The purpose of this book is to reorient the current agenda in education towards learning. The recent emphasis has been on achieving standards through managing schools, teachers and the teaching process. But the real purpose of schools was, is, and always will be about learning. In an increasingly complex, diverse and unpredictable world, it is necessary for schools and those working with them to refocus on learning at all levels - pupils, teachers, leaders, the organisation as a whole and all of the school's partners.
It's About Learning is an accessibly written discussion woven with practical examples and strategies. It also includes an annotated bibliography suggesting useful follow-up reading, and the issues will be posed as questions for reflection and discussion.

The purpose of this book is to reorient the current agenda in education towards learning. The recent emphasis has been on achieving standards through managing schools, teachers and the teaching process. But the real purpose of schools was, is, and always will be about learning. In an increasingly complex, diverse and unpredictable world, it is necessary for schools and those working with them to refocus on learning at all levels - pupils, teachers, leaders, the organisation as a whole and all of the school's partners.
It's About Learning is an accessibly written discussion woven with practical examples and strategies. It also includes an annotated bibliography suggesting useful follow-up reading, and the issues will be posed as questions for reflection and discussion.

The challenge of school improvement for failing schools is a complex and frequently debated issue. While much has been said on this topic, little has been published that can actually help those in such schools or those working with them. By addressing the issue from a range of perspectives, this edited volume will fill the gap in the existing literature. It contains policy perspectives written by a key national policy maker, an academic, and a local policy maker. In addition, it surveys the perspectives of three different schools. Chapters written by prominent school effectiveness researchers show that while there are no quick fixes for schools in difficulty, the problem of failing schools will not simply go away without informed action.

The challenge of school improvement for failing schools is a complex and frequently debated issue. While much has been said on this topic, little has been published that can actually help those in such schools or those working with them. By addressing the issue from a range of perspectives, this edited volume will fill the gap in the existing literature. It contains policy perspectives written by a key national policy maker, an academic, and a local policy maker. In addition, it surveys the perspectives of three different schools. Chapters written by prominent school effectiveness researchers show that while there are no quick fixes for schools in difficulty, the problem of failing schools will not simply go away without informed action.

The disciplines of school effectiveness research and school improvement practice and research have been apart for too long. This book is the first major attempt, by leading writers and practitioners in these fields, to bring the areas together in a coherent way.
Existing knowledge about the characteristics of good' schools is outlined, together with the knowledge base about how to make schools good schools'.
The book also makes an entirely original contribution to re-thinking practice in school improvement that can revolutionise our thinking in the late 1990s, and which can be of use to academics, to policymakers and to the practitioners which much existing work has neglected.

The question of what makes schools effective is the subject of much international debate. This book brings together for the first time research that has been done in the hitherto separate fields of school effectiveness and school improvement. An international team of contributors look at the conceptual, conditional and practical characteristics of effectiveness, and offer guidelines on ways and means of working towards creating better schools. The contributors emphasise the need for collaborative working, and provide a range of discussion points and further reading lists to help school managers and their teams.

It's widely recognised that self-regulated learners are more effective learners.The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) suggests that metacognition and self-regulation are among the most important practices a school can focus on, providing 'very high impact for very low cost, based on extensive evidence'(EEF, 2022). However, teachers and leaders are often unsure what these terms mean, or what they look like in practice. This resourceenables teachers and leaders to 'activate' pupils to become the drivers of their own learning. Comprising six sets of resource cards and aclear and detailed facilitator guide along with an extensive bibliography and additional downloadable materialsActivatehas been designed to support time-pressed teachers and leaders to understand the theory and practice of self-regulated learning in an accessible way. Working through the activities will enable teachers and leaders to realise the potential of these powerful ideas in working with pupils, while helping them to regulate their own learning. Learning conversations enable educators to make meaning together, connecting existing knowledge and experience with research evidence to create new ideas for how to improve their practice. TheActivatecards are designed to facilitate learning conversations and associated actions, to helpteachers, leaders and pupils become more confident, proactive, self-regulated learners. The cards are grouped into two sets Researchcards andProfessional Learning and Leadership Learningcards. TheResearchcards cover the key concepts and characteristics of self-regulated learning, offering a range of tried and tested techniques and strategies that teachers can put into practice in their own context. TheProfessional Learning and Leadership Learningcards and associatedScenariocards contain stimulating activities designed to help teachers and leaders promote and model self-regulated learning. The resource has been developed by specialists at the UCL Centre for Educational Leadership, in conjunction with colleagues from the global Cognita schools system.

""All who are interested and concerned about educational reform and the improvement of schools will find this book a must read. It stimulates, it challenges, and it informs, such that the reader is most surely enriched by its plenitude."
Dr Shirley Hord, Scholar Emerita

"At last we have a book of international cases to add to the literature on networks Policymakers and practitioners alike will find the reasons why networks are fast becoming the reform organizations of choice. The book elevates network understanding to a new level."
Ann Lieberman, Senior Scholar at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching"

What is a professional learning community? What are the key challenges facing these communities and how might they be resolved? Is it time to extend our thinking about professional learning communities? There is great interest internationally in the potential of professional learning communities for enhancing educational reform efforts and sustaining improvement. This international collection expands perceptions and understanding of professional learning communities, as well as highlighting frequently neglected complexities and challenges.

Drawing on research, each chapter offers a deeper understanding of topics such as distributed leadership, dialogue, organisational memory, trust, self-assessment and inquiry, and purpose linked to learning. The last section of the book focuses upon three of the most challenging dilemmas that face developing professional learning communities - developing professional learning communities in secondary school, building social capital, and sustaining professional learning communities. The authors provide pointers on why these challenges exist, offering rays of hope for ways forward.

"Professional Learning Communities" is key international reading for education professionals, school practitioners, policymakers, academics and research students. It is a must-read for anyone interested in building capacity for sustainable learning and the ability to harness your community as a resource for change.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1988.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1988.