CSSC leading the way in providing opportunities for controlled schools to learn from international best practice to achieve education excellence

CSSC in partnership with the Confucius Institute NI Ulster University recently led an inspirational study visit to Shanghai, a city recognised globally for its exceptional student performance, to observe and learn from their highly effective education system. As part of our CSSC Building Capacity programme, aimed at driving improvement in #ControlledSchools, our officers and school leaders immersed themselves in Shanghai's innovative teaching practices.

We visited six schools and two teacher education institutes, engaging with students, teachers, researchers, professors and senior leaders. This experience was truly enlightening! Some highlights included: a strong emphasis on school ethos, values, vision and mission, a culture of lifelong learning, deep collaboration between schools and universities, innovative use of technology, including robotics, AI for formative assessment and recording of lessons for research purposes, responsive planning based on real-time observations of student learning, teacher research groups ("Jiaoyanzu") led by Master teachers, showcasing powerful collaborative, practice-based professional learning, meaningful parent and alumni involvement and delicious and healthy school meals!

This visit reinforced what educational research tells us: great teaching is key! 

Shanghai's success is rooted in valuing, preparing and supporting teachers. Their professional development fosters collaboration focuses on improving instruction and encourages teachers to use research to evaluate and modify their practice and enhance student outcomes. This aligns perfectly with our Building Capacity programme, which focuses on: the importance of ethos in leading change, evidence-informed practice, evaluating and improving classroom practice, supporting teachers to embed evidence-informed practices, international models of school improvement and sustained professional development, including coaching and mentoring.

As TransformED NI emphasises, 'The quality of teaching is the single most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for pupils.' We believe that by learning from high-performing systems like Shanghai and by fostering a strong culture of continuous professional development supported by high quality, evidence-informed professional learning opportunities, we can empower our teachers and raise standards.

This study visit, following successful visits to Finland, Estonia, and Croatia, is a testament to CSSC’s commitment to providing #ControlledSchools with the knowledge and tools to drive lasting improvement and ultimately, to provide the best possible learning experience for every student.

27 March 2025