Effective leadership in schools facing challenging contexts

There is a great deal of contemporary interest in schools in challenging circumstances. However, there are relatively few research studies that have focused exclusively upon effective leadership practices in such schools. This article outlines the findings from a research study funded by the National College for School Leadership that explored effective leadership in a group of secondary schools in challenging circumstances. The article highlights the key characteristics and features of the leadership approaches adopted, and argues that the heads in the study operated a shared or distributed model of leadership. The empirical evidence from teachers, senior managers, pupils and headteachers point towards a model of leadership that is fundamentally concerned with building positive relationships and empowering others to lead. The article concludes by suggesting that a fundamental re-conceptualisation of leadership is required that equates leadership with the many rather than the few and recognises the fundamental relationship between teacher leadership and school improvement.