50 schools commit to improving the wellbeing and learning of their pupils with the support of EduCaixa

The impact of the pandemic on the emotional health of students requires empowered management teams that are prepared for complex situations, according to numerous studies carried out by the OECD, among others. These studies reveal that schools with conscious and competent leadership manage to improve the academic performance, climate and coexistence of the centre.

EduCaixa believes that this type of leadership is now more necessary than ever, given the increase in emotional and behavioural problems that children and adolescents are experiencing as a result of the pandemic context. The complex situations that this may entail at the start of the new academic year require empowered, motivated and prepared teaching and management teams to attend to, accompany and empower pupils in their personal and educational processes.

With this vision and mission, the second edition of the Leadership for Learning Programme that EduCaixa is carrying out with the help of a team of experts and academics from across Spain and in collaboration with the Institute of Education (IOE) at University College London (UCL) is getting underway.

This is a pioneering programme in Spain in the promotion of educational transformation based on the promotion of a new culture of leadership in educational centres. This is based on extending leadership beyond management, encompassing the teaching team, the classroom and the school, thus promoting quality improvement in student learning and in the system as a whole.

The programme is implemented through an annual training programme that aims to train, enhance, strengthen and transform the role of management teams. Two leading representatives from the same school - principals or teachers who are part of the management team - are invited to participate. The training combines three work modalities: 54 hours of classroom training, 18 hours of work in territorial learning groups and 42 hours of design of leadership for change projects that are developed, implemented and evaluated throughout the training.

In this edition, the programme has received projects from 123 schools from all the autonomous communities of Spain. In total, 50 pairs of teacher leaders from 50 schools were selected.

By means of an evaluation proposed by the scientific management of the programme, the participants in the first edition of the programme expressed their experiences and perceptions of their own evolution and that of their schools. In terms of percentages, 96.55% of the leaders perceived changes in their schools, and the same proportion revealed that they perceived changes in the teaching staff. With regard to changes in the pupils, 82.76% of the participants recognised them.

EduCaixa encompasses the entire educational offer of the "la Caixa" Foundation and promotes and drives educational transformation in order to respond to the needs of 21st century society.

The EduCaixa portal is aimed at pupils and teachers of infant, primary, secondary, baccalaureate and intermediate-level training courses. Its main objectives are: to promote the development of student competencies through educational programmes, resources and activities, the professional development of teachers through training programmes such as Leadership for Learning and the promotion of the transformation of education based on the use of evidence.