Understanding Systems Leadership

For a generation educational leadership has been understood in terms of institutional leadership: responsibility for the success and effectiveness of a specific school or college. A primary component of effective leadership was the implementation of national and local education authority policies at school level.

A range of forces are now challenging this model. There is increasing emphasis on the development of policy at ‘local' level and recognition of the need for local solutions to local problems. At the same time there is a growing emphasis on ‘leadership beyond the school', with school leaders becoming increasingly active across the system. System leadership is not yet ‘bedded' as a concept but it would appear at present to have the following dimensions: School Leaders:advising on the formulation of national policies and projects; working with local authorities; collaborating and cooperating with leaders of other public services; leading a cluster or federation of schools; leading extended services;working on community initiatives; acting as executive headteachers.This book will be the first to explore in detail the rationale for, and the implications of, systems leadership.

The first book to explore in detail the rationale for, and the implications of, systems leadership.

Pat Collarbone taught for 28 years in inner London and established a reputation for innovation and achievement during her headship at Haggerston School in Hackney. In 1996 she established the London Leadership Centre at the Institute of Education, University of London. In 2002 she was seconded from the IoE as Director of Leadership Development Programmes at the National College for School Leadership (NCSL), a post she held until December 2004. She was a Director of NCSL and the Director of the National Remodelling Team within NCSL until March 2005, continuing in this role when the NRT transferred to the Training and Development Agency (TDA).

In 2006, she set up Education Change Associates Limited, a private consultancy firm, but is also a principal advisor to the TDA, and is involved with work for NCSL on the ECM agenda, and with the Innovation Unit and the DfES.

Pat is noted as an outstanding speaker and frequently delivers presentations on leadership development and remodelling at national and international conferences. She received a DBE in 1997 as an acknowledgement for her services to education.

Professor John West-Burnham is a writer, teacher and consultant in education leadership with a particular interest in leadership learning and development, and learning in schools and communities. He has been a school teacher, teacher trainer and education officer, and has held posts in five universities. He is Professor of Educational Leadership at St Mary's University College, Twickenham. John is the author or editor of 23 books and he has worked in 21 countries.