Pathfinders addressing dilemmas in partnership with Ethical Leadership Commission

Courage

Courage is a highly-prized virtue, and many famous and respected people have spoken or written about it over the years. We probably all have an idea of what we mean by courage, or bravery as it is sometimes known.

Courageous people stand up against things that threaten them or the things or people that they care about. They take action in a way that is consistent with their values.

(Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett)

Last week we invited you to start thinking about how your school can start its journey using the Framework to establish a whole school approach to ethical behaviour by asking you to consider:

How might ethical behaviour be embedded in all areas of your work? Reflect on the needs of your school, college or trust by using your development plan or other central planning documents?

The Coleshill School's experience

The Coleshill have already started addressing this question by becoming a pathfinder school working with the Ethical Leadership Commission.

All the national pathfinders shared their experiences at the inaugural Ethics Exchange event at the University of Birmingham on Thursday 4 July. Over 70 schools and trusts took part in the event to tell other pathfinders how they are using the framework and resources in their decision making.

At the conference, Karen Cornell, deputy head teacher at the Coleshill School, spoke of the work between herself and WCC in creating an ethical culture around inclusion. Working on having difficult conversations between schools and creating trust between schools and local authorities, they have managed to reduce the amount of permanent exclusions and bring students back into education. The framework was hugely useful for all involved in developing the language of ethics that they now use.

Karen further outlined how as a school completing the sections of the audit toolkit helped them on their ethical leadership journey as follows:

a) Leadership Principles

This was very much about generating a growth mind-set from the top down.  An initial reflection session enabled people to be open to the idea of Ethical Leadership as a way of working as opposed to a theory. This then enabled us to move forward with practical case studies and activities to shape our decisions.

b) Safeguarding Values and Virtues

Policies and procedures are in place but this brings us back to moving away from box ticking and towards an embedded culture.  The beginnings of this are underway but consistent drip feeding will be required for success.  Having a champion to maintain momentum is a must.  Leadership team were easy to convince – the next step is the rest of the staff. 

c) Management Styles

 We have already moved to gain an understanding of the ways in which the framework could influence management styles within school from the leadership team, to staff, and to governors and recognition of those values which “come naturally”.  However the next step is to become more strategic in our approach by incorporating the principles when recruiting staff and in in our decision making process.  The case studies have been invaluable here.

d) A Model Community

Here lies the challenge!  Only when Ethical Leadership is truly embedded within our organisation, policies, procedures and decision making, at all levels, can we truly model this for other stakeholders to influence the community at large.

Karen's presentation is available to view here (downloads as powerpoint).

Any schools leaders and governors/trustees interested in becoming a pathfinder are encouraged to register, and continue to promote and develop the Framework for Ethical Leadership by emailing ethicalschools@nga.org.uk.