A presentation given to Headteachers at the Independent Schools Association Annual Conference in Eastbourne on Friday 17th May 2013 by Mark S. Steed, Principal of the Berkhamsted Schools Group, Herts, UK

1. Leading Change
with Parents
ISA Annual Conference
Eastbourne
Friday 17th May 2013
Mark S. Steed, MA (Cantab.), MA
Principal, Berkhamsted Schools Group

6. Leading Change: Case Study

7. Leading Change: Case Study
BSG
Five Schools
Charity
150 Teachers
250 Support Staff
1650 pupils
£22.5m TO p.a.

8. Haresfoot
Co-Ed Prep 3-11
Proprietorial
15 Teachers
20 Support Staff
150 pupils
£1.5m TO p.a.

9. Leading Change: Case Study
Haresfoot
Co-Ed Prep 3-11
Proprietorial
15 Teachers
20 Support Staff
150 pupils
£1.5m TO p.a.
BSG
Five Schools
Charity
150 Teachers
250 Support Staff
1650 pupils
£22.5m TO p.a.

10. Restructure
Berkhamsted School purchased Haresfoot School
and its Day Nursery in June 2012.
We have been restructuring Haresfoot and Berkhamsted Prep:
• The Haresfoot site will be the home of
Berkhamsted Pre-Prep
(Early Years and Key stage One; pupils aged 3-7)
• Key Stage Two pupils will move to Berkhamsted Prep
• Kings Road site will remain the home of
Berkhamsted Prep
(Key Stage Two pupils aged 7-11)
• Key Stage One pupils will move to Berkhamsted Pre-Prep

14. The Psychology of Change

16. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
How will
change
affect me?

17. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
How will
change
affect me?

18. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will the times
of the start and
end of day
change?
Parents

19. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will the times
of the start and
end of day
change?
Will the drop-
off and pick-up
arrangements
change?
Parents

20. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will wrap-
around care
arrangements
change?
Will the drop-
off and pick-up
arrangements
change?
Parents

21. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will wrap-
around care
arrangements
change?
Will there be
sufficient car
parking?
Parents

22. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
How will
change
affect me?
Parents

23. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will there still
be Bucks 11+
Preparation?
Parents

24. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will it mean that I
have to pay senior
independent
school fees?
Parents

25. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
How will
change
affect me?
Parents

26. Leading Change with Parents
Self-Interest determines the Issues
Logistics
• Will the times of the start
and end of day change?
• Will the drop-off and pick-
up arrangements change?
• Will wrap-around care
arrangements change?
• Will there be sufficient car
parking?
• Will we have to buy a new
school uniform/ sports kit?
Cost and Value
• Will the School fees go up?
• What will it cost to buy a new
uniform/ sports kit?
How will
change
affect me?

27. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will I still have
a job?
Staff

28. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will I still have
a job?
Will I be
working on a
different site?
Staff

29. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will I be
working on a
different site?
Will I be
teaching a
different year
group?

30. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will I be
teaching a
different year
group?
Who will get
the Coffee
Machine?
Staff

31. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
How will
change
affect me?
Staff

32. Leading Change with Parents
Self-Interest determines the Issues
Fundamentals
• Will I have a job?
• Will I have the same hours?
Logistics
• Will I be teaching on a
different site?
• Will I be teaching a different
year group?
• Will there be car-parking?
• Will I have to move between
sites?
How will
change
affect me?

33. Leading Change
Lesson One
LIE

34. Leading Change
Lesson One
LISTEN
to parents and staff.
INVOLVE
parents and staff in planning, where possible.
EMPATHISE
Put yourself in the mind of the parent/ staff
member and try to see the change from their
perspective.

36. The Psychology of Change
Loss Aversion
Loss aversion refers to people's tendency to
strongly prefer avoiding losses to acquiring
gains.
Some studies suggest that losses are twice as
powerful, psychologically, as gains.

37. Leading Change with Parents
Loss Aversion – Case Study
Gains of the Reorganisation
• Smaller Class Sizes
 18 (down from 22)
• New Subjects on Curriculum
 Spanish
 Food Technology
• More Specialist Teaching
 PE Specialist, Drama, History,
Art, Spanish
• More Time
 Design Technology and
Games

38. Leading Change with Parents
Loss Aversion – Case Study
Gains of the Reorganisation
• Smaller Class Sizes
 18 (down from 22)
• New Subjects on Curriculum
 Spanish
 Food Technology
• More Specialist Teaching
 PE
Specialist, Drama, History, Art
, Spanish
• More Time
 Design Technology and
Games
Perceived Losses
• Larger Year Group
 Move from 66 pupils in
3-forms to
90 pupils in 5-forms.
• Small, caring environment.

39. The Psychology of Change
Loss Aversion
The Amygdala is the
brain’s early warning
system.
One of its key functions is
find anything in the
environment which will
threaten survival.
“If it bleeds, it leads.” Amygdala

40. Leading Change
Lesson Two
Do all you can to communicate the
positive gains from the change.
Don’t underestimate how much time and
effort you will need to put into addressing
concerns about perceived losses.

42. The Psychology of Change
Perceptions of Fairness

43. The Psychology of Change
Perceptions of Fairness

44. Leading Change
Perceptions of Fairness
Wrap-around Care at KS1
• Haresfoot has had wrap-
around care at KS1 for ten
years.
– Parents had signed up to it
and expected it to continue.
• Berkhamsted Prep has no
history of wrap-around care
at KS1.
– Parents had signed up to a
school with no provision of
wrap-around care.

45. Leading Change
Perceptions of Fairness
Wrap-around Care at KS1
• Haresfoot has had wrap-
around care at KS1 for ten
years.
– Parents had signed up to it
and expected it to continue.
• Berkhamsted Prep has no
history of wrap-around care
at KS1.
– Parents had signed up to a
school with no provision of
wrap-around care.
Fee Levels
• Berkhamsted Governors as
part of the merger deal
promised to honour
Haresfoot fee levels until Sept
2015 for Haresfoot pupils
moving to Berkhamsted Prep.

46. Leading Change
Perceptions of Fairness
Wrap-around Care at KS1
• Haresfoot has had wrap-
around care at KS1 for ten
years.
– Parents had signed up to it
and expected it to continue.
• Berkhamsted Prep has no
history of wrap-around care
at KS1.
– Parents had signed up to a
school with no provision of
wrap-around care.
Fee Levels
• Berkhamsted Governors as
part of the merger deal
promised to honour
Haresfoot fee levels until Sept
2015 for Haresfoot pupils
moving to Berkhamsted Prep.

47. Leading Change
Lesson Three
It is not always possible to be fair to
everyone when leading change.
Be transparent.
Explain the rationale.
Hold your nerve.

49. The Psychology of Change
Need to feel in control
“This is not what we signed up for.”

50. Leading Change
Need to Feel in Control
Changes for 2011-12
• No changes in staffing.
• No changes in curriculum.
• No changes in logistics/
drop-offs etc.
• NO CHANGE, EXCEPT
• £450,000 Capital
Investment in the site:

51. Leading Change
Need to Feel in Control
Changes for 2011-12
• No changes in staffing.
• No changes in curriculum.
• No changes in logistics/
drop-offs etc.
• NO CHANGE, EXCEPT
• £450,000 Capital
Investment in the site:
Parental Reaction
• 15% of pupils gave notice to
leave at the end of the term.
• Most went to a local rival.
• We didn’t see this coming.

52. Leading Change
Lesson Four
Parents and Staff need to feel that they have
a choice. They don’t like being presented
with a fait accompli.
Some parents will feel the need to take
control of the situation, so they feel that
they have a choice.
Err on the side of overestimating the
number of pupils who will leave because of
change

54. The Psychology of Change
Loss Aversion
Many of the trivial issues which parents
raise, stem from more serious underlying fears.

55. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
The Year Group
size is too big!
Parents

56. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
The Year Group
size is too big!
Will my child
get into the
Senior School?
Parents

57. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will there still
be Bucks 11+
Preparation?
Parents

58. The Psychology of Change
Self-interest determines the Issues
Will there still
be Bucks 11+
Preparation?
How will we
afford to
educate our
child?
Parents

59. The Psychology of Change
Underlying Issues
Will I be
working on a
different site?
Staff

60. The Psychology of Change
Underlying Issues
Will I be
working on a
different site?
Staff
Will I get on
with the new
headteacher?

61. The Psychology of Change
Underlying Issues
Will I have to
teach a
different Year
group?
Staff

62. The Psychology of Change
Underlying Issues
Will I have to
teach a
different Year
group?
Staff
Am I good
enough?

63. The Psychology of Change
Underlying Issues
Who will get
the coffee
machine?
Staff

64. The Psychology of Change
Underlying Issues
Who will get
the coffee
machine?
Staff
Will I still fit
into the staff
room?

65. Leading Change
Lesson Five
Try to spot the underlying fears
and give (re)assurance where you can.
Be as flexible as you can -
but never abandon your core principles.

67. “At every crossway on the road that
leads to the future, each progressive
spirit is opposed by a thousand men
appointed to guard the past.”
Maurice Maeterlinck

68. The Psychology of Change

70. Email: principal@berkhamstedschool.org
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LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/independenthead
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