An Exclusive Masterclass on Education Policy and Leadership: Implications for Classroom Practice by The University of Manchester
Programme Agenda
3:00 - 4:00 PM : Education Policy and Leadership: Implications for Classroom Practice
4:00 - 4:15 PM : MA Educational Leadership in Practice - Programme Overview
4:15 - 4:30 PM : Live Q&A Session
4:00 - 4:15 PM : MA Educational Leadership in Practice - Programme Overview
4:15 - 4:30 PM : Live Q&A Session
About the Masterclass
In this masterclass, Dr Paul Armstrong and Dr Bee Hughes from the University of Manchester will draw upon their school-based and academic research experience to discuss the complex interplay between education leadership and policy. Specifically, they will discuss how policy and leadership are mutually constitutive, and it is therefore not possible to understand one without also understanding the other. The session will be informed by academic research and theory and include an introduction to different concepts of education leadership and policy and the applicability and relevance of these concepts to the professional practice of teachers. There will be time towards the end for delegates to ask questions and discuss ideas emanating from the session.
In this masterclass, Dr Paul Armstrong and Dr Bee Hughes from the University of Manchester will draw upon their school-based and academic research experience to discuss the complex interplay between education leadership and policy. Specifically, they will discuss how policy and leadership are mutually constitutive, and it is therefore not possible to understand one without also understanding the other. The session will be informed by academic research and theory and include an introduction to different concepts of education leadership and policy and the applicability and relevance of these concepts to the professional practice of teachers. There will be time towards the end for delegates to ask questions and discuss ideas emanating from the session.
Speakers
Dr. Paul Armstrong is Reader in Education at the Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester. His research interests concern contemporary forms of educational leadership and educational collaboration. Paul has 20 years’ experience in education research leading on national and international projects and publishing across a number of areas including educational improvement, networking, leadership, management and policy. He is currently Programme Director for the award-winning MA Educational Leadership in Practice programme at the University of Manchester. Paul is also Editor-in-Chief of the Sage journal Management in Education.
Dr. Paul Armstrong is Reader in Education at the Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester. His research interests concern contemporary forms of educational leadership and educational collaboration. Paul has 20 years’ experience in education research leading on national and international projects and publishing across a number of areas including educational improvement, networking, leadership, management and policy. He is currently Programme Director for the award-winning MA Educational Leadership in Practice programme at the University of Manchester. Paul is also Editor-in-Chief of the Sage journal Management in Education.
Dr. Bee Hughes is a Senior Lecturer in Education within the Manchester Institute of Education (MIE), University of Manchester. She is also Deputy Programme Director of the Blended MA Educational Leadership in Practice programme. Dr Hughes' research interests lie in educational leadership, school structures, critical policy studies and ethnography. Dr Hughes is co-convenor of the Critical Education Leadership and Policy Research Group (CELP) and Deputy Editor of the academic journal Management in Education. Previously, Dr Hughes worked in schools as a senior leader both in Hong Kong and in the UK.
Policy Actors (in practice)
- Principal
- Senior leaders
- Middle leaders
- Teachers
- External actors (inspectors, local/federal government officials)
Who has the most influence in your context? Why?
Issues with implementation
In reality:
- The scheme ONLY provided laptops to 7 in 10 disadvantaged pupils in one academic year (first year of public examinations).
- To provide laptops to 7 in 10 disadvantaged children in all other year groups, the government needed an additional 940,000 laptops.
Leadership as mediation
- Leaders shape
- School culture
- School Priorities
- Language/narratives
- Structures and systems
- Accountability mechanisms
Teachers as policymakers
"At each point in the policy process, a policy is transformed as individuals interpret and respond to it. What actually is delivered or provided under the aegis of a policy depends finally on the individual at the end of the line." (McLaughlin, 1987, p. 174)
(And don't forget), context matters!
- Material (time, staffing, resources)
- Cultural (values, beliefs)
- Situated (school history, pupil intake)
- External pressures/priorities
Policy cannot be separated from context (this is often overlooked in accountability systems)
Reflection: Implications for leaders
- Policy is filtered through leadership Interpretation varies widely
- Classroom impact is often indirect (but also powerful)
- Be explicit about why
- Prioritise coherence
- Avoid initiative overload
- Create conditions for meaningful enactment
Are leaders sometimes the source of overload?
LEADERSHIP
- Guidance
- Solution
- Goal
- Motivation
- Communication
- Plan
- Vision
- Direction
Reflection: Implications for classroom policymakers
- Teachers need policy literacy
- Professional judgment is central
- Space for adaptation matters
- Avoid framing teachers as passive recipients
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