Pre-event Task – Culture and Ethos
Table
Current Culture Ideal Culture
Symbols
Norms
Assumptions
Stories
Rituals and routines
Organisational structure
Control systems
Power structures
How are visible symbols and signs used to project a culture?
What agreed social behaviours exist?
What are the assumptions underpinning your school’s culture? How do staff experience reward and/or recognition in your school?
What stories does the organisation tell about itself? Who are the heroes and villains?
What happens when?
How is the school organised? Who is accountable to whom?
What systems and processes of control are in place? What rules and regulations?
How are responsibilities organised? Who are the gatekeepers and influencers?
School culture
Christopher Day, Pam Sammons and Kristine Gorgen (2020). Successful school leadership. Education Development Trust. https://www.educationdevelopmenttrust.com/EducationDevelopmentTrust/files/a3/ a359e571-7033-41c7-8fe7-9ba60730082e.pdf
Sam Baars, Bart Shaw, Ellie Mulcahy and Loic Menzies (2018). School cultures and practices: Supporting the attainment of disadvantaged pupils; A qualitative comparison of London and nonLondon schools. Research report.
LKMcoBarr. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-culture-and-practicesupporting-disadvantaged-pupils
Behaviour
Education Endowment Foundation (2019). Toolkit: Improving behaviour in schools. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/tools/guidance-reports/improving-behaviourin-schools/
OECD (2015). Do teacher-student relations affect students’ well-being at school? PISA in Focus, 50. https://doi.org/10.1787/5js391zxjjf1-en
Education Endowment Foundation (2018). Toolkit: Social and emotional learning. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/teachinglearning-toolkit/social-and-emotional-learning/
Professional development
Cordingley, P., Higgins, S., Greany, T., Crisp, B., Araviaki, E., Coe, R. & Johns, P. (2020). Developing great leadership of continuing professional development and learning. http://www.curee.co.uk/node/5200
Education Endowment Foundation (2021). Effective professional development. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidancereports/effective-professional-development
