Evaluation of the High Potential Middle Leaders programme

High Potential Middle Leaders (HPML) is a programme that aims to help schools develop and retain high-potential staff. The programme is targeted at middle leaders working in schools in challenging contexts, thereby seeking to improve pupil outcomes and close achievement gaps for disadvantaged children. The programme involves a blend of intensive coaching, face-to-face training and online learning over one or two years. Participants also undertake an impact initiative project, where they set and track progress towards improved pupil attainment in a particular area.

Ipsos partnered with FFT Education Datalab to conduct research on the HPML programme.

Primary HPML

Participants of the programme and their corresponding headteachers were interviewed to explore perceptions of the programme and its impact. Findings from interviews highlighted that it was too soon to tell whether the programme had had an impact on pupil attainment, although a small number of respondents did report an improvement in pupil attainment attributable to their impact initiative project. However, respondents felt that the programme had a positive impact on their professional development: it helped them to improve their leadership style, taught them how to motivate other teachers and manage ‘difficult’ colleagues, and encouraged them to think strategically beyond the classroom about the management of their school.

Secondary HPML

A number of research activities were conducted, highlighting the main impacts of the programme:

• Pupil attainment: Participation in the programme was associated with a small increase (one twelfth of a grade) in pupil attainment two years after the programme.
• Teacher retention: Participation in the programme was associated with a small increase in the chance of a teacher still working in a state-funded school in England a year after the programme. However, there was no increase in teacher retention in the original school where a teacher had completed the programme.
• Career progression: Participation on the programme was associated with higher pay increases, and over three-fifths of respondents had been promoted since completing the programme.
• Perceptions of impact: Many respondents reported that the programme had a positive impact on their wellbeing and teaching time, likely due to improved time-management skills. Although many found the programme to negatively impact on their personal time, they felt this was outweighed by the benefits of the programme.

This insight may contribute to the continued improvement of the programme, as well as add to the wider evidence base around effective leadership development.

Technical Note

Primary HPML report

• This report is based on 42 in-depth telephone interviews with programme participants and their corresponding headteachers between 15 November and 9 December 2016.

Secondary HPML report

• The findings are based on a combination of research activities including: an analysis of HPML programme participants using Ambition management information, School Workforce Census (SWC) and National Pupil Database (NPD) datasets; analysis of participant feedback data provided by Ambition; an impact evaluation using SWC and NPD datasets; and an online survey (566) and telephone depth interviews (9 interviews with participants, and 8 interviews with headteachers/senior school staff).
• Fieldwork was conducted between 5th and 31st January 2017.