Search in:

Advanced search

School Leadership & Management

Formerly School Organisation

Volume 41, 2021 - Issue 4-5: Leadership in Multi-School Organisations. Guest Editor: Toby Greany.

Submit an article Journal homepage

4,709

Views

CrossRef citations to date

Altmetric

Regular Issue

System leaders and system leadership: exploring the contemporary evidence base

Alma HarrisSchool of Education, Swansea University, Swansea, UKCorrespondence[email protected]

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5554-3470 View further author information

Michelle JonesSchool of Education, Swansea University, Swansea, UK

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7098-8814 View further author information

Nashwa HashimSchool of Education, Swansea University, Swansea, UKView further author information

Pages 387-408 | Received 19 Jul 2020, Accepted 04 Feb 2021, Published online: 27 May 2021

Cite this article
https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2021.1889492
CrossMark

Full Article
Figures & data
References
Citations
Metrics
Reprints & Permissions

References

Section 1 Refereed Journal Articles

Boylan, M. 2016. “Deepening System Leadership-Teachers Leading from Below.” Educational Management Administration & Leadership 44 (1): 57–72. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143213501314.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Brown, C., and T. Greany. 2018. “The Evidence-Informed School System in England: Where Should School Leaders Be Focusing Their Efforts?” Leadership and Policy in Schools 17 (1): 115–137. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2016.1270330.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Bryant, D. A. 2018. “Conditions That Support Middle Leaders’ Work in Organisational and System Leadership: Hong Kong Case Studies.” School Leadership & Management 39 (5): 415–433. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2018.1489790.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Close, P. 2016. “‘System Leader’ Consultancy Development in English Schools: A Long-Term Agenda for a Democratic Future?” School Leadership & Management 36 (1): 113–132. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2016.1160214.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Cousin, S. 2018. “System Leaders in England: Leaders of a Profession, or Instruments of Government?” Educational Management Administration & Leadership 47 (4): 520–537. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143217751726.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Dimmock, C. 2016. “System Leadership for School Improvement: A Developing Concept and Set of Practices.” Scottish Educational Review 48 (2): 60–79.
Google Scholar
Earley, P. 2016. “Global Trends and Challenges for School Leaders: Keeping the Focus on Learning.” Journal of Educational, Cultural and Psychological Studies 14: 21–33. doi:https://doi.org/10.7358/ecps-2016-014-earl.
Google Scholar
Elwick, A. 2017. “Education Reform in New York City (2002–2013).” Oxford Review of Education 43 (6): 677–694. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2017.1296421.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Gallagher, M. J., J. Malloy, and R. Ryerson. 2016. “Achieving Excellence-Bringing Effective Literacy Pedagogy to Scale in Ontario's Publicly-Funded Education System.” Journal of Educational Change 17 (4): 477–504.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Godfrey, D. 2017. “What is the Proposed Role of Research Evidence in England’s ‘Self-Improving’ School System?” Oxford Review of Education 43 (4): 433–446. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2017.1329718.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Greany, T. 2018. “Innovation is Possible, It’s Just Not Easy: Improvement, Innovation and Legitimacy in England’s Autonomous and Accountable School System.” Educational Management Administration & Leadership 46 (1): 65–85.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Gumus, S., M. S. Bellibas, M. Esen, and E. Gumus. 2018. “A Systematic Review of Studies on Leadership Models in Educational Research from 1980 to 2014.” Educational Management Administration & Leadership 46 (1): 25–48. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143216659296.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Hamilton, G., C. Forde, and M. McMahon. 2018. “Developing a Coherent Strategy to Build Leadership Capacity in Scottish Education.” Management in Education 32 (2): 72–78. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0892020618762715.
Google Scholar
Harris, A., M. Jones, and D. Adams. 2016. “Qualified to Lead? A Comparative, Contextual and Cultural View of Educational Policy Borrowing.” Educational Research 58 (2): 166–178.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Harris, A., M. S. Jones, D. Adams, C. J. Perera, and S. Sharma. 2014. “High-Performing Education Systems in Asia: Leadership Art Meets Implementation Science.” The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher 23 (4): 861–869. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-014-0209-y.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Hopkins, D. 2016. “School and System Reform – An Agenda for Wales.” Cylchgrawn Addysg Cymru/Wales Journal of Education 18 (1): 87–110.
Google Scholar
Hopkins, D., S. Stringfield, A. Author, L. Stoll, and T. Mackay. 2014. “School and System Improvement: A Narrative State-of-the-Art Review.” School Effectiveness and School Improvement 25 (2): 257–281. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2014.885452.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Kamp, A. 2017. “Assembling the Actors: Exploring the Challenges of ‘System Leadership’ in Education Through Actor-Network Theory.” Journal of Education Policy, 1–15. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2017.1380231.
Google Scholar
Levin, B. B., and L. Schrum. 2013. “Using Systems Thinking to Leverage Technology for School Improvement.” Journal of Research on Technology in Education 46 (1): 29–51. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2013.10782612.
Google Scholar
Mitchell, C., and L. Sackney. 2016. “School Improvement in High-Capacity Schools.” Educational Management Administration & Leadership 44 (5): 853–868. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143214564772.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Mowat, J. G. 2018. “‘Closing the Gap’: Systems Leadership is no Leadership at all Without a Moral Compass – a Scottish Perspective.” School Leadership & Management 39 (1): 48–75. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2018.1447457.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Naicker, S., and R. Mestry. 2015. “Developing Educational Leaders: A Partnership Between Two Universities to Bring About System–Wide Change.” South African Journal of Education 35 (2): 1–11.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Robinson, V., S. McNaughton, and H. Timperley. 2011. “Building Capacity in a Self-Managing Schooling System- The New Zealand Experience.” Journal of Educational Administration 49 (6).
Google Scholar
Sentocnik, S., G. C. Sales, and J. W. Richardson. 2016. “Educational Reform in Georgia: Recommendations for Building Leadership Capacity as a Critical Success Factor for Instructional Change.” International Journal of Leadership in Education, 1–18. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2016.1224931.
Google Scholar
Shaked, H., and C. Schechter. 2014. “Systems School Leadership: Exploring an Emerging Construct.” Journal of Educational Administration 52 (6): 792–811. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/jea-07-2013-0081.
Google Scholar
Shaked, H., and C. Schechter. 2020. “Systems Thinking Leadership: New Explorations for School Improvement.” Management in Education. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0892020620907327.
Google Scholar
Sheppard, B., and D. Dibbon. 2011. “Improving the Capacity of School System Leaders and Teachers to Design Productive Learning Environments.” Leadership and Policy in Schools 10 (2): 125–144. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2010.502610.
Google Scholar
Simkins, T., J. Coldron, M. Crawford, and B. Maxwell. 2019. “Emerging Schooling Landscapes in England: How Primary System Leaders are Responding to New School Groupings.” Educational Management Administration & Leadership 47 (3): 331–348.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Simon, C. A. 2015. “Are Two Heads Better Than One? System School Leadership Explained and Critiqued.” School Leadership & Management 35 (5): 544–558. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2015.1107035.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Smeds-Nylund, A.-S., R. Sundqvist, and M. Uljens. 2016. “Educational Leadership for Sustained Multi-Level School Development in Finland – A Non-Affirmative Approach.” Nordic Studies in Education 36 (2): 103–124. doi:https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1891-5949-2016-02-03.
Google Scholar
Southworth, G., and H. D. Quesnay. 2005. “School Leadership and System Leadership.” The Educational Forum 69 (2): 212–220. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/00131720508984685.
Google Scholar
Spillane, J. P., and M. Hopkins. 2013. “Organizing for Instruction in Education Systems and School Organizations: How the Subject Matters.” Journal of Curriculum Studies 45 (6): 721–747. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2013.810783.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Spillane, J. P., J. L. Seelig, N. L. Blaushild, D. K. Cohen, and D. J. Peurach. 2019. “Educational System Building in a Changing Educational Sector: Environment, Organization, and the Technical Core.” Educational Policy 33 (6): 846–881. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904819866269.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Szeto, E. 2019. “School Leadership in the Reforms of the Hong Kong Education System: Insights into School-Based Development in Policy Borrowing and Indigenising.” School Leadership & Management, 1–22. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1616172.
Google Scholar
Toh, Y., A. Jamaludin, W. L. D. Hung, and P. M.-H. Chua. 2014. “Ecological Leadership: Going Beyond System Leadership for Diffusing School-Based Innovations in the Crucible of Change for 21st Century Learning.” The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher 23 (4): 835–850. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-014-0211-4.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
VoslooLieschen, M. M., and V. L. Venter. 2018. “A Systems Perspective on School Improvement Approaches.” International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies 8 (2). doi:https://doi.org/10.1504/IJASS.2018.10014105.
Google Scholar
Watterston, J., S. Dinham, and B. Caldwell. 2011. “System Alignment as a Key Strategy in Building Capacity for School Transformation.” Journal of Educational Administration 49 (6): 637–652. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/09578231111174794.
Google Scholar
Weinstein, J., and M. Hernández. 2015. “Birth Pains: Emerging School Leadership Policies in Eight School Systems of Latin America.” International Journal of Leadership in Education 19 (3): 241–263. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2015.1020344.
Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Weinstein, J., and M. H. Vejar. 2014. “Policies to Improve the Leadership of School Principals in Chile – A Comparison Against Other Latin American School Systems – Abstract Only in English.” Psicoperspectivas 13 (3): 52–68. doi:https://doi.org/10.5027/PSICOPERSPECTIVAS-VOL13-ISSUE3José.
Google Scholar

Section 2 Books

Beehner, C. G. 2020. System Leadership for Sustainability. New York: Routledge.
Google Scholar
Coffey, G. 2010. A Systems Approach to Leadership: How to Create Sustained High Performance in a Complex and Uncertain Environment Hardcover. Berlin: Springer.
Google Scholar
Cousin, S. 2016. System Leadership: Are System Leaders in the English Education System Leaders of a Profession Or Instruments of Government? London: UCL (University College London).
Google Scholar
Cousin, S. 2019. System Leadership: Policy and Practice in the English Schools System. 1st ed. Bloomsbury Academic.
Google Scholar
Earley, P., and T. Greany. 2017. School Leadership and Education System Reform. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Google Scholar
Macdonald, I., C. G. Burke, and K. Stewart. 2020. Systems Leadership: Creating Positive Organisations. 2nd ed. Gower Publishing Limited.
Google Scholar
Robinson, S. 2012. School and System Leadership: Changing Roles for Primary Head Teachers. 1st ed. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Google Scholar
Shaked, H., and C. Schechter. 2017. Systems Thinking for School Leaders: Holistic Leadership for Excellence in Education. Springer.
Google Scholar
Thompson, W. R., and L. Zakhirova. 2019. Racing to the Top: How Energy Fuels System Leadership in World Politics. New York: Oxford University Press.
Google Scholar
Timmins, N. 2015. The Practice of System Leadership: Being Comfortable with Chaos. King's Fund.
Google Scholar

Section 3 Book Chapters

Ahtaridou, E., and D. Hopkins. 2012. “System Leadership a Response to the Challenges Facing Urban Schools in England.” In Urban Education: A Model For Leadership And Policy, 135–149. New York: Routledge.
Google Scholar
Precey, R., and T. Bennett. 2019. “Effective Systems’ Leadership in a Rapidly Changing English Education System Ways Forward for US Superintendents.” In Contemporary Superintendent: (R)evolutionary Leadership in An Era of Reform Book Series: Research on the Superintendency, 37–52. New York: Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data.
Google Scholar

Section 4 Dissertations

Accardi, I. 2016. “The Role of System Leaders in Promoting Teacher Leadership in Small Schools.” PhD, Esteves School of Education, Russell Sage College.
Google Scholar
Cousin, S. 2016. “System Leadership: Are System Leaders in the English Education System Leaders of a Profession Or Instruments of Government?” PhD. London: UCL (University College London ).
Google Scholar
Nasmyth, G. 2012. “Leadership as a System-Wide Construct: A Narrative Exploration of the Collaborative Process.” PhD, Fielding Graduate University.
Google Scholar
Wilkinson, S. 2016. “The Qualities and Practices of Effective System Leaders: Primary Headteachers.” PhD, Institute of Education, UCL.
Google Scholar

Section 5 Conference Papers

Naicker, S. R. 2015. “The Role of the School District in Promoting System Leadership.” Paper Presented at the 8th International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI), November 16–20, Seville, Spain.
Google Scholar

Section 6 Grey Literature (Websites/Blogs/Commentaries)

Carter, D. 2016. “What Do the Best Education System Leaders Do?” Accessed April 15, 2020. https://schoolsweek.co.uk/building-an-education-system-on-collaboration-leadership-and-great-governance/
Google Scholar
Clarke, P. 2017. “What Are Teaching Schools and System Leaders?” Accessed May 1, 2020. https://nctl.blog.gov.uk/2017/07/31/what-are-teaching-schools-and-system-leaders/.
Google Scholar
Department for Education. 2020a. Teaching School Hubs and System Leadership: How You Can Get Involved.
Google Scholar
Department for Education. 2020b. Teaching Schools and System Leaders: Get Support for You and Your School System Leaders: Who They Are and What They Do. Accessed April 15, 2020. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/system-leaders-who-they-are-and-what-they-do.
Google Scholar
Enlightenment, RSC. 2016. Creative Public Leadership – How School System Leaders Can Create the Conditions For System-Wide Innovation. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://www.thersa.org/discover/publications-and-articles/articles/creative-public-leadership-how-school-system-leaders-can-create-the-conditions-for-system-wide-innovation.
Google Scholar
European Commission. 2020. Teachers and School Leaders in Schools as Learning Organisations Guiding Principles for Policy Development in School Education. Accessed May 10, 2020. https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/downloads/Governance/2018-wgs4-learning-organisations_en.pdf.
Google Scholar
Godin, S. 2019. System Leadership and School Improvement. Accessed May 22, 2020. https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/2019/01/20/system-leadership/.
Google Scholar
Hill, R. 2011. The Importance of Teaching and the Role of System Leadership. Accessed May 10, 2020. https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/10431/1/download%3Fid%3D153443%26filename%3Dsystem-leadership-illuminas-research.pdf.
Google Scholar
IAE (The International Academy of Education). 2011. System-Wide Improvement in Education. Accessed April 26, 2020. https://ssh.is/images/stories/S%C3%B3knar%C3%A1%C3%A6tlun/heimas%C3%AD%C3%B0a/Ben%20levin%20-%20system%20wide%20changes.pdf.
Google Scholar
Morley, S., and S. Godson. 2014. System Leadership Building Capacity for School to School Support in Norfolk. Retrieved April 15, 2020. https://www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk/view/NCC127846.
Google Scholar
Nannyonjo, H. 2017. “Effective Ways for Developing School Leadership.” Accessed April 12, 2020. https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/effective-ways-developing-school-leadership.
Google Scholar
Ribeiro, J. 2016. “Why School System Leaders Need to be Systems Thinkers?” Accessed April 1, 2020. https://www.gettingsmart.com/2016/03/school-system-leaders-need-systems-thinkers/.
Google Scholar
Senge, P., H. Hamilton, and J. K. Winter. 2015. “The Dawn of System Leadership.” Accessed April 17, 2020. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_dawn_of_system_leadership.
Google Scholar
Shires (Teaching School Alliance). 2015. System Leaders. Accessed April 15, 2020. https://shirestsa.co.uk/school-to-school-support/leaders-in-education/.
Google Scholar
Siraj-Blatchford, I., and C. W. Sum. 2013. Understanding and Advancing Systems Leadership in the Early Years. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://www.yor-ok.org.uk/downloads/Childcare%20Strategy/understanding-and-advancing-systems-leadership-in-the-early-years1.pdf.
Google Scholar
Strategy, O. L. 2014. Ideas into Action for School and System Leaders-Exploring Five Core Leadership Capacities Promoting Collaborative Learning Cultures: Putting the Promise into Practice. Accessed April 17, 2020. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/leadership/IdeasIntoActionBulletin3.pdf.
Google Scholar
Theobald, K. 2019. Is It the System that Needs to Change, or School Leaders? Accessed April 25, 2020. https://schoolsweek.co.uk/is-it-the-system-that-needs-to-change-or-school-leaders/.
Google Scholar
University of Wales Trinity Saint David. 2017. Effective System Leadership Crucial to Reform Agenda, Says Guiding Coalition. Accessed April 16, 2020. https://athrofa.cymru/2017/04/26/effective-system-leadership-crucial-to-reform-agenda-says-guiding-coalition/.
Google Scholar

Country Specific References

Campbell, C. 2020. “Educational Equity in Canada: The Case of Ontario’s Strategies and Actions to Advance Excellence and Equity for Students.” School Leadership & Management. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1709165.
Google Scholar
Chapman, C. 2019. Making Sense of Reform: Where Next for Scottish Education? Other. Manchester: Association of Directors of Education in Scotland/The Staff College.
Google Scholar
Hopkins, D., and R. Higham. 2007. “System Leadership: Mapping the Landscape.” School Leadership and Management 27 (2): 147–166.
Google Scholar
Ng, P. T. 2017. Learning from Singapore: The Power of Paradoxes. New York: Routledge.
Google Scholar

Other References

Fullan, M. 2005. Leadership & Sustainability: System Thinkers in Action. California: Corwin Press.
Google Scholar
Heifetz, R. A., and M. Linsky. 2002. “A Survival Guide for Leaders.” Harvard Business Review 80 (6): 65–74.
PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
Hopkins, D. 2009. The Emergence of System Leadership. Nottingham: NCSL.
Google Scholar
Hopkins, D. 2010. System Leaders in Wales, Policy Paper Prepared for the Welsh Government.
Google Scholar
Hopkins, D. 2016. System Leadership for School Transformation, Horizon: Thought Leadership, Vol. 2, February 2016, 4–10.
Google Scholar
Ng, P. T. 2017. Learning from Singapore: The Power of Paradoxes. Taylor & Francis.
Google Scholar
Pont, B., D. Nusche, and H. Moorman. 2008. Improving School Leadership, Volume 1: Policy and Practice. Paris: OECD Publications.
Google Scholar
Pont, B., D. Nusche, and D. Hopkins. 2008. Improving School Leadership, Vol. 2. Paris: OECD.
Google Scholar
Senge, P. M. 1990. The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. New York: Doubleday/Currency.
Google Scholar

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Order Reprints Request Corporate Permissions

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

Request Academic Permissions

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.

Share icon
Back to Top

Related research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.

People also read
Recommended articles
Cited by

To cite this article:

Reference style: APA Chicago Harvard

Citation copied to clipboard

Reference styles above use APA (6th edition), Chicago (16th edition) & Harvard (10th edition)

Download citation

Download a citation file in RIS format that can be imported by citation management software including EndNote, ProCite, RefWorks and Reference Manager.

Choose format: RIS BibTex RefWorks Direct Export

Choose options: Citation Citation & abstract Citation & references

System leaders and system leadership: exploring the contemporary evidence base

References

Section 1 Refereed Journal Articles

Section 2 Books

Section 3 Book Chapters

Section 4 Dissertations

Section 5 Conference Papers

Section 6 Grey Literature (Websites/Blogs/Commentaries)

Country Specific References

Other References

Information for

Open access

Opportunities

Help and information

Your download is now in progress and you may close this window

Login or register to access this feature

System leaders and system leadership: exploring the contemporary evidence base

References

Section 1 Refereed Journal Articles

Section 2 Books

Section 3 Book Chapters

Section 4 Dissertations

Section 5 Conference Papers

Section 6 Grey Literature (Websites/Blogs/Commentaries)

Country Specific References

Other References

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Academic Permissions

Related research

To cite this article:

Download citation

Information for

Open access

Opportunities

Help and information

Keep up to date