Operational Excellence Framework for Schools and Trusts: Continuous Improvement

In the concluding part of his blog series, Andrew Blench explores the last of the 10 domains of the 2024 Operational Excellence Framework for Schools and Trusts from ISBL and ASBO. This post focuses on ‘Continuous Improvement’

Good in this area is defined as:

Every member of staff recognises that their job is not just to do their job, but also to improve their job. Everyone understands core concepts like waste and customer value and is able to identify improvement opportunities in their work. Improvement is constant and is “the way we do things around here”. There is a source of coaching and support for staff seeking to drive improvements. Changes are well designed and implemented, considering both the technical and people aspects. Change is appropriately resourced and managed.

They Should Do Something About This…

How often have we said or heard that phrase, usually in an organisational setting or spoken of the organisation. Sometimes it’s said out of frustration at something which is annoying and has perhaps been that way for some time. A process which doesn’t work well, a piece of communication which rarely lands well or targets those intended. Duplication of effort or even pointless effort. Yet who are ‘they’? The people whose names we dare not speak! In a school setting its often said as a jibe at the Senior Leadership Team or Executive Team in a trust.

And yes, ultimate responsibility for improvement and positive change does sit with the executive of any organisation. But the truth of the matter is that we can all do something about it. We are all they!

This is the Way We Do Things Around Here

So, a great statement – but how does that look in practice? Having a formal route to making suggestions for change and improvement. A system which doesn’t dismiss any suggestion, but which considers each suggestion on its own merits. That needs to go further than just having a staff suggestions box in the staff room. It needs to be managed by a nominated person or group of people with the time allocated to research and investigate the suggested improvements.

A place where questioning how things are done is welcomed and not viewed as someone being awkward or objectionable. Beware of the ‘Emperors new clothes’ and being too invested on a personal level in systems. What once worked really well and is your pride and joy may not work as well as it did when first introduced. That is not a reflection upon the designer/implementer but rather a sign that how people operate changes.

Where feedback is given to staff who make suggestions for change. Where this is followed through and makes a difference there needs to be celebration and recognition for the person suggesting the change. It may be appropriate for that recognition to happen in a material way in terms of one-off payments or gifts. Some changes can save schools and trust significant amounts of money.

We Do Change Properly

There is a change process and action plan which is realistic and not overly burdensome for those who implement it. There is nothing worse than a positive change being implemented far too quickly and with no proper thought and communication to key stakeholders. Where that happens regularly, we can get ‘initiative fatigue’. ‘Oh no not another project’ is the cry.

Ideally you would have someone trained in OpEx in your institution taking the lead in these areas and with sufficient time allocated to do so.

To work somewhere where staff can see their suggestions for improvement being carefully considered, implemented and making a difference is highly motivating. In fact, makes a great place to work and has lots of spin offs in terms of staff retention and motivation.

Remember the only place where continuous change doesn’t happen is a graveyard. So, lets embrace it and always look for ways in which we can improve things for our young people and institutions.