How do we do that?

I received this response to a previous post

Steve Philp said...

I'd love to hear more details about how you allocate your resources. I'm deputy at a primary in Birmingham and have led on curriculum change for 3 years, but staff don't have complete freedom in resource use - so how do you do that?

November 22, 2010 2:24 PM

We have tried to balance staff freedom with accountability.

We constantly repeat: "If we keep doing the same then we will only get the same, or worse, results"

This is one way we have encouraged staff freedom to innovate...

Each term we have a Standards Meeting; each year group present for around 7 minutes on how well (or otherwise) their year group are doing to the rest of the staff. Each year group make notes (for subject leaders this is their curriculum monitoring) and importantly highlight opportunities they think a given year group could take to develop their work.

As the staff share their strengths we all develop our practice- good ideas spread quickly- and, whilst its hard to believe staff share resources as well; last year Y6 gained use of a teaching assisstant in the Spring Term. This was offered by a different year  group and accepted. ICT and curriculum resources move quickly as well.

Each year group has a budget- this year just short of £2k. School provides some essential or day to day resources but the rest is used where staff prioritise.

Got an issue with boys writing? Spend more on nice pens, or post its, or e-books, or a visiting author.

Spend it where you see fit by all means; but staff know that the accountability for its wise deployment rests with them!