Leadership identification and development of primary school teachers: Exploring the complexities

Abstract

Leadership development is a key activity in schools. It can focus on improving outcomes for students, personal development for leaders and support strategic change for the school. This thesis analysed the further development of leadership expertise, for senior teachers, in the primary sector. To explore this topic the need for leadership development was analysed along with the strategies employed to identify and develop leadership expertise. Issues and challenges encountered and expectations of programmes to develop leadership expertise in the future were also a focus. A number of leadership strategies were analysed and the issues and challenges of leadership development implementation were critiqued. A qualitative approach was employed and involved interviews with three principals and six senior teachers all employed in primary schools. The research findings highlighted the assumptions, experiences and the issues and challenges that the interviewees faced when involved in leadership development in their schools. The analysis of the literature with the interview findings led to two main findings; principals need to develop a sound understanding of leadership development to effectively lead this activity in their schools and leadership development needs to be a targeted activity, which is on-going and well planned. This raises questions about developing programmes to support leadership development, focussing leadership development on achieving the school’s goals and addressing the barriers that hinder the principals’ support for the leadership development of senior teachers.