School focus: Right people, right place

Getting the right people in the right place has been key to success at Weatherhead High School in the Wirral. Steve Munby finds a talent-powered organisation on a recent visit.

When Neil Dyment became headteacher at Weatherhead High School in the Wirral four years ago he found a school that was successful but not reaching its full potential. “I felt that the right people were not always in the right places or being given the right opportunities,” he said.

Four years on, this is a school that clearly thrives on making the most of people’s talents, providing them with opportunity to practice and develop leadership – be they senior leaders, governors, teachers or students. Neil sees this as the enabler of his three areas of focus: teaching and learning, creating a climate where taking risks is acceptable and ensuring children and young people are at the centre of what they do.

Neil’s first steps were to put the right people around him, and this included Assistant Headteacher Annmarie Whelan, who takes me on a tour of the school. Annmarie is Director of Sixth Form and has responsibility for the school’s specialism and status as a Leadership Partner School. She is engaging and extremely passionate about her work, something Neil spotted early on, and as he tells me has been key to developing the school’s culture.

We meet with students from Years 7 to 13 who are developing their leadership skills. I meet students doing courses to develop their team work and problem solving through literacy, performing arts, sport and community work. They tell me how the work is helping them prepare for higher education and the workplace – and also giving them a chance to contribute more actively to the school and their community.

I also meet young people providing a key leadership role for the school by providing feedback on lessons and teaching and learning practice – working with heads of department on what works and which aspects can be improved. They do this with great sensitivity and care and see themselves as agents in improving their own and others learning. Over 500 of the students at Weatherhead have undertaken an accredited leadership programme. They speak to me positively about what they are learning about themselves as a result and I can see that it is building their confidence. What is absolutely clear is that each student has been given a stake and indeed a responsibility to contribute to the school community and they’re thriving on it.

The commitment to developing leadership talent continues with the staff. I have the opportunity to meet with a group of staff, representing all levels.They tell me how they are encouraged to think in terms of their future career and how they can step up to leadership roles. They are supported in identifying the steps that they personally need to develop as they work towards their goals. Talking to this group it is clear that this approach is highly motivational and drives staff to move outside their comfort zone. The school works closely with the local authority and with regional and national providers and has developed a framework, which staff can use to identify the development opportunities available to them and how they themselves can support their own learning.

At the end of our tour I’m struck that Annmarie constantly refers to the part others have played in making this a reality. Her enthusiasm and commitment, combined with her readiness to praise others, proves what an outstanding leader she is. In this school people are clearly recognised for the difference they make and everyone knows that they matter to the school’s success.

Weatherhead is a talent powered organisation and that owes much to Neil and the team he has empowered. He has recognised the potential in others and their ability to drive change, if given the opportunity and the support to do so. There is an element of risk to that – but he has also ensured that the culture is grounded in educational outcomes and meeting children’s needs. “We want to continue to raise the bar,” Neil says. “All of this has to come out through student attainment and success – both academic and personal.”

Indeed, that focus on children goes beyond the school gates. Any strategy developed at Weatherhead that proves to be successful is shared with other schools and leaders across the local area. “We do compete as schools, but we also share a sense of partnership and a common purpose,” said Neil.

That’s an excellent balance to have and even more children and young people will benefit from the great leadership taking place at Weatherhead as a result.