To achieve this, education systems need to become more flexible and dynamic, supporting innovative approaches to learning and teaching that will enable schools and their systems to keep pace with the rapid societal and economic changes ‒ and make high-quality education a reality for all.

Many schools across Europe are breaking free from traditional views of schooling, challenging conventional boundaries in terms of time and space, as well as teaching and learning processes. The diversity of their innovative approaches demonstrates the numerous ways in which education can transform not only what but also how children learn.

The Study on supporting school innovation across Europe offers a comprehensive review of existing research and school innovation policies across the 28 EU Member States. The study includes 12 in-depth case studies of 24 successful schools from disadvantaged regions across the EU.

Main findings

What drives innovation in schools?

The study reveals that innovative schools develop school cultures with the following key characteristics:

• Supportive and distributed school leadership that ensures a working environment of trust, and opportunities for professional development, collaborative research and peer-learning practices
• The preparedness, commitment and professionalism of teachers, and support for their engagement in collaboration, reflective and professional learning practices
• A shared vision for school development, accompanied by detailed internal strategies and action plans
• Engaged students as active participants in the process of change
• Openness towards their local communities and wider partnerships

Supporting sustainable innovation across education systems

For schools to develop these characteristics, the whole education system must innovate. This requires:

• A coherent policy framework covering key areas such as curriculum, school autonomy and accountability measures, teacher and school leader professional development systems and funding policies, supported by a long-term vision to embed innovation into school education and ensure system-wide transformation
• Policies co-constructed with key stakeholders who are directly affected by these new developments
• Coherence and clarity as to the way in which different initiatives and policies relate to each other and contribute to the realisation of a common vision for school innovation
• Policy strategies that are underpinned by supportive initiatives and concrete measures consistent with the overall policy framework and vision, and which help to develop the capacity of schools to manage and sustain change

Evidence demonstrates that schools are more likely to develop a culture of innovation when they:

• Possess sufficient autonomy over curriculum, teaching methods, staff management and financial resources
• Are horizontally accountable
• Have the capacity and opportunities to engage in partnerships and networks
• Are supported by relevant professional development systems for teachers and school leaders

Countries that succeed in transforming their education systems are those in which sustainable investment is ensured in the key areas covered by educational reforms. These countries also strengthen their evaluation framework, promoting a culture of self-evaluation and developing the capacity of education stakeholders to use and interpret monitoring data.