of school improvement programs
• Studies of the effectiveness of teachers and
  teaching methods

4
Aims Goals of Effective Research

• Clientele (poor/ethnic minority)
• Subject matter (basic skills in reading and math)
• Equity (children of the urban poor should achieve
  at the same levels of those of the middle class

5
Definition of Effectiveness factors

• Sample of schools examined
• Choice of outcome measures
• Adequate control for differences between schools
  in intakes to ensure that like is compared to
  like
• Methodology
• timescale

6
Measuring Effectiveness

• Multivariate techniques have led to improvements
  in the estimation of school effects.
• These have enabled researchers to take better
  account of differences between schools
• Allow investigation of the concept of
  differential effectiveness, whether some schools
  are more or less effective for particular groups.

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Key Characteristics of Effective Schools

• Professional Leadership
• Firm and purposeful
• A particular approach
• The leading professional
• Shared vision and goals
• Unity of purpose
• Consistency of practice
• Collegiality and collaboration

8
Key Characteristics of Effective Schools

• A learning Environment
• An orderly atmosphere
• An attractive working environment
• Concentration on teaching and learning
• Maximization of learning time
• Academic emphasis
• Focus on Achievement

9
Key Characteristics of Effective Schools

• Purposeful teaching
• Efficient Organization
• Clarity of purpose
• Structured lessons
• Adaptive practice
• High Expectations
• High expectations all around
• Communicating expectations
• Providing intellectual challenge

10
Key Characteristics of Effective Schools

• Positive reinforcement
• Clear and fair discipline
• Monitoring progress
• Monitoring pupil performance
• Evaluating school performance
• Pupil rights and responsibility
• Raising pupil self-esteem
• Positions of responsibility
• Control of work

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Key Characteristics of Effective Schools

• Home-school partnership
• Parental involvement in their children's learning
• A learning organization
• School-based staff development

12
The Centrality of teaching and Learning

• The results of this article do not support the
  view that any one teaching style is more
  effective than others.
• teachers could not validly be divided into a
  number of categories on the basis of differences
  in teaching styles

13
Common Sense

• The findings of school effectiveness research
  have sometimes been criticized for being just a
  matter of common sense
• Research into practical issues, such as
  schooling rarely comes up with findings that are
  totally unexpected.

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Common Sense

• This report suggested that success does not
  stem merely from the existence of certain
  structures of organization, teaching patterns or
  curriculum planning, but is dependent on the
  spirit and understanding that pervades the life
  and work of a school faithfully reflective its
  basic objectives.