HPL Updates

HPL Update

15 November 2023

Baseline Impact Survey - All New Schools Only

Thank you to all those schools participating in the Baseline Impact Survey, at the start of their HPL journey. We had an outstanding set of returns and would like to thank all participants for making this possible. The Survey window is now closed and we await the Dashboard results, anticipated to be published during the first week in December 2023. Please could we ask if you have not already done so, to return your confirmation of contacts who you wish the results to be shared with to Michelle Bradbury.

HPL Online Mobile App!

No need to be walking around with your laptop to participate in Subject Community Forums, to upload Teacher Certification Documents, to read the HPL Update, to download ACP and VAA charts, to access leadership and management articles, and to engage with the HPL Global Community!

Download the HPL Online Mobile App now and access resources on HPL online at any given time!

Creativity in the Languages Classroom 

"Anna Craft (2005) talks about 'little c' creativity. This means that knowledge can be new and 'creative' as long as it is something new created by the individual learner, so learners are demonstrating little c creativity as soon as they start using grammar rules to create new language. We should be teaching for this type of creativity and independence from the very beginning by making our learners as independent as possible. We tend to start with sentence builders, teasing out the grammar they contain, before moving on to give learners the chance to create their own language using these rules with new vocabulary. Does anyone else teach like this? Share your way of teaching in your languages classroom by participating in Deanne Wiseman's discussion.

Have your say now! Don't miss out on this thrilling discussion.

Interested in leading a Science Subject Community on HPL Online?

This is a call out to Science Leads. We are looking for subject community leaders for Science. You would be leading the HPL community discussion about HPL in your subject. Create a lively community and inform others. Those interested to contact Mark Tomlins.

This update's Big Question

In HPLs Pathway Programmes we look to embed the HPL VAA and ACP vocabulary into our classrooms giving our students, teachers and parents a shared language to talk to and about learning. After accreditation we look to address the progression and assessment for the VAAs and ACPs. How do we do this in our schools? How do we do this within subjects? Should this be teacher led assessment or pupil self-evaluation? 

Give your responses in our Subject Community Forums.

Are you available to be a Peer Accreditor? 

The time of year is fast approaching when we put a call out to offer the opportunity for Principals of our World Class Schools within the FGC, to experience the role of Peer Accreditor and support the accreditation of our schools completing the final year of their pathway programmes in 2024. Accrediting schools appreciate the expertise of a principal who has already been through WCSA adoption and understands how to view HPL in action. In previous years, Accreditors have also found this to be an enjoyable and beneficial experience: 

“…Seeing other outstanding schools up close provides the perfect opportunity to view education anew, to refuel with new ideas, to clarify or refresh your vision, ready to lead your school forward through the next round of school development”.

Kendall Peet, Principal, International British School of Bucharest (IBSB)

To be considered for this role, in the first instance, Michelle Bradbury would need your Expression of interest by email, and confirmation from the outset of your availability to attend the compulsory online training courses, as detailed below, hosted by Melanie Saunders, Chief Education Adviser, HPL. 

You should also be aware that you will be required to review portfolio material and carry out an on-site visit which will fall at some time during the Accreditation window of 29th April to 17th June 2024.

Pathway Programmes Linking-Up Meetings

Thank you to all Heads/ Principals and HPL Leads who attended the WCSA and HPSA (Year 1) Linking-Up Meetings and for being so open in your engagement. The turn out was great! For those who could not make it, we are looking forward to seeing you at the next one.

Register and save the dates for upcoming WCSA and HPSA (Year 2) Linking Up Meetings. Don't miss out to mingle with like-minded individuals!

Dates for January 2024:

• 9th January 2024 - 11am (UK Time) - HPSA Year 2 - (Heads/ Principals) - Register here for this meeting
  
• 10th January 2024 - 11am (UK Time) - HPSA Year 2 - (HPL Leads) - Register here for this meeting
• 16th January 2024 - 11am (UK Time) - WCSA Year 2 (Heads/Principals) - Register here for this meeting 
• 17th January 2024 - 11am (UK Time) - WCSA Year 2 - (HPL Leads) - Register here for this meeting
  

Are you interested in being a workshop presenter at the HPL 5th Annual Conference?

We are excited to welcome Expressions of Interest for delivering HPL in Action workshops at the 5th Annual Conference ‘Connecting Vision to the Classroom’ on the 20th and 21st March 2024 at Warwick Conferences. 

We warmly invite colleagues who will be attending the conference, to complete the HPL Conference Guest Workshop Form below. 

Include the following: 

• Name of presenter(s) 
• Name of school 
• Workshop title 
• A short biography 
• Overview of the workshop which is no more than 250 words and clearly outlines how the proposed workshop aligns with the conference theme ‘Connecting Vision to the Classroom’ and the HPL philosophy and framework

Click here for more information.

Teacher Certification Award Scheme 2023 - 2024 

FGC teachers and HPSA middle leaders can now register for the Teacher Certification Award Scheme of: 

• HPL Teacher (FGC only) 
• HPL Expert Teacher (FGC only) 
• HPL Teacher Leader (FGC and HPSA only)  

Registrations: 

• For FGC colleagues, please find the registration form here. The deadline for registrations is Friday, 1st December 2023. 

• For HPSA colleagues, please register candidates for the HPL Teacher Leader Award, by confirming the number and names (in full) of candidates with your Associate by Friday, 1st December 2023.

Last call to register your students for our FGC Magic Encounters Competitions now!

a) Inspirational Development Group - Command Task Competition 

This is a friendly reminder to sign up your students for the Command Task Competition with IDG by Friday, 17th November 2023. The deadline has been extended, thereafter, registration closes.

Please complete the entry form below and send it to Ellie Couchman at IDG as soon as possible at magicencounters@inspirationaldg.com 

After signing up, teachers will be sent the competition requirements, rules, and marking criteria. IDG is looking forward to seeing your students' submissions!

b) The Economist Educational Foundation - Topical Talk Competition 

By now teachers should have downloaded the Special Edition on Politicians: standards of behaviour, and perhaps taught a few of the lessons to help build students' knowledge. 

As a reminder, students' work should be submitted to Stephanie Young at competitions@economist.com by the teacher on or before Monday, 20th November. 

The Economists Foundation had some absolutely fantastic entries from a similar competition with HPL last year which was published on The Economist's Sustainability Project website . This website is visited by millions of people, including global leaders and business people, every day.

HPL 5th Annual Conference 2024 - 20th and 21st March 2024 

Connecting Vision to the Classroom

Join us for two days of inspiring and challenging presentations, dynamic workshops and discussions for school leaders on achieving High Performance and the continuing journey towards everyone becoming a high performer. School leaders interested in strengthening their teaching and learning will leave our annual conference with new and innovative ideas, reflections on their own practices and great memories of coming together with colleagues from across the global community of HPL Schools and beyond.

Our 5th Annual Conference will focus on the critical role HPL plays in connecting the visions of school leaders with the real-world classroom. 

We are delighted to bring the HPL family together again and unite to answer questions including: 

• How do you engage staff with your vision and values? 
• How do you transform culture for the better? 
• How does HPL turn vision into reality in context?

Upcoming FGC Webinar

Explore the Evidence: Student Grouping with Melanie Saunders 

16 November 2023 | 10.30 a.m. (UK time)

During this session colleagues will discuss the paper by Wiliam & Bartolomew (2001). It’s not which school but which set you’re in that matters: the influence of ability-grouping practices on student progress in mathematics. 

Register for this session below. Please note that places are limited for these sessions. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the session.

Please follow the below link to access the suggested reading. It isn't necessary to have read all the materials before attending the session, but it would be helpful if participants had read the discussion paper by Dylan Williams and Hannah Bartholomew and Melanie's blog. The additional papers relate to research on a range of aspects of the setting debate and provide interesting further reading. This is a discussion group which will explore the evidence about student grouping and provide an opportunity to reflect on its implications and exchange views. 

We looked forward to welcoming you to the session on 16 November 2023.

HPL Leadership Seminar with Russel Ellicott 22 November 2023 | 12.00 pm - 13.00 pm (UK time)

This is a chance for HPL leaders to learn, collaborate and debate. The Leadership Seminars will be set up to discuss key issues that are facing HPL schools. These could be sector-specific, generic or focused on a particular region. The Seminar will include expert input from within our community and the chance for Senior Leaders to work together, discuss issues and share good practice.

After registering, you will be sent an email with the agenda and particulars to this seminar. 

HPL Leads Global Forum with Amy Lilley-Stewart

22 November 2023 | 10.30 am - 15.30 pm (UK time)

This is a Global Forum designed for HPL Leads to discuss, share good practice, collaborate and consider how their schools optimise the HPL philosophy and framework. 

The focus for this Global Forum is for HPL Leads to have opportunities to explore: 

•  HPL Continuous School Improvement to support the journey towards reaccreditation. 

HPL in World Class UK Maintained Schools with Russel Ellicott

27 November 2023 | 4.00 p.m. (UK time)

These sector networks provide an annual opportunity for HPL schools to meet other HPL schools and discuss issues that relate specifically to HPL in their sector. These sessions are chaired by HPL with the opportunity for school principals to host a session if desired. 

Huge Congratulations to student, Ahmed Al-Shehri and his team from Misk Schools' for being awarded with the Bronze Medal at the World Robotics Olympiad held in Panama, ranking third in the Future Engineers category among participants from 90 countries. What an outstanding achievement! 

Well done to Hartland International School for being the winner of the Top Schools Award for "School Most Loved by Parents" in the United Arab Emirates 2023-2024. This award is produced in association with EDSTATICA. What a wonderful achievement! Parental involvement has a significant effect on pupil achievement throughout the years of schooling.

Congratulations to Brooke House College for being awarded with the ISA Award for Outstanding Sport (Small School) at the ISA Awards 2023. We are thrilled to see our HPL schools excelling. #EveryoneCan #Hpledu