Leadership in improving schools: a qualitative perspective

Abstract

This article reports early case-study data gathered from 20 schools involved in the ‘Impact of School Leadership on Pupil Outcomes’ project. We present and discuss the perceptions of headteachers and other school leaders regarding leadership factors that directly and indirectly affect pupil outcomes in these improving schools. Included are issues relating to the pivotal role played by the headteacher in setting and communicating a strategic vision for the school; models of distributed leadership; and the building of leadership capacity so as to build a collective responsibility for the improvement of pupil outcomes.

Notes

1. Key staff include deputy headteachers, assistant headteachers, heads of department and key stage coordinators.

2. Colleagues include teaching and non-teaching staff.

3. A total of 390 interviews were conducted during the first year of school-based visits. However, the majority of data drawn on in this paper come from the interviews carried out in the autumn term 2006 and spring term 2007.

4. Schools were divided into four FSM categories for the purposes of selection and analysis as follows: 0–8% (FSM1), 9–20% (FSM2), 21–35% (FSM 3), and over 36% (FSM 4.

5. All names of schools are pseudonyms.