School Turnaround in 10 Schools in Germany: Successful Factors and Obstacles to School Development

• In Event: School Turnaround: Multiple Policy Perspectives

Abstract

This paper explores school development processes in ten schools in difficult circumstances in Berlin, Germany. All the schools take part in a school turnaround project initiated as a public-private partnership between the school authority and a well-established private foundation. The analysis is based on interviews and survey data from teachers, school leaders and support staff as well as interviews with further key actors in the city. Findings show that well-functioning school leadership is a key for improvement in those schools while problems among staff and strong unwillingness to change may hinder development. The paper also provides examples of limitations of school turnaround models from England and the US implemented – even in an adapted way – in a German education context.

Authors

• Stephan Gerhard Huber, University of Teacher Education Zug

• Guri Skedsmo, University of Oslo

• Kristin Thorshaug, University of Teacher Education Zug