School-to-school support within a competitive education system: views from the inside

ABSTRACT

This paper draws on evidence from a study carried out in England to explore how schools can support one another’s improvement within a policy context that emphasises competition. The findings offer some reasons to be optimistic, and are suggestive of the capacity and potential of the school system in England to “self-improve” through collaborative means. However, light is also thrown on a number of barriers that need to be overcome to make such an approach work. The paper argues that developing a greater understanding of the social complexities involved in school-to-school support requires research that takes account of the views of those involved. With this in mind, the paper reflects on the experiences of a group of school leaders in England, leading to lessons that are likely to be relevant to those in other national contexts where competition is seen as a driver for school improvement.

KEYWORDS:

• School-to-school support
• system leadership
• educational improvement
• educational reform

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. There are 152 local authorities in England. Traditionally, they have been responsible for managing the schools in their areas.

2. These are schools set up by an organisation or a group of individuals, funded by the government but not controlled by a local authority.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Department for Education and Skills [Grant number 2016/35].

Notes on contributors

Paul Wilfred Armstrong

Paul Wilfred Armstrong is Lecturer in Education (Leadership and Management) at the Manchester Institute of Education (MIE), University of Manchester. Paul’s primary research interests are contemporary forms of educational leadership and management and inter-school collaboration. He is also interested in the growing influence of business practices in schools.

Mel Ainscow

Mel Ainscow, CBE, is Emeritus Professor of Education and Co-director of the Centre for Equity in Education at the University of Manchester. His work focuses on ways of making school systems effective for all children and young people. Between 2007 and 2011, he led the Greater Manchester Challenge, a project that involved an emphasis on school-to-school collaboration and involved extensive involvement of head teachers as system leaders. His most recent books are: Struggles for Equity in Education: The Selected Works of Mel Ainscow (Routledge World Library of Educationalists series), and Towards Self-improving School Systems: Lessons From a City Challenge (Routledge), both published in 2015.