School leadership and ECM

The National College for School Laadership commissioned NFER to research the links between school leadership and Every Child Matters (ECM). Their report has 6 key messages:

1. Effective school leaders are able to fully convince the staff in their school that a focus on ECM can raise standards and that ECM complements, rather than conflicts with, the standards agenda.
2. ECM cannot be achieved by a single school leader: effective school leaders share leadership responsibilities widely amongst the professionals working within the school
3. ECM outcomes cannot be achieved by the school alone: effective school leaders adopt a collaborative approach with other schools, agencies and services
4. ECM has widened school leaders’ role and led to an emerging model involving
leadership beyond their own institution, within the wider community
5. Effective school leaders believe in genuine student, parent, and community
consultation in order to develop locally responsive solutions to ECM
6. To implement ECM effectively, school leaders will require new skills: effective school leaders engage in ongoing professional development and promote a whole-school learning culture.