Leadership and Management Development in Education (Education ...

8LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATIONand indirect impact, makes it difficult to detect leadership effects. While by nomeans negligible, such a small percentage effect raises questions about whetherthe rhetoric of school leadership (‘no longer in doubt’, pivotal role’, ‘powerfulinfluence’) is really justified. Although he was writing in the late 1970s, March’scaution needs to be taken seriously almost three decades later:It is hard to show effects of organisation and administration on educationaloutcomes. Although there are some pieces of contrary evidence, thebulk of most studies and the burden of current belief is that little perceptiblevariation in schooling outcomes is attributable to the organisation oradministration of schooling. (March 1978: 221)The beliefs have changed, and there is now more ‘contrary evidence’, but muchmore needs to be understood about whether, to what extent, and how, leadersimpact on school outcomes.ConclusionEffective leadership and management are increasingly regarded as essential ifschools and colleges are to achieve the wide-ranging objectives set for them bytheir many stakeholders, notably the governments which provide most of thefunding for public educational institutions. In an increasingly global economy,an educated workforce is vital to maintain and enhance competitiveness. Societyexpects schools, colleges and universities to prepare people for employmentin a rapidly changing environment. Teachers, and their leaders and managers,are the people who are required to ‘deliver’ higher educational standards.There is a widespread belief that raising standards of leadership and managementis the key to improving schools. Increasingly, this is linked to the needto prepare and develop leaders for their demanding roles. While this is the mainfocus of this book, a prior question is the nature of leadership and managementin schools. Which leadership behaviours are most likely to produce favourableschool and learner outcomes? The next chapter examines the main models ofschool leadership and considers the evidence on their relative effectiveness inpromoting school improvement.