Leadership accession by Hill West Primary School

Hill West Research Papers

With leadership succession planning a priority in the educational sector is the accession to Headship the result of a series of inspirational influences in the lives and careers of our Head Teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s or is it an intended systematic route travelled with clear purpose and direction?

By Dr. Beth Clarke December 2009

Contents

Page Abstract

Introduction

4-6

Literature Review

7 - 11

Methodology

12 - 14

Presentation and Analysis of Data

15 - 18

Conclusion

19 - 21

References

22 - 23

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

25 - 33

Abstract

Using the four stages of Headship proposed by Ribbins (2003) this small - scale research project wanted to identify the inspirational factors influencing the second phase of Headship – accession. This study set out to determine whether or not individuals began their careers with the explicit intention of becoming a Head Teacher. If this was not the case I wanted to consider the likely implications this may have on ‘growing’ our leaders of the future. Having explored the relevant published literature, designed a methodological procedure that involved interviewing four Primary Head Teacher’s, carried out the research and analysed the findings it was possible to draw on some conclusions. The research revealed that the majority of Head Teachers did not set out on their career paths with the intention of ever becoming a Head Teacher and that in the most part this became the reality by default. It was possible to identify common Head Teacher character traits, which included a flexible style of working during their early careers, a growing self – realisation of their own potential and abilities and the inert desire for success and promotion. Interestingly however, professional development opportunities in the form of formal qualifications or courses did not feature as one of the influential factors leading to Headship, instead the importance of potential identification was cited as being far more significant. This, I believe, has significant implications for leadership succession planning in the future.

Introduction

This small - scale research project aimed to find out if existing school leaders had set out on their career paths with the explicit intention of becoming Head Teachers. In particular I wanted to establish how Head Teachers had prepared themselves for their accession to Headship and whether this accession had involved any systematic career development planning. Having established how and why existing leaders had become Head Teachers I wanted to identify the possible implications this may have for developing and encouraging leaders of the future.

My intention, through the research question ‘what do Head Teachers perceive to be important sources of inspiration on their journey to Headship’ was to identify if the Head Teachers in this study had constructed their career paths with Headship in mind. If they had not – what possible implications would this have for succession planning in the future?

Through a semi-structured interview schedule, four primary Head Teachers were asked to share their experiences of the four stages of Headship proposed by Ribbins (2003) - formation, accession, incumbency and eventual divestiture. By examining the early influences in their lives and their career profiles I wanted to be able to identify key themes relating to the second phase - accession.

Accession, suggested

Gronn, “refers to a stage of grooming or anticipation in which candidates for leadership roles rehearse or test their potential capacity to lead by direct comparison with existing leaders…” (1997, p.34-36).

Until comparatively recently, little had been known about the key aspects of the careers of those in leadership positions in the educational sector. The lack of understanding surrounding the route to Headship travelled by school leaders was substantiated in a study carried out by Gronn and Ribbins (2003) who argued that it became increasingly apparent that in fact, very few Head Teachers saw themselves as having deliberately pursued a planned course of action leading to Headship.

As this research was set within the backdrop of a potential leadership crisis in education I was interested in exploring this suggestion further. Planning for successive educational leaders has become a real priority locally, nationally and internationally. Devereux (2006) stated that by 2010, if retirement options are exercised, there will be a deluge of vacancies in the primary sector. The role of Headship with its increasing demands and accountability appears to be attracting fewer and fewer recruits. Munby (2006) reiterates these claims, “The recruitment and development of a new generation of school leaders is one of the greatest challenges facing the education sector and is likely to remain so for the next decade” (pp. 8-9). When NCSL recently asked middle leaders and deputies why they didn’t want to become Head teachers, many of them voiced concerns about the stress of the role, the loss of contact with pupils, the bureaucratic burden and the very high levels of accountability (Munby, 2006). The increased levels of accountability along with the lack of understanding surrounding how individuals get to be leaders of educational organisations can only serve to fuel the recruitment crisis and suggests that there is still much development required with respect to systematic succession planning in schools.

In the four sections that follow I will refer to the relevant literature surrounding accession to Headship and whether it is an intended and systematic outcome for educational leaders. Then I will explain the methodology used to carry out this small - scale research project, justifying the research tools and ethical considerations. I will analyse the findings of the research drawing on any comparisons or contradictions with the literature studied. Finally I will answer the research question by identifying the major influences perceived by Head Teachers to be important in their accession to Headship and draw together some conclusions, making recommendations for future practice.

Literature Review

This literature review will explore published research relating to the conceptual framework of the four stages of Headship proposed by Ribbins (2003). It will primarily focus on the second stage accession. Review of the literature will focus on identifying the influential factors contributing to the accession to Headship but will be sub-divided into two over-arching themes: Firstly, the early careers of those in the teaching profession and secondly the preparation for Headship â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the transition from class teacher to leader within a school. These two strands will then be recurring themes throughout the research.

Early Careers Pascal and Ribbins (1997) have argued that little is known about the lives and careers of primary school Head Teachers, and that any analysis of their career trajectory would have to start with their life history.

Life and professional career history

approaches to the study of headship offer an insight into the routes to Headship. Such approaches propose that teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professional lives can usefully be regarded as having a natural history and follow a developmental pattern (Day and Bakioglu, 1996, Gronn, 1993, Gronn and Ribbins, 1996).

An analysis of Head Teacher biographies undertaken by Ouston (1997) shows that leaders generally hold a disposition towards people and the importance of positive and productive relationships. Once in the teaching profession argued Ouston (1997), the movement into senior management positions was usually connected with the desire to

become the Head Teacher, and the growing realisation that the position of Head Teacher was desirable and achievable. Gronn, (1999), sympathised with this view “There is no doubt that there are numerous people in all walks of life, but especially in the professions, who are ambitious, and who quite consciously and unashamedly define occupational goals for themselves early on in, or even beforehand in the period leading up to, their working lives” (p.24).

However Gronn (1999) also acknowledged that arguably there are a large number of Head Teachers who set out on their career paths with no desire for Headship. “Equally there are those for whom the overall pattern of their paid employment evolves or just happens, for whom there is no particular blueprint and who may be said, literally, to fall into pursuits like teaching” (Gronn, 1999, p.24).

Pascal and Ribbins (1997) supported the view of Gronn (1999) and argued that as with the decision to teach, the idea that individuals might wish to be Heads dawned much more quickly on some than others.

Gronn (1999) significantly suggested that where teachers did not choose to seek Headship by deliberate intention, they could still be seen as having done so by default. That is, in a retrospective reading of their actions it was sometimes possible to detect a pattern which, while not adding up to an avowedly calculated response from the outset, still bore the hallmarks of a considered response to the vagaries of circumstance.

All teachers, regardless of ambition, enter a profession having made a conscious decision to follow a career. The word career in itself signals a field of human endeavour in which there is ample scope for, and the possibility of, sequenced and planned movement and, therefore, some sense of anticipated trajectory. Pursuit of a

career does, of course, bring with it financial reimbursement, but there is also a number of equally important compensations and rewards such as status, scope to express oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s individuality and identity and the capacity to foreshadow and realise oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential (Gronn, 1999). The early careers of all Head Teachers are characterised therefore, it could be argued, not only by strong and positive relationships but also by an upward trajectory and an increased sense of purpose and self â&#x20AC;&#x201C; worth.

Preparation for Headship Becoming a school leader at some level is almost certainly a prerequisite for Headship and the early careers of Head Teachers are characterised by additional responsibility and managerial demands.

Two critical factors in determining both the mode and speed of career advancement argued Gronn (1999) are timing and strategically located personnel. Speed of movement is often dictated by ingredients such as age, educational establishment, levels of experience, skill, seniority, and formal system requirements. Gunter et al, (2001) suggested that what seems to be important is how networking, sponsorship and reputation management, through letting people know about vacancies and encouraging applications, is essential for a successful appointment.

Gronn (1999) suggested that individuals are often required to possess set prerequisites, both for career entry to guarantee their registration following preservice training, and for further career movement. Such details reflect the fact that career movement in organisations is usually formally structured along particular

tracks or pathways, determined by qualifications, graded into levels of responsibility and competence and, in many instances, determined by formal awards.

Gunter et al, (2001) supported this claim and stated that there is a strong emphasis on leadership preparation through formal professional development and training. Yet accounts by Head Teachers in England and Wales show a strongly individualistic approach and varied experiences in the preparation for Headship. If this is the case then surely it questions the validity of one - award fits all! This is exemplified in The National Standards for Head Teachers. These standards are the basis on which training and assessment of readiness for headship through the award of the NPQH takes place.

Karen Horney (1950) writing over half a centaury ago referred to a potential leaders need for self - realisation and the capacity to know and understand oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth and value. This usually results from experience and encouragement. More recently, research carried out for NCSL in more than 70 schools in the North West and the West Midlands suggests there are particular qualities that mark out teachers of leadership calibre. They include good communication skills, having a vision and the ability to garner the respect of both staff and parents (Nightingale, 2006).

The implications of research suggest that in seeking to theorise about the professional working lives in which teachers make decisions to seek promotion and Headship, there is a need to take into account the agency of the individual, i.e. their beliefs, selfesteem, and aspirations combined with the settings and power structures in which decisions and choices are played out over time (Gunter et al, 2001).

Leadership succession within educational establishments is a growing concern. There is a widely accepted view that there is likely to be a clear shortage of Deputy Head Teachers and Head Teachers in the very near future (Shaw, 2006). With this in mind it is essential that we gain some understanding of what it is that motivates, encourages and guides individuals into leadership roles within schools. With this knowledge it will then be possible to create leaders of the future with the necessary attributes to succeed. “Ad-hoc and improvised might be two ways to describe the identification of potential new school leaders in the past, but with the challenge of securing enough leaders for the future now a top priority local authorities and other education services with a strategic role are realising that, if they don’t act to stimulate growth in Head Teacher numbers, new leaders won’t develop themselves” (Nightingale, 2006, pp.14-17)

To summarise, the four stages of Headship proposed by Ribbins (2003) proves a useful model in gaining an insight into the lives and careers of Head Teachers. Research into the accession phase suggests that many teachers enter the profession with no explicit intention of ever becoming a Head Teacher. However their choice of career along with their desire to succeed and the growing realisation of their own abilities, means that many are well – placed to become Head Teachers. Research into all four stages of Headship would lead to a greater insight into the factors that influence Head Teachers on their journey from formation to divestiture. The challenge now is to use such research to grow future leadership talent in the educational sector.

Methodology

In the previous sections I have explored the theoretical framework that underpins the work upon which my analysis, conclusions and recommendations are based. This section concerns itself with the methodological procedures that were used.

Case Study A case study was conducted with four existing primary Head Teachers. Case studies are preferable with small – scale research projects (Denscombe, 2003). “The value of a case study approach is that it has the potential to deal with the subtleties and intricacies of complex social situations. This potential comes from the strategic decision to restrict the range of the study to just one or a few cases” (Denscombe, 2003, p.37, 38).

A group of researchers, including myself developed an interview schedule that explored the four clear stages of Headship proposed by Ribbins (2003). (See Appendix 1). 

Formation



Accession



Incumbency



Divestiture

The four researchers then set about interviewing one primary Head Teacher colleague each. The transcripts were shared and for the purpose of this small - scale survey my analysis is based around the responses received to the question on accession (for a sample transcript see Appendix 2).

Research Tools Research tools are the means by which different approaches to research are operationalised. As the research in this study can be categorised as humanistic and qualitative in nature a research tool was needed that would give more weight to the experiences, activities and views of the main participants (Hannon 1995). Humanistic research in leadership argues Ribbins (2003), is to seek to gather the theorise from the experiences of those who are leaders and can take many forms including life history, life story, autobiography and biography.

A semi-structured interview was conducted to enable open dialogue and the retelling of a life story – something that is difficult to encapsulate in a questionnaire. “There would seem to be few aspects of social research where interviews are an entirely unsuitable research tool” (Johnson 1994, p.50).

The advantages of interviews suggests Brown and Dowling (1998) are that “Interviews enable the researcher to explore complex issues in detail, facilitate the personal engagement of the researcher in the collection of data, allow the researcher to provide clarification, to probe and prompt” (p.72). The importance of Head Teacher’s thoughts and feelings in this study was essential. An evaluation of accession therefore had to include asking Head Teacher’s about their early teaching careers, their development into leadership roles and the transition to Headship. The use of semi-structured interviews allowed a more flexible style to be used, adapted to the personality and circumstance of the individual being interviewed. “Semi-structured interviewing is the style most likely to be followed in small scale research…” (Johnson 1994, p.51).

Individual interviewing with a flexible approach enabled the interviewers to ensure that the responses gained were detailed and reflective.

Head Teachers were guaranteed anonymity but not confidentiality, that is, they were informed that their views would be passed on but not their identity, except in so far as it could be inferred from their opinions (Hannon, 1995).

Limitations of the Study This research was limited in its methodology. When opting for a case study approach argued Denscombe (2003) the social researcher is likely to confront scepticism about the findings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; scepticism that arises from doubts about how far it is reasonable to generalize from the findings. Due to a number of constraints, including time, size of sample and word limitation, respondent triangulation was used. As one research tool was relied upon to generate information and draw conclusions the reliability of research could be called into question. Additionally, although each Head Teacher interviewed was asked the same set of research questions each was interviewed by a different researcher meaning that the responses were open to interpretation. One researcher conducting the interview schedule with all respondents could have ensured complete parity.

Presentation and Analysis of the Data

This section has been sub-divided. Each section concerns itself with the analysis of the semi-structured interviews but each focuses on a separate and distinct period of time on the journey to accession. The research question asked was ‘what do Head Teachers perceive to be important sources of inspiration on their journey to Headship?’ Section one of the analysis examines the early careers of the Head Teachers sampled and section two focuses on the preparation for Headship and movement into leadership roles within an educational setting.

Early Careers Of the four Head Teachers interviewed only one stated that they had always wanted to be a head teacher, “my view was to get a headship, but to have a broad basis of other schools and other experiences…so right up until this point the longest school I’ve ever served in was three and a half, four years”.

This respondent had, very clearly, a professional purpose and a strategic overview of how he was going to achieve his ultimate goal of Headship. He placed much emphasis on experience believing that a broad experience of educational organisations would in fact make him a more effective leader. Although he discussed the value he placed on experience he did not refer to any structured professional development opportunities that assisted him in his career progression.

The other interviewees stated that acquiring Headship had been something that had just ‘sort of happened’. It had not been something that they had systematically

planned or even ever aspired to become. One respondent said “I had no burning desire to become a Head”.

Although not all respondents had planned their route to Headship, there were similarities and generalisations that could be drawn from the early careers of all four respondents. A character trait that became evident from analysing the responses was that all four had demonstrated a flexibility and willingness to take on a variety of roles or to teach a variety of age phases during their early careers. For example one respondent said “I taught in all different areas of the school”. They discussed their willingness to undertake unpaid responsibility with one stating that he had undertaken “unpaid experience” and another stating that she “did extra work”.

The findings of this study seem to suggest therefore that the early careers of future leaders and Head Teachers are characterised by a flexible approach to their work, a willingness to teach in different age phases and an underlying motivation to succeed and take on additional responsibility irrespective of whether that additional responsibility is rewarded monetarily.

Preparation for Headship As can be anticipated, as the accession phase progressed for the interviewees in this study, so did their level of responsibility and accountability. A growing self awareness seemed to follow hand in hand with the level of responsibility they all assumed. All respondents cited a growing realisation of their own potential. “So I thought well I could do this job”. “I began to realise that I had potential…”.

The self - realisation of one’s own potential fuelled the desire for advancement. All four of the respondents talked about the desire for success. Each wanted to be successful and therefore began to actively seek promotion. For example, one interviewee said, “I didn’t aspire to be a Head Teacher but I have to say that I think because I was accustomed to being fairly successful I aspired to promotion”.

Another said, “It was during the second time I was acting Head I thought I could do this job”.

A factor that seemed to influence one of the respondents in particular was the feeling that with a Leadership role came the ability to make a real difference to the lives of the young people in her care. “I could go in and change things and make a difference and that sort of thing”.

The humanistic nature of the profession seemed to act as a catalyst, encouraging at least three of the four respondents to move in the direction of Headship. This taken in conjunction with Gronn’s (1999) view that career progression is understood generally as a desired, vertical, ladder meant that all four were destined for Headship but apparently did not know it. The various locations occupied by individuals at any one time, generated corresponding expectations and perspectives of career trajectories.

Hand in hand with the growth and development of leadership roles the respondents cited positive encouragement and potential identification as a major factor in their transition to Headship. One talked about the positive encouragement she had received

from and LEA officer on a visit to her school, another discussed the encouragement received from her then Head Teacher “I can remember in the first year thinking that he didn’t really know who I was but he started to take an interest in me and was really kind of encouraging towards me and pushed me…. But it was him who spotted the potential in me…”

The actual transition to Headship in all four cases was preceded by the traditional roles of phase leader or subject coordinator, followed by Deputy Head experience. In one instance the respondent had experienced an Acting Headship position and this seemed to have had a positive impact on his transition to Headship.

The analysis of findings in this study therefore, seems to support many of the arguments discussed by Gronn and Ribbins (2003). For those who didn’t set out on a path to Headship, a combination of growing self - realisation, potential identification, positive encouragement and the desire to succeed all contributed to their accession to Headship.

In contrast to the literature however, professional development opportunities or the completion of the National Standards for Head Teachers did not feature at all in this study, which seems to suggest a limited impact on Headship accession. If so, this surely raises questions about leadership succession planning for the future. Perhaps there is an argument for developing a school - based model of succession planning that will integrate aspects of NPQH as the lifelong process in leadership development.

Conclusion

Although this study was limited by a number of constraints including both the timescale and the number of Head Teachers sampled it set out to ascertain if the accession to Headship was an intended and systematic route travelled by leaders with clear purpose and direction supported by adequate professional development opportunities. The research question wanted to establish what Head Teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perceived to be the important sources of influence on their journey to Headship. It aimed at using this information to identify implications for successive leadership planning in the future.

The findings discussed above support the work of Gronn and Ribbins (2003) who identified that in fact, very few Head Teachers saw themselves as having deliberately pursued a planned course of action leading to Headship. Analysis of the results suggests that although some Head Teachers enter the teaching profession with the clear knowledge that they want one day, to become a Head Teacher this is certainly not the case for all. For many the route travelled is a slow awakening of their own potential and the self - realisation of the ability they have to be able to lead and influence an educational organisation.

This is at odds and in contrast to the view held by Ouston (1997) who purported that once in the teaching profession the movement into senior management positions was usually connected with a disposition towards being the Head Teacher, and a realisation that such a post was in fact desirable and achievable.

Evidence emerged during the research, which reinforces the arguments presented by Gronn (1999), who suggested that leaders will either consciously devise strategies for ensuring promotion to Headship or will, perhaps more importantly in relation to this study, where they do not seem to choose Headship by deliberate intention seem to do so by default. My research substantiates this view as similarities were identified in the early careers of all the leaders sampled. They all displayed common character traits which included a degree of flexibility in their approach to work and a willingness to take on additional responsibility. This alludes, although not discussed explicitly during the research, to an element of self - confidence and self - assurance.

Therefore in a retrospective reading of leadersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; actions it was possible to detect a pattern which, while not adding up to an avowedly calculated strategic plan to achieve Headship, gave strong indications of a person seeking promotion and success. For those that have become Head Teachers without setting out with that goal or clear purpose there seems to have been a growing realisation of their own potential and ability to lead or manage an organisation. This growing realisation was fuelled by the desire for success and promotion and so although Headship was not an intended outcome it had become the eventual outcome by default.

This study was unable to substantiate the claims made by Gunter et al (2001) who stated that there is a strong emphasis on leadership preparation through formal professional development and training. The research accounts in this study showed a strongly individualistic approach in the preparation for Headship and although the traditional model of educational career progression had been followed by all involved none of the respondents cited professional development as an influential factor in their

accession to Headship.

This finding supports the work of Pascall and Ribbins (1997)

who said, of the ten Head teachers they interviewed, few had attended much targeted training for headship and several expressed doubts about this as an effective method of preparation. This raises important questions about how we are preparing to generate and cater for our future leaders.

A major factor in the transition to Headship cited by the respondents in this study was potential identification - the positive encouragement they had all received at some stage in their career. This supports the view of Gunter et al (2001) who cited sponsorship as a key player in the transition to leadership roles within an educational setting.

The four - stage model of Headship proposed by Ribbins (2003) has served this research well and has enabled a detailed analysis of the lives and careers of existing Head Teachers. The second phase of accession is clearly characterised for those concerned by a growing self â&#x20AC;&#x201C; awareness of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own abilities, a sense of determination, a flexible approach, the need for success and the confidence gained from potential identification and encouragement.

Recommendations My role as the researcher within this small - scale study has fuelled my desire for continued research. The findings of this study suggest that any further research should concern itself with the identification of a successful model of leadership succession in light of the key influences identified above in the accession to Headship.

References

Brown, A. and Dowling, P. (1998) Doing Research / Reading Research. A Mode of Interrogation for Education, London: Falmer Press

Day, C. and Bakioglu, A. (1996) Development and Disenchantment in the Professional Lives of headteachers, in Goodson, I. F. and Hargreaves, A. (eds) “Teachers Professional Lives”, London: Falmer Press

Denscombe, M. (2003) The Good Research Guide, Second Edition, Maidenhead: Open University Press

Devereux, J. (2006) Keeping A Head of the Game, NphA, News For Primary Leaders Magazine for the National Primary Headteachers’ Association November / December 2006 Edition, pp. 3

Gronn, P. C. (1993) Psychobiography on the couch: character, biography and the comparative study of leaders, Journal of Applied Behavioural Science, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 343-358

Gronn, P. C. (1999) The Making of Educational Leaders, London: Cassell

Gronn, P. C. and Ribbins, P. (1996) Leaders in Context, Educational Administration Quarterly, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 452-473

Gronn, P. C. and Ribbins, P. (2003) Evolving Formations in International Studies in Educational Administration, 31 (2), forthcoming Gunter, H., McGregor, D. and Gunter, B. (2001) Teachers’ as Leaders: a CASE study, Management in Education, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 26–28

Hannon, P. (1995) Literacy, Home and School. Research and Practice in Teaching Literacy with Parents, London: Falmer Press

Hart, A. W. (1999) Educational Leadership: a field of inquiry and practice, Educational Management and Administration, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 323-334

Horney, K. (1950) Neurosis and Human Growth; the struggle toward self â&#x20AC;&#x201C; realisation, 1st ed, New York: Norton

Johnson, D. (1994) Research Methods in Educational Management, Essex: Longman

Munby, S. (2006) Act Local for Education England, Ldr The Magazine for School Leaders, no. 23, pp.8-9

Nightingale, J. (2006) Head on Strategies, Ldr The Magazine for School Leaders, no. 23, pp.14-17

Ouston, J. (1997) Pathways to headship and principalship, in Ribbins, P. (ed) Leaders and Leadership in the School, College and University, London: Cassell

Pascal, C. and Ribbins, P. (1997) Understanding Primary Headteachers. Conversations on Characters, Careers and Characteristics, London: Cassell

Pascal, C. and Ribbins P. (eds) (1998) Understanding Primary Headteachers, London: Cassell

Ribbins, P. and Marland, M, (1994) Headship Matters, Harlow: Longman

Ribbins, P. (ed) (1997) Leaders and Leadership in the School, College and University, London: Cassell

Ribbins, P. (2003) cited in Brundrett, M. Burton, N. and Smith, R. (eds) Leadership recruitment, London: Sage

Shaw, M. (2006) New Signs of Crisis in Leadership Recruitment, Times Educational Supplement, January 13th 2006, p.2

Weindling, D. (1999) Stages of Headship, in Bush, T., Bell, L., Bolam, R,. Glatter, R. and Ribbins, P., (1999) Educational Management: redefining theory, policy and practice, London: Paul Chapman

Appendix 1 Interview Schedule

1. What were the early influences that shaped your career path?

2. What made you aspire to become a Head Teacher and how did you get there?

3. Thinking back to your early stages of Headship could you describe your thoughts experiences and feelings?

4. So as a more experienced Head Teacher what are your feelings about the role now?

5. Where and what next?

Appendix 2 Interview Transcript 1

The interviewee has been a Head Teacher for nineteen years. She has been the Head Teacher of three schools in very different contexts. She is currently the Head of a two - form entry school in an affluent area of the city.

Interviewer 1. What were the early influences that shaped your career path?

Interviewee I was a real high flyer at school and never considered teaching at all. I got good ‘A’ levels and went to University to read Modern Foreign Languages and dropped out after two weeks. But I came from a very work ethic based family and it was horror that anyone was ever out of work and so I did a secretarial course and became a medical secretary. I also started doing some voluntary work with what was in those days called mentally handicapped people. It was in a residential environment and what struck me was the difference between the young adults and the older adults who had been institutionalised. The young ones who had been in some form of education still were engaged whereas the others were very submissive, receiving and not interested in learning. I started to think about early learning.

I got fed up with being a secretary or at least not being able to influence much. I went into teaching – primary teaching. Because I had been a high flyer in school nobody had ever considered primary teaching. You didn’t do that if you were clever. But I

went to be an infant teacher. My challenge then wasn’t academic it was the teaching. Because I am not a natural teacher – I am not one of these people who goes in and it just happens. I have to work at it and so that was the challenge. My first job was as a reception teacher.

My background – I am the only person in my family who is a graduate. My family background is farming. I was therefore very privileged to be a girl because if I had been a boy I would have gone straight into farming having left school at 16. I would have probably have been very good at business actually. By being the eldest of four and a girl I developed all sorts of leadership skills.

Interviewer 2. What made you aspire to become a Head Teacher and how did you get there?

Interviewee I didn’t aspire to be a Head Teacher and I have to say that I think because I was accustomed to being fairly successful I aspired to promotion. And also I wanted a bit more money. So after three years I was promoted and moved to an inner city school. I was there for a couple of years learning how to be a reception teacher in a school with EAL children. I suppose I started to see ways of making things get better.

The first real job where I did any extra work was being reception and nursery coordinator and the way I saw that was developing things we could do together to improve learning. I suppose people must have seen in me the capacity to have an overview.

The turning point was, it was very, very rare for the Head to go out but on that particular day the Head was out with some of the Leadership team and the school advisor came in. I was the next most senior person and so I entertained him. We talked about how we were meeting the individual needs of our children. And then the Head came back and he said to her we need to nurture that young person as the city is really short of headship material. Get her to fill in an application form and I’ll look at it and so they gave me a form to fill in and he went through it with me and then some jobs came up and as it would happen they were for Headships and not Deputy Headships. Well you can tell how unprepared I’d be. So I started applying and we were desperately short at that point of Heads. So I applied and was getting short listed because I now realise that the application was a good application because I do have overview. I have always been able to look at things and see how they fit together. I started doing some courses off my own back and applied. I was consistently getting interviews.

Another thing that happened was that I was advised to apply for Headships and big Deputy Headships and in the end I got a big Deputy Headship. What I have discovered through my career is that things that happen to come out I later discover are good practice and so some of the things that I see as fairly clear that I have developed collaboratively with other people or things that seem like common sense actually then when I go on a course someone tells me it’s the right thing to be doing – its best practice. I don’t want that to sound big headed, because it’s not – I do think there are people who have a particular gift for management or see things like the big picture and I think I started to realise that.

I began then to realise that I had potential and then very quickly realised that I could take other Deputies forward and so started a Deputies group for professional peer development and then later you learn its good practice. After three years as Deputy having been aloud to grow in confidence and do a lot I became a Head. But still at that point I had not had a decent Headship model. I had not worked for a good Head. I had worked for people that I liked and I had learnt from what I considered to be people’s mistakes but I had not had a good model.

I still when I was a Head didn’t

have any concept of – I still did things by instinct and then found out later that they were the right things.

There were two seminal points – on a course someone talked about the Head teacher as the leading learner and that was very powerful as it freed you up from having always having to be tied into your first decision because for me leadership is about learning and therefore about changing and actually at the time changing was perceived to be a weakness. Then a bit later on I did get Headship training and as part of that we talked about leadership being a function of personality and so you could only offer models of leadership to people but really the heart of leadership is inside yourself.

Interviewer Prompt - Have there been any influential people along the way that have inspired you?

Interviewee Yes – I think fellow Head Teachers that I have met through networking. I remember meeting a Head from a big inner city school and being very impressed by her and subsequently met her and heard her speak on lots of occasions and I remember her approach to the job, her interpersonal skills, her grasp of the big picture and the genuine respect and love even that she was held in by other people. That was something that I aspired to. She had an impact on children and adults and she had integrity and respect.

Lots of people – Tim Brighouse – I was very lucky to meet with Tim, Mike Waters on many occasions, incredibly powerful and intelligent people who I was very lucky to have close access to. But again learnt to be valued because they clearly valued me and my role. Affirmation by Tim and people like him was good and enabled you to carry on.

Interviewer 3. Thinking back to your early stages of Headship could you describe your thoughts, experiences and feelings?

Interviewee A lot of fear. A lot of fear. A lot of not being willing to ask for help because I thought I should know. One that stands out clearly for me was the petty cash. Fear of authority – I had a really scary time with a previous Head Teacher. I felt real fear then because she made it very clear that if we didn’t fall in to what she wanted she would make things

very difficult for us. She had a lot of power and that fear of the unknown and that stayed with me for a long time. Fear is a key emotion in my life.

Another early influence is that my mother is completely uneducated – she hated school and went to elementary school and really hated it – revered authority in terms of doctors and things and I inherited some of my mothers fear. She lived with fear and although I’m not like her – although we get on very well I inherited her fear. I had taken on board that people can do things to me and so the whole business of coming to terms with fear was a huge part of my personal and professional development.

And the experience with the intimidating Head was the turning point. I’ve always tried not to do to other people what she did to me because it is a very destructive emotion especially when children are around. Frightened adults lead to frightened children. So things like OFSTED can paralyse me because I still have very deep seated fear of being blamed by an outside agency or something I have no control over. I struggle all the time to overcome fear.

Powerful parents was another challenge – another layer of fear that I had to overcome and again that was about self awareness.

Interviewer Prompt - We’ve talked a lot about fear as a key emotion in early Headship? Anything else?

Interviewee Yes. That joy of being able to make things happen. I like being able to make things happen. I like the point when other people think that they have made things happen and you know that actually it is because of everything that you have done. I like that point in a school when people take it on board as a whole school thing and your own words, ideas, training comes back at you and is owned. I love that because that’s true learning for me. I suppose there is a personal buzz. These days I see myself as an influencer of adults and not children. My job is to influence adults. That joy of seeing other adults develop and take off and become even better. I love to see the children coming out talking about their learning, having a really good time.

Interviewer 4. So as a more experienced Head Teacher what are your feelings about the role now?

Interviewee I think if I’m honest if I didn’t do other things I would be quite bored. As a person I need to do other things to keep my brain ticking over and then bring it back into school. The basic things haven’t changed. It’s the nitty gritty. I worry about being able to continue to do it at a level that I consider appropriate because as you get older you get tired. I worry about the impact of stress, mainly physical stress as you get older. I worry about loosing professional respect. I really worry about people thinking she’s lost it, she can’t… I worry about the job being unachievable

and I worry for all of us. I really believe it to be unachievable at the moment. That really concerns me because more that ever now we need really good people coming into this job and staying in the job and I do think there ought to be some rationalisation of the job – the role of Headship needs to be defined in its essentials and not be just pilled on. That really concerns me.

I think that you do influence people. Very few jobs are able to influence both adults and children and I still enjoy that aspect of the role. I have always wanted to make a difference and I do think we make a difference. That hasn’t changed. I think the level of self-management and self-awareness that you have to keep doing in our job is a big ‘ask’ in the current climate.

Interviewer 5. Where and what next?

Interviewee I don’t know really. I am a strategy consultant leader and so I am supporting three schools and I do a lot of cluster work. I think the LEA would probably offer me some sort of floating Head Teacher or something if I wanted that route but I don’t know if that is what I do want. Because there is a major project underway in my current school – that is another key element of Headship is the personal responsibility about finishing a job and I don’t think that is what all Heads do and I don’t think you have to have it as a Head but there is something to me about – if you know in your heart that something won’t go very well if you are not there – and I’m not talking about being indispensable because I know that no one is, but there are certain things that

you start particularly as you go through Headship that wouldn’t have happened unless you were there – certain conjunctions of things that happen and wouldn’t have happened unless you were there. That is constraining me at the moment. If I did not have this major project I would have gone by now. Where I would have gone to I don’t know but it would probably have been some sort of advisory, consultancy, even National work. Because I think I have the skills for that. But I think I have allowed some personal, emotional things about leaving people in the lurch to influence me.