SLT secondment

It has been a very busy term for me and I'm now just starting to relax and reflect on it all. This academic year I have been on SLT secondment which has been brilliant but very exhausting. This opportunity came about when all middle leaders were asked on their staff intentions forms if they were interested in working within SLT for a term on a specific whole school project. The focus of each project had been identified by SLT as an area of priority for development. These included:

• FSM - Closing the attainment gap
• EAL - Improving standards of achievement
• Developing independent learning
• Raising Standards with LAPS & MAPS at Post-16

I was asked to inidicate my first and second preference, however if I had other suggestions for a specific area of focus then SLT would be very happy to hear that. These projets at the time didn't really float my boat, I wanted to further develop the work I had had been leading on in PE. As a department, we had been focusing on developing students ability to give effective feedback by using Ron Berger's critique strategy.

SLT agreed with my whole school project and I presented this to them before we broke up for the summer holidays. It was well received and, I think, they especially enjoyed the Alan Partridge breakfast YouTube clip!!

Throughout my secondment I attended every SLT meeting on a Tuesday after school. Occassionaly, there were other meetings that took place before, such as a year group review meeting so I had to attend both which meant I didn't get home till 7pm sometimes. During these SLT meetings I was involved in everything from T&L strategies, staffing issues, behaviour, KS3 & 4 curriculums, Post 16 curriculums, school trip policy, school website issues, VLE, arrangements for parent evenings, year 11 study leave arrangements and much much more.

My secondment came to end at Christmas with me presenting my project to staff and SLT at an whole school staff meeting. I had already done a dummy run presentation two weeks earlier to the Post 16 forum but I felt I needed to show how the project had impacted on students more. Click here for my presentation.

Feedback from staff was very positive, with some telling me how they had used the critiquing strategy in their lessons. Other middle leaders have also expressed to me that the school needs to further explore feedback and marking. This is something I am defiantly interested in leading or being part of a working party.

As well as being on secondment, I have also been striving to further develop my teaching and I was lucky enough to go to Southampton for #TLT13 organised by David Fawcett and Jenny Ludgate. It was a fantastic day and I met lots of fellow teachers who are wanting to improve their teaching and students learning.

Twitter has been a revelation to my teaching and my leadership especially following @sltchat very Sunday evening. There are some really exceptional and inspiring teachers on twitter and it's been fantastic following them, chatting about their work and thoughts. #TLT13 allowed me to meet some of those people and get a better insight into them as a person. People are supportive and will question your views but also they give you confidence to believe in what your doing and support you in your quest to succeed.

It has been a busy start to the academic year and I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience and would suggest to any middle leaders who are thinking about the next steps in their career to give an SLT secondment at their school a go. You'll definitely see your SLT in a different light and you never know you will be there one day.