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Leadership and Management Development in Education (Education ...

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THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT133programmes rema<strong>in</strong> (for example, Bjork <strong>and</strong> Murphy 2005; Brundrett 2001).Only 15 per cent of universities provid<strong>in</strong>g preparation programmes aremembers of the University Council for <strong>Education</strong>al Adm<strong>in</strong>istration (UCEA),suggest<strong>in</strong>g that quality rema<strong>in</strong>s uneven.Certification or ad hoc learn<strong>in</strong>g?The grow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>ternational <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> leadership development has promptedsome countries to <strong>in</strong>troduce formal leadership qualifications. These are sometimesm<strong>and</strong>atory for those seek<strong>in</strong>g appo<strong>in</strong>tments as pr<strong>in</strong>cipals. The merit ofcertification is that recruitment bodies may have a degree of confidence thatthe c<strong>and</strong>idate has achieved at least threshold competence as an aspir<strong>in</strong>g schoolleader. As noted earlier, this is too important to be left to chance.France provides a clear example of the connection between tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong>selection. The M<strong>in</strong>istry of <strong>Education</strong> is solely responsible for the qualificationprocess, which is adm<strong>in</strong>istered by the Centre Condorcet <strong>in</strong> Paris. Qualificationprogrammes are the responsibility of 28 academies throughout France, whichmust adhere to the prescribed legal guidel<strong>in</strong>es. Follow<strong>in</strong>g successful completionof this tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, c<strong>and</strong>idates are appo<strong>in</strong>ted as deputy school leaders for a twoyeartrial period, dur<strong>in</strong>g which further tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g is required. Certification isclosely <strong>in</strong>tegrated with the appo<strong>in</strong>tments process <strong>and</strong> successful c<strong>and</strong>idates areguaranteed an appo<strong>in</strong>tment (Huber <strong>and</strong> Meuret 2004).Engl<strong>and</strong> will be mov<strong>in</strong>g closer to this approach <strong>in</strong> 2009 when the NPQHbecomes m<strong>and</strong>atory for first-time heads. The ‘new model’ design shows that itshould be seen as preparation for headship <strong>and</strong> not as a general professionaldevelopment programme (www.ncsl.org.uk/npqh). As NPQH will provide theonly route to headship, it can be seen as a state licens<strong>in</strong>g process (Gunter, <strong>in</strong>press). The NCSL also provides the Early Headship Provision, <strong>in</strong>corporat<strong>in</strong>g‘New Visions’. Unlike the French model, this <strong>in</strong>duction provision is not m<strong>and</strong>atorybut the NCSL exhorts new heads to take the programme <strong>in</strong> strong terms;EHP ‘is <strong>in</strong>tended to be an official <strong>and</strong> formal recognition of the achievement ofbecom<strong>in</strong>g a headteacher … while participation is not compulsory, we believeNew Visions gives headteachers the <strong>in</strong>valuable opportunity to reflect on theirlearn<strong>in</strong>g’ (www.ncsl.org.uk/ehp). While this <strong>in</strong>duction programme is not certificated,there is a clear <strong>in</strong>tent to l<strong>in</strong>k the NPQH with selection <strong>and</strong> thesubsequent <strong>in</strong>duction programme.As we noted earlier, new pr<strong>in</strong>cipals <strong>and</strong> assistant pr<strong>in</strong>cipals <strong>in</strong> Canada <strong>and</strong>most of the USA require a master’s degree <strong>in</strong> educational adm<strong>in</strong>istration beforethey can be considered for appo<strong>in</strong>tment. This requirement is well establishedbut has become tighter s<strong>in</strong>ce the <strong>in</strong>troduction of the ISLLC (see above),described by Brundrett (2001: 234) as ‘a centralis<strong>in</strong>g dictum’. The USA differs

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