This article explores several issues about school leaders, career stages and performance. It draws upon various pieces of research, including the longitudinal study of secondary headteachers which began in the early 1980s at the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), to raise some key issues about headteachers' careers, the various…

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to set out to investigate the role of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Rector, or Principal of a university, and the competencies (attitudes, knowledge and behaviour) that are needed for effective leadership in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were held with…

This publication is aimed at middle managers in schools, colleges and other settings who have been given the responsibility for leading the transition from key skills to functional skills over the coming years. It provides an update on some of the developments with functional skills, explains some of the theory about leading from the middle, and…

Changes in the educational qualifications and skills expected of senior managers in the United Kingdom were examined through interviews with senior managers and human resource professionals in 17 large companies from a range of sectors. The following were identified as common objectives or responsibilities of senior managers: determining the…

A task force was convened to identify the nature, extent, and pattern of skill needs and shortages for managerial occupations in the United Kingdom (UK). The task force began by examining the key challenges facing managers in the UK. The following factors were among those considered: economic policies promoting liberalization and deregulation;…