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Ethical Leadership in practice: another two years on

The last week of January has become a bit of an anniversary for ethical leadership in education: In January 2019, ASCL’s Commission on Ethical Leadership in Education published the Framework on Ethical Leadership in Education welcomed across the sector. The Framework built on the seven Nolan Principles of Public Life, adding seven virtues. 

Blog
27/01/2023
people raising their hands in a meeting room

The last week of January has become a bit of an anniversary for ethical leadership in education:

In January 2019, ASCL’s Commission on Ethical Leadership in Education published the Framework on Ethical Leadership in Education welcomed across the sector. The Framework built on the seven Nolan Principles of Public Life, adding seven virtues. 

Framework for Ethical Leadership in Education

In 2020, a very well attended Ethical Leadership Summit dug further into what this meant in practice.

In 2021, NGA reported on the work of the pathfinders and how schools and trusts adopted and embedded the framework into their decision making, shaping their culture and working practices.

This week (23 Jan) the Committee on Standards in Public Life has published a report sharing examples and case studies gathered from public, private and charity sector organisations on maintaining ethical practices. The first of those case studies is the Framework for Ethical Leadership in Education including one of the pathfinders’ stories: the work of the Karen Cornell and colleagues in Warwickshire to ensure places for all challenging pupils and avoid permanent exclusions in the county.

In a letter to public service leaders, the committee’s chair Lord Evans says:“Doing things in the right way and in the public interest is critical for public confidence in the bodies that operate on the public’s behalf. A robust ethical culture also supports effective risk management - if people see thinking about ethical issues as part of their job and feel safe to speak up, this can highlight potential areas of concern before they escalate. A values-driven culture is also good for morale and can help to attract and retain the highest calibre staff”.

I will be coming back to that issue of speaking up in another blog, and in the meantime there is much to reflect on. Pleasingly the committee’s report emphasises many of the same issues as our pathfinder’s report, and of course it includes a section on governance. The committee’s aim is that their report will stimulate discussion, and I echo that: can you do more to support your people to think about the Principles of Public Life and the virtues in the framework and integrate them into all aspects of how your school/trust operates? 

The committee’s questions for governing boards: 

  1. Is your board clear on their role in relation to the ethical culture of the organisation? 
  2. Does your risk assessment process identify and monitor the key ethical risks for your organisation? 
  3. Does your board have access to the range of data needed to assess and monitor the ethical health of your organisation and to identify potential areas of concern?
  4. How do you ensure that your organisation takes necessary action where the data suggests that changes are needed? 
  5. When things have gone wrong in your organisation, could the signs have been spotted and addressed earlier? 
     

ASCL’s Commission’s work was initiated before 2019 in the midst of a number of ethical scandals, including that of off-rolling pupils. The challenges will change, but this week’s report is a welcome reminder that ethical leadership is not something we pick when we face a dilemma and put down when there is so much else to be getting on with, but a constant part of the way we should do things. I am pleased to be involved in on-going conversations at two upcoming events on the issue, the first hosted by the Chartered College and the second by ASCL at their Annual Conference.

NGA has ethical governance as one of the three pillars of good governance. NGA has resources on ethical leadership including an ethical audit tool commended by the pathfinder. Listen to the podcast referenced in the Committee’s report.

Lord Evans of Weardale, Chair, Committee on Standards in Public Life in his foreword to the Leading in Practice report:

"Senior leaders must ensure that values are understood and embedded into all aspects of how their organisations operate – from the way leaders communicate with employees, to the priority given to developing good decision-making, to the approach taken to recruitment and performance management. While the tone from the top is critical, leadership matters throughout an organisation. Leaders at all levels have a fundamental role in exemplifying and helping their teams live up to the Principles in their day-to-day behaviours. From the evidence we have heard, it is clear that there is no single right way to embed an ethical culture in organisations, but a range of possible approaches and measures….. We certainly do not have all the answers but we are clear that building an ethical culture does not happen by accident. We want to challenge leaders in the public sector to reflect on their own leadership and consider whether there is more they can do to support the ethical buoyancy of their organisations."

Emma Knights OBE
Emma Knights OBE

Former Chief Executive

After 14 years with NGA, Emma has departed from her role as Chief Executive. During her tenure, Emma was a strong advocate for the school governance community, engaging with legislators, policymakers, education sector organisations, and the media on a national level.