Sustaining Skills in Headship Professional Development for Experienced Headteachers

Educational leadership has been seen by many as one of the most important factors in school improvement and effectiveness and is about providing a culture within which teaching and learning will prosper. The training of leaders has therefore become of paramount importance. There is a wealth of training in the UK for teachers in leadership roles, and particularly for those aspiring to become headteachers, and those newly appointed. This article is derived, however, from research indicating the needs of headteachers who have been in post for some years and are looking for ways to continue with their own professional development. There is a real danger that these experienced headteachers will become disenchanted, and their performance will decline during their middle years of headship, and that coaching, focus groups and a rich selection of professional development opportunities could make the difference. K E Y W O R D S leadership, maintenance, opportunities, stages, trainin