5th iNet International Conference, 26 28 November 2008

A Chilean Principal reflects on what he observed in English schools

I was part of a group of 14 Chilean school leaders travelling to England in June 2007. Staying in the Midlands area, we visited three schools, and one could hardly have imagined a more diverse sample:

• Wigmore High School - a cosy (but demanding) country school ( and the one physically most similar to a Chilean school)
• Grace Academy - a hi-tech, hi-expectation, hi-quality learning 'fortress' in a challenging urban environment
• Hadley Learning Community - a one-of-a-kind, factory-size, futuristic laboratory of learning for the 21st century

Despite these contextual differences, it was the similarities between these three schools that were most striking, at least to an outsider. 

A well-oiled administrative machinery

In all three schools, admin and managerial arrangements, which can absorb so much energy in Chile, had been addressed upfront as a matter of routine. Because of this, efforts could be  focused without interruption on what really matters: learning. Everybody was well-prepared for our visit, yet nothing felt like a 'show being put on.'

In general, the principal would welcome us, but then give the floor to his/her colleagues in a display of distributed leadership, before students took over. It was clear that everyone shared the schools' priorities and there was a strong sense of identity.

At the Academy, where students were more vulnerable and needed more structure, controls, security, and discipline were provided. Each student had a daily planner which re-enforced school rules, and the penalities for breaking them. Thus, no student could claim he/she did not know them. 

Transparency had other dimensions:

• Each classroom had windows facing onto the corridor so the principal or other visitors could easily observe
• Information on every aspect of the school was made available to all stakeholders in multiple formats and continuously updated. 
• No place to hide, no excuses for poor performance; a firm, calm and supportive environment to help young people succeed.       

A positive, orderly climate

As one moved deeper inside the schools, the joy of learning and a sense of purpose were visible everywhere. The principal and his/her team were always deeply engaged in the day-to-day life of the school, but without losing sight of the bigger picture. They walked the corridors and knew each child personally. They ate in the same cafeteria as them, dispensing encouragements or gently fixing mild transgressions. All this served to create a warm community feeling. The ubiquitous display of students’ art and work acted an incentive and reinforced the vibrant culture.

Everybody - adults and children alike - had specific on-going responsibilities (such as a 7-year-old being ecological adviser for the school garden), or specific tasks to perform (guiding us through the school and its surroundings). Developing good habits early on - obviously a greater challenge in some contexts - was a priority. Students were taught punctuality, respect, limits, global issues, how to listen, and when asked to talk, they were surprisingly articulate. Even parents seemed  disciplined in dealing with the schools!!  

A focus on learners and pedagogy

By the time we got to the core of the schools’ business, learning in the classroom, the picture was clear:

• Outstanding physical, human and technological resources
• Commitment around a shared vision, built from the bottom-up, yet compliant with the national standards
• Instructional leadership
• A climate of trust, which allowed collaborative professional learning to take place on a continuous basis
• 'Learning managers' tasked with identifying and eliminating all obstacles to learning
• Competent and self-confident teachers who innovate and approach every tool of the pedagogical battery - assessment for learning, observation by junior peers, etc. - as an aid to good instruction rather than a threat
• A sense of responsibility for every student  and accountability for results. 
• All these converged in synergy towards the same ethical purpose.

Back in Chile we have started adapting to our 'reality' - including  a much lower resource level - some of the simplest practical approaches and tools handed over by our UK colleagues.

Luis Argote, Principal of Colegio Santiago