Learning rounds

The Learning Rounds initiative is led jointly by SCSSA and the National CPD Team in association with the Scottish Government Schools Directorate.

The focus is on four key areas :

• system-wide improvement at directorate level
• improving school effectiveness in learning and teaching
• school-wide improvement, supported at authority level
• aspiring headteachers.

The premise underpinning the model is the enhanced system-wide change which can be achieved by group observation of practice. The emphasis in all the areas of activity is on an evidence-based process. The colleagues who are involved are all volunteers and the theme is identified by the individual school. The source may be a self-evaluation exercise or an HMIE report. The visiting observers are also volunteers drawn from authority or neighbouring colleagues. Each school visit is supported by SCSSA and the National CPD Team.

The team’s evidence, gathered during a morning of observation across a range of classes, is shared with the key stakeholders. The ensuing discussion informs the next steps, which are determined by the host school and shared with the visiting team on a future visit. In addition, there may be outcomes which are applicable on an authority-wide basis.

The focus of Learning Rounds chimes very well with the aspirations of Curriculum of Excellence as it seeks to develop teacher and authority capacity to effect change which is robust and sustainable (within a distributed leadership model).

The approach is modelled on the pioneering work of Professor Richard Elmore of the University of Harvard.