Mel West

Creating the Conditions for Classroom and Teacher Development

Abstract The research on ‘classroom conditions’ reported in this paper forms a strand of the research and development activities undertaken as part of the ‘Improving the Quality of Education for All’ (IQEA) school improvement project. The ‘IQEA approach’ to school improvement emphasises the importance of enhancing the internal conditions of the school whilst undertaking innovations in curriculum and instruction in the pursuit of enhanced levels of student achievement. The rationale for the emphasis on ‘internal conditions’ in this approach to school improvement is first described, as well as the established set of school level conditions already identified through work on the project. Research that led to a set of complementary ‘classroom conditions’ is reviewed, and the conditions articulated using examples from project schools. The classroom conditions posited are: authentic relationships; rules and boundaries; planning, resources and preparation; teachers repertoire; pedagogic partnerships; and reflec...

Quality in Schools: Developing a Model for School Improvement

This chapter examines the Improving the Quality of Education for All (IQEA) model used in England to help schools develop the internal capacity to engage in continuous development. It identifies the key dimensions of external support required for school development. The outcomes arising from IQEA are considered in relation to the model and its underlying strategies.

Staff involvement in the design of a key skills curriculum model: a case study

This case-study follows a school as it struggles to prepare for the changes brought about by Curriculum 2000 and the new key skills qualification. It describes the curriculum debate within the senior management team as it balanced the conflicting needs of subject popularity and necessity. It relates how inherent structural flaws were uncovered in the proposed curriculum strategy, how this very failure was used as an opportunity to initiate staff involvement in the design of curriculum structures and how success was subsequently fashioned from the process. It is a story of failure, consideration, reflection and improvement, and offers some insight into the lessons learned by management and teaching staff as they reflect on the process of change and their own participation in it.

The Code in Action: Some School Perceptions of its User‐Friendliness

The governments Green Paper is promising a revision of the Code of Practice in four years time. The authors of this article have evaluated the impact of the Code, concentrating on three user groups, LEA staff, school staff and parents. The investigation encompasses fifteen local authorities. This is a substantial investigation which concludes that overall the Code has been well received by its users. However, there are identifiable areas that will need some modification.