Argues that middle managers are key to developing successful departments and schools. Discusses results from a pilot project on role changes that shadowed eight department heads in Catholic secondary schools in Birmingham and Manchester, England. Although department heads spent most time on core activities (teaching, coaching, and managing their…

This research examines how department heads in (British) secondary schools perceive their management roles and their access to the real decision-making power that occurs outside departmental confines, but within schools. In structured interviews, 30 department heads from 21 schools were encouraged to reflect on opportunities for collegial…

A pilot study into the preparation and training of women administrators conducted semistructured interviews with nine women headteachers in UK independent secondary schools. Leadership roles were learned at school, not in training. Those working in girls' schools experienced less discrimination than those working in Headmasters' Conference…