Building Leadership Capacity
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Setting Your
Compass
Middle
Manager
Or
Middle
Leader?
Middle Manager Or Middle
Leader?
The Aims of This Session Are:
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
• To understand the importance of middle
leaders to school improvement
• To be clear about the role of the middle
leader, including the difference between
leadership and management
• To be able to analyse your own strengths
and weaknesses, and identify areas for
development
What Does A
Curriculum Leader Do?
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
The cards which you are given outline some
of the tasks which a curriculum leader
does – you can add more of your own if
you wish!!
• Prioritise activities in order of
importance to role of middle leader
• Pairs to agree top 3 – be able to
explain your reasons.
A Simple Credo….
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Managers do things right
Leaders do the right thing
Vision and Action
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
• Leadership adds vision & is
centred on clear values:
“Vision without action is merely a
dream. Action without vision just
passes the time. Vision with action
can change our world.”
The Curriculum Leadership
Context
• The subject leader has a central role in
promoting high standards;
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
• There are rising expectations on subject
leaders;
• The focus has shifted from maintenance
(management) to improvement (leadership);
• Self evaluation is key to the Ofsted
framework
Curriculum Leader: What
are we looking for?
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Your School are looking to appoint a new
Head of Geography. You have been given
the task of providing the questions for the
interviews.
• In pairs design a short interview
schedule for the Head of Department
for Geography. Your questions could
focus on themes such as:




Teaching;
Learning;
Management of change;
Resources
Interview Questions 1
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
1990
• Tell us about your
style of working
by describing a
development you
have been
involved with.
Now
• What do you
see as the main
factors in the
successful
management of
change?
Interview Questions 2
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
1990
• What are your
views on mixed
ability teaching?
Now
• How would you
monitor the
effectiveness of
mixed ability
teaching?
Interview Questions 3
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
1990
• What links would
you try to create
with primary
schools?
Now
• What part can
you play in
promoting the
school in the
community?
Interview Questions 4
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
1990
Now
• What would be
• How would you
the main
judge the cost
spending priorities
effectiveness of
on behalf of your
your decisions?
department?
Interview Questions 5
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
1990
• Now that you
have looked
around the
department what
would you wish to
change?
Now
• How would you
conduct a
departmental
audit?
Interview Questions 6
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
1990
• How would you
set about
establishing a
team spirit among
your staff?
Now
• How would you
create a shared
sense of
purpose and
direction for the
team?
Administration, Management
And Leadership
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
Administration
Path tidying
Doing things
Management
Path following
Doing things right
Leadership
Path making
Doing the right
things
Remember:
Managers do things right;
Leaders do the right thing
An Extract from “The Heart
of the Matter”
• Teaching – make sure that the teaching delivered
by those you line manage is of the highest quality.
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
• Learning – make sure that pupils achieve at least
to their potential as established by baseline testing,
and preferably beyond.
• Becoming involved in, or initiating, a wholeschool activity related to school improvement
– help to drive the school forward.
Our Plenary:
In conclusion……
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
The Middle Leader, therefore, must:
• Focus on learning and teaching
• Generate positive relationships
• Provide a clear vision and high expectations
• Improve the environment
• Provide time and opportunities for
collaboration
• Distribute leadership: build teams
• Engage the community
• Evaluate and innovate
Middle Manager or Middle
Leader?
The Aims of This Session Were:
Leader Or
Manager?
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
• To understand the importance of middle
leaders to school improvement
• To be clear about the role of the middle
leader, including the difference between
leadership and management
• To be able to analyse your own strengths
and weaknesses, and identify areas for
development
Our Plenary: In conclusion……
The Middle Leader Must:
• Focus on learning and teaching
Leader Or
Manager?
We achieve this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
We could improve on this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
Our Plenary: In conclusion……
The Middle Leader Must:
• Generate positive relationships
Leader Or
Manager?
We achieve this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
We could improve on this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
Our Plenary: In conclusion……
The Middle Leader Must:
• Provide a clear vision and high
expectations
Leader Or
Manager?
We achieve this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
We could improve on this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
Our Plenary: In conclusion……
The Middle Leader Must:
• Improve the environment
Leader Or
Manager?
We achieve this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
We could improve on this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
Our Plenary: In conclusion……
The Middle Leader Must:
• Provide time and opportunities for
collaboration
Leader Or
Manager?
We achieve this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
We could improve on this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
Our Plenary: In conclusion……
The Middle Leader Must:
• Distribute leadership: build teams
Leader Or
Manager?
We achieve this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
We could improve on this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
Our Plenary: In conclusion……
The Middle Leader Must:
• Engage the community
Leader Or
Manager?
We achieve this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
We could improve on this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
Our Plenary: In conclusion……
The Middle Leader Must:
• Evaluate and innovate
Leader Or
Manager?
We achieve this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
Adrian Taylor
St. Mary’s High School
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….
We could improve on this in my department by:
•…………………………………………………………………
•…………………………………………………………………
•………………………………………………………………….