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Distributed leadership: the rhetoric and the reality

Author: Lloyd, Sarah
Subject: Distributed leadership
Audience: Headteachers, Middle leaders and aspiring headteachers
Date of publication: June 2005   |   File format and size: PDF, 54 Kb

How does the leadership structure of a school impact on the development of distributed leadership? This research report explores how variations of distributed leadership work in practice.

The research involved three schools within the same local authority, and looked to examine:

  • distributed leadership as a way of thinking about leadership
  • leadership practice distinct from leadership roles
  • the potential of building capacity through distributed leadership

Findings show variations in the level distributed leadership among different sized schools, and discusses how they work in practice. The research concludes that vital to the successful development of distributed leadership is trust and openness among staff.