Crossing the Border into School Leadership: Experiences of Newly Appointed Headteachers in England (original) (raw)
Related papers
2014
Epistemology-How we might study something 69 3.5 Methodological approach and strategy. Why a social survey? 71 3.6 Research methods 75 3.7 Research management-role of the researcher 77 3.8 Validity 78 3.9 Sample 79 3.10 Interview questions 80 3.11 Analysing interview data 82 3.12 Ethics 88 3.13 Summary 89 Chapter 4 Findings 4.1 Introduction 90 4.2 Research Question 1. 'How do head teachers experience their own preparation for the role in early headship?' 92 4.3 Theme 1.1-The route into teaching 93 4.4 Theme 1.2-The catalyst/motivation to teach and not another career 94 4.5 Theme 1.3-Early career support and the role of coaching and mentoring 96 4.6 Theme 1.4-Early talent spotting 98 4.7 Summary findings research question 1 99 4.8 Research question 2. 'On what criteria do they judge the quality of this preparation?' 100 4.9 Theme 2.1-NPQH perceived a positive experience, network, face to face sessions and the final assessment 101 4.10 Theme 2.2-NPQH perceived as a less positive experience 103 4.11 Theme 2.3-Affirmation of readiness for headshipself belief-aspiring head teachers felt prepared to apply for headship positions after significant leadership experiences 105 4.12 Theme 2.4-Ready or not? Perceptions of readiness 109 for their early headship experiences 4.13 Summary findings research question 2 111 4.14 Research question 3. 'Are there any common essential experiences they all have needed to draw upon that could support future aspirant head teachers?' 112 4.15 Theme 3.1-Pre-headship apprenticeship. The relationship with their head teacher and the role of coaching and mentoring. 113 4.16 Theme 3.2-Freedom to experiment and make mistakes 115 4.17 Theme 3.3-Coping with the responsibility 116 4.18 Theme 3.4-Understanding the contextual factors of the role appointed to 117 4.19 Theme 3.5-Lack of understanding/experience of the wider role of head teacher 118 4.20 Summary findings research question 3 121 Chapter 5 Discussion of findings 159 5.11 Summary of discussion of findings from research question 2 161 5.12 Summary of findings research question 3 162 5.13 Theme 3.1, 3.2 & 3.5-Leadership apprenticeship, freedom to experiment and the wider role of the head teacher 163 5.14 Themes 3.3, 3.4-Coping with responsibility; Understanding the contextual factors of the role appointed to 170 5.15 Summary of discussion of findings from research question 3 172 5.16 Overall summary of main findings 173 Chapter 6 Conclusion 6.1 Introduction 175 6.2 Research question 1-The contribution to the knowledge base 177 6.3 Research question 2-The contribution to the knowledge base 181 6.4 Research question 3-The contribution to the knowledge base 185 6.5 Implications following this research 189 6.6 Recommendations following this research 193 6.7 Further work following this research 193 6.8 Overall conclusion 194 Appendices Appendix 1 Synthesis of the models of effective skills and attributes with observable features. 196 Appendix 2 Synthesis and comparison of successful change models 198 Appendix 3 Interview schedule 199 Appendix 4 Anonymous interview transcript 202 Appendix 5 Example extract of transcript analysis 229
Becoming a head teacher: the perspectives of new head teachers in twenty‐first‐century England
Journal of In-Service Education, 2006
The National College for School Leadership in England commissioned an evaluation and impact study of their new programme for recently appointed head teachers, the Headteacher Induction Programme (HIP). The early stages of this research study sought to elicit from new head teachers who were starting on the programme their own views of their needs and priorities. This paper draws from original quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (interview) data in order to examine what it is that head teachers believe they need in terms of professional development support at the time of what is arguably the most challenging professional experience of their career. What emerges is an extremely diverse picture, suggesting that there are many factors contributing to the formation and nature of headship, and that it is difficult to find a common set of needs or wishes. However, some patterns do emerge and these are reported. In addition the paper offers an exploration of the reasons for this diversity.
Preparing for and Entering Headship in England: A Study of Career Transition
This is a study of career transition into first-time headship in England, informed by a large-scale survey of serving headteachers. The literature review establishes that the transition to a position of formal leadership requires preparation and support along three dimensions of career transition: the personal, organisational and occupational; dimensions established through examination of theories of self, identity and socialisation. The study demonstrates that the high levels of accountability and responsibility associated with headship, caused by legal and societal expectations, distinguishes it from similar jobs in other occupations and school systems. This induces additional challenges in adapting to the demands of headship and to becoming effective as the de facto formal leader in the school to which the headteacher is appointed. Processes and systems of preparation and induction for beginning headteachers are shown to be inadequate along the three dimensions of career transition. The study extends the range of small-scale research previously conducted by the author and others in the last decade of the twentieth century when the nature of headship was undergoing rapid change mainly as a result of the 1988 Education Reform Act, which transferred the locus of power and decision-making to the school. The empirical research undertaken for this study, which provides evidence not available elsewhere, was conducted through a self-completion survey directed at a stratified, random sample of serving headteachers in England. The sample is deemed representative and the findings, based on a response rate of over 60 per cent, are considered generalisable. The survey sought to establish the perceptions of headteachers as to their state of preparedness on entry to the job and what contributed to that state of preparedness. Opinion was also sought from the sample as to how systems and processes could be further developed to assist that state of preparedness. The responses to the survey are analysed against the components of the three dimensions of career transition. The study concludes by comparing the findings with the formal systems and processes for preparation and induction in England at the time of writing and by making a series of recommendations for individuals, school communities, local education authorities and central government and its agencies that, if implemented, should allow headteachers to become effective earlier in their new occupation than was the case when the survey was conducted.
The Effects of Pre-service Training and Experience on Preparation for the Principalship in England
This paper provides a synopsis of the findings of a national survey of headteachers conducted during 1999 by means of a self-completion postal questionnaire. The survey sought to establish the perceptions of English headteachers with regard to their state of readiness on taking up the role. Where respondents reported themselves as well prepared or extremely well prepared for aspects of their role they were asked to attribute their perceived state of readiness to training, experience, or a combination of the two. In addition respondents were asked to complete open-ended questions which asked them to identify activities and support which would help the induction of newly appointed headteachers working in the special education sector.
HEADTEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMMES IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND.pdf
Headteacher preparation is regarded in many countries as a crucial aspect of school development and progression. However, despite the growth of global interest in headteacher preparation in the past decade , pre appointment preparation is largely an 'act of faith', because long-term studies are not often carried out. Research often focuses on designing, developing and delivering preparation programmes, but it rarely considers the difference they make to headteachers once they take up post. In this article, we move beyond that initial interest in preparing for headship to the experience of head teachers taking up a post for the first time and report on part of the data from an International Study of Principal Preparation (ISPP). The ISPP involves researchers in several countries and was introduced in our previous article in School Leadership and Management (Cowie and Crawford, 2007). In this article, we use the term 'headteacher' as this it the title in use in the UK.
The challenges of transitioning from teacher to departmental head in seven primary schools
Perspectives in Education, 2021
The aim of this study was to identify key challenges of practice that departmental heads (DHs) face during their transition from a teacher to their DH role. The study was based on Bridges' transition theory. The researcher employed a qualitative research methodology and interviewed 15 DHs working in the Department of Basic Education's Tshwane South district. A thematic analysis of the collected data showed that the DHs experienced four main challenges during the transition process: negative change in teachers' attitudes and behaviours, a lack of management/ leadership skills, a lack of subject knowledge and heavy workloads and time constraints. Based on the above findings, the researcher concluded that transitioning from teacher to DH is more difficult than meets the eye. These findings imply that policymakers, researchers, school principals and teachers should work together to minimise challenges and ensure a smooth transition to the DH role for newly appointed DHs.
The Changing Role of Headteachers in England and Wales
1991
This paper uses the research findings of a longitudinal national study to examine the changing role of headteachers (principals) in England and Wales. The first section provides some basic information about the United Kingdom education system and a short historical perspective on the traditional role of the headteacher. Education in the United Kingdom is currently tuldergoing unprecedented change; legislation, particularly the Education Reform Act of 1988, is bringing about restructuring on a national scale. In the first part of the paper, these reforms are discussed and compared with l'eforms occurring in other countries. The second half of the paper is ctIncerned with the headteachers' views on the changing situation, as well as with the changes that take place as new headteachers settle into the job. Over 80 percent of the headteachers interviewed as part of the national study maintained that their roles had chaliged considerably, that they were now much more concerned with responses to external initiatives, management and administration, public relations, and staff support. In addition, these headteachers indicated that the volume of work had increased significantly. (IAH)
2003
The primary headteacher's role has always involved two inter-linked and interpenetrating aspects: the chief executive (managerial/administration) and the leading professional functions first advocated by Hughes in 1976. Since ERA (DES 1988) and subsequent educational reforms in England and Wales, there has been increased activity in both these aspects of the headteacher's role. This study examined the impact of specific government legislation since 1997 on primary headship using a multimethod approach. The Hughes (1976) dual model of headship was applied to a sample of headteachers in Merseyside to ascertain its relevance to modem primary headship. Through the use of postal questionnaires, in depth interviews and the analysis of individual school's OfSTED reports, data were collected which enabled the development of a picture of the strategies used by headteachers in Merseyside to try to maintain a balance between the chief executive and leading professional aspects of t...