Theme: Leadership
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Previous research has shown that leadership provided by headteachers is an important factor in determining the effectiveness of schools (for example, Harris, 1999) although this has tended to be explained from the perspective of the headteachers only. But what are the qualities that make leadership effective? The researchers set out to investigate the views of various stakeholders, including teachers, governors, parents and students. This report focused on the findi ngs about teachers’ perspectives on leadership effectiveness. It draws on evidence from twelve case study schools where the headteachers were recognised as effective leaders. The project was commissioned by the National Association of
Headteachers (NAHT).
The researchers identified four main aspects of effective school leadership from the teachers' viewpoint:
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the teachers distinguished between the leadership and management aspects of the headteacher's role;
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they had positive personal and professional relationships with their headteachers;
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they regarded the headteachers' vision and the way they implemented it as important; and
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teachers appreciated headteachers providing them with opportunities for leadership and continuing professional development (CPD).
These findings will help teachers reflect on their existing views about leadership and participate in a more informed way in discussion about the development of effective leadership. They will also help teachers identify elements of continuing professional development that they might find useful in their own careers.
Keywords
United Kingdom; Leadership; Headteachers; Teachers; School management; Professional development; Primary schools; Secondary schools; Parents; Governors
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What did the researchers want to find out about effective school leadership?
How did teachers see leadership and management and their potential
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What kinds of relationships were important in the eyes of the teachers? Page 5
How did effective headteachers put their 'vision' into action?
How did teachers view headteachers’ approaches to staff and pupil
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How did the teachers' views compare with existing theory?
How was the research designed?
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What are the implications for practitioners?
Where can I find out more?
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When they looked at the research, the authors found that most studies about the impact of leadership on school effectiveness and improvement only provided headteachers' perspectives. So, the researchers decided to look at effective leadership from a number of other viewpoints and in different contexts – from small primary schools to large secondary schools and from rural to urban and inner city locations. The researchers set out to:
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collect the views of headteachers, deputies, teachers, support staff, governors, parents and students on effective school leadership;
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identify personal qualities and professional competencies of effective leadership across schools in different settings; and
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compare the insights provided by the participants involved in the study with existing theory about effective school leadership.
They found that teachers tended to view their headteachers’ effectiveness in terms of:
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their approach to leadership and management;
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their personal and professional characteristics;
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their values and vision; and
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the ways in which they approached continuing professional development.
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The teachers consistently made a clear distinction between these two aspects of the headteacher’s role and had a broad view of leadership responsibility. They described:
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leadership as giving the school direction, having an overview, setting standards and making ‘tough’ decisions; and
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management as concerned with setting up and maintaining systems.
‘A good leader has vision whereas a good manager has organisation for the establishment’. (Primary teacher)
‘A headteacher is both a leader and a manager. Leadership is about development, vision and growth. Management is about attending to the status quo and ensuring systems work’. (Secondary teacher)
Although teachers distinguished between leadership and management, they also recognised that the two areas of activity were linked in a practical sense. The teachers saw delegating management responsibilities and roles as a function of leadership. They believed that they and their colleagues should take on some area of responsibility, including a leadership role within the school. As this teacher explained:
‘Others should do the day-to-day running of the school leaving the head free to lead’.
(Secondary teacher)
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The teachers valued their headteachers’ ability to develop good relationships with students almost as much as they valued their own relationships with their classes. They expected them to be aware of the needs of the pupils and to take part in the routine activities of the school.
The teachers consistently stressed how they valued both their personal and professional relationships with the headteachers. For example,
‘The door is always open. You can come and talk about anything in your life
…Whether it’s your hobby … or a concern with your family at home or if it is a problem in the classroom or if a child is worrying you or someone’s parent …He has time for you’. (Primary Teacher)
Many of these relationships were based around the headteacher modelling particular ways of working and building mutual trust and respect:
‘He’s a perfectionist, professional. He likes everything to be right. He sets high st andards for himself’. (Primary teacher)
‘He supports the staff and shows that their contribution is valued so that in return the staff are willing to support him in difficult times’. (Primary teacher)
The kind of professional and personal relationship between teacher and headteacher changed as the teachers' careers developed:
‘In the first few years you are afraid of the Head … If he walks through when you’re teaching you have to be doing what’s right … As the years went by he’s become more of a friend as well … He knows where to draw the line … A mixture of support and guidance’. (Primary teacher)
Similarly, headteachers’ relationships with their staff evolved as they learnt to cope with, anticipate and manage demands arising from their initiation into the culture of the school.
Established headteachers often prioritised aspects of managing their relationships with teachers, or delegated them to others:
‘He’s moved further away from the day-to-day running of the school, although he knows what’s going on’. (Primary teacher)
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How headteachers implemented their vision was more important for teachers than the vision itself. Headteachers gained their credibility as leaders by:
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showing awa reness of how teachers’ actions help to implement the vision;
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achieving shared commitment with their staff to their vision; and
 the degree of care with which they ‘nurtured’ their school.
For example, two teachers commented:
‘Although we can work closely there has to be a time when decisions are taken and she has to say whether we can or cannot do this’. (Primary teacher)
‘The head is good at seeing the school as a whole rather than as little bits of interaction. She has a good overview of the organisation and knows how to get the most from everyone here’. (Primary teacher)

The teachers saw that their headteachers communicated their personal vision and belief systems by direction, words and deeds. Effective headteachers were successful at making staff and pupils familiar with their particular vision of the school and modelled the behaviour which they thought would best achieve the school goals. Their behaviour with others was built upon respect and trust and their belief in developing the potential of staff and students.
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Teachers saw the headteacher’s commitment to staff development as a key element of effective leadership. The focus of staff development was not just on the teachers as individuals, but on their contribution to the school as a whole and the role they played in improving the quality of education on offer. A strong and clear commitment to pupils’ academic achievement was evidenced by the heads’ high expectations of staff:
‘She gets satisfaction from seeing staff make progress and develop. She pushes staff forward and encourages them to go on to bigger and better things’. (Primary teacher)
Staff development played a key role in developing the kind of culture the headteachers wanted to develop. This was viewed as important in motivating and encouraging teachers to improve and develop their practice.
‘Here there is pride in work, co-operating, learning and growing as a teacher and believing your work is i mportant’. (Secondary teacher)
The headteachers' commitment to academic achievement was also developed through a commitment to the success of all pupils and a shared belief in rewarding and praising pupils.
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The researchers suggested the teachers' views were compatible with existing theory in the following ways:
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the teachers were both aware of, and involved in, the process of leadership - Day et al (2000) found where leadership is both 'learned and shared', there is more possibility of organisational development and change;
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the teachers' view that effective school leaders enable others to initiate and take responsibility for leading reflects the view of Harris and Lambert (2003) that leadership is embedded in the 'quality of relationships' between teachers and headteachers;
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teachers' perceptions that aspects of leadership have to be learned fits with research in the field of learning organisations by Tampoe (1998) and Lambert (1998);
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the perception that effective leaders tend to be viewed as 'facilitators who delegate and empower' others was found by Duigan and Macpherson (1992); and
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the clear vision provided by effective headteachers for the schools they lead, based upon certain values and beliefs, is a form of 'moral' leadership - evidenced in the work of Sergiovanni (1992).
Further details about the research referenced above can be found here . (Click to Where can
I find out more?)
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Twelve case study schools were chosen representing:
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different phases of schooling (primary, secondary, and special schools);
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a range of communities (urban, suburban and rural); and
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different geographic and economic circumstances.
The headteachers at the schools had been identified by independent external inspection reports and by their peers as being effective leaders.
Each school was visited for two and a half days and a total of 200 headteachers, teachers, governors, parents and students were interviewed. The ninety-two teachers interviewed ranged from newly qualified, to teachers with twenty years experience. Many of the teachers had taught in several schools and therefore drew upon a wide range of experience of leadership approaches. For some, their judgements were informed by their various relationships with their headteachers, but they also acknowledged the complex nature of the headteacher’s role and identified the tensions and dilemmas facing school leaders.
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In completing this digest, the authors began to ask the following questions about implications for headteachers:
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how do you balance the need for leadership and management? Would involving others more in management activities support their own development and free your time for more leadership activities?
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does your approach to staff development take full account of the way teachers viewed leadership in this study? Could the development of student vision and the development of staff development priorities be more closely integrated and thus mutually reinforcing?
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how well do your staff think you know your pupils? How do you show that you value individuals throughout the school community?
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would an analysis of staff perceptions about leadership in your school help you develop aspects of your practice?
The digest authors also began to ask the following questions about implications for teachers:
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in considering your own professional development, what areas of management or leadership would you like to tackle next? How might you do this – is it something where delegation of responsibilities to you could free up important leadership time for others?
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the teachers involved in this study felt that organisational development is more likely where leadership is learned and shared - does your experience support this view?
 much research shows that teachers’ professional development can be highly effective when teachers work in collaboration on shared problems – is this an area of activity you have the opportunity to explore?
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Practitioners wishing to explore further issuers relating to leadership may find the following references helpful:
Day, C., Harris, A., Hadfield, M., Tolley, H. and Beresford, J. (2002) Leading schools in times of change Milton Keynes: Open University Press
Duigan, P.A. and Macpherson, R.J. S. (1992) Educative leadership: a practical theory for new administrators and managers London: Flamer Press
Harris, A. (1999) Teaching and Learning in the effective school London, Arena Press
Harris, A., and Lambert, L.(2003) Building leadership capacity for school improvement
Buckingham, Open University Press
Lambert, L. (1998) Building leadership capacity in schools (Alexandria, VA, USA, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Sergiovanni, T. (1992) Moral leadership New York: Jossey-Bass
Tampoe, M. (1998) Liberating leadership: releasing leadership potential throughout the organisation London, The Industrial Society
For a summary of evidence which supports the view that through collaborative working with others teachers can ‘grow into’ leadership roles see the GTC Research of the Month summaries:
The impact of collaborative Continuing Professional Development (CPD) on classroom teaching and learning ( http://www.gtce.org.uk/research/eppihome.asp
)
Teachers and school-based research
( http://www.gtce.org.uk/research/ttaresearchhome.asp
)
The National College for School Leadership (NCSL) web site is at: http://www.ncsl.org.uk
The National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) web site is at: http://www.naht.org.uk/index.asp
The National Primary Headteacher's Association (NPhA) web site is at: http://www.primaryheads.org.uk/