We are proud that our research was recently published in the renowned journal International Education Studies. This article is based on that research, and we’re excited to share how your school can benefit from our findings.
More and more schools aim to improve their internal organization and achieve truly high performance for their students. But how can you accomplish this goal? Our recent research shows that a clear approach, combined with transparent communication and active employee engagement, is key to successfully transforming into a high performing school (HPS). But first, let’s explore what exactly makes a school high performing.
What makes a school truly high performing?
High performing schools distinguish themselves by optimizing both academic and social development for their students. These schools set clear goals, foster a professional culture, and provide opportunities for staff personal growth. Yet, what we see is that it’s not just about achieving results; equally important is how schools reach these results—through collaboration, trust, and continuous improvement.
Case study: The journey of Mgr. Hanssen
Mgr. Hanssen is a school providing special education for children with language and hearing impairments and aimed to further enhance its quality. Despite previous successes, such as achieving ISO-9001 certification and receiving a positive assessment from the Education Inspectorate, the school leadership wanted to invest in sustainable improvement. What’s valuable and exciting to see is that they chose the HPO framework, developed by André de Waal, because this model clearly illustrates how schools can systematically reach higher levels of performance.
The HPO framework: clear and practical for school leaders
The High Performance Organization (HPO) framework helps school leaders and their teams systematically work towards better results. The five factors in this framework are directly applicable to schools and offer practical tools for working together on improvements:
- Continuous improvement and renewal: Always critically examine what can be improved, streamline processes, and encourage innovation.
- Open and action-oriented culture: Foster a culture where mistakes are viewed as learning experiences, and staff are encouraged to actively propose and experiment with new ideas.
- Strong leadership: Provide clarity and build trust among staff through reliable leadership, clear expectations, and open communication.
- Investing in staff: Pay attention to staff development so they can optimally contribute to the school’s success.
- Long-term focus: Work collaboratively on sustainable growth and prevent short-term gains from compromising future opportunities.
Ultimately, these elements combine to create better education and a more pleasant learning environment for students, parents, and staff alike.
Three key improvement areas for every school
Through extensive surveys and interviews with staff at Mgr. Hanssen, three main themes emerged that proved essential for further development. These themes offer valuable insights for any school striving for high performance.
Theme 1: Freedom within connection
Mgr. Hanssen uses the Rhineland management model, providing staff with significant autonomy. However, occasional uncertainty arose regarding responsibilities. Clear communication and precise delineation of roles proved crucial. School directors noted that staff particularly needed clarity on the boundaries of their own and their colleagues’ responsibilities.
Lesson: Provide staff with both trust and clarity to ensure that autonomy doesn’t lead to confusion.
Theme 2: Quality of the PDCA cycle
Although the PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) was central to their processes, staff felt it wasn’t always effectively applied. Improvements weren’t consistently implemented or followed up adequately, and there was a need for clearer translation of the school vision into practical actions.
Lesson: Ensure quality improvements are not only conceived but are clearly monitored and evaluated.
Theme 3: Enhancing professionalism
Despite initiatives such as mandatory training and development discussions, staff noted that decisions regarding professional development opportunities were sometimes too slow. There was also a need for quicker feedback and better follow-up on training requests.
Lesson: Establish a transparent structure that swiftly and effectively addresses staff development needs.
How did staff respond?
The insights from the HPO assessment were positively received by staff at Mgr. Hanssen. Staff particularly appreciated that their feedback was taken seriously and that concrete improvement actions were initiated. The introduction of internal HPO coaches allowed staff to become active owners of the improvement process, resulting in greater engagement and pride. Interviews clearly indicated that staff felt supported by management, especially when facing personal challenges. One teacher remarked, “I feel supported by management, especially during personal difficulties.” Additionally, a director highlighted that strategic quality measures, such as audits and internal evaluations, significantly increased staff accountability and created a culture where everyone actively participates in their own growth and decision-making.
Practical tips for your school
Ready to improve your school? Here are five practical tips from Mgr. Hanssen’s experiences:
- Ensure a sound financial base to make quality improvements achievable.
- Focus on one improvement area at a time to avoid overwhelm.
- Choose a bottom-up approach that actively engages staff.
- Adapt improvement processes to your school’s existing structure.
- Emphasize that the goal is not perfection, but continuous progress.
Building success together
This case study demonstrates that sustainable improvement is achievable through a clear approach, transparent communication, and giving staff the space to actively contribute to growth. Your school can also benefit from these insights and progressively develop into a high performing school.
Interested in reading the full research article? Continue reading here: