Defending the faith: Modelling to increase the accountability of organisational leadership

A situation has emerged in which individuals who do not claim particular mathematical expertise take elements of mathematical theories e.g. 'Chaos Theory' and apply them uncritically to support preferred policies or actions. The challenge this poses includes building models to test the nature of generalised claims, and hence to challenge recommendations and policies that can vary between the dubious and the dangerous. This paper tests claims arising within the field of educational administration through the design of a non-linear simulation model, illustrating a different role for mathematical modelling in an educational environment