My Professional Context

As a principal I find myself professional context broken into many parts that form my day to day operations. 

Situated Context

Linwood Avenue School is a urban, decile 2 school with a current roll of 365 students. 

Being a low decile school can be challenging to show best practice to those who have a stigma about the decile system representing quality of education and this can provide a perceived view of low decile schools which is not reality. “School decile is often used in a day-to-day discourse as an indicator of school quality, and once again conflates social and academic characteristics”(Gordon 2015, p.10). 

The school roll is ethnically diverse. An area that we see as an opportunity to embrace and celebrate. 

The school has seven junior classrooms (Y0-2), four middle classrooms (Y3-4), and two senior Innovative Learning Environments. 

We currently have currently have a good mix of beginning and experienced teachers but as a principal, it has proven increasingly difficult to entice experienced teachers to the area with the last advertised position seeing only provisionally certified teachers apply. 

Professional Context

In New Zealand we are fortunate to have one of the most outstanding public education systems in the world. In recent OECD reports our teachers were ranked in the top 4 countries in the world for professionalism. The main reason for this was the professionalism in lower decile schools was just as high as in high decile schools. This attitude to professionalism is evident within Linwood Avenue School with many teachers willing to go beyond their job description to develop better relationships with students, peers, parents and the community. Sarra (2016) best describes the importance of developing ‘high expectations relationships’ where the teachers must understand that their own beliefs and assumptions can positively or negatively effect the interactions we have with others. This can prove challenging as every individual has had opportunities, challenges, personal experiences that have shaped their view of the world as an individual. 

Duignan (2006) suggests that “authentic educational leaders are capable of good judgement and possess a wisdom derived from deep critical reflection on life and work experience” and in turn this shows the critical need for the development of leadership capabilities within the sector.  The importance of understanding Linwood as a community is vitally important for a person as I who is new to the community. Linwood was badly effected by the Christchurch earthquakes and although the dust has settled, many are still effected 6 years on and as a school this is vital we understand this. 

At Linwood Avenue School we are very fortunate to have a supportive and well-established Board of Trustees who are clear around the difference between governance and management. This current model of governance is a direct result of the ‘Tomorrow’s Schools’ reforms legislated in the Education Act (1989). As with any other Board of Trustees at any other school in the country they are required to ask the same questions around student achievement that remains the core business of Linwood Avenue School. 

Reference List

Duignan, P. (2009). Educational Leadership: Key Challenges and Ethical Tensions. Curriculum and Leadership Journal, 7(17), Retrieved from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/educational_leadership_key_challenges_and_ethical,27807.html?issueID=11776

Gordon, L. (2015). ‘Rich’ and ‘Poor’ Schools Revisited. New Zealand Association for Research in Education 2015.

Sarra, C. (2014). Stronger Smarter Institute: Position Paper. High-Expectations Relationships: A Foundation for Quality Learning Environments in all Australian Schools.