“Exceptionally useful as a School Improvement Programme – perfect in fact! It enables you to prepare systems and procedures to support visioning and decision-making, keeping your agreed principles at the heart of the agenda. Sycol methodology enhances and enriches existing processes – it just makes us more focused and more homogenous in solution finding. It has helped us share workloads and create wider engagement.”
Moira Williams, Headteacher,
Wiliam Stockton Primary School, Ellesmere Port
“The Head teacher has been proactive in setting an agenda for positive change. An improved leadership structure allows energetic and committed senior staff to lead their teams effectively in the drive for school improvement.”
Ofsted Primary Report
“Delivers the development of staff as leaders at all levels and contributes to the whole school improvement in Teaching and Learning.”
Vincent Docherty,
Headteacher, John Paul Academy, Glasgow
“We wanted a programme that would address all aspects of school improvement - leadership and management, teaching and learning, behaviour and attendance, pupil and staff support and provide challenge and stimulus to school personnel at all levels, with the sole aim of school improvement and raising standards. The Sycol Programme offers a comprehensive framework for whole school improvement with consistently high quality training.”
Dr Mohammed Mehmet,
Interim Corporate Director of Lifelong Learning, Welsh LA
“Deele College worked with the Sycol to improve our school. It’s been excellent and implementing improvements has been of great benefit to this school. Clear demonstrations on how to improve our systems were invaluable and we are much better for our work with Sycol.”
P J McGowan,
Principal, Deele College, Co Donegal, Ireland
"The Sycol Education Programme has been instrumental in moving our school forward over the last year. The simplistic approach to place the mission of the school at the heart of everything we do has really allowed us to concentrate on what matters most. As part of this, the framework to include the voice of all stakeholders has been really powerful in ensuring a consistent and effective approach to continuing improvement throughout school. I’m confident with such systems in place we will continue to improve in all areas."
Andy Moor
Headteacher, St Bernard’s RC Primary School
"Following a series of fantastic training events our school has embedded the Sycol Programme and principles into all that we do. As a school improvement package of self review, involving all stakeholders and providing a clear direction for working on our school it is the most effective school improvement process that I have come across in more than 10 years of Headship."
Conrad North
Headteacher, J H Godwin Primary School
"We have found the work we have done with Sycol to be very effective in motivating staff across the school and focusing our school improvement efforts. We have a far clearer, practical view of what we are collectively trying to achieve and how to go about it. As a result there is a daily improvement focus that’s influencing staff and students’ work within their own area of the school and, more importantly, their work within the school as a broader organisation. This has transformed each individual’s view of their part in working on the development of the experience of students and colleagues. We have far more people focusing on school improvement with obvious, positive effects!"
David Forrest
Headteacher, Sudbury Upper School
"The opportunity to be part of the Sycol Proramme has come at the right time for our school and been a tremendous support in helping us improve standards. The atmosphere is now vibrant and happy, I enjoy going to work each day and appreciate every individual’s effort in moving the school forward. Problem solving is now seen as an opportunity to improve and everyone has a shared interest and participates.
The Sycol Programme has given us an opportunity for a fresh start with the whole staff team. We have collaborated to revise our vision and principles and agreed a new school logo. Staff, governors and families have all been involved. We’ve focused on improvement in two areas; Environment, de-cluttering, improving quality of displays with a new consistent approach and policy. Teaching & Learning: improved the teaching of reading and handwriting attainments and procedures for assessment."
Adele Warner
Headteacher, Saltney Ferry Primary School
"We feel now there is a greater ‘team’ ethos in offer to bring about school improvement together with a greater emphasis on improved learning strategies. The impact of the Sycol Programme includes;
- Greater involvement of all staff in the decision making process
- Whole staff attitude has become more positive
- Greater team spirit
- More of a ‘can do’ attitude."
Peter Roach
Headteacher, Ysgol Maesglas
"Collaboration with all members of staff has improved understanding of the school visions, aims and standards. We’re working now as a team and this has improved our planning, teaching and learning as staff have become more focused and gained confidence and self-esteem. Our improved time and system management have impacted on pupil understanding of rules/routines and pupil ‘flow’ within the school environment.
All stakeholders are aware of the programme due to improved signage in all areas. Training with all staff involved has resulted in ‘shared’ ownership, improved sustainability and hopefully the momentum will continue as the mission statement becomes a reality for continuous improvement."
Yvonne Baker
Headteacher, Perth-y-Terfyn Infants School
Welsh version
"Da iawn! Mae’r rhaglen wedi gwneud y staff I sylweddoli eu rhan o fewn yr ysgol gyfan a’u cyfrifoldeb nhw wrth symud yr ysgol ymlaen. Rydym wedi datblygu agweddau penodol yn dilyn y cyrsiau ac yn sicr byddwn yn defnyddion cyfarfodydd staff penodol ar gyfer y rhaglen – rhannu cyfrifoldeb, pennu arweinwyr a chynnwys pawb er mwyn cyflawni prosiectau a gwella’r ysgol."
Marc Jones
Pennaeth, Ysgol Croes Atti
"The Sycol Programme has highlighted the opportunities the school has to improve. It has given the staff time and skills to think of systems that can be put in place to reduce the gap between the new school mission statement and practice. The sharing of good practice between participating schools in our local delivery group has been invaluable because it has made us realize that our goals are the same and are now working towards them in similar ways."
Lynda Walton
Deputy Headteacher, Bryn Gwalia Primary School
"As a result of the Sycol Programme we now work in teams and everyone is empowered and corporate responsibility is accepted by all. The security of the school has improved, communication and mindset of staff. People are inspired and motivated – we’re a good place to work – supportive colleagues working to improve learning opportunities for children."
Sandra McAllister
Headteacher, Bryn Gwalia Primary School
"We have made a cultural shift. We now evaluate systems/procedures in order to support the decision making and system innovation is owned by ‘all’. We are now working ON the school and the school has become a solution finding setting. We employ the audit process from the programme and then schedule the way forward and distributed leadership has become a feature of our school. We have aligned the programme with the new ESTYN Framework for Inspection and matched it with the 5 Innovation Areas within the Sycol Programme."
J. A. Hughes
Deputy Headteacher, Ysgol Gwynedd Primary School
